# What size VST basket?



## Dicci (Feb 9, 2015)

This may be a very silly question.....but, what size VST basket do I need for an 18g shot, 18g or 20g? Common sense would say I need an 18g basket but my confusion comes from seeing brew recipes that recommend 18g of coffee in a 20g VST basket.. if it makes any difference, I'm using a bottomless portafilter on a Gaggia Classic.

Any advice appreciated, thanks..


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

An 18g basket is designed for a dose of 18g -/+ 1g either side.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

VST recommend +/-1g of whichever size basket you choose to use. So, if you wish to use anything between 17g and 19g, the size required would be 18g VST. Most people tend to prefer ridgeless.

A bottomless portafilter will take a larger VST, 20g or 22g but it's probably best not to choose one of these if you don't plan on dosing more than 18g as you'll have perhaps slightly too much headroom in the basket which can lead towards soggy pucks amongst other issues.


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## aaroncornish (Nov 7, 2012)

Some people up dose baskets, but I am not sure why. The most important thing is that you want some space above the coffee puck in the basket. If you put the basket in the machine and take it out before brewing and you can see an imprint in the dry coffee then your dose is too high. Hope this helps


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## Dicci (Feb 9, 2015)

Great, thanks for the advice..


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

aaroncornish said:


> Some people up dose baskets, but I am not sure why. The most important thing is that you want some space above the coffee puck in the basket. If you put the basket in the machine and take it out before brewing and you can see an imprint in the dry coffee then your dose is too high. Hope this helps


There might be some rationale for updosing when your yield might be a bit low as there isn't a linear relationship between volume and weight.

Sometimes a shot pulled for example at 18in-33out may fare better at 19in-35out when considered to be combined with milk where the balance of flavour might be a bit weaker with the first shot.

Just musing here though, I tend to think it's a lot to do with puck to shower screen space.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

18-33 and 19-35 is almost the same ratio . Extraction yield may be different if the strength of the shot are different ( differing grind )

Your adding more coffee but sleeping the ratio of water to it the same


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Updosing would be 19 to 33 potentially stronger but less extraction yield


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I tend to dose as 18g with a 18g VST or under dose at 17.5g.


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> Updosing would be 19 to 33 potentially stronger but less extraction yield


Fair play, I always interpreted updosing as in going above the basket's weight rating.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

if I want to lessen my dose of 18gm in a 20gm basket but keep the same ratio will I need to grind finer .? And or am I better to reduce the basket size ?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

Thecatlinux said:


> if I want to lessen my dose of 18gm in a 20gm basket but keep the same ratio will I need to grind finer .? And or am I better to reduce the basket size ?


anybody ?


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

Thecatlinux said:


> anybody ?


I think the VST baskets are designed to work within a pretty barrow tolerance of dose so you may find you need to get a smaller basket.

I struggling quite a lot with my 15g vst a few years back. 17g strada/18g vst was much easier to work with.


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

They're intended too be +/- 1gram so it would be outside they're recommendation.

I guess if you are intending it to be a long term change then potentially another basket is a good shout but you can always try it and see how you get on. I'd imagine a little finer might be needed but as it probably changes the gap between shower screen and puck, maybe that's not how it turns out?


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## gwing (Jul 17, 2017)

Thecatlinux said:


> if I want to lessen my dose of 18gm in a 20gm basket but keep the same ratio will I need to grind finer .? And or am I better to reduce the basket size ?


Yes to both questions.

Bear in mind that working with smaller doses will be harder no matter what you do, and having the 'wrong' sized basket will make it harder still. What size dose are you aiming for?


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

I was going to have a go around the 16-17 g to start with

I've been doing 17g for a while now with the 20gvst no major issues, I was curious about sizes and what influence they were going to have .

any L1 users want to post which they are using ??


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

I use a 15 and an 18 with l1. LR can take up to a 22


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

I checked my basket yesterday , it is already an 18g vst , DOH!

perhaps I should try a 15


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