Instead of using the factory catch cup, I grind straight into the basket with a funnel because I'm using 49mm baskets. This works really well except for what I'll call "splatter." Due to the distance between the funnel/basket, tiny grind bits fly all over the place which makes a mess of surprising enormity.



So, my options are to either raise the pedestal disk the basket is resting on, or extend the spout. I used some 1" ID tubing to see what would happen with 15g of a dark Italian roast in a standard MCAL 49mm basket.



My, what fluffy grinds! Normally, I'd do a couple of slaps of the funnel basket, but I was astounded at the height of the fluff and I thought you should see this.

This is the tamped basket.


After a week, the grinds are going where they are supposed to and the splatter is gone and we think this is an improvement.

I'm not particularly happy about the alignment of the extension to the basket. This reinforced tubing is the only thing I could find in espresso section of the farm store and it's not easy to manipulate. It does stay in place, but the OD of the spout looks to be 28mm and I don't want to break my beloved grinder. If I could find some 28mm black tubing that is amenable to reshaping, the profile of this mod would be very subtle, which is an additional design goal.


The other option would be for a portafilter holder that would reduce the spout to basket distance. Has someone made a portafilter holder for the NZ?

Thanks for the idea! I was at the hardware store looking at that type of tubing today in fact.

You could pretty easily have an extender 3D printed, either at a local makerspace/library or through a service like shapeways. You could do the same for a portafilter holder (I'd be happy to send you my design), or you can use the Decent one that comes with a hole in it for mounting on the Niche: https://decentespresso.com/portafilter_stand

will both the regular and bottomless decent stand fit the grinder with funnel? I see they show several examples with the bottomless version, but can't tell if the taller stand will fit.

The regular one does fit (I use it) but there is limited space between the Niche spout and the portafilter for a funnel. I have a short funnel and it works well. I can attach pics if you want

I'd appreciate it. My concern with the DE stand is my 49mm portafilters.

The 3D printer route looks interesting as well. I don't have design software for it, so I'll find something.

Without and with portafilter






The funnel I use has about 14mm above the basket and it just fits

Decent Espresso recently came out with a short version of their funnel (12mm tall) that is supposed to work with a Niche Zero and the DE tall portafilter stand. It does have a shipping delay at the moment though.

https://decentespresso.com/funnel