# Baskets IMS v VST



## igm45

Evening,

I already have an 18g VST.

I was looking for a 15g basket, I intended to give the 12-18g IMS a whirl, until I saw this new IMS basket:

https://www.torrtoys.com/outlet/ims-competition-shower-screen-200m-m3enl-3n7wl-sd6wg-2wexm-27a45

I've opted for the 14g basket, it seems to be more in line with VST. I.e specific basket size instead of a range and flat, as opposed to curved base.

Anyone else tried the Barista Pro range? If so please share your findings..


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## Jony

From what I read, Vst baskets like flat tampers, I could be wrong don't know much and I think they are merging together, But someone far for advanced could tell you. i think they are the same baskets!


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## igm45

I was watching a home barista video and they were not a fan of convex tampers.

I think most baskets suit flat tampers.

I will see how these two compare. From snippets read over in the states this IMS basket has two USP:

1) holes are slightly bigger than VST.

2) less holes near the edge, to reduce channeling.

Who knows how this works in the cup, we'll see.


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## Stanic

wow these new IMS look great!

looking forward to your report


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## igm45

Stanic said:


> wow these new IMS look great!
> 
> looking forward to your report


Good man,

Cleared my buyers remorse. I was beginning to wish I'd gone standard IMS.

"I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure"


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## Stanic

buyers remorse? bah







not on this forum lol

I wonder how much difference in grind setting will it require


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## igm45

Stanic said:


> buyers remorse? bah
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> not on this forum lol
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> I wonder how much difference in grind setting will it require


Tell me about it.

About 6 months ago I came on this forum saying I didn't want to spend more than £150 on a grinder.

I've spent nearly that on scales that arent even on the market yet


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## Stanic

when I tell friends how much did the Kinu M68 cost, they look at me as if I was crazy


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## Rhys

Stanic said:


> when I tell friends how much did the Kinu M68 cost, they look at me as if I was crazy


Hold my beer









..if anyone had said what I would spend in the last couple of months, I would've laughed at them and said don't be daft


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## igm45

Rhys said:


> Hold my beer
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> ..if anyone had said what I would spend in the last couple of months, I would've laughed at them and said don't be daft


In fairness you have taken it to epic levels.

Basically you are now coffee God


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## Stanic

Agreed, your setup is up there with the gods







the "issue" is, there is probably no upgrade path from there...not that its a negative


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## igm45

Little update. Basket has arrived today.

On the following images the 14g IMS is left, 18g VST right.










Sorry, picture above VST bottom of image.










They seem to be all over the place. Sorry, above picture VST is right. IMS left (shinier).










Above, VST left IMS right.


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## craigsalisbury

This will be interesting to watch. I have the 15g VST


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## Stanic

also curious to hear about the single one


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## MildredM

I'm still working on the brain teaser. So, the vst is the one on the left unless it's the one on the right, the ims is left, it is shinier, or is that the vst, the left is the one above the one on the right, below. Which one is the vst? Got it


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## igm45

MildredM said:


> I'm still working on the brain teaser. So, the vst is the one on the left unless it's the one on the right, the ims is left, it is shinier, or is that the vst, the left is the one above the one on the right, below. Which one is the vst? Got it


I'm sorry I thought I had it but my phone seems to be rotating them willy-nilly.

The shinier is the brand new IMS. That should be 14g but looks the same size as the VST. I have emailed torr toys to seek clarification


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## igm45

Stanic said:


> also curious to hear about the single one


Here it is,

Yet to try however I will update when I do. Its actually for the wife to have lattes that aren't too intense for her


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## MildredM

igm45 said:


> I'm sorry I thought I had it but my phone seems to be rotating them willy-nilly.


Hey! Don't be sorry, it was tongue in cheek cheek











> The shinier is the brand new IMS. That should be 14g but looks the same size as the VST. I have emailed torr toys to seek clarification


Be good to know for certain.


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## igm45

MildredM said:


> Hey! Don't be sorry, it was tongue in cheek cheek
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> Be good to know for certain.


They have replied, it is the 14g.


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## igm45

By no means a perfect extraction.

That said given all the bad press around 15g VST not bad for first naked attempt on the 14g IMS


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## igm45

Just to comment on flavour.

I will try VST v IMS although with different size baskets that will be tricky.

That said. The coffee that was produced during that video was amazing.

Tasted like dark chocolate ice cream sauce. Thick and rich and so very smooth, no bitterness at all. Still got the after taste now.... Yum


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## kennyboy993

Sounds yummy - what coffee is it?


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## craigsalisbury

the VST has bad press ? I get on perfectly well with my 15g


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## igm45

kennyboy993 said:


> Sounds yummy - what coffee is it?


The latest coffee compass mystery kilo.

Medium dark roast. Not my usual bean style but bloody lovely...


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## igm45

craigsalisbury said:


> the VST has bad press ? I get on perfectly well with my 15g


VST are seen as the ultimate in the cup as I'm sure your aware.

Regardless, several people have said they are suffering heavily from channeling with the 15g VST basket. I'm at work at the mimute but will see if I can find it later


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## kennyboy993

igm45 said:


> VST are seen as the ultimate in the cup as I'm sure your aware.
> 
> Regardless, several people have said they are suffering heavily from channeling with the 15g VST basket. I'm at work at the mimute but will see if I can find it later


Oh aye my Vst 18g was merciless on my prep when I moved over. Worth it though - it's a hard task master ;-)


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## Stanic

igm45 said:


> .
> 
> Regardless, several people have said they are suffering heavily from channeling with the 15g VST basket.


Worker blaming the tools?


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## Jony

I am new to but since using Vst 18/22 18 in the 18 and 21 in the 22 I used, no eye squirt and a naked its been fine, still needs dialing in a little more.


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## Rhys

Can't say I have any problems with my VST (18g) basket, as I'm pretty methodical with my shot prep (good stir with one of those Londimium 3 pronged things, then a go with a cheap copy distribution tool and tamp.)


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## igm45

I knew the thread existed.

Here t'is

https://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=40413


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## Rob1

igm45 said:


> Just to comment on flavour.
> 
> I will try VST v IMS although with different size baskets that will be tricky.
> 
> That said. The coffee that was produced during that video was amazing.
> 
> Tasted like dark chocolate ice cream sauce. Thick and rich and so very smooth, no bitterness at all. Still got the after taste now.... Yum


Was that as a straight espresso or in milk? I would agree if it's in milk but a small straight espresso I really don't like it. Tastes a bit odd somehow. A little orangey and really weak dry chocolate powder.


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## igm45

Rob1 said:


> Was that as a straight espresso or in milk? I would agree if it's in milk but a small straight espresso I really don't like it. Tastes a bit odd somehow. A little orangey and really weak dry chocolate powder.


Straight espresso but I find it punches through milk well.

I see what you mean with the orange I thought I got some citrus the other day.

I found its best pulled quite short 1:2 in 24 secs seem to be a good balance for me.


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## igm45

Few days in so thought I'd follow up with findings.

First is extraction is very good, been running with naked pf since I got it and not a single spurt of any size in that time.

The second point may be that I forgot what its like using a naked pf but I'll say it anyway. When I kill the shot I may get another 0.4g coffee thats it. Makes reaching ratio very easy.

Thirdly and this is definitely where 18g VST is better. When knocking the puck out more seems to get stuck in the basket than the VST. Seems slightly harder to clean but its a very minor point.

I haven't done a direct in the cup comparison. That said I haven't noticed a drop in quality and have had some stonking drinks with this basket.

Yet to try 'the single'


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## Phobic

interesting feedback.

I find the VST's pretty sticky, would like to see 1 with some fancy coating on it to make things better.



igm45 said:


> About 6 months ago I came on this forum saying I didn't want to spend more than £150 on a grinder.


this made me laugh!


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## u2jewel

Talking of those nano coatings..(sorry, bit off topic)

For baskets, while the coating is intact, I'm sure they would do wonders. But I have to question their longevity.

A couple of months ago, I got the IMS shower screen with the nano coating. Paid like ten quid extra over the regular ims screen. The one that looks rainbow-ish. First few days were excellent. Not a spec of poop on the screen.

Until... The first time I removed it for grouphead cleaning, I gave it a light rinse, then put it in hot water cafiza solution to give it a soak (along with my baskets)

I couldn't believe it when nearly a third had flaked off! The very first time I cleaned them. I just soaked them. It's not as if I scrubbed with a wire brush...

It still functions as a shower screen, but after every shot, I look up at the shower screen and I see Italy. On the same space, in the centre where the coating is gone, there's always a brown patch in the shape of Italy... Further south, I see a banana everyday too...

So my point is, baskets are more prone to contact with metal Tampers, plus the abrasion from grinds being compacted.. To me, unless I had a defective unit, it tells me to stay away from them..


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## Phobic

it's a bit crap that the coating's come off so quickly!


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## ashcroc

u2jewel said:


> Talking of those nano coatings..(sorry, bit off topic)
> 
> For baskets, while the coating is intact, I'm sure they would do wonders. But I have to question their longevity.
> 
> A couple of months ago, I got the IMS shower screen with the nano coating. Paid like ten quid extra over the regular ims screen. The one that looks rainbow-ish. First few days were excellent. Not a spec of poop on the screen.
> 
> Until... The first time I removed it for grouphead cleaning, I gave it a light rinse, then put it in hot water cafiza solution to give it a soak (along with my baskets)
> 
> I couldn't believe it when nearly a third had flaked off! The very first time I cleaned them. I just soaked them. It's not as if I scrubbed with a wire brush...
> 
> It still functions as a shower screen, but after every shot, I look up at the shower screen and I see Italy. On the same space, in the centre where the coating is gone, there's always a brown patch in the shape of Italy... Further south, I see a banana everyday too...
> 
> So my point is, baskets are more prone to contact with metal Tampers, plus the abrasion from grinds being compacted.. To me, unless I had a defective unit, it tells me to stay away from them..


I'd be mighty tempted to send it back as not fit for purpose. Unless of course it came with instructions not to soak in cafiza.


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## coffeechap

Cafiza is quite aggressive though and not suited to some coatings


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## u2jewel

ashcroc said:


> I'd be mighty tempted to send it back as not fit for purpose. Unless of course it came with instructions not to soak in cafiza.


Yeah... I was kinda stuck with what to do..

I bought it from Bella Barista, and asked them to FedEx it, along with other supplies. There was a mistake with one of the IMS baskets (they sent me Gaggia one, not E61) but I couldn't justify spending nearly at much on shipping just to get it changed.

Then this flaking..

Pesado do those ims nano Coated baskets. Anyone got them? How do they hold up?

I still don't know if hot cafiza water + nano coating =NG, or mine was defective... Or coating in general sucks...


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## igm45

@Stanic

Here is a video of 'the single' naked extraction:






Interestingly this is the same grinder setting as 14.5 g > 30 g in 30 seconds on the 14g barista pro basket.

So the single requires a coarser grind setting!!

9.5g in 18g out in 50 seconds.

Taste - very thin body. Not sure I like singles.


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## Mrboots2u

igm45 said:


> @Stanic
> 
> Here is a video of 'the single' naked extraction:


When you go coarser you might get some mouthfeel back


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## Stanic

Wow looks much better than my attempts with the same basket ?


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## Stanic

What beans did do use? My experience with Eureka Mignon and Silvia with the same grind setting and this basket was always a crazy fast flow


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## Rob1

Thin body from a 50 second shot?! I'm using the same grind setting as for an 18g VST. I can drop to 7g to get 15g in 24 seconds. If i use 9g it's about 35 seconds to get 18/19g. Flow seems to slow down to a drip after about 11g is extracted when dosing above 9 grams. I've never had thin body at a shot that runs over 30 seconds though.


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## igm45

Rob1 said:


> Thin body from a 50 second shot?! I'm using the same grind setting as for an 18g VST. I can drop to 7g to get 15g in 24 seconds. If i use 9g it's about 35 seconds to get 18/19g. Flow seems to slow down to a drip after about 11g is extracted when dosing above 9 grams. I've never had thin body at a shot that runs over 30 seconds though.


I have to say I was surprised and expected it to have more body. However I found it to be very thin.

I have just returned to the 18g VST this week to do some more comparisons so will give it a go with the same grind settings.


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## Gliclazide

Hi, I've bought the IMS Barista Pro basket, the size is the one that holds more or less 17g of coffee. I had to grind finer compared to IMS H26 ridgeless (16-20g), and channeling has improved. I don't know why I had those drops of coffee in the cup (and outside) with standard IMS baskets, but I guess my espresso machine is less forgiving than those you own (it's an Ascaso Steel Uno whitout preinfusion). So far so good.

Regards.


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