# Four reasons to use a naked portafilter



## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

The pros and cons of using a naked Portafilter crops up from time and there is a suspense-ridden thread just started by GrahamS:

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?30914-Place-your-bets

while we wait to see how far up his kitchen wall and along his floor he can get his first naked PF shot.

I assume entirely by coincidence, today's Perfect Daily Grind provide a non-scientific review of four reasons to go naked - but it's still an entertaining read:

http://www.perfectdailygrind.com/2016/03/espresso-machine-mods-4-reasons-use-naked-portafilter/?utm_source=Website+Subscribers&utm_campaign=deae6b0f6f-April_5_Newsletter4_5_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e5c3eb4dc6-deae6b0f6f-153460069


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## Captain Grind (Feb 6, 2016)

This may seem a dumb question but.......

They mention extraction yield in the article. Is this simply the volume of the shot produced per unit mass of the ground coffee used?

Or is it related to concentration of the bits and bobs extracted during the process?


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Captain Grind said:


> This may seem a dumb question but.......
> 
> They mention extraction yield in the article. Is this simply the volume of the shot produced per unit mass of the ground coffee used?
> 
> Or is it related to concentration of the bits and bobs extracted during the process?


There is no such thing as a dumb question - well perhaps not true but that seems OK to ask. That's more than likely referring to Extraction Yield (EY) as measured with a refractometer. So put somewhat simply, it's supposed to correlate to the amount of material - bits and bobs - that you've extracted from the beans (more or less).


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

I just posted this on the actual article but will share here as well . I saw a video recently (from memory European coffee tour interview on YouTube) where Gwilym said that the espresso tasted better from a spouted portafilter. I've never heard anybody reference taste with regards to having a preference so was surprised about that.

I've never personally noticed any difference. Anybody?


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## Captain Grind (Feb 6, 2016)

jlarkin said:


> There is no such thing as a dumb question - well perhaps not true but that seems OK to ask. That's more than likely referring to Extraction Yield (EY) as measured with a refractometer. So put somewhat simply, it's supposed to correlate to the amount of material - bits and bobs - that you've extracted from the beans (more or less).


Thanks!


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Naked one is great for making a bloody mess if it goes Pete Tong


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

mremanxx said:


> Naked one is great for making a bloody mess if it goes Pete Tong


See this is what's putting me off. I think I need to go and spend some time in someone else's set up practising!


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

THB they are not that bad and they do let you see where the water is flowing through the puck so helps with distribution techniques. They look quite cool too









Have had some serious splashes with some beans though.


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## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

There's a local bakery with a three group LM machine that probably knocks out two or three coffees a minute at morning peak, all with bottomless filters, never see any spray!


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Focus's the mind especially when staring intently at the the base of the portafilter whilst extracting, "Kaldi's arrow" never too far away 

Me, I use one because the cup on top of an acaia scales does not permit the use of anything bigger than espresso cups if using spouts (single or double) . Is therefore a choice between weighing or not.

John

p.s. one you get your distribution / tamp right,much easier to clean the portafilter.


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## UncleJake (Mar 20, 2016)

Although I've been grinding fresh beans and extracting espressos for a while - I only just upgraded from nasty delonghi stuff to a Mignon and a Classic - so relative newbie. I got a naked filter to help me understand what was going on with my technique, been running it 2 weeks with no bother or mess at all... Some tiny spurts yesterday when I was dialling in some new beans, until I'd got in the ball park - but otherwise it's been plain sailing. (Cue me drowning in my own espresso tomorrow morning).

Taste wise - not sure about the 'less brass' theory as the water has been playing in lots of metal before it gets to the portafilter - but as there's more crema - it's likely that would affect the flavour.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

I think I've read someone here mention that using a naked portafilter doesn't make your coffee taste any better. Make of that, what you will!


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

I havent got a naked but something I've thought of about them maybe someone can answer.

When timing a shot using my spouted portafilter I have trouble judging the weight \ time due to maybe up to 3 grams still coming out that are still in the portalter below the basket and above the spout after i have switched the switch

I assume then that it is easier to time a shot using a naked one going by the videos ive seen because it looks like the flow stops more abruptly once the switch is switched

???


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

You could always do the lever option (pull cup away from stream, replace with other receptacle to catch the remainder)

and Yes on a pump when switched off flow stops pretty muc straight away with a naked.

Hope of help

John


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## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

I use a bottomless portafilter for three reasons:

1) it is very obvious when I have a distribution malfunction and it means I know when I need to take corrective steps

2) it is far less metal that needs heating up which means the machine is ready to go in no time at all without any tedious flushing

3) it cost nearly £70 so I'll be buggered if I am just leaving it in a drawer with all the other coffee tat


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

I lift the lever to cut the shot approximately 2-3g before my desired extraction weight to allow for this. Then stop my timer. I prefer doing it this way round (going by extraction weight) rather than cutting a shot once I've reached a certain time, regardless of extraction weight.

I've never used a naked portafilter, despite owning one but I imagine your assumption is correct that the extraction probably stops more abruptly as there isn't that small crevice under the bottom of the basket.


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## UncleJake (Mar 20, 2016)

Oh - a new benefit that I'd not read about... So I saw that I had some very minor spraying going on - odd - that it hadn't happened before and I was, as far as I could tell, doing everything the same. Tried again - paying more attention to declumping my grind, distribution and tamping... same result. Tried again - this time taking everything SO slowly... Same result.. Start cleaning everything and realise that there's two little clogs in my shower disk... It's only a couple of days since I cleaned and replaced it - but there they are - clean it again, and the flow is perfect. I wouldn't have checked this so soon had I not been naked at the time.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

UncleJake said:


> Oh - a new benefit that I'd not read about... So I saw that I had some very minor spraying going on - odd - that it hadn't happened before and I was, as far as I could tell, doing everything the same. Tried again - paying more attention to declumping my grind, distribution and tamping... same result. Tried again - this time taking everything SO slowly... Same result.. Start cleaning everything and realise that there's two little clogs in my shower disk... It's only a couple of days since I cleaned and replaced it - but there they are - clean it again, and the flow is perfect. I wouldn't have checked this so soon had I not been naked at the time.


Which demonstrates the value of the feedback you can get from a naked PF. That said, there don't appear to any significant advantages or disadvantages for a naked versus a spouted (aesthetics for me, in favour of a naked) and if you like what you taste out of either and you don't particularly mind what it looks like then you can stick with what you've got. It would be an interesting poll question - how many of use which kind of PF.


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