# Replacing the pressurised basket.



## Harbey (Mar 8, 2015)

2nd post. 2nd question. I'd like to replace the pressurised basket on my classic. Do I just need one of these and then remove the little black plastic thing in the portafilter:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Double-14g-Shot-Portafilter-Basket-Non-Pressurised-Gaggia-Coffee-Machine-Maker/400458974822?_trksid=p2047675.c100009.m1982&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140328180637%26meid%3D58a445b2707c4c5ca4ecef208d331e84%26pid%3D100009%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D10%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D161011462170

Or, would I be better going for one of the bottomless portafilters?

Many thanks.


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## TomBurtonArt (Jan 18, 2015)

Yes, Yes and No.


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## Harbey (Mar 8, 2015)

Cheers Tom. It's ordered!


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## TomBurtonArt (Jan 18, 2015)

No problem.

Bottomless portafilters are a luxury and will help to refine certain processes, standard baskets are a necessity. You might look to go for a bigger capacity basket as well afterwards.


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## bigstick (Sep 6, 2014)

At risk of asking a stupid question (anyone who says there are no such thing as stupid questions is talking to the wrong people







what is the difference between the pressurised and non-pressurised portafilter basket, how do you tell the difference, and what are they used for?

I bought my Gaggia New Baby on eBay, and everything works (but I think my solenoid valve is blocked again) but I didn't have any instructions, and this seems to be a subject that isn't clearly covered in many places.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

bigstick

Pressurised baskets are usually supplied in the box with new machines. Think they are designed to work with the high standard setting of 13 or 15 bar pressure and create extra (read: fake) crema. Most recommend ditching them and moving over to IMS/VST non-pressurised baskets which have a lot more holes, are precision engineered are give better, more even extractions. Also worth adjusting the OPV to something like 9 or 10 bar pressure if you haven't already.

I don't own nor have ever owned a Gaggia New Baby or similar but think I'm correct in above information from what I read a long long time ago when considering a Classic as my first machine.

Hope that helps?


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Hold one up to the light, if you can see though it it's non-pressurised, if you can't it's pressurised (my old Dualit ones were double skin, the outer one had one small hole in which used to block up).


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## bigstick (Sep 6, 2014)

Thanks guys, I understand the difference now!

However, when I bought the machine, I had 3 baskets with it. 2 are single, 1 of which is apparently for pods, the 3rd one is a double basket. However I can see light through the holes in all of them.

The people I bought the machine from didn't use it that much, so I suspect that they won't have changed the baskets from the ones supplied with the machine when new.

This makes me question the way of telling the difference by holding the baskets up to the light. Any other way of telling?


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Basket on left is a standard non pressurised - holes run the whole surface area of the basket.









With pressurised - you can see that the holes are confined to a small central area. On some pressurised baskets, there might just be a central single pinhole.


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