I'm hoping someone can help clear up my confusion. The specs list the Silvia's portafilter as being commercial grade (58mm), this is also the size of tamper I use.

Looking at the new VST portafilters http://vstapps.com/store/vst-precision-filter-baskets/ their specs read it will fit a 61mm portafilter (an further email from them stated "If it's a 60mm portafilter with standard depth it should fit"); again refering to the specs on the website they suggest a 58-58.4mm tamper. Specifically it has been designed to primarily work with La Marzocco machines.

Anyone have any clues if this would be compatible with the standard Silvia portafilter (I have the V3 if that makes a difference; my understanding is that the portafilter size has never changed).

Any help would be appreciated; I'm thinking it would be fine, but I'd hate to shell out the cash and find out I was wrong.

They are going off the inside diameter of the actual portafilter and not the basket. Took out my digital calipers, for which the battery is conveniently dead, but the quick reference on the slide indicates about a 61 mm inside diameter of the portafilter. I have ordered all 3 sizes, a perk of having company money to spend, and my guess is that the 22g basket will be too deep for a stock Rancilio portafilter, but the 18g should fit nicely.

*Edit:* I should have said I measured a stock Rancilio portafilter.

Thank you for your help on that!

Nice to have a company buying them for you

You will almost always need a bottomless portafilter to use a triple basket.

BTW, have anybody used this baskets?

Espresso Parts and Espresso Resource has similar products too, and I find them similar (visually) to Mypressi Twist filter basket.

Are they better, great or good at least?

Márcio.

What about the issue of differing amounts of screen clearance with various 58mm portafilter machines? I am not sure how much this varies between E61 machines, LM machines, the Silvia, etc. The baskets seem to be designed with a very specific clearance in mind for each dose size.

Also, ouch, UPS Standard is the only option offered for Canada on their site. That means a single filter costs almost $60 after shipping, brokerage, and tax.

For BruceB - thanks for the headsup on availability - just ordered four, leaving the big boys alone.

If your current Rancilio V3 basket has p/n 40-100-102 stamped on the side, it is already a VERY NICELY constructed basket, albeit 14g max for Miss Silvia.

Bob, I bit the bullet and purchased a basket - 40 bucks all in. Shipped Canada Standard. They say they're shipping in early May. I'm looking forward to it. Personally I've spent over 200CDN including shipping on a really nice LM portafilter with a 20 dollar double spout that I rarely use... cause really... a portafilter is... a portafilter... and it's not naked. With that in mind, I was willing to try the 18g basket for 40.

/EDIT... Crap... it is UPS.... what a joke... oh well I'm going to call someone...

erics wrote:For BruceB - thanks for the headsup on availability - just ordered four, leaving the big boys alone.

If your current Rancilio V3 basket has p/n 40-100-102 stamped on the side, it is already a VERY NICELY constructed basket, albeit 14g max for Miss Silvia.

I had a look and as you mentioned I checked the number on the sire of mine and it is the same as above. I've pulled the trigger on the newer the two mid size VST filters though out of curiosity, I liked what I read about the lack of vertical tapering (i.e. what I read made logical sense).

I wonder though; if the surface area and therefore the number of holes present is greater in these new filters how much it will change the time/volume aspect. Would it even make much of a noticeable difference?

here is the Rancilio Portafilter basket 40-100-102

http://www.pidsilvia.com/basket%20pictures.htm

i did not see any better craftsmanship then this Rancilio basket, yet.