The bottom line is 1 - simplify, and 2 - find what works for you. I always use a bottomless PF. For distribution, after dosing as evenly as I possibly can using the Kony's doser, I tap the bottom edge of the portafilter lightly all around its perimeter with the top of an old aluminum tamper. This tapping can be modulated and directed in such a way as to even out the distribution. One or two taps at 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock will instantly tell you how even the distribution is (or isn't). Se a low area? Tap on the side to get the grounds to move that way. I tried WDT a few times but found this to be easier, more consistent, and I just never got the hang of getting the distribution very even with WDT. But as I said at the top, find what works for you.

brianl wrote: I'm hesitant to start using a paper cup and my significant other is putting up with enough ugly items sitting around the living room, haha. Is the benefit mostly being able to pour evenly into the basket or is there something else?

Somebody else came up with the paper cup option early on in the HG1's life. I think the non-wax paper cup helps avoid static as well, but mostly it allows me to distribute the way you would if you had one more arm and could grind directly into the basket while moving the basket around - that was the piece I couldn't do with the tumbler.

I also tried WDT with various implements and found I got more consistently even extractions without it - so it didn't make the cut

As far as leveling - there are threads discussing competition baristas who were grinding directly into their baskets, leaving a mound and tamping without any leveling whatsoever - One of the espresso scientists here made a comment in a thread to the effect that the physics of applying pressure to a mound of solid particles would force an even distribution - so putting that information into the tests, I find it doesn't matter whether I level everything off before I tamp if I am tamping level.

So yes - my advice would be to keep it simple, and if you are adding steps check to see if they are actually helping.

BTW, I have tried the triple basket I got with my Rancilio bottomless portafilter as well as the espresso parts basket and ... no real difference there for me either.

Good luck!

I find that i almost always get some minor channeling with VST baskets if i don't use a Nutating tamp. usually if all my other prep is good then it is minor, however it's enough that the resulting output weight is good, but the extraction is not. 35g where the first half is thick viscous extraction and half is water coffee-like substance is not the same as 35g of well extracted espresso. I found that once i controlled the channeling, i had to grind coarser to bring my output to the correct range.

I am Grinding with a Vario, and had the same results with my old Andreja Premium as with My GS/3. i am not sure why the VST baskets are more prone to this, or if that is in my head, but that is what my experiences have been.

There are a few discussions of Nutating tamps already on the forum, but i generally use a light 5 lb tamp, nutate for 2 rotations with the second rotation ending back at level. when rotating the tamper the tilt is MAYBE 1/4", usually just what the 58.35 tamper will allow with its tight fit. this was passed on to me by the owner of multiple cafe's and one of Canada's largest craft coffee roasters. works for me, hopefully if you haven't tried it already, you can realize some improvement,

I'm still chugging along with better results but not as consistent as i'd like.

I use the EspressoParts basket (14g) for anything full cityish and darker and the VST for the lighter roasts. I was getting some ashy (overextracted) flavors when using the VST on a dark roast for example.

I'm starting to think maybe this tumbler that comes with the HG-One is the problem but i'll try some shots stirring after the plug has been removed to see if it improves. I tried it in the past but only a couple times. Mostly I end up with the opposite problem of too many grinds on the sides and a cavern in the middle. After that, i'll be looking for a paper cup (or maybe a glass jar to catch the grinds).

I have been trying to get level grinds distribution before tamping but it seems like many here aren't having to do this to prevent channeling. Maybe my trying so hard to get it level is doing more harm than good? Also, how many here are doing 'pre-infusion' with their shots? I am unable to plumb in but perhaps my results would have less channeling if I could.

I tried the nutating tamp with little success but i've mostly had full city roasts lately so I haven't done it with the VST yet.

thanks guys!

Mostly an aside but it's consistent with the topic of this post...Even when I get a great pull with no channeling (that I can see), it is blonding early (16g in 22g out, 28 seconds from flipping switch, 5 days since roast) and its a FC roast. What would be a way to push the blonding back? The taste seems a little under-extracted so would I want to raise the temperature because if I grind finer with my dose, it's just reduce the output. Or is it best to 'increase dose' and coarsen? Seems like many here prefer to not grind finer and reduce the dose (I noticed a bland taste in the past when i've done this)? I would say that my goal is usually fairly intense espressos but with the dark roast it usually ends up very ashy when I try ristretto.

Don't level with your finger. If you have the correct dose, when you tamp the coffee will compress down to the proper level. I use a modified version of the Staub method with very good results. Dose, light tamp, then angle the tamper and light tamp around 4 sides to compress the outer portion, then normal tamp with slight twist about 3 more times. The pressure of the main tamp depends on the coffee and I usually figure out the pressure after the first few shots. Once I have the grind and tamp down for a particular batch of beans, I rarely get channeling. I use the naked portafilter whenever I get a new batch of beans that I can't get dialed in on 2 or 3 shots.

Since I never weigh the dose, I do have an additional step that I wouldn't have if I did weigh. After that 1st very light tamp, sometimes i'll have to scrape off some coffee with the tamper. I then do what would be the first tamp if I was weighing my dose, angle tamps, then final tamps. Weighing would have reduced the learning curve, but having done it for many many years, experience has eventually gotten me to the same place, a pretty consistent shot.

I've just realized that almost every time there is channeling its on the right side of the basket with dead spots near the center or left center (with the portafilter handle facing me). Sounds like my tamp is not level even though i try to feel it by comparing space from the tamper base to the portafilter rim? will try to over exhaggerate next time to the left.

I have just started nutating before tamping as I rarely fill up to the rim so leveling with a knife or something isn't possible..

If you consistently have a high spot on 1 side, try tamping with the portafilter on a lower surface and see if that allows you to apply more even pressure. If you are working from a high counter top you may be compacting 1 side more than the other but still leveling off the puck at the end so one side is more dense even though the final puck looks OK.

Also you don't need the blackest roast to get nice dark espresso. There is no exact level of roast specific to espresso and many medium roasted beans will produce good color, flavor and crema. Many coffee houses large and small have designated some inky black roast as espresso roast when roast level has nothing to do with what makes an espresso an espresso.

I've tried tamping on a lower surface and trying to tamp more level but I still get the right side blonding much sooner than the left. I have even tried to purposely tamp harder to the right and to the left with the same result. And this is with nutating. The table the espresso machine on is about a mm lower on the right side but I wouldn't have thought this would make sure a huge impact.

EDIT: I tried to remove the 'plunger motion' from the HG one catch cup. I think the way I pulled it had more coffee land on the left side. I tried a shot without the plunger and got a textbook pour. Basically I catch in a glass cup i've been using for cortados and just pour it in the portafilter using the HG one catch cup without a the plunger as a funnel. I will keep doing this and see if I get some consistent results.

Glad to see you making progress, Brian.

You'll perfect it soon enough. Everyone goes through this tuning process.

It seems like the wild differences are under wraps for now. Additionally, I feel that I'm getting better results using the VST (18g) than I was using an espresso parts HQ basket (14g). Both with 17g dose.

My next issue that i'm having is earlier blonding when I start to approach 7-8 days post roast (i usually open the bag around 4-5 days post roast). This could be related to my ambient temperature decreasing lately. It could be related to this other topic I created about my brew offset (Ambient Temperature and PID Offset). Basically I started using 204 degrees (vs 200) starting a few weeks ago. Nothing seems to taste burnt or bitter so I take it maybe I need to juice up the heat even more?