# Pressurised Portafilter?



## onemac (Dec 15, 2011)

I'm heading down the road of a naked portafilter and VST type basket but I just wanted to ask what the disadvantages are to having the Gaggia pressurised basket? Reason I ask is that I'm stuck with ground coffee (Has Bean) for the moment and am struggling with brew times. 2oz is being pulled in under 20 seconds - I can't change the grind but am having to stuff the basket (25g+) to get anything close to palatable and the centre screw from the brewhead is marking the puck.

Can I just change the basket meantime or is it best to stick with the supplied (pressurised) setup?

TiA

Al


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

I would think sticking with the pressurised basket will be your best option until you get some way of grinding yourself.


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

If you're thinking about getting a grinder at some point there's no harm in buying a bottomless portafilter and vst basket now and keeping the option of the pressurised one.

A word of warning though, it seems to be the case that the vst basket requires an even finer grind than normal unpressurised baskets, so getting a decent shot with preground might be nigh on impossible.

Sent from my Touchpad using Tapatalk


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## carpjunkie (Dec 26, 2011)

I am using pre ground coffee at present and have changed the basket I am putting 2 level scoops (scoop came with classic) of coffee in and am now timing to 18 seconds and the taste has improved although very little creme is being created


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

Try this coffee Lavazza Tierra - available from Amazon.

I'm using a non pressurised basket from Happy Donkey - 16g of coffee tamped to 30lbs of pressure and a double shot comes out in about 23 seconds.

cheers


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

ripley said:


> Try this coffee Lavazza Tierra - available from Amazon.


This one?

Lavazza Tierra Coffee 250 g (Pack of 2)


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## ripley (Jan 16, 2012)

Hi Glen thats the very one.

Its the only pre ground coffee I've found so far that gives the result above and I've tried lots from the Red and silver Lavazza to Lilly.

The result tastes great and will do nicely until I get a grinder.

cheers


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

How on earth are you gettin 25g in the basket!?


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

I'd ask HasBean to grind finer for you.


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## brun (Dec 26, 2011)

id never thought of doing that, if its possible, i might not bother with a grinder of my own lol


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

Tell them what you ordered before, and that you want it finer, and also mention what machine you are using. When I started, Monmouth would ask what machine i was using t help dial-in the grind vaguely correct. If you an get it in the right ballpark, then you adjust other variables to help get the extraction correct (eg. dose and liquid volume).


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