Best portafilters for your espresso machine?

 Best portafilters for your espresso machine?

If you've ever seen an espresso machine (we're sure you have) you will have noticed a handle sticking out of it. Well, that is the filter holder, a component of the machine that separates and is where you place the coffee for extraction.

This piece, which looks like a spoon, is where the complex extraction process, imperceptible to our eyes, occurs, and allows the barista to obtain the espresso and all the characteristics it presents.

The filter holder itself is made up of few parts, but beyond knowing what it is, the most important thing is learning how to use it correctly.

Knowing how to distribute the coffee, press it correctly, and finally let the correct amount of water pass through, will be crucial when extracting all the properties of a quality espresso. Continue reading this article and learn how to use the filter holder.

Parts of an espresso filter holder.

Essentially, portafilters are a component of espresso machines that in turn are made up of parts that are the following:

Handle or handle.

This allows the barista or the person in charge to easily and comfortably hold the portafilter while loading the coffee into the basket and pressing. While it doesn't seem to matter that much, the weight and feel in your hand can make a big difference.

Ladle.

The basket, or ladle, is a piece that fits inside the filter holder and this is where the ground coffee is actually placed. They are usually made of metal and have tiny holes in the bottom that serve to filter the extraction, and that this exits through the conduit into the cup.

On the other hand, it is important that you know that there are baskets with different capacities, diameters, and other nomenclatures, which are often confusing, however, we will make an effort to solve this problem once and for all.

Crested or non-crested.

Baskets For Strainer With Brode And Without Rim

The crested scoops are easy to identify since they have a prominence that runs along the entire circumference of the same and their function is, together with the help of the tension spring, to improve the grip on the filter holder.

This ensures that the ladle does not shoot out of the filter holder when you knock out the coffee tablet, which could happen with a basket without a ridge if you do not hit the center of the pick bar correctly.

Despite this, scoops without a ridge have the benefit of removing the coffee pod more cleanly, while those with a ridge tend to accumulate coffee residue on the inside.

In the end, rimmed or rimless, it is just a personal choice that will not have any impact or change on the extraction and quality of your espresso.

Simple, double and triple ladle.

Scoops For Filter Holders Sizes

This nomenclature basically refers to the amount of ground coffee that fits inside, and therefore, how many espresso coffees you can make.

The simple scoops have a capacity of 7 - 12 grams of ground coffee and are designed to make one espresso per round. They are easily identifiable as they have a funnel shape that helps to slow down the water.

The double baskets can hold 14 to 22 grams of coffee, and are the standard size for commercial espresso machines. These have a completely straight or slightly narrow shape.

Lastly, triple scoops can hold more than 21 grams, between 30-40 grams, and may not fit a normal portafilter, so you will need to get a deeper one or a bottomless portafilter.

Pressurized vs non-pressurized.

Pressurized Filter Holders vs Non-Pressurized Filter Holders

Pressurized baskets (also known as double wall) are common in home espresso machines and consist of a false bottom usually with a single outlet port to increase pressure on extraction.

So it is not the espresso machine that generates the pressure, but the second bottom that builds up the pressure, and ensures that the water passes through all the ground coffee beans.

The benefit of this is to help newcomers to the world of coffee, or people who do not want the complexities of extracting an espresso, since you do not need a properly ground coffee or a firm press.

However, pressurized baskets will give you less control over the entire espresso extraction process.

On the other hand, the non-pressurized ones are the classic pots and those used in commercial espresso machines. They are also preferred by baristas and coffee enthusiasts, as the quality of the coffee will depend on your brewing skills.

This means that the espresso machine generates the pressure and the extraction of the coffee will depend on the correct calibration of the grind, the precise pressing, and the appropriate time, achieving better results in the quality of your espresso.

Diameters of the basket.

On the other hand, you will find that

Cycles also come in different types of diameters, and this is basically because the heads of the groups (where the filter holder is placed) have a specific size depending on the manufacturer of the espresso machine.

58mm is the most traditional size and used by most major commercial and high-end espresso machine brands.

From here, we could say that the cheaper the coffee maker, the smaller the diameter of the filter holder will be, although this does not happen in most models, being able to find diameters of 57mm, 54mm, 53mm and many more variants.

Tension spring.

Helps keep the basket inside the filter holder and is a clip-on piece.

Types of portafilters for coffee machines.

Although portafilters fulfill the same function in any espresso machine, manufacturers tend to design them slightly differently, either for, to control all variants during extraction, convenience if you want to get a decent espresso with minimal effort, or efficiency to help the coffee maker during the extraction process.

There are basically 4 different types of portafilters which are:

Pressurized filter holder.

As we've already mentioned, these portafilters are meant to help the beginner, or be friendlier for the person who just wants to enjoy a coffee, as it eliminates variables to get a decent cup of espresso.

Its operation consists of a mechanism that helps to create extra pressure during the extraction process, regardless of the correct pressing or using a pre-ground coffee, since the pressurization system will do all the work.

Commercial filter holders.

These are the filter holders used in all high-end and professional espresso machines. Baristas prefer to use this type of portafilter because it allows them greater freedom in controlling all the variables necessary to achieve a true espresso.

They are also stronger than previous filter holders thanks to the fact that it is made of much stronger metal. Another benefit is that they guarantee better resistance and consistency to heat, and therefore, the espresso will have the ideal temperature when it reaches the cup.

Bottomless filter holder.

This type of filter holder (also called naked or naked filter holder) is a variant of commercial filter holders and its design consists in eliminating the nozzles so that the extraction is more visible.

This particular shape allows the barista to see if his espresso has a problem or "channeling", which occurs when the technique has not been performed correctly by shooting small jets of espresso in random directions.

Ideally the extraction should moisten the entire coffee bar and eventually come together in the center and fall into the cup. So bottomless portafilters can be a great way to improve your extraction technique.

We must also highlight that seeing how coffee is extracted in this way is simply beautiful and is a beautiful image to appreciate.

Capsule filter holder.

There are manufacturers that design espresso machines only for this type of portafilter. The concept is based on a pre-packaged coffee sealed within a filter paper and for a single espresso extraction.

The person only has to place one of these capsules inside the filter holder, connect it to the coffee maker and that's it, you don't even have to worry about grinding the coffee and pressing it, without problems and without complications.

The downside of these models is that they limit you to a certain amount of coffee extraction, and if you are a home barista, it takes away total control of the espresso.

How to use a filter holder.

Learning to use the portafilter certainly requires a lot of practice, and a lot of espresso to be able to achieve the correct technique that will hit you as much as possible to the perfect espresso.

This will allow you to detect problems in the proper grinding, the distribution of the coffee inside the basket, the pressure of the coffee pressing and to be able to correct them to achieve the extraction of coffee.

We'll give you a quick and easy overview so you can start practicing and using the portafilter the right way.

Place the coffee (with the correct ground) inside the saucepan and distribute it so that it covers the entire space as best as possible.

The amount of coffee to be placed will depend on the type of espresso you are going to extract, for a simple espresso you can use between 7 - 9 grams of coffee.

Now you must press the coffee, for this you must have a tamper and press down. You can see how to perform the pressing technique by following the link.

Connect the portafilter to the group or head of the espresso machine and the extraction begins. The extraction time of an espresso should be between 25 to 30 seconds.

If you are not satisfied with the result, try making any adjustments that are important to you and then start over.

This is how it works, trial and error until you achieve the ideal extraction, remember that perfection is found in practicing, practicing and continuing to practice.

How to clean a filter holder.

Cleaning all the components of the espresso machine is important if you want to get a decent espresso. Therefore, the portafilter and the casing do not escape from this daily task.

Not cleaning these parts means that the natural oils in the coffee begin to accumulate, which sooner rather than later will give the coffee a rancid and unpleasant taste. Therefore, follow these steps to perform the correct cleaning of your filter holder:

Use an espresso machine cleaner, or a little trisodium phosphate, which also works as a cleaning agent.

eza. These cleansing solutions can be harsh on your skin, so be careful when using them.

You will also need water and a metal sponge or scouring pad.

Find a metal or glass container and mix the water with the cleaning solution.

Dip the filter holder (metal parts only) and wait 30 to 50 seconds for the mixture to do its job.

Remove and begin to rub the parts with the sponge, and rinse again with the cleaning solution. Repeat the cycle until you consider that the portafilter is clean.

Finally, wash with a lot of clean water to remove all the cleaning solution, so that for the next extraction there are no traces of strange flavors.