How many use a bottomless?

dfk41

Systemic It is simple. What is clean? Are people suggesting that they wash the basket and pf after every shot? I soak the spouted part in Cafiza once every couple of weeks

Uncletits

I use a bottomless to allow for a deeper basket - 22g VST

Inspector

I have switched to spouted pf, prefer the taste from it. Somehow smoother. But can’t deny the easy cleaning of bottomless pf.

MediumRoastSteam

dfk41 soak the spouted part in Cafiza once every couple of weeks

This is what I wanted to know. Oils will bake and build up in the spouts. You don’t need to do this with a bottomless, hence easier to keep it clean.

axpetts

Bottomless for me. I like seeing the steam develop and appreciate the feedback the bottomless gives me on my prep. I haven’t used a spouted for years and don’t think I have one to hand anymore!

Intrigued by some of the observations reported here. Some are saying that they prefer the crema from a spouted portafilter - how is it different? Is the difference because the coffee is delivered more gently into the cup? @Inspector you mention you prefer the taste from a spouted - how does it differ for you?

dfk41

MediumRoastSteam You don’t need to do this with a bottomless, hence easier to keep it clean.

So why have not all cafes caught onto this phenomenon then since I would imagine cleanliness must be high up on their list? I make on average 3 coffees a day or 21 a week. I do not see much of a problem at that level of use!

Inspector

axpetts Hard to explain just more pleasant to drink as a straight espresso, just smoother. Maybe it’s the crema, as bottomless produces more crema which makes it somehow tastes less pleasant. Don’t know. I should maybe remove all the crema and then taste them both.

HarveyMushman

axpetts Some are saying that they prefer the crema from a spouted portafilter - how is it different? Is the difference because the coffee is delivered more gently into the cup?

I think this is probably why. Much like pouring a beer into a tilted glass. The coffee obviously falls from a greater height from a bottomless, therefore creating more disturbance in the cup.

I can’t really explain it either, just a different mouthfeel. The flavour is obviously unchanged.

MediumRoastSteam

dfk41 - all I’m saying is that the bottomless is easier to keep it clean, hence I prefer using it. If you are happy with your cleaning routine, fantastic.

MediumRoastSteam

HarveyMushman The coffee obviously falls from a greater height from a bottomless, therefore creating more disturbance in the cup.

I agree with you! And what I’ve been doing recently, specifically when drinking straight espresso, was to elevate the cup all the way to the bottom of the bottomless PF, almost touching it. I can almost swear it tastes better, but I don’t know why! 👍

chlorox

I have used bottomless portafilters I think from the second machine I owned onwards and hardly ever used spouted portafilters at all ever since, because:-

I can better see how well or badly I prepared and distributed the puck from the flow of the sbot
It’s nice to he able to see the Shot as opposed to the spout hiding almost all of it and thee are few things in our hobby more beautiful than to see a good flow
It is much lighter and easier and faster to heat up vs the spouted portafilyer
it’s so much easier to clean the naked portafilter and you can make sure at A mere glance it really is clean unlike the spouted portafilter
For the tall glasses, the naked portafilter allow those glasses to fit underneath it more easily vs the spouted portafilter

chlorox

MediumRoastSteam

If you use a riser (as In the case of the nurri leva) and once you put scales underneath the cup too, it’s not far below the portafilter anymore…

FadedFrontiers

Wonder what role temperature is playing in the difference between spouted and bottomless extractions, given most spouted PF are big metal heat syncs that will cool the shot down considerably.

I know a lot do like a cooler shot anyway, given the brief popularity of cooling balls and so on in the wider espresso community.

Patrick

chlorox It is much lighter and easier and faster to heat up vs the spouted portafilyer
it’s so much easier to clean the naked portafilter and you can make sure at A mere glance it really is clean unlike the spouted portafilter
For the tall glasses, the naked portafilter allow those glasses to fit underneath it more easily vs the spouted portafilter

For me, these are key reasons. Plus the reduced mass, e.g. mainly the basket, and reduced heat sink of the body allows the coffee temps to be more consistent.

dfk41

Patrick So why do professionals not use them on the whole?

HarveyMushman

This might well be a stupid question, but as the spouted pf is (presumably) warmer than the air beneath the bottomless, would the coffee not be slightly hotter exposed to the spouts than it would be to just air?

FadedFrontiers

HarveyMushman This might well be a stupid question, but as the spouted pf is (presumably) warmer than the air beneath the bottomless, would the coffee not be slightly hotter exposed to the spouts than it would be to just air?

It’s because air is a worse conductor of heat compared to metal. A lot of the time a spouted pf won’t be warmer than air but say you preheated it, it would still be a lower temp than the espresso coming out and would transfer that heat as it passes through.

HarveyMushman

Put the spouted back on. Definitely prefer it. Also forgot how nice the polished stainless PF looks (the bottomless is chromed brass).

Adrianmsmith

HarveyMushman

Its that exact picture that makes me think how i could ever live with that lack of space.

Stick scales and a mug under there and I’d be well frustrated, even with a bottomless, why so cramped.

I asked the same in Bella a few years back they said buy a ecm or rocket if your a road race cyclist,!! 😋

I fell for the ecm thing fir a while!!

MediumRoastSteam

Adrianmsmith - if you are talking about group clearance…. Some machines have more clearance than others. Like, Izzo machines had the group rather close to the drip tray… whereas Lelit… I can put a pint glass under it.

I’m not sure what your point is?

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