Jeff wrote:The Arrarex baskets that I have are around 25 mm deep, comparable to 58 mm baskets with a "double" dose.

Are these typically filled to the brim after tamping? I was curious about the relative puck height: same coffee, same grind, same approximate tamp pressure.

In my 58mm Robot I've measured a well tamped 20g dose at about 15mm thick. Is a 7-8g dose in a single basket really 2/3 thicker than that? That would imply an average basket diameter of about 28mm.

My robot is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, and I feel like a kid that cannot sleep the day before Christmas

What is your experience using the spout to get 2 singles from a double shot? Of course, the spout won't affect the brewing, but do you heat it up so it doesn't reduce the coffee drink temperature too much? (It looks quite big)

Would it be just better to get a double shot in a cup and split it into 2 shots manually?

If I'm using the spouts I pre heat by resting it on my kettle. No issues with this method and doesn't really add any extra effort. Just be careful as the heat transfer caused the portafilter handle to get quite hot.

Jeff wrote:When learning any new machine, I prefer a bottomless when I can. I think that the visual feedback is helpful in understand how it behaves and its timing. After a while you can get a feel for it.

(Also one less thing to clean every day)

yes, you are definitely right
I was just wondering about the best way to make 2 single espressos

(just got the robot and my heart is beating fast )

I've used the spouts when I'm pulling shots for friends but normally I go bottomless.