FlyingShot wrote:One niggle with the GS3 - it will be in my home office, where I typically drink about 5 or 6 short shots over the course of the day. ... I realize the controversy over whether I can pull decent shots with this amount of espresso ...

Many of todays blends are designed for updosing to provide a deep coffee bed. IMO, low dosing in shallow baskets gives less than optimal results.

I drink 5 or 6 single shots per day. With a 7g single basket, I can pack in almost 12g, although normal doses are in the 8.5 to 10g range. It's a slightly different taste than an updosed double, but infinitely preferable to low doses in a shallow 12g or standard 14g basket.

As far as the tamper, anything that fits

You can use a 57 mm tamper with a 57.5 mm basket. There's a tiny bit of stray coffee at the edge after tamping an polishing. if it's been well tamped a simple inversion over the knock box eliminates the stray grounds. I do it every day and it works just fine. Note: there are some E61 HX style machine PF assemblies that are not deep enough for the "triple" basket. Not an issue - just get a bottomless PF that will fit the same machine and you can use any basket you wish to.

Ernest/Ken/FlyingShot (your coffeegeek name),

Stick to one name, it'll make life easier

You are right. Dan is going to consolidate CG and HB under one name.

Ken