New perspective on value of the naked portafilter - Page 2

[TimEggers]

I love the fact that the naked pf doesn't need cleaning and doesn't go drip, drip.....drip...........drip after the shot has been cut.

I find myself in this camp as well. Once I moved beyond the function I became fond of the form.

[RegulatorJohnson]

i also like it for the clean factor.

i like to look at the reflection in the chrome. im thinkin of getting a panoramic mirror from the auto store.

espresso tastes good, looks cool, is easier to clean up after.

whats not to love?

jon

[CafSuperCharged]

I never seriously enough felt I had to jump on the naked PF bandwagon. Dose, grind, distribute, tamp - and usually no channeling.
I did replace the "original" QM portafilter that came with Andreja by a La Marzocco. The QM needed to be cleaned underneath the basket after each use really. If I did not, old coffee residue in the PF would cause some dullness in the taste. The LM is better in this respect, and some rinsing/flushing suffices, or else I might have acquired a naked PF.
Another thing not to overlook is a classic double PF can actually do two single espressi at a time.

Regards
Peter
Netherlands
Europe

[shadowfax]

I did replace the "original" QM portafilter that came with Andreja by a La Marzocco. The QM needed to be cleaned underneath the basket after each use really. If I did not, old coffee residue in the PF would cause some dullness in the taste. The LM is better in this respect, and some rinsing/flushing suffices, or else I might have acquired a naked PF.

It really is kind of disappointing how shallow the stock portafilters are on most machines. I have a La Marzocco portafilter too. It's nice to be able to do triple shots in a spouted portafilter, but you're right that another big plus is that it seems to flush out much better without removing the basket. I would imagine this has to do with the amount of space in the portafilter.

I think that a naked portafilter should be considered mandatory for a new espresso enthusiast, but it's definitely true that you should quickly get to the point where you don't need to constantly be diagnosing your shots. I still think that I would agree with something that Dan has said about dosing--once you learn how to dose, you don't need to every time. But you do need to be able to check yourself every now and then and make sure you haven't "drifted." It's good for most, I think, to keep a naked portafilter around for a periodic "self-check" to make sure that you aren't letting any slack enter your routine. It's true that the end result in the cup is the final test for any diagnosis, but scales and naked portafilters are important tools, even if you don't just use them to keep your routine convenient and your basket clean.

[AndyS]

i also like it for the clean factor...espresso tastes good,

Yes, you remind me: I prefer the taste of the coffee from a naked compared to the taste of hot brass from a spouted. You spouted guys must like that hot metal taste....

[Spironski]

I never make singles, so what is the use of a spout? I like the cleanliness and also the thicker mouthfeel of the bottomless (and I think tamping is easier also). To me (for me) there simply is no reason to use the portafilter with a spout.

[cafeIKE]

Yes, you remind me: I prefer the taste of the coffee from a naked compared to the taste of hot brass from a spouted. You spouted guys must like that hot metal taste....

Nah, just let the coffee oils build up and petrify. It's just like glass.

[zin1953]

I like the cleanliness and also the thicker mouthfeel of the bottomless (and I think tamping is easier also).

Thicker mouthfeel? Maybe. (I'll do a comparison this weekend and see for myself.) But why on earth would it be easier to tamp???

[RapidCoffee]

Although I'm (mostly) past the diagnostics stage, I still use the bottomless PF 99% of the time. Why? All positives, practically no negatives. Perhaps the most compelling reason has already been stated by AndyS: watching the extraction adds to the overall aesthetics of the espresso-making process.

But why on earth would it be easier to tamp???

It's easier to get a level tamp with a bottomless PF, since you don't have to balance the PF on the spouts while you tamp. Single spouts are particularly annoying. Not a big factor for me, since a) I've got a tamp stand and b) I typically dose and tamp my ridgeless baskets before inserting them into the PF.

[cafeIKE]

I like the cleanliness...

You mean to tell me you've never had a sprite shot that sprays coffee all over the front of the machine, the drip tray, the counter? PLEASE tell us your secret!