SomersetDee wrote:I am finding that it can take a finer grind than VST. Curved 58mm tampers appear to be better for this basket.

It practically requires it. I don't know how the person on this other forum managed to find it such a wonderful thing for the Strega. It can't be updosed at all. I switched back to my HQ baskets and will likely sell them.

That was me and I still love it but just with certain beans. It indeed can't be updosed but that's what I posted in my initial review (max 16,5gr). I only use it for low volume (light roasted small beans) beans and then for me it works wonderfull.

Last week I had a City+ roasted Yirgacheffe and a City+ roasted Costa Rica Honey processed. Both dosed 16,5gr in the Reneka and 18gr in the EP HQ but the Reneka gave better tasting shots. With a Supremo or Malabar or other large bean the Reneka is useless because then you can only dose around 14gr.

This filterbasket, in my eyes, does wonderfull things but just not with every type of bean and that's what I initially wrote (The new Reneka Micro Sieve basket - gear or garment).

erik82 wrote:Last week I had a City+ roasted Yirgacheffe and a City+ roasted Costa Rica Honey processed. Both dosed 16,5gr in the Reneka and 18gr in the EP HQ but the Reneka gave better tasting shots. With a Supremo or Malabar or other large bean the Reneka is useless because then you can only dose around 14gr.

I am not giving up on these baskets so easily even though I am struggling to find the right dose and grind. Malabar is the most often roasted/used beans at ours and I have no qualms dosing lower than 14g if that is what it takes I am now realising that ALL the beans I have been trying on my various baskets are all of the "oily" washed/wet processed variety according to most forum members.

Am I right in summarising from all the different posts:

* Oily (washed) beans not ideal OR lower dosage considerably while keeping grind size identical

* Takes slightly finer grind than VST basket (caveat tricky dosing).

* Sturdy for everyday use and surprisingly easy to clean/maintain

* Bought mine at order@microsieve.nl (http://www.microsieve.nl contact name: Philippe Kessen (great guy) )

Its all about extraction. The Reneka baskets have higher flow than VST baskets which means you have to grind finer. Grinding finer extracts more out of coffee. Darker roasts (oily) roasts extract easier which means that you will extract more out of them by grinding finer for this basket. This risks over-extraction. So you have to dose MORE in them or better yet use different basket.

Lighter roasts are harder to extract, so you have to grind finer to extract them, which fits this basket very well. I think VST and Reneka are best suited to light roasts.

Thank you so much for bringing this clarity... I think I have been getting confused with the oily bean aspect. Regardless of whether I buy ready roasted or roast it myself, I tend to buy varieties that have been the least favourable for these two baskets (VST and Reneka Micro Sieve). I am beginning to see why finding a consistent pour time for a given grind size (keeping the dosing as a variable) has been just as difficult as keeping dosage constant while varying grind size.

So David, please would you suggest a basket that is considered ideal for more oily varieties?

regards
Dee

SomersetDee wrote: So David, please would you suggest a basket that is considered ideal for more oily varieties?
Dee

I use EspressoParts HQ 14g basket and dose it anywhere from 14-17 grams of coffee. Works very well for dark roasts.

Is this a double layer product ? if so, it would probably have the same hygiene danger of the double layer screens?

IMS shower screen for La Marzocco - First look

It's the same principal as a shower screen and we all use shower screens.

I played with this Reneka basket a little on my LM shot brewer and didn't get good results so far. The shots looked really good, nice looking crema etc, but tasted quite underextracted.

To confirm, I pulled 3 shots from the reneka (17g dose) and 3 with a VST 15g(16g dose) to compare and measured all with an extractmojo. Same grinder, machine and home-barista.
Sure enough, the Reneka averaged 15-16% while the VST averaged 19-20% yields.

I'm going to try lower doses tomorrow to see if it is as sensitive to dose variation as the VST is although 17g did pass the nickel test.
I'll also try a curved tamper, as someone suggested earlier, to see if that makes a difference.

I'd grind it like talc on the Reneka and cut your dose.

Glad it arrived safely. If they'd make a larger one, it would be interesting to compare, but I just don't have a machine that performs well with it. I might sell my last one, since it too sits unused.