# Gaggia basket questions



## Pippyd (Apr 7, 2017)

Hi All.

First post on the forum.

Ive just bought a second hand Gaggia classic. Looks like it's from 2006 and has been owned by someone that knew enough to mod the wand. I've not looked inside yet to see if anything more has been done









anyways just graduating from an aeropress. I've hopefully got the grinder / espresso machine balance ok with a Baratza Sette grinder. A lot to learn.

On to my question. The Gaggia came with a collection of baskets from its past owner. Can you help me ID.

















The one far left seems to have been used the most. But it's very similar to second in. And how about 3rd?

*Added new images which I posted further down below:*

ok. Firstly the one on the left:



















The second on the left was very similar, Pretty much the same hole pattern just a slightly different profile



















Then the big one:



















Finally the 2 I'd stacked on top of one another:










As someone new to this and it being a second hand machine I want to ensure. 1, I start off using the right basket. 2. I know what they're called so I talk about them properly, otherwise that's going to get a bit confusing when asking for help









Ohh and 3. That I'm roughly grinding the appropriate amount for the basket size

Thanks. Phil


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## GCGlasgow (Jul 27, 2014)

Have they just got one hole in the middle, can t see properly from the pics.


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## maths15 (Nov 25, 2012)

What's the one on the left? Looks like two jammed together.


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

GCGlasgow said:


> Have they just got one hole in the middle, can t see properly from the pics.


Hold the baskets up to the light - you need to start by sorting out which have only one hole (pressurised baskets = stash at back of cupboard) and which have many holes (the ones you should be learning to use).


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

Fourth along is definitely two singles jammed together.

Third looks like tripple ridged basket - probably not original to the machine and likely to be non-pressurised.


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

One looks like the original double basket, second in might be an aftermarket 18g basket. Likely non-pressurised, but again - hold up to the light


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## Pippyd (Apr 7, 2017)

ok. Firstly the one on the left:



















The second on the left was very similar, Pretty much the same hole pattern just a slightly different profile



















Then the big one:



















Finally the 2 I'd stacked on top of one another:










As someone new to this and it being a second hand machine I want to ensure. 1, I start off using the right basket. 2. I know what they're called so I talk about them properly, otherwise that's going to get a bit confusing when asking for help









Ohh and 3. That I'm roughly grinding the appropriate amount for the basket size

Thanks! Phil


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## Pippyd (Apr 7, 2017)

rob177palmer said:


> Hold the baskets up to the light - you need to start by sorting out which have only one hole (pressurised baskets = stash at back of cupboard) and which have many holes (the ones you should be learning to use).


All have holes.

based on how much coffee seems to fit before spilling over the one on the left I think is a 14g. Next along. 18g...? One with the straightest sides, not sure yet. Does that sound viable?


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

Pippyd said:


> All have holes.
> 
> based on how much coffee seems to fit before spilling over the one on the left I think is a 14g. Next along. 18g...? One with the straightest sides, not sure yet. Does that sound viable?


Sounds very likely. Good hat they are all full of holes, not just a single central one.

The 14g will be the standard Gaggia double, 18 is also a double, but refer to as an "18g". I would expect the massive one to be a tripple (21g)

I dose 14g for my doubles. I found that a good place to start and learn from, without wasting too much coffee on the dud shots!

I would say start with the LHS, dose 14g and aim for 28g output weight, in 30s from pushing the brew button. If you like a stronger taste, try the same grind in the 18g basket and maybe aim for the same output weight in the same time.

I would focus on getting a good shot from one size basket then you will better understand how coffee from the others compares.


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## Pippyd (Apr 7, 2017)

Much appreciated! Thanks for the clarifications.

first few attempts flow was far too fast so I'm tinkering with a bag of beans before picking up some freshly roasted beans next week in Nottingham.

I ground a lot finer (new grinder to me) this morning and got next to no output so will start in the middle of the two and adjust. From what I've read about the Sette and because it's so new it might take a little time before it settles.

Think from other threads in this forum it's worth me cleaning and flushing the Gaggia seeing as its new to me but 11 years old. If I run water through I consistently get small dark particulates so I'm expecting some crap behind the shower area.

Are there other things I should check. Just thinking if I get the output to input ratio in the right area for a given time that's getting me in the right zone from one perspective but could some of the variables be off to compensate for somewhere else, or does that not matter? For example I end up grinding coarser because pressure is lower to keep output amount correct. No idea if that's a realistic scenario, just thinking of other areas that may need sanity checking to ensure they're ok.



rob177palmer said:


> Sounds very likely. Good hat they are all full of holes, not just a single central one.
> 
> The 14g will be the standard Gaggia double, 18 is also a double, but refer to as an "18g". I would expect the massive one to be a tripple (21g)
> 
> ...


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## Pippyd (Apr 7, 2017)

Ohh and do you dose 14g in to that Gaggia double, not 14g in to an 18g double? Just checking as I was assuming under dosing a portafilter would impact 'something'



rob177palmer said:


> Sounds very likely. Good hat they are all full of holes, not just a single central one.
> 
> The 14g will be the standard Gaggia double, 18 is also a double, but refer to as an "18g". I would expect the massive one to be a tripple (21g)
> 
> ...


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

14g +/- 1g I would stick with the14g Gaggia basket. If you underdose too far in the bigger basket there is too much "headroom" between the puck and shower screen.

Do you know if the machine had the OPV pressure adjusted? Presumably so as, given the number of baskets, the previous owner was into their coffee! Might be worth contacting them to ask - save you buying the pressure gauge bits.

Take off the shower screen asap and the dispersion plate above it (might be stuck tight with coffee and scale), so you know it is clean.

De calcify asap also. You might want to do this a number of times, and leave overnight maybe? Unless you know when it was last done.

Get some coffee cleaner (can't remember what brand I use) and soak all loose parts ( incl dispersion screen etc) in that and de-calc solution and you should be good to go.

About the variables, I know i tamp much harder than recommended so have to grind a tad coarser. I have tried to soften my tamp but muscle memory always takes over! You will find a balance between tamp and grind, my personal thought is to work on a consistent tamp, of whatever pressure, so you know that at least one thing is consistent between shots and days! I use my body weight to lean into the tamp, so theoretically the same pressure each time (unless I have been on an eating challenge!!)


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## hippy_dude (Sep 22, 2015)

I'm pretty sure the 2nd from the left is in fact the oem Gaggia double basket as my gaggia espresso pure came with that, as well as a single unpressurized and a single pressurized. The 1st appears to be an aftermarket one (mainly due to having the ridge) but probably closer to a 'double' shot volume as in my experience the standard oem double basket takes far closer to 18/19g to fill to a normal level. 3rd is almost certainly a 21g basket that came with an aftermarket portafilter (maybe a bottomless one).


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