I hate my naked portafilter

#1: Post by **RyanJE** » October 5th, 2015, 10:17 am

Does anyone else feel this way? I can be a bit OCD at times and can't for the life of me get what I "think" is an even extraction. In fact, I'm starting to get the sense that espresso could be the worst hobby for types like me!

Flow usually starts around the edges (spritzes sometimes). I think I'm starting to spend more time and energy trying to get a good looking extraction (regardless of flow rate and input/outputs being on). Anyone drop the naked and go back to spouts?

I'm leaning against it because I just want to get it right! FWIW, here's my method

Single dose beans after weighing dose .1g scale
Grind into yogurt cup funnel and basket with Baratza vario
WDT with needle
Tamp with flat Espro calibrated tamper
Stock Crossland CC1 double basket, has slanted edges.

#2: Post by **SonVolt** » October 5th, 2015, 10:21 am

Switching to a naked PF and WDT has done more to improve my shots than everything else I've tried. I was running blind with a regular PF - I had no idea my distribution was so bad. It was messy at first, shooting streams all over the place. Now I can't remember the last time I had a spritzer or serious channeling.

#3: Post by HB » October 5th, 2015, 10:30 am

RyanJE wrote:Flow usually starts around the edges (spritzes sometimes).

What's the dose? If there isn't enough headspace, donut extractions may occur. Why not post a video?

#4: Post by **jfrescki** » October 5th, 2015, 10:33 am

I occasionally go back to the stock portafilter but end up missing the feedback too much, so it only lasts a few days.

BTW, I'm sure what I'm about to say could be a result of my 53mm group size, but I just switched to a convex tamper and was able to eliminate WDT and nutation. I prep my basket out of the portafilter. I'm now able to dose, light side-to-side shake, two downward settling taps and then tamp. I've been getting great pours, no more muss and fuss. The results are the same with three different coffees since I've switched.

I've read that a flat tamp gets you higher extraction yield, but the convex has made a huge improvement in my whole process and the results in the cup are as good or better than before. I certainly never expected such a change from a tamper.

#5: Post by **HunterB1994** » October 5th, 2015, 11:52 am

Do you ever try nutating to help center the extraction and to help avoid the "spurts" around the edges?

Out team integrates naked portafilters for training purposes. But, we use spouted portafilters for day to day use on our La Marzocco Strada. (I hate messy and have enough trouble as it is keeping our team neat and clean.)

Hunter Benjamin

#6: Post by **SonVolt** » October 5th, 2015, 11:59 am

A little off-topic here, but is there any difference in a naked vs spouted portafilter on crema and/or texture? Maybe I'm imagining things but it seems like I get way more aeration and creme from using a naked portafilter.

#7: Post by **Bodka Coffee** » October 5th, 2015, 12:02 pm

Judge by taste instead of the way the shot looks. That's what matters anyway.

#8: Post by **LukeFlynn** » October 5th, 2015, 12:04 pm

SonVolt wrote:A little off-topic here, but is there any difference in a naked vs spouted portafilter on crema and/or texture? Maybe I'm imagining things but it seems like I get way more aeration and creme from using a naked portafilter.

Depends for me, if a coffee is very crema rich, usually yes.. If I'm using a light roasted coffee that doesn't have an abundance of crema.. not really. By the time I swirl the shot around the difference is not noticeable.. for me.

#9: Post by HB » October 5th, 2015, 12:17 pm

SonVolt wrote:...is there any difference in a naked vs spouted portafilter on crema and/or texture?

Search is your friend (again):

I used the suggestions in Forum search tips to find these and more.

#10: Post by **SonVolt** » October 5th, 2015, 12:25 pm

I hope you're a bot (again), cause if not - why not just shut the forum down and provide a link to a PDF?