# Gaggia Classic spraying the walls!



## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Sorry if it's bean asked before but just started with it. Tried a coarse and fine grind but the coffee spurts every where.

Any advice before the wife divorces me!


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## RagingMammoth (Sep 21, 2013)

Means a crappy extraction. Are the beans fresh?


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Where is it spraying from ?? Are you weighing the grinds?? What sort of tamper.??

Ian


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Yes, sealed bag only opened a few days ago.


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Spraying from the 2 spouts.

No to weighing

Just a cheap tamper.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Is it pre ground and are u using the pressurised baskets?


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Sorry, just re read the post. What grinder are you using?


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Are you using the pressurised basket? If yes, you forgot the small pin.


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Have tried pre ground and ground my own.

Got the machine off another member so just picked a basket out of the 4 he gave me! Not sure which is which!


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Please don't laugh! i have a 30 year old Spong!

Don't know what basket i am using! What pin?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Turn the basket upside down, if it's got one hole it's a pressurised one....and needs a little plastic widget thing.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Cripes where to start .

Dose how much ? Are you tamping ? What with ? Pressurised basket ?

Your own roasted did it rest all all before using for espresso


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Right i think i have solved it (or at least you have!).

It is the pressurised basket, 1 tiny hole in it.

The beans where not roasted by me i meant that i ground the beans.


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## DannyMontez (May 19, 2014)

Small plastic pin is missing from the portafilter!


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

Think i better read the manual!


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

If your grinding your own use the standard basket with only a single layer base in it and lots of holes. What grinder are you using. Some won't be up to the job either.


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## Top Cat (May 26, 2014)

You may need to Google this! Spong hand grinder! I know, i know i know!


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Spong grinder won't produce a decent even espresso grind.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

Top Cat said:


> You may need to Google this! Spong hand grinder! I know, i know i know!


I wouldn't be embarrassed by a hand grinder. They're all burr grinders. Don't know much about spong but some hand grinders make excellent coffee. Definitely much better than a blade grinder anyway.


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## Neill (Jun 26, 2013)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Spong grinder won't produce a decent even espresso grind.


Ah, there we go, someone with more knowledge.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Neill said:


> Ah, there we go, someone with more knowledge.


Don't know about that Neil. Was given a Spong as a wedding present - sits in the back of a kitchen cupboard - Mrs S won't let me through it out. Used it for cafetiere but is very basic and not able to be adjusted accurately enough for espresso grind


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Whichever grinder you use, with the pressurised basket in the portafilter you need the little pin or the coffee will spray everywhere

Swap the basket for any of the others that you own and this problem should go away.


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## Sherm Schlar (Dec 14, 2020)

I'm having the same spraying problem with my older Gaggia Classic. Initially, the unit came with a non-pressurized basket, the espresso came out way too fast and was weak and watery. I switched to a pressurized basket and am using the plastic pin insert. The quality of the espresso is excellent, but it still sprays out the sides of the spout, onto the machine and surroundings. Not good. I'm using fine ground, pre-ground espresso which has worked just fine in other machines.

Anyone have an idea of what I should try next?

Thanks,

Sherm


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## AndyDClements (Aug 29, 2016)

Hi @Sherm Schlar, if you were using the non-pressurised basket then that would explain it, as the Gaggia Classic really needs finer than the pre-ground from supermarkets etc, but as you say you are using the pressurised basket then two things spring to mind. 1) the basket is faulty, such that fluid can get through way too quickly, but the way you describe the situation it hints at being a new basket so lets assume momentarily new= OK. 2)The coffee isn't sufficiently and evenly compressed. So, if it's no 2, then you need to be adding the right amount of ground coffee and pressing it down evenly with sufficient pressure that the water is held back and has to force its way through the "puck" of coffee. A quick Google search for "coffee tamping" should give some hints and videos that you can compare your process to.

Ideally, take a video of the process, and post here, then soe real experts can advise the most effective changes to make.


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## Sherm Schlar (Dec 14, 2020)

Andy,

Many thanks for the quick reply. I'll take a video and post. I've tried to pack the coffee pretty firmly, doesn't seem to have much of an impact. I am using a pre-ground espresso called "Cafe Bustelo", https://www.cafebustelo.com/en which tastes fine to me. One thing I did notice is that frequently the coffee left in the basket after brewing is very wet and a little sticky. I use a separate knock box but it often doesn't come out easily.


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