Hi guys.

Just landed on the forum as a registered user, although I've been reading your posts for a while.

I am a happy user of a cafelat robot.

I find it somewhat difficult to get good extractions with the standard screen, but I almost always do with paper filters.

In Spain, where I live, I can't find a seller of paper filters for the robot, so I decided to buy a puck screen instead.

The problem I have is that 90% of the time I can't insert the screen into the filter basket without damaging and disturbing the coffee puck. Then, channeling is a common issue when I use the puck screen I bought.

Do you have any trick to insert the screen without damaging the puck? How do you do it?

All recommendations will be welcome.

Cheers!

Is your stainless screen magnetic? Some stainless is. If so, one of those telescoping magnet tools might do the trick.

If not magnetic, first place a paper filter in...then add the stock screen on top.
Oh, and paper punches are reasonably priced. I punch them out sometimes for my La Pavoni. I use V60 paper.

A 2.25" punch would do the trick for the robot.
https://www.amazon.com/EK-2-25-Inch-Sca ... 170&sr=1-1

Do you mean the shower screen that came with the robot or an actual aftermarket puck screen without the red nipple on it? Are you using light roast by chance?

I never had any issues with my robot and I ended up using different work flow that may also work for you. The most consistent and best tasting shots for me was by not using the tamper. I would grind directly into the basket, WDT, level with the WDT tool, and then lightly put the shower screen with the red nipple on top of the grounds. Then I would use my index and middle finger of both hands, spread out in 4 quadrants on the shower screen, and press down without exerting lot of force until the puck stopped compressing. This always yielded better tasting shots for me than using the tamper (stock or self leveling) and was what I ended up doing.

Wow! Curious about no tamping technique! Im gomna give it a try!

Yes, I'm talking about aftermarket puck screen without the red nipple on it. Most of the times, when I try to put in inside the basket, due to its depth, it does not go completely parallel to the coffee bed and ends up damaging it.

I use both, medium dark and light roast. Obviusly, using only the factory screen without a paper filter, the problems are greater with light roasts, but they also happen to me with dark ones (unneven with chanelling). Using paper filter on top of the puck solve the problem, and i get good extractions but i want to stop using them...

Thanks!

Not magnetic! I would love it will be

I try using papel filter to protect the puck with success. But I want to stop using them...

I have also tried using filters from other brands (V60, Aeropress), but the preparation seems a bit tedious and I don't see myself applying it to my workflow

Thaks a lot!

I wet an aeropress filter so it sticks to the Robot shower screen and push it down. Especially the newer screen with a silicone nipple works effortlessly. The filters can be rinsed and reused many times as there's no coffee passing through.

And no need to previously cut the aeropress filters to the size of the cafelat filter basket?. That can be a good alternative!


Let's see if someone who uses aftermarket screens looks at the post and gives us some tricks...

for now, you have already given me some alternatives to try


Thank you

victor_rf wrote:And no need to previously cut the aeropress filters to the size of the cafelat filter basket?.

Exactly

that sound good.

Aeropress paper filters are inexpensive and widely available.

I am going to try this method. don't you use any screen between the piston and the coffee puck? Just the aeropress filter?

Regards

I use the stock metal shower screen to be able to insert the filter. So puck -> wet aeropress filter -> shower screen -> piston.