Hi folks, just wondering if somebody can give me a bit of advice re; the new espresso machine i purchased. It's a Gaggia espresso dose, couldnt afford anything more at the moment but love coffee so i am determined to teach myself the skills required to make a nice espresso at home. I'm having an issue with what i think is called channeling? When i try pull a shot it splutters all over the place. Ive tried hundreds of times at this stage so im wasting a lot of good quality beans which is annoying. I have tried my best when tamping to try all different variables to see if it helps but it just doesnt. I tamp lightly, harder, make sure its level etc..to no avail. What am i doing wrong?

I understand the amount of coffee and other variables can affect the end result but it seems to me that the fact that i havent pulled one shot that doesnt splutter means i am doing something really wrong.

I have a sneaking suspicion the crap plastic tamper i got with the machine is part of the problem as it doesnt fit snugly in the basket and creates a ridge around the edge of the tamped coffee. But could this small detail which i have tried to remedy by flattening the ridge still affect the shot?

Also, i wonder am i using the correct basket? I threw away the basket that came with machine for coffee pods because i dont need it and am using the other one, which seems to have one hole in centre. Is that the correct one or should i buy a different/better basket?

By the way, i am grinding on a fine setting for ten seconds which gives me just enough to fill basket. I then level gently, tamp and try pull.

Apologies if i am not using correct terminology for equipment. New to all of this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated so i can get cracking on pulling some lovely espresso.

Sounds like you are using a pressurised basket. Google that and confirm. If yes, you can throw that away and buy a standard double basket. But first confirm that your grinder will grind fine enough to provide enough back pressure.

Also, what dose weight, shot time and shot volume are you getting?

Just did a search online and i think you may be correct in relation to the basket. Why would they ship this pressurized type if it isn't ideal! I'll go get a standard basket and see how that works. To be honest im not measuring dose at the moment, just judging it by filling basket but not overly. If i can pull a shot that doesn't end up all over the kitchen walls i'll the start nailing accuracy.

Grinder, so i am led to believe is good for espresso. Have looked into it before as i thought that was the prob.

Thanks for your help, i'll let you know how it goes.

Colin, your type of question comes up several times a month. If you search on the name of your espresso machine + common problems like "channeling" or "pours too fast", you'll find plenty of advice. Below is my answer to the last time it came up:

HB wrote:Not to ask what may be obvious, but is the coffee freshly roasted? And you have a decent grinder?

If the answers to the above are yes, then we need more details. What basket, coffee, roast date, dose (in grams), pour time and beverage weight? A video could also be very illuminating. Oh, and if you haven't already done so, check out the Newbie Introduction to Espresso series. Along with the other How-Tos, just about every problem you'll encounter in the first 6 months of ownership is covered.

Gaggia includes pressurized "fake crema" baskets designed for producing what looks like reasonable espresso from stale supermarket coffee. With fresh coffee, they're really easy to overextract since the basket only has a teenie-tiny pinhole exit.

I know the video series is rather long, but it truly answers all the questions a newbie might have. In the long run, the time invested in watching the series will be less than the time wasted in frustration walking the same path as 1000s of newbies before you.

HB wrote:Colin, your type of question comes up several times a month. If you search on the name of your espresso machine + common problems like "channeling" or "pours too fast", you'll find plenty of advice. Below is my answer to the last time it came up:


I know the video series is rather long, but it truly answers all the questions a newbie might have. In the long run, the time invested in watching the series will be less than the time wasted in frustration walking the same path as 1000s of newbies before you.

Cheers for pointing me in right direction. I'm the type who really enjoys educating myself on subjects so the vids/info you directed me to will be right up my street. I prob sound a bit flaky by the fact that im not measuring dose etc.. but i just had a hunch that that wasnt the prob and i want to sort this first before i knuckle down and try and get more accurate/consistent. I have a scale's bought a decent grinder and a decent enough machine. Have already started reading mags/books to help also so fingers crossed i'll be pulling yummy espresso soon.