Hi ,
My first posting! need your help...
I just got a Bezzera a few weeks ago. Espresso is best ever, BUT - the portafilter almost seems to turn back from the pressure, and a few water drops coming from the side....I know it sounds too much coffee or too fine grind...I tried to change but espresso comes way too watery . I use the Rancilio grinder on # 4.....I do not weigh the dose just feel it up approx.1/4" below the edge....any suggestions
Thanks,
V.

This is a characteristic of several machines and is usually a portafilter fit problem and not a pressure problem. Sometimes switching to a thinner gasket helps. But usually you just have to use two hands (one on the handle and one on the machine) and use some force when you lock in the portafilter.

Thank you Marshall,
Any idea where I can get thinner gaskets?

I.

ventura wrote:Thank you Marshall,
Any idea where I can get thinner gaskets?

I.

Check Canadian espresso supply houses.

I notice this as well when using my naked portafilter that I purchased from 1st Line. It has never happened when using the Bezzera supplied portafilter. Also worth noting is that the Bezzera portafiliter fits much tighter and locks in at the 6 o'clock position where the naked portafilter doesn't completely lock in till the 5 o'clock position, maybe even 4 o'clock, if I really crank on it. I think Marshall is right, and that the culprit is the machining of the portafilter ears and the relationship to the gasket.

ventura wrote:I just got a Bezzera a few weeks ago. Espresso is best ever, BUT - the portafilter almost seems to turn back from the pressure, and a few water drops coming from the side....I know it sounds too much coffee or too fine

Even if you can't make the cut PF fit like the OEM, you might benefit from a fresh group gasket. Yours may have been sitting in inventory for a year or two, even though the machine is new. I routinely (every 6 months or so) experienced these symptoms when my Silvia's gasket was getting old and hard: reduced friction holding the PF on, easier tendency to leak, and more torque needed to lock it securely. A new one usually feels more elastic, crushes more and seals better, even when it's just finger-tight. At the very least, you'll have a spare.

Newer models of Bezzera utilize a conical grouphead gasket and 98 times out of 100 all is well. Its possible that a tolerance stack-up with the grouphead, gasket, & portafilter is causing your problem but I would give it a week or so to self-cure.

And, don't walk away to answer the telephone while brewing

What model Bezzera? That can always help - is it new?

My PF doesn't even lock at 6 o'clock but at 7 ....!!!!!
The model is BZ07S PM.
It was a floor model that I got for a lower cost......
Thank you , this site is fantastic!!!
V.

When your portafilter feels "locked-in", look underneath and see how much of the portafilter tangs are exposed. When a PF locks in at 6 o'clock, none of the tang should be exposed. At 7 o'clock, you will see maybe 1/8" of tang. If possible, I would check some of the other BZ07/BZ10 models available at your dealer.

As a side note:

The standard double basket that ships with the BZ07 is Bezzera P/N 5471007 and is designated by them as 12 grams. An optional basket is their 14 gram model, P/N 5471016.

Even better would be some baskets from this source - http://vstapps.com/store/vst-precision-filter-baskets/

I noticed that if I don't use as much pressure with the tamper (5-7 lb) instead of 25-30 lb.- I do not have the problem........