I personally do NOT like that straight down single spout.

For one, I think it looks ridiculous on a portafilter. Two, one can accomplish the same thing, by removing any spout from a portafilter. Three, it looks ridiculous.

The other single spout that is linked, is my baby. I love it. My VII came with This spout, and I didnt like it. The way its designed, espresso "builds up" inside the spout, and I find it to look rather ugly. I put on the curved spout that I saved from my Anita's stock PF, which I just love. The way the espresso looks pouring down the spout, is just beautiful.

This is the double spout that comes on the La Spaz portafilters, and is quite similar to the La Marzocco double open spout. BUT, Im not someone to use a double spout. I dont split shots, and so, using a double spout, makes no sense to me. But, to each their own.

I realize that I may care just a BIT too much about spouts

The_Left_Hand wrote:I've often wondered why single spouts weren't made with a second "dummy" spout for stability.

You assume the barista tamps with the spout resting on the countertop. As a matter of sanitation and avoiding contamination with coffee grounds, I recommend tamping with a stand or on the edge of the countertop. For what it's worth, the SCAA competition rules allow the barista to rest the portafilter spout tips on the countertop as long as they wipe them prior to pulling the shot.

To address the title question of the original post, rather than the OPs real question...

Excellent observation and your answer makes perfect sense. Thanks.

How much spritzing are you getting? I also have a b-vario and run a chopped PF but do not seem to have problems with spritzing, well other than the occasional rogue outlier;)

In reality, not much. The remark about "spraying" was hyperbole. I'm a little obsessive about keeping the machine clean and occasionally I find dots of coffee on the bottom spout of the grouphead or the front of the machine after using the naked PF. I like the naked PF for the show and to assess the quality of the puck, but it requires kneeling in front of the machine (my wife already said it looks like a coffee altar). Not to say my skills couldn't use improvement, but I don't have geysers. LOL.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Ben Z. wrote:That straight single spout has got to be a joke...

Why?

zin1953 wrote:Why?

What advantage does it have over simply unscrewing the spout?

For a moment, let's think aesthetics rather than practicality, and let's also remember that bottomless portafilters are a very recent invention.

I know several coffee houses which use straight spouts like this one. Taking the spout off makes the portafilter look "unfinished," and I can imagine how consumers would view that as looking "shoddy" and "unfinished" (as opposed to the "new" bottomless portafilters) Also, I would imagine that it's more difficult to clean the threads rather than the spout itself.

Practical difference to the shot itself: none that I can see.

Cheers,
Jason

Esthetics: for me straight single spout looks funny, I have seen it in some cafes. I'm not sure but I think with one brand of machines straight single spouts come as standard.