# Gaggia naked portafilter



## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

Are the happy donkey ones the best or should I look at other suppliers too ?


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

I have a HD one and it seems okay. I bought it as it was half the price of the rest. I've had it for a while. My only problem is that the group gasket doesn't seem to seal properly and there is sometimes a small leak but it is probably to do with the age of my machine and needing to replace the gasket.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I also have a HD one as it was the cheapest. It should be noted they are an 18g basket, so slightly larger than I was expecting. I do have an issue with mine in that I can't seem to get it to pour correctly, I will get a good shot but with offshoots of water every now and then from the sides of the filter. I am using a pretty poor machine however (cubika) so this could be more to do with incorrect pressures (or perhaps just bad tamping) than with the portafilter.

I have none of the seal issues that xiuxiuejar was talking about as my machine had a fresh gasket a couple of months ago and the portafilter can happily sit at 90deg without leakage.


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## Pedro083 (Nov 16, 2011)

But what do they look like. The only thing that puts me off the happy donkey one is there is no pic of it on his site. I have been considering the one from espresso service in Glasgow as they look nicer than the stock one that comes with the gaggia


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

id also like to see a pic

with regards to the 18g basket, i dont even really want a basket with it, i have baskets, and was thinking of trying VST baskets, do they fit in these PF's ok, and do the original baskets fit ok ?


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## gazbea (Jul 11, 2011)

The baskets are all interchangeable. I use my original gaggia double basket in my bottomless pf.

In regards to looks, imagine your existing pf with the bottom removed so that it is completely bottomless.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Yeah, don't blame the naked PF because it comes with a cheapy cheap basket in it. You should get your own basket to put in it. Consider then one that comes with it just something to fill a hole


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Here's a couple of close photo's of the HappyDonkey naked PF (with my VST 18g in it)


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks for the pics


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

chimpsinties said:


> Yeah, don't blame the naked PF because it comes with a cheapy cheap basket in it. You should get your own basket to put in it. Consider then one that comes with it just something to fill a hole


LMAO, I had no idea the basket came out - it was such a great fit the whole thing looked like it was moulded......









BTW Nice pictures - I have a couple of questions because I am too lazy to google

who sells the VST baskets

where did you get your scales on the machine

where is the blue light coming from?









cheers


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

Yeah, the PF doesn't look too bad. I've had it for a couple of months now and really pleased with it. Made a huge difference in the taste of my shot (no more sourness at all). I don't have the sealing issues either but do have some offshoots now and then like D_Evans, but that is just my poor technique. Do consider a VST though!


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

I meant to say that I also have the HD one. Feels really good to hold and its much easier to tamp with the surface being flat, still get sprays though but a lot less now than I did when I first tried it.....I was always washing the damn floor and changing my shirts it was that bad


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

ripley said:


> LMAO, I had no idea the basket came out - it was such a great fit the whole thing looked like it was moulded......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Damn it, just typed out a big response then accidentily closed the page.

Here we go again

1) I got my 18g VST from coffeeHit for about £18

2) I think they came from Ebay. They're accurate to 0.1g and I tend to put 19.5g in my basket.

3) The scales are backlit with a cool blue light and it was a total accident that they were uplighting the machine like that. I just got a new camera that week so was taking pics of everything. Lovely aren't they?!

Try this link


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

Mind that hasbean has a vst store now as well, in which you can choose to have the basket rided or ridge less. I bought mine from square mile and automatically got a ridged one...unfortunately


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

chimpsinties said:


> Damn it, just typed out a big response then accidentily closed the page.
> 
> Here we go again
> 
> ...


Hahaha

thanks for that


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

maarten_booij said:


> Mind that hasbean has a vst store now as well, in which you can choose to have the basket rided or ridge less. I bought mine from square mile and automatically got a ridged one...unfortunately


Thanks Maarten

Would prefer hasbean since coffeehit seem very slow at dispatching. So ridgeless is better then?


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

I like it better to take my basket out of the PF to clean it. Now I have a ridged i had to take the spring out of the PF, otherwise it is impossible to take the basket out without using a screwdriver...But I guess it is personal


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

i think id like mine secure, you dont want it popping out when tapping down on the counter to settle the ground


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## oldman (Dec 1, 2011)

With a thin knife it's two seconds work to pop out the ridged one whenever you want to do a full wash / soak, but on a bottomless portafilter you don't gain much over just washing it in-place. I also prefer it clipped in for knock box usage.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

Yeah I just wash mine once a week with the basket in place by dunking the whole thing in a jug half full of puly caff and boiling water. It's really obvious that the cleaning solution gets everywhere an there's no sign of any staining yet even after 3-4 months of continuous use.


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## forzajuve (Feb 2, 2011)

I also have the HD naked portafilter. I find it a good fit and works well. As others have said though the basket that comes with it is not up to scratch. On close inspection you can see the poor quality and before I realised was having leaking issues during extraction.

Just bin it and use your other basket as it is a waste of space which results in no problems at all regarding leaking. No big deal as for the money it is good value, just use your existing basket.


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

Ordered ! Hope it comes soon


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## gazbea (Jul 11, 2011)

You wont regret it! You will hate it at first as it will highlight the flaws in your technique. But when you nail it, it will be consistent, rewarding, and plenty of crema


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## stavros (May 4, 2011)

Is there actually a marked improvement on taste and texture? I've been putting off buying one as I think even the Happy Donkey one is a bit pricey once VAT and P&P are added.


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## onemac (Dec 15, 2011)

stavros said:


> Is there actually a marked improvement on taste and texture? I've been putting off buying one as I think even the Happy Donkey one is a bit pricey once VAT and P&P are added.


I'm probably the last person to comment on taste and texture but it has sorted out my inconsistent tamping problems. It's easy to see if the grounds are not level in the basket and if it gushes then you've not distributed/tamped right. Great learning tool.

Al


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

ive not had it spray all over the place yet, the odd bit here and there but overall it looks mint


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

stavros said:


> Is there actually a marked improvement on taste and texture? I've been putting off buying one as I think even the Happy Donkey one is a bit pricey once VAT and P&P are added.


For me it actually had a major effect on the taste. My shots were usually a bit on the sour side, although I always tried my best to preheat the PF as good as possible. Now the shot pours straight in my (pre-heated) cup, and is not in contact with the normal PF anymore, the sour note is completely gone (assuming I did everything else right). So for me, it was definitely worth it


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

I can't say I noticed a marked difference in the quality of my shots - maybe it helps get a little more crema from beans which don't produce a lot. It also makes nice pretty patterns as it falls into the glass! I agree with forzajuve, the triple filter basket is a waste of space. I use my original single and double baskets for best results.


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## gazbea (Jul 11, 2011)

stavros said:


> Is there actually a marked improvement on taste and texture? I've been putting off buying one as I think even the Happy Donkey one is a bit pricey once VAT and P&P are added.


It all depends on perspective.

On its own, no it will not improve you shot texture and taste as it is the same as an existing non pressurized portafilter.

However, it will help change your technique and consistency to no end and thus improve the texture and taste.


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## EspressoD (Mar 4, 2012)

Hi sorry, going back to the VST basket, how much difference do they make? and is this even greater if you have a naked portafilter?


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

It sure looks a lot nicer in a naker PF


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## Slick (Nov 24, 2011)

Holy coffee batman I cannot get a pour like this yet!

Love the funky blue LED lights.

Thanks for pics,

Tim


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## Anth.Caffe.Ginevra.UK (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi chimpsinties, those pics are great. I must admit I suffer from spritzing no matter what I try. I am using pretty much the same set up as you at home and with the naked pf I get an amazingly tasty espresso but it spritzes like mad. Coffee is fresh, machine fully warmed up, just about every tamping style has been attempted too as well as grind setting. Do you think it could be a dosing issue or a barista issue!!?? Thanks.


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

To be honest, I think it might be the beans. I hardly ever had spritzing issues in the past then for some reason, with these beans I brought back recently from Brazil I get more. Not all the time but certainly more than I was.

Also it could be tamping too hard. If your puck is like a solid block, it's more likely to give way in bigger cracks. If the coffee has some room to expand when the water first hits it then it'll probably have a better structural integrity. Know what I mean. Maybe try a slightly finer grind and softer tamp? And make sure your tamp is one single straight down push with a light polish. Don't go in for a 2nd or 3rd go cos you're most likely just going to ruin the seal you make with the first one. It's easy to think you've got a great tamp technique but when you really analyse it you see it's flaws. I know I did









Of course if you're getting great coffee in the right amount of time when who cares. It might be a little bit messier but I wouldn't go chucking anything out because of it









One other thing to watch out for is that the holes in your PF aren't clogged with tiny particles of coffee. I've had this a few times and it can restrict the flow meaning the same amount of liquid has to come through a smaller gap. Hold it up to the light and see if you can see any blocked.


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## Anth.Caffe.Ginevra.UK (Mar 16, 2012)

Thanks for that, appreciate your time. I suppose like everything else it's a case of process of elimination. as I work with a coffee company I am only ever using their beans but perhaps it time to try other beans and see what happens. (good job the company don't speak English and therefore cannot read this!). PF is almost brand new

I must admit I do tamp hard though, I have recenty read that 15kg of pressure is spot on but the batteries in my scales are very dead.

The machine is currently warming up so we shall see!

Thanks again, enjoy the weekend.

Anthony


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

Pedro083 said:


> But what do they look like. The only thing that puts me off the happy donkey one is there is no pic of it on his site. I have been considering the one from espresso service in Glasgow as they look nicer than the stock one that comes with the gaggia


That is where I got mine.

Here is my pour just starting.


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## stavros (May 4, 2011)

Nice photo Milesy.

I did give in to the nakedness this week. I bought the Happy Donkey one. My first few attempts were messy, but with water not coffee. It seems my distribution and tamping ain't too bad after all. What caused the mess was I hadn't inserted the portafilter tight enough. Last night I really screwed it in tight and had no splutterings over the side and a sweet, rich cup of Formula 6.


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Milesy said:


> That is where I got mine.
> 
> Here is my pour just starting.
> 
> View attachment 1019


Amazing photo, you managed to actually capture a droplet of coffee. Great stuff!


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

Beans definitely have a lot to do with it. I've never really had a problem with the naked filter but then I usually open 250g of beans and use them in 4 or 5 days. However, in the last month I've had 3 different beans on the go and I have found that my Machacamarca beans have been causing a lot of mess this week and I think it is because they've been open for 2 or 3 weeks. Having just opened a pack of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe I was happy to see a return to normalcy. Great coffee and a beautiful pour. Life is good again


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## kwokwing05 (Dec 22, 2011)

Looks amazing!


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

xiuxiuejar said:


> I have found that my Machacamarca beans have been causing a lot of mess this week and I think it is because they've been open for 2 or 3 weeks.


mine spray all over aswell, nothing like Lusty


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

I was having some issues with macha too but I had some lovely bottomless pours today with them by grinding a lot finer and tamping a lot lighter. A couple of 1 minute shots later I'd got it right, 15g in, 24g out in 31 seconds and no spritzing.

Sent from my ICS Touchpad with Tapatalk


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

Hey there! I registered because this thread is VERY interesting. This thread is also not so old so I hope someone will write back.

I searched a lot for a naked portafilter for my gaggia classic....and through this thread I also came in contact with these VST filters....that would definitely help my espresso. The stock gaggia have only ONE hole (down side)....which I think doesn't help the brewing.

My problem is that I live in Switzerland and I would need a shop that can ship to Germany or Switzerland (I am very close to the border) and the donkey website doesn't. So I was looking on coffeehit...they don't have the naked portafilter and the Marzocco la strada is out of stock (is that the basket I need? with VST you mean that one?)...so I can't do anything on that website. But I found a naked portafilter on espressoservices.co.uk....is that any good? Would I need to buy in this case another basket for it (they don't have the VST)? Of course I would prefer buying both things from the same shop to save on shipping....

thank you!

EDIT*** just found this in germany but I guess is not the same (the design is different) but is a bit cheaper than what I would pay for the other one in UK (about 10 euros difference) maybe you know this one or you can confirm is the same with another black handle....http://www.espressomaschinendoctor.de/images/product_images/popup_images/1165185.jpg

i can't wait to have this bottomless portafilter....but I don't want to maker a bad decision and choose the wrong one...


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## Milesy (Mar 8, 2012)

I have the one from espresso services. It works well. I replaced the basket with a VST one now and got a tamper to match the basket and my shots have improved massivlely.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

Yes I ordered that one...I will try to use the included basket....also because I couldn't find the VST one....


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## maarten_booij (Jan 28, 2011)

hasbean.co.uk has a vst store as well...but don't know for sure if they ship to switzerland or germany? I do have a vst which I ordered at the same time as my naked PF, and am very happy with it









EDIT: They do actually ship to both Germany and Switzerland. Check the site: http://www.hasbean.co.uk/categories/VST-Store/


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## stavros (May 4, 2011)

I'm not feeling the love for my bottomless portafilter to be honest. Some beans (Union Revelation and Extract Original) have given me a real hard time spritzing even though I'm getting really tasty shots when I go back to my normal double spout. I think it's giving me just something else to get a headache about. I'm just not entirely sure what I'm trying to achieve with it.


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## Django (Mar 6, 2012)

Do the HD portafilters come with the same horrid plastic handle that the standard Gaggia classic comes with? Or is it a different shape/material?


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

It's not a particularly 'nice' plastic but still head and shoulders above the stock one. A much nicer rounded handle.


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## Django (Mar 6, 2012)

Do you know how it compares to other naked PFs on the market? I do hate plastic.


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## Earlepap (Jan 8, 2012)

If you don't want plastic I think you'd have to buy a wooden handle separately, then fit it to the naked portafilter.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

I finally received the bottomless portafilter. It should be identical to the one of the donkey shop. I had some tests with it (first test ever in my life with such instrument). No drops or anything, just a bit of 'spritz' at the edge. But I do have a main problem: I am focusing on having a nice espresso by respecting the 'rules' that means 7 grams 25secs and 25ml with a bit of tolerance. I was always way behind 25seconds....I liked the taste and the amount of crema (I like the crema)....but as I said I am trying to reach the correct amount of ml, seconds and grams of coffee for a single shot. The main problem is that with 7 grams I can't fill the filter. Even the stock GAGGIA one, they say to use the bigger filter even if you want to do a single shot. If I grind 7 grams of beans, when I press them they will be so low that my tamper will scratch against the filter. There would be no problems with a bigger amount of coffee (10 grams). The tamper is a 58mm, not the most expensive one but I find it ok. I could check the size, I have a digital caliper but it has a dead battery at the moment....anyway do you have any recommendation? Should I get a smaller tamper?

Short said: is it normal that with most filter (included the one that comes with this bottomless portafilter) a 58mm would scratch against the walls (preventing a good tampering because I can't reach a low enough level in the filter to press the powder) of the filter?


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## Django (Mar 6, 2012)

Earlepap said:


> If you don't want plastic I think you'd have to buy a wooden handle separately, then fit it to the naked portafilter.


Okay, will have a quick google.


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## Django (Mar 6, 2012)

Roger, I tihk your problem of 'wall scraping' might be that you're dosing 7g into a double filter basket, which isn't designed for a tamper to go in that far. Try 14g and I reckon you'll be on the right track.


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## geotsk (Apr 27, 2012)

Just ordered one, hope to fit well in my gaggia!!


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Roger, certainly do as Django said and try a larger amount of coffee and pull a double shot. My tamper from HD easily slots to the bottom of my naked PF from HD, and I have tried only dosing 7g, it doesn't pull a particularly great shot however.

Be aware that the naked PF from HD is actually a 18g basket.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Roger, certainly do as Django said and try a larger amount of coffee and pull a double shot. My tamper from HD easily slots to the bottom of my naked PF from HD, and I have tried only dosing 7g, it doesn't pull a particularly great shot however.

Be aware that the naked PF from HD is actually a 18g basket.


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