Lelit stock baskets vs. IMS

#1: Post by **Dragokazov** » January 19th, 2022, 6:51 am

Hi,

I've read (and yet not tried by myself) that precision baskets are far better than stock ones. But Lelit baskets are supposedly made by IMS, yet IMS have multiple basket tiers I guess - casual, competition and barista pro nanotech. I would like to ask you, my fellow coffee friends with your experience, is it worth to ditch the stock Lelit baskets (I have Lelit Elizabeth + bottomless portafilter which comes with "plus" size basket), so I have 2 usable baskets 14-18 and 18-21g (that's estimate, do not remember the ranges) and I am curious whether any "better" IMS basket will help me.

I'm still new, still figuring out why is my espresso so acidic even when it should not be and the dose/time should be okay

so please be easy on me

Have a wonderful day!

#2: Post by **cafeIKE** » January 19th, 2022, 10:38 am

With those two basket sizes, assuming they are well machined with no plugged and consistent diameter holes, should cover 99.999% of your needs.

Baskets do wear, so when you begin chasing shadows, they might need replacement.

#3: Post by **Jeff** » January 19th, 2022, 11:29 am

OEM baskets have improved greatly over the past decade or so. If they appear to be machined on the inner bottom, as opposed to just stamped, they are probably reasonable quality.

I'd avoid high-flow baskets like VST or some of the IMS baskets unless you have a good reason to use them. If you really want to try a different basket, the Espresso Parts EPNW HQ 14 (doses like an 18) I find to be a forgiving and reasonably priced option.

Changing baskets is, in my experience, not going to dramatically change the flavors in the cup.

Edit: As cafeIKE rightly points out, it should have been "Changing baskets ... among ones of similar size and shape ..."

#4: Post by **cafeIKE** » January 19th, 2022, 12:13 pm

Jeff wrote:Changing baskets is, in my experience, not going to dramatically change the flavors in the cup.

I think Jeff means changing baskets to one of a similar size and shape is not going to dramatically change the flavors on any given machine.

#5: Post by **another_jim** » January 19th, 2022, 1:08 pm

The IMS basket that is labelled as an E61 basket or a 15 gram basket looks similar to the stock Lelit one, and similar to all the other Faema style baskets. However, it requires a finer grind for the same dose. Unlike precision baskets, it does work well with a variety of doses and grind settings.

I'm using it currently, not because I think it is better, but because it works at the same grind setting as LM singles at twice the dose, producing roughly the same taste (although the shot takes longer). This is quite convenient if you routinely make both doubles and singles.

#6: Post by **Gargamel40** » January 19th, 2022, 1:34 pm

I asked Lelit this question and they answered Lelit baskets are made with colaboration with IMS. So that means IMS made them with Lelit specs. They aregood and precise but they are NOT IMS standard baskets or their competition baskets.

I wouldn't expect big difference between them. Lelit bottomless portafilter takes IMS competition or VST baskets?

January 19th, 2022, 8:19 pm

By acidic perhaps you mean bright. Brightness may or may not be a sign of too much acid. I'd guess you are working with a light roast. That lovely Elizabeth you have has that nice preinfusion feature. Give it a 30 sec preinfusion at 3psi or something along that line. That should tame a lot of the brightness but maybe not all. Now precision baskets, I wouldn't go there just yet. Precision baskets have their own learning curve. They take a finer grind and work best with a distributor, not a tamper. Light roasts can take that super fine grind but the change in taste will just be a slight nuance. That 18g IMS double basket is a good baseline basket. Try a roast where there is an ever so slight sheen of oil on the bean and see if the roast is the problem.

#8: Post by **Jeff** » January 20th, 2022, 12:15 am

Dragokazov wrote:why is my espresso so acidic even when it should not be and the dose/time should be okay

If you haven't already read something like Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste, I'd start there.

Classic espresso typically comes from a blend of beans roasted medium-dark or darker many times. Espresso made from medium-light or light beans is almost an entirely different drink. I don't know what roast level you're working with. Typically, a sour or overly "bright" cup comes from not extracting enough of the "good stuff" from the beans. With a darker roast you can usually get balanced between bitter and sour with grind alone for a given dose.

If you're not using light-roast beans, try a finer grind and stop reading here

If you're using a light roast, my primary suggestion would be to try a medium or medium-dark roast first to get used to the machine, grinder, and how espresso changes flavor with changes in grind and ratio (18 g in, 36 g out => 1:2 "ratio"). For me, medium-dark is before the beans get shiny patches or any droplets of oil.

Lighter roasts tend to be harder to extract well. For me, going to a longer ratio often tames the acidity. Some lighter roasts seem to require a very fine grind, fine enough to choke the machine or cause the puck to "channel" with jets or little holes running through it. "Preinfusion" or soak can help the puck hold together a bit better before the machine cranks up the pressure. Although it is nearly impossible to "overextract" a good, light roast of quality beans, you can definitely "overextract" darker roasts and get too much bitterness, into even charred or burnt flavors. There are exceptions to every rule, but I generally find darker roasts taste worse, to me, with an extended soak past the few seconds that is part of how many machines extract in their "normal" setting.