# LA marzocco double....no tamper



## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

Hello verybody. I recently changed the filter for double shots. I use a gaggia classic, and had a marzocco single shot + an unnamed double that came with the bottomless portafilter (can't remember where i bought it, maybe happydonkey or ebay.de).

Anyway, this marzocco double has such a shape that with 14g neither my 57mm nor my 58mm will fit properly. For the occasion, I had even bought a 58 knock convex concept-art tamper....very beautiful, but it won't go deep enough. Even the 57mm stops much before properly tamping the powder.

I have no problems with the other unnamed portafilter, the 58mm would work just fine pressing the grounds in a correct way.

Now, I wouldn't want to go towards 16g, that may help fill up the marzocco basket a little bit...14g is already the max I would use for a double espresso. The question is: how do you use this filter, you marzocco users? Looks like it would need a 56 or even 55 mm tamper....

I bought a rancilio silvia double basket, I hope its shape will work better with my 58tamper (or 57). What other double basket would you recommend (to use with my gaggia, and I already removed the springs from my portafilters to make the fitting more comfortable) ?


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

rogermorse said:


> Hello verybody. I recently changed the filter for double shots. I use a gaggia classic, and had a marzocco single shot + an unnamed double that came with the bottomless portafilter (can't remember where i bought it, maybe happydonkey or ebay.de).
> 
> Anyway, this marzocco double has such a shape that with 14g neither my 57mm nor my 58mm will fit properly. For the occasion, I had even bought a 58 knock convex concept-art tamper....very beautiful, but it won't go deep enough. Even the 57mm stops much before properly tamping the powder.
> 
> ...


So you are using an LM single or double basket?

Because with the single you just fill the little nipple at the bottom and tamp with a weird tamper which is difficult to get hold of.

The double basket should be incredibly easy to tamp with a 58mm though.....

Take a photo of your basket.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

Kyle548 said:


> So you are using an LM single or double basket?
> 
> Because with the single you just fill the little nipple at the bottom and tamp with a weird tamper which is difficult to get hold of.
> 
> ...


So, this is the situation:

- unnamed double basket: no problem. but it is a bit weird though, it works ok but i wanted to try a better basket (marzocco)

- marzocco single: no problem, i fill the nipple (lol) and the shot comes out nice

- marzocco double: 14g powder, i can't tamp it because both 58 and 57mm can't reach the powder (they touch the metal, i can feel it scratching if i twist the tamper)

- rancilio silvia double basket: ordered on ebay, i'll see what is the difference

In the photos below, there are (from left to right):

- unnamed double basket full with 14g and correctly tampered with 58mm tamper

- marzocco double

- marzocco single

- 58mm tamper convex (wood handle)

- 57mm tamper flat (red handle)

- 41mm tamper for the single marzocco

I have problems with the double marzocco, i find it impossible that 14g won't fill up the basket enough to be tampered with 57 or 58mm, more than 14g for a double is for me an exageration.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54440273/20130830_105003.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54440273/20130830_105013.jpg


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

oh by the way, a video of single shot with marzocco single (not such a good coffee roast, it was a test as in the restaurant where i work it tastes like **** while out of my gaggia classic was nearly perfect although not such a good blend)


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

Oh, right. I see.

Yes, for whatever reason LM have decided to produce a double basket with even less logic than they used to produce the single.

I don't know, it doesn't look like it will be particularly easy to get a good tamp using that basket.

The Silvia one will probably be better, but, again, I think it has a small curve.

Have you looked at the LM Strada baskets?

They take a 58.4, but they are a perfect cylinder, so you can tamp all the way to the bottom.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Those marzocco baskets are a strange tapered shape. You'd be better off buying a 14g LM strada basket with straight sides.

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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

is the basket designed for a certain dose? I may be wrong, but i think the La Marz baskets come in various sizes like VST so you get ones for 14g, 17g, 21g etc. You may have a bigger one and you are under dosing?

I think 14g is incredibly low as it is anyway, I know you said you don't want to go higher but honestly most of us on here dose between 16g-22g for a double, and most shops I know dose around 19/20g.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

I dose 14 and it works for me.

The LM baskets come in a few verities, the premium ones are dosed; Strada.

I really like your glass for the single shot.

In the video you comment about wanting the crema to settle slower, try pouring it onto the edge of the glass, so the shot slides down the glass, the crema will be harder in the same way as if you used spouts.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

The reason for the 14g is very simple....I am italian and since always an espresso is between 6 and 7g. Anything higher would be good for a bigger espresso (over 30ml). I know here are people who know what espresso looks like, but anywhere in the world (and I traveled a lot) espresso is too big. Thus, they tend also to use more grounds.

I'll stick to the 6/7g per shot, that makes over 14g really too much for a double. 22g for a double? you'll stop the shot before the coffee is really extracted, if you stop the shot at 50 / 60ml.

Thanks for the strada basket tip, i'll check it out. Luckily I didn't spend too much on the marzocco filter (and I could have skipped the rancilio one I bought before this thread). In the meantime, I think i'll continue with the unnamed filter, where the 58mm tamper fits and anyway gives me good shots.

EDIT:::: where can I found this strada filters? I am checking ebay for easy shipping (I live in switzerland but may have stuff shipped to Germany) but other shops are welcome.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

ok found them in germany....14g double la strada basket is 18 euros O___o quite expensive


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

rogermorse said:


> ok found them in germany....14g double la strada basket is 18 euros O___o quite expensive


Have a look at the VST baskets. Same basket, just a different branding.


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## rogermorse (Apr 26, 2012)

any shops to suggest? ebay and google are not a good choice. German and UK shops are good for me. I always ordered from random websites I can't even remember now.


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## Kyle548 (Jan 24, 2013)

rogermorse said:


> any shops to suggest? ebay and google are not a good choice. German and UK shops are good for me. I always ordered from random websites I can't even remember now.


The VST are more expensive, but I know has bean do them.

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/vst/products/vst-filter-basket

As for the LM strada, I don't know.

I think Coffeechap is the guy to talk to for stuff like this.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

try 'Has Bean' and 'coffee hit'


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Machina Espresso have strada baskets in stock - http://www.machina-espresso.co.uk/collections/barista-kit-baskets-inc-vst

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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Coffee hit and Hasbean do VST and LM

See below re the LM, LM certified, VST debate

what's-the-best-price-for-a-genuine-vst-in-the-uk

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10434

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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Coffee Hit or Hasbean do LM, LM certified and VST

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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

See debate on the 3 types

what's-the-best-price-for-a-genuine-vst-in-the-uk

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=10434

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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

See LM, LM certified, VST debate

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?10434-what-s-the-best-price-for-a-genuine-vst-in-the-uk

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