For the most part, everyone talks about how cool bottomless portafilters look and how they help with shot diagnosis. But I've found another benefit on my Ponte Vecchio.

When making multiple pull shots, I have little control over how nice the second pull looks (even when the first is picture perfect). However, with a bottomless portafilter, any brief spritzes shooting off to the side will miss the cup (and just make a mess on the drip tray or counter) while the rest of the shot flows at least somewhat decently. I don't have taste test evidence for this being truly helpful, but my intuition said that it should be beneficial to get the channeled parts of the shot out of the cup. With a spouted portafilter, everything gathers at the spouts and goes into the cup.

Any thoughts or comments? (Such as: no, not much of a difference)

Uhhh... not meaning to be flippant but the weird spritzes etc. that you're describing are typically an artifact related to issues with distribution and packing and are caused by channeling. If you have channeling it seems conceivable (to me at least) that even the main stream of the pull may not be optimal.

When I switched over to bottomless the initial huge benefit for me was the increased visibility - I could now see when channeling occurred. I was able to improve my distribution and packing to the extent that it only happens once in a rare while - and that's usually when I try a new coffee and have not yet dialed in my grind precisely.

The real gain I see - other than the visibility - is the fact that I can now rinse my basket top and bottom under the grouphead when I flush the head and then wipe it dry with a towel. I no longer have to purocaffe and scrub the inside of the PF assembly and worry about coffee oil buildup because there isn't any.

Phaelon56 wrote:Uhhh... not meaning to be flippant but the weird spritzes etc. that you're describing are typically an artifact related to issues with distribution and packing and are caused by channeling. If you have channeling it seems conceivable (to me at least) that even the main stream of the pull may not be optimal.

Agreed. I only experience this when I take a second pull, which is rare because of these results that I'm getting. I prefer to stick to one, despite the small volume.

On a pump extraction, there is a point where the puck breaks down, and the gush out of the bottom becomes indistinguishable from channeling (i.e. the entire puck volume is channeling). Ideally, on a perfectly formed puck, you'd transition uniformly and gradually from the right paced flow to too fast flow to gush; but sometimes, the puck breaks down non-uniformly and you get some late spritzies. I think these are usually a sign that you should have stopped the shot a few seconds back.

On a spring lever, you have the option of doing a second pull and pulling the cup early; on a manual, you can just stop pulling down half way.

aindfan wrote:However, with a bottomless portafilter, any brief spritzes shooting off to the side will miss the cup (and just make a mess on the drip tray or counter) while the rest of the shot flows at least somewhat decently.

Are you serious? I see channeling of the sort you describe so rarely, it's almost a pleasant surprise.

I don't have taste test evidence for this being truly helpful, but my intuition said that it should be beneficial to get the channeled parts of the shot out of the cup. With a spouted portafilter, everything gathers at the spouts and goes into the cup.

Er, if the channeling is forceful enough to miss the cup, isn't the elimination of a few droplets of presumably distasteful espresso the least of your worries?

When I pull several shots in a row I rinse the portafilter using the machine and then dry out the basket between each shot. If using a bottomless portafilter there is no dripping of water when grinding for the new shot. When I first started using it I had the occational channeling which sprayed down the machine but now I find that it actually reduces the mess aorund my workstation!

In addition to no dripping when filling, I find it easier to evenly dose with a bottomless. I slide the bottomless around underneath the grinder while dosing to get a nice even fill. Not a problem with some of the bigger grinders but my Macap throws to the left and this technique helps a lot.

Another benefit, and some here may disagree, is taste.
I prefer the taste of a shot from a bottomless portafilter because the mouthfeel seems more full and round. My guess is that this is caused by a different consistency in the crema. Perhaps flowing over the brass surface in the internals of the portafilter degrades or dissipates some of the crema. Before you call me nuts, you should know I'm not the only one who thinks this. It occurred to me at Murky in DC where the barista brought my attention to the difference. I'm interested to know if others here on HB feel the same way.

Has anyone given this any further thoughts? The taste difference between a shot pulled with a bottomless pf and one with a spout?
This came to my attention when i read someone's post here that said they preferred Flossie's blend when pulled on a spouted pf....i haven't experimented myself yet, but was wondering if anyone had...

Oh without a doubt there is a difference.

I too seem to prefer a spouted shot. With a bottomless, the crema, and the mouthfeel is "bulkier", if that makes sense. The spouted shots are creamier.

Also, comparing the two, I feel to get the same cup as a spouted shot, I need to swirl/stir the bottomless shot. Like if the motion of the espresso gathering and flowing out the spout, "mixes" it.. or something.


Bottomless PF is a tool for Diagnosing extraction problems/Dialing in Coffee. Spouted PF is a tool for pulling shots of espresso.

-Im a single spout kinda guy.