I actually think the pricing is quite reasonable for something CNC'ed out of a single billet of steel. AKA worth it for the time and energy it takes to create (on an incredibly expensive tool). Whether it's worth it for what it can help you put inside your cup remains to be seen. May very well be a solution to a problem that doesn't exist, but I don't think so.

Intuitively it seems like the entire goal of buying expensive grinders, using WDT, upgraded shower screens, calibrated self leveling tampers, using paper filters at the bottom, and puck screens at the top is all in an attempt to make a uniform bed of coffee so that pressurized water will flow through it evenly. Clearly VST and similar baskets produce superior shots to the prior generation. However, the tapered bottom of these does seem to clearly still lead to uneven extraction (however marginal).

I think if my thesis is correct then the WAFO hole patterns are suboptimal. I'm more excited by the Weber Workshops and Sworks Design offerings.

Long story short, I have high hopes these baskets may be a vital and perhaps final (lol) step towards the god shot espresso nirvana we all chase.

Fausto wrote:perhaps final (lol) step towards the god shot espresso nirvana we all chase.

There is no final step in consumer market. The path stretches on forever. Only the consumers themselves can decide where to stop.

Jaroslav wrote:I'm intrigued by the idea of these types of baskets, I think that's a trend actually worth following. But I won't agree with the trend of pricing these items until they're 100% proven to be worth it. Some of us are cautious after the 100€ levellers wave, many didn't further jump on that tamper marketing. I can't wait to hear more about these baskets from reliable sources.

Well baskets have before proven to give an edge, it's more then can ever be said about the redistribution and levelling tampers that mostly just leave a hole in the pocket, those tool do nothing that can't be achieved for a modest spending. Whether these give a significant improvement that make the 5-6x price over Pullman and VST is more where the question remains, but precision basket in itself is pretty sound but I do question if we venture down the diminishing returns here.

p4lxrich wrote:Anybody know the num of holes of ims or vst basket compared to these wafo, unibasket?

I believe VST says there are nearly 750 holes in their 20g competition basket.

Fausto wrote:I actually think the pricing is quite reasonable for something CNC'ed out of a single billet of steel. AKA worth it for the time and energy it takes to create (on an incredibly expensive tool).

It's interesting that they CNC this basket. The weber unibasket page mentions that theirs "is forged from a 1.2mm thick blank of metal."

It's almost the same price. It will be fun to compare the manufacturing differences between this next generation of baskets coming to the market.

Starspawn2318 wrote:I understand the idea behind more uniform holes extending all the way out to the edge. I can see how that would allow for a finer grind and more even extraction and potentially improve in the cup results.

What I'm struggling to understand is the other hole layout designs like below:
image

If the idea is for an even extraction and we know areas without holes, like the edges in current baskets, under extract... then won't the areas without holes in these layouts underextract leading to overall uneven extraction? It seems counter to the idea that even extraction makes for better coffee... Why is under extraction from the edges bad, but under extraction from these hole designs better? That part doesn't make sense to me.

WAFO comes in 3 design this is supposed to on purpose differentiate extract in different areas, why ask the designer.

There is another design that doesn't have these circle areas without holes

Brain Quan's (sponsored) video had a few things to say on the subject. Basically the "Blend" baskets which are the ones with large gaps with no holes are meant to intentionally under extract with the goal of apparently ramping down the acidity of lightly roasted coffees (I would have thought it would do the opposite.

I remain skeptical of the WAFO's but look forward to other's experiments. More exited about Weber and Sworks offerings.

Fausto wrote: I remain skeptical of the WAFO's but look forward to other's experiments. More exited about Weber and Sworks offerings.

Ditto!