barry wrote:A flat blade stubby screwdriver should be standard equipment for espresso setups.

Not only for getting stuck baskets but it required for shower screen removal.

barry wrote:taking the spring out often results in baskets disappearing into trashcans.

I use a knockbox so the worst that happens is I drop the basket in the box. That only happens once in a while. I hold my thumb over the edge of the basket when I hit the bar, no big deal. Since we are home-baristas, buying a few baskets is doable. Then you could just use a few and clean them all at one time, but for me, it's just as easy to knock the puck out using my thumb method.

cafeIKE wrote:Bend spring thus :

+1 to bending the spring. I did the exact same thing when I got my La Spaz VII, which has the tightest fitting baskets I have ever seen. Using a pair of pliers, round out the spring out at the "bends" along the spring so the spring sits inside the groove, thus loosening the tension against the PF basket. For each bend that you round out, the basket will get a looser and looser. My suggestion is to round out one or two bends at a time until the tension is to your liking. Just don't round out all the bends - if you do this the spring will sit entirely in the groove and provide no tension at all.

It is really easy to do and I can't see how you can mess this up if you round out one or two bends at a time. Your machine probably came with 2 portafilters (single and double spout PF), and thus 2 springs. So, if you mess one up at least you still have a spare.

Some La Spaz owners have bought La Marzocco springs - even though the LM is 58mm the springs are much looser. Wasn't needed in my case since bending the spring was so easy to do.

You can change the bending, or the stiffness (depends on wire gauge). I like my baskets tight enough to stay in, loose enough to remove with Nature's stubby screwdriver, a fingernail. Over time, I've collected three thicknesses:

1.2mm (Izzo standard, way stiffer than any basket requires)
1.0mm (Rancilio standard, ideal for ridgeless, including Synesso and blind)
0.8mm (Rancilio optional, perfect for "groovy" baskets).

I keep a 1.0 or 0.8 in each portafilter, according to which basket I normally use there. Unfortunately, the thin Rancilio spring seems to be unavailable now, afaik, or I'd buy a couple of spares.