# Where to get DeLonghi depressurized baskets and naked portafilters?



## callumw

Hi all.

I'm new to this forum and I'm very much a newbie when it comes to home coffee, but I've done a lot of research and I'm keen to dig deeper and though you guys may be the best peeps to ask









Up until today, my coffee evolution has taken me from Illy pre-ground in a french press, to owning a few Bialetti Venus brewers (still in use), getting a Hario Skerton and decent beans (e.g. SquareMileCoffee)... modifying the Hario to remove burr wobble .... then canning it because it was still a pain in the ass at 6am when I really needed to be in the shower .....

Replacing the Hario with a Mahlkonig Vario which I've loved using and tweaking and reading the different grinds with beans from different sources and ages.

And that's where I've been for the last couple of years.

Making half decent coffee from my perc machines and frothing warm milk from the microwave with a mini electric whisk.

But I still kept researching and although my current method is working well, I still had the craving to move up to making proper espresso based drinks at home .... and eventually I caved and my first ever espresso machine arrived yesterday.

I'm overly happy right now ... and it's just a wee DeLonghi EC680









New in the DeLonghi range and almost identical to the EC860, but teeny tiny at only 15cm wide.

I get that it's probably seen as naff and/or low-brand considering the present company, but I have virtually no room in my kitchen and buying an all singing and dancing machine right now would be like giving a Ferrari to a new driver.

It's my first machine, so if I can make a good brew with a cheaper machine it then upgrading in the future can only make it better.

Which is why I'm looking to replace the pressurised baskets as soon as I can and get hold of depressurised ones as well as a naked (bottomless?) portafilter to use with them to help me improve my grind and tamping technique.

I've looked around the interweb and haven't been able to find anywhere that I can get some.

I'm hoping there is something off the shelf I can use so I don't have to dig out a micrometer and 'jimmie' something to fit.

If anyone could help in this next step in my brew evolution, that I'll be eternally grateful (or at least until after the caffeine wears off







)

Ta

CW


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## lmulli

Hello there,

Did anyone ever get back to you in relation to this only I have just purchased the EC680 and would like a naked portafilter for it. I have managed to find a DIY method, but figured an off the shelf item would be the better solution.

Ta


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## NJD1977

Are you sure you can't just remove the pressurised attachment in the portafilter. I had the Delonghi EC330s last year and you could push the rubber sealing plate out of the bottom of the filter, remove the pressurised nipple-thingy and put the filter screen back in.

I wouldn't recommend it though, there's just no point. It's like trying to put modified lowered suspension on a 1.0litre Corsa. What's the point? The rest of the machine isn't set up to use a de-pressurised basket, so don't force it to.


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## callumw

NJD1977 said:


> Are you sure you can't just remove the pressurised attachment in the portafilter. I had the Delonghi EC330s last year and you could push the rubber sealing plate out of the bottom of the filter, remove the pressurised nipple-thingy and put the filter screen back in.
> 
> I wouldn't recommend it though, there's just no point. It's like trying to put modified lowered suspension on a 1.0litre Corsa. What's the point? The rest of the machine isn't set up to use a de-pressurised basket, so don't force it to.


The baskets are a solid 2wall construction unlike the older type which you could dismantle.

There is a solution though, but it was discussed on another forum (coffeegeek)


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## callumw

lmulli said:


> Hello there,
> 
> Did anyone ever get back to you in relation to this only I have just purchased the EC680 and would like a naked portafilter for it. I have managed to find a DIY method, but figured an off the shelf item would be the better solution.


Not on this forum, no.

There was a discussions, conversion and single wall baskets discussed in coffeegeek though.

( http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machinemods/684627#684627 )

I got a second portafilter and had a local shop cut it for me. Clean job and looks very cool. I'll be putting pictures and maybe a vid up there soon.

Although I'm not pulling consistent shots yet (lacking technique and I only have 1 cup a day), I'm still making coffee as tasty (sometimes better to my preference) than my favourite high street shop .... who use a 3 group commercial Simonelli









RE: what NJD1977 said.

9 bar and a timed shot with a good grind, fresh beans, a good tamp and a good water temp through a single walled filter is all you need to make delicious coffee.

It may not be better than your favourite shop at first, but it's way better than the pressurised filter and a million miles away from the stuff that Charbucks make


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## lmulli

I've got a second portafilter coming (eventually - seem to be in short supply!) and am also hoping to chop it up and make a naked portafilter. I also ordered a few non-pressurised baskets at the same time - only £2.50 a pop!

Just need something to swap out the milk frothing arm with now........


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## callumw

lmulli said:


> I've got a second portafilter coming (eventually - seem to be in short supply!) and am also hoping to chop it up and make a naked portafilter. I also ordered a few non-pressurised baskets at the same time - only £2.50 a pop!
> 
> Just need something to swap out the milk frothing arm with now........


You can do it if you remove the silver frother sleeve, but the nozzle underneath is a bit too short to control the milk in the container.

I went back to using my microwave and mini battery whisk method I used for years when I had just my Bialetti stove-top brewer.

I get a better result, more micro-foam ... and it uses less of the EC680 water.....and the brew temps seem to be more consistent too

p.s. Have a look at the Mr.Coffee filter basket. It's only £4.50 and a much better build quality than the £2.50 DeLonghi ones.

It's a lot less prone to squirting coffee with the naked portafilter. Needs a 49mm tamper tho and you need to remove the plastic insert if you use it in the unmodified portafilter (it still needs the spring)


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## lmulli

callumw said:


> p.s. Have a look at the Mr.Coffee filter basket. It's only £4.50 and a much better build quality than the £2.50 DeLonghi ones.
> 
> It's a lot less prone to squirting coffee with the naked portafilter. Needs a 49mm tamper tho and you need to remove the plastic insert if you use it in the unmodified portafilter (it still needs the spring)


Ordered one as I already had a couple of the cheap £2.50 baskets, however, they leak with the supplied Delonghi portafilter. The original baskets appear to have a slightly raised inner edge on the top which I am assuming forms a pretty tight seal whereas the cheap ones don't and if you use a very fine coffee that has been tamped quite well, the water (clear) ends up coming out of the top. See if that works!


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## callumw

lmulli said:


> Ordered one as I already had a couple of the cheap £2.50 baskets, however, they leak with the supplied Delonghi portafilter. The original baskets appear to have a slightly raised inner edge on the top which I am assuming forms a pretty tight seal whereas the cheap ones don't and if you use a very fine coffee that has been tamped quite well, the water (clear) ends up coming out of the top. See if that works!


I had that too a couple of times after I'd cleaned the machine. At first I backed off the grind/tamp a bit, but it made no difference.

It turns out that when you remove the group screen to give it a clean you have to be careful when putting it back so it doesn't pinch the gasket and lines up right.

I didn't have a problem after that, but you're right, the ridge in the Mr.Coffee basket makes a better seal.

If you remove the reservoir and flip the machine upside down (don't worry - it won't leak







) you'll see where it all fits together.

The Mr.Coffee 4Cup is about 50mm wide, but using a 49mm beveled tamper allows the coffee to coat the upper part of the filter in a basket shape (I may not be describing it very well)

The result is that it's less likely to channel water past the coffee and I almost never get any mess with the 4Cup in the bottomless portafilter









The 51mm wide 3Cup DeLonghi filter was much more pernickety to get a clean brew (with a flat 51mm tamp). Better for practicing as you have to be much much more precise, so it made the 4Cup one easier to get right once I switched.

FYI: Not sure if you weigh your coffee, but for reference I weighed a tamped 4cup measure at about 22gm which is around a 2-2.5 shot of high-street coffee (my local recommends 18gm with their beans)

Makes a pretty mean flat white


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## callumw

One thing I would say is that after you pull your shot, leave the portafilter in place.

There's no 3-way solenoid in the machine, so it takes about 10-15 seconds for the pressure to drop enough after the extraction to go from pouring down to dripping.

I swap my cup with another to catch the remaining drips while I final prep my drink and after a minute the pressure has stabilised enough for the portafilter to be removed without a "sneeze"

... or a pop and flying coffee if it's waaay too soon. Did that once. Made a helluva mess









The coffee will look sodden at first, but after only a few seconds it'll appear dry.

About 10 minutes later it's a solid puck









At this point, just after the portafilter has just been removed, it's worth pulling a single shot using your "drip cup" and no portafilter, just to flush the brew screen.

Wipe the screen with a cloth and you're done









The good thing about the 4-cup is that you get a lot of coffee in the basket, but it's so deep that almost no coffee touches the brew head - making it easier to keep clean.


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## lmulli

Did you ever manage to source a Breville Portafilter for this machine? Have ordered a Delonghi one but they are not in stock and don't look like coming any time soon! On a positive note, the Mr Coffee Filter Basket works a treat with the standard portafilter (once the plastic insert has been removed of course!) and seals very well indeed!


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## callumw

lmulli said:


> Did you ever manage to source a Breville Portafilter for this machine? Have ordered a Delonghi one but they are not in stock and don't look like coming any time soon! On a positive note, the Mr Coffee Filter Basket works a treat with the standard portafilter (once the plastic insert has been removed of course!) and seals very well indeed!


The Breville baskets I got were no good as they had a rolled lip, so I would have to flatten them.

The DeLonghi ones took a week or 2 to come, but the Mr.Coffe basket is by far the best one. Both build quality and design.

I only use the 3cup DeLonghi one now under my mug to lift it up a bit (bigger mug + removed drip tray







)


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## Cana

For a naked portafilter for my EC145, I bought a EC155's portafilter (the bottom half is plastic) I unscrewed this, and grinded the plastic till it was no more than a handle and the metal bits. Looks and feels lovely.

All of the EC range to my knowledge is interchangable (Or so says the manufacturer who has given me wrong advice before) And don't count on D'longhis website for accurate information regarding the coffee machines. The EC145 has normal baskets that arent pressurized, the EC155 has pressurized ones. You can pick up baskets/ an EC155's replacement portafilter handle (doesn't come with a basket) and do the modification with a file or a bench grinder.

If needed I can post pictures.


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## callumw

Cana said:


> For a naked portafilter for my EC145, I bought a EC155's portafilter (the bottom half is plastic) I unscrewed this, and grinded the plastic till it was no more than a handle and the metal bits. Looks and feels lovely.
> 
> All of the EC range to my knowledge is interchangable (Or so says the manufacturer who has given me wrong advice before) And don't count on D'longhis website for accurate information regarding the coffee machines. The EC145 has normal baskets that arent pressurized, the EC155 has pressurized ones. You can pick up baskets/ an EC155's replacement portafilter handle (doesn't come with a basket) and do the modification with a file or a bench grinder.
> 
> If needed I can post pictures.


The EC155 and EC680 use different portafilters.

On the EC155 the portafilter is pressurised, but on the EC680 it's the basket that's pressurised. To de-pressurise the EC680 basket you have to cut off the outer wall leaving just the inner "mesh" to pass through the coffee.

Even then, the holes in the basket are a bit too big as it's designed to pass through more coffee for the second wall to limit the pressure/volume passed into the cup.

The only way really is to buy a "proper" depressurised basket and not all single wall baskets are interchangeable. For example, there's one that DeLonghi do that's keyed so that it slots into the grooves of the EC155 portafilter.

The EC680 portafilter uses a spring clip to hold the basket in place and needs a flat walled basket. However, I believe the flat walled baskets also fit the EC155.


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## Cana

callumw said:


> The EC155 and EC680 use different portafilters.
> 
> On the EC155 the portafilter is pressurised, but on the EC680 it's the basket that's pressurised. To de-pressurise the EC680 basket you have to cut off the outer wall leaving just the inner "mesh" to pass through the coffee.
> 
> Even then, the holes in the basket are a bit too big as it's designed to pass through more coffee for the second wall to limit the pressure/volume passed into the cup.
> 
> The only way really is to buy a "proper" depressurised basket and not all single wall baskets are interchangeable. For example, there's one that DeLonghi do that's keyed so that it slots into the grooves of the EC155 portafilter.
> 
> The EC680 portafilter uses a spring clip to hold the basket in place and needs a flat walled basket. However, I believe the flat walled baskets also fit the EC155.


Heres my EC145's setup, Thats a double basket off of the EC145 that it came with out of the box, it also came with a single basket.The portafilter is off of an EC155 and the steamwand is a rancillio v1/2. Hopefully the basket pictures might help you if they are the right size for you.


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## lmulli

Cana said:


> Heres my EC145's setup, Thats a double basket off of the EC145 that it came with out of the box, it also came with a single basket.The portafilter is off of an EC155 and the steamwand is a rancillio v1/2. Hopefully the basket pictures might help you if they are the right size for you.


How easy was it to fit the rancilio steam wand? Might have a bash with one on my EC680.

Ta


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## grizzly_a

Just as a followup on using the Mr.Coffee filter basket. I ordered that one and it is too big (i.e. deep) and it is hard to make good coffee with it. A week after that, I did use a dremel to cut through the second wall of the pressurized double basket. Now, I can experiment with true espresso making and the quality of the shots are kind of really tricky. It depends on the grind size, tamp pressure and temperature -- some days sour and most of the days bitter


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## callumw

From what I remember, the Mr.Coffee basket was really deep and you'd have to take out the inner plastic from the portafilter (where it guides the extracted coffee from the basket towards the spouts)

I'm not sure if it would still fit like that either. I think it would. I used mine with the bottomless portafilter I had made and it didn't protude much, so it should fit the plastic-less portafilter

To get the coffee right, start with the freshest beans you can get. Like - less than a week after roasting.

The fresher they are the more room for error you have to get good coffee. The older the coffee, the less tolerant the coffee is of mistake in the preparation and extraction.


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## lake_m

I went through all this a few years ago. The best solution in the end was to get a 51mm La Pavoni professional basket (fits their Europiccola post millenium model) and flatten the rim (takes 5 mins with a pair of pliers and a hammer). Use a 51mm Motta tamper. Dremel the portafilter bottom half off. Spare portafilter handles are cheap on the DeLonghi spares website. Another thing for the milk frothing is to chop off the panerello sleave just below the lugs leaving the top part to hold the inner nozzle in place. This allows the creation of fairly good micro-foam. Paired with a reasonable grinder I was knocking out very good espressos.


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## Jfgoldfish

I'm looking for advice on baskets for the delonghi ec685.

I've picked one up as my first machine. Suits my kitchen well as I have very little counter top space.

I will probably upgrade to something bigger and better when I buy a bigger house.

I have a good grinder now, a mignon, and with the bottom chopped off the stock filter I can make a pretty good espresso.

I want a single wall, double basket that fits the stock portafilter. The modified basket I have is not ideal, there must be a better option.

I have the mr coffee filter on order but it sounds like filling this very deep filter only half full will not yield consistent, good results.

What are my options? Am I better off trying to source a La Pavoni basket?


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## joey24dirt

Jfgoldfish said:


> I'm looking for advice on baskets for the delonghi ec685.
> 
> I've picked one up as my first machine. Suits my kitchen well as I have very little counter top space.
> 
> I will probably upgrade to something bigger and better when I buy a bigger house.
> 
> I have a good grinder now, a mignon, and with the bottom chopped off the stock filter I can make a pretty good espresso.
> 
> I want a single wall, double basket that fits the stock portafilter. The modified basket I have is not ideal, there must be a better option.
> 
> I have the mr coffee filter on order but it sounds like filling this very deep filter only half full will not yield consistent, good results.
> 
> What are my options? Am I better off trying to source a La Pavoni basket?


My old delonghi was a 51mm basket I think, and yes the la pavoni basket fit with a little bit of plier work. I'd definitely have a look for one.


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## natmat

[This is in reference to post #7]

This is an excellent step-by-step guide to replacing the Delonghi Dedica with a DeRancilia wand:

http://www.cfdesign.work/derancilio/


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