# Naked Portafilter



## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm wondering whether or not to get one for my Silvia. It's my birthday on Thursday and the wife wants to get me something. I've already ordered some beans from Hasbean and got pretty much everything else I need for the time being for Xmas. I've been pulling some pretty reasonable shots with some fresh beans I got near where I live but am getting very sloppy pucks (this is more of an annoyance than a problem) I don't understand what difference it makes using a naked portafilter but thought it may help me resolve the issue and improve my consistency if someone could tell me why they are so popular and how exactly they help you to improve your shots.









Bizzarely i never got sloppy pucks when I was using preground.


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

I'm sure someone with more experience will comment, but the main reason I'm looking at one is for improving my technique - since it lets you see how coffee is flowing out of the basket, it helps identify recurrent mistakes in your tamping etc.

The description on Happy Donkey seems to basically say that it improves the shot by removing the contact with metal which would normally cool the liquid - I believe this cooling is thought to hamper crema; hence more crema from naked pf. That's not based on experience however - hopefully someone who's got one will chime in shortly


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

That makes sense. I've only just started drinking espresso (that I made myself) and find it frustrating how cool it is despite heating the cup. I have on occasion nuked it for 10 seconds if I get sidetracked after pulling the shot (doesn't seem to affect it but my pallet is new to decent espresso)

Thanks.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Naked portafilters are great for resolving tamping issues

They (probably) won't resolve the sloppy puck issue though

That's likely to be a combination of basket size, dose weight, grind size and tamp pressure

In a good pour there's not much crema lost in the portafilter spouts

However, the the portafilter is dirty there will be less as the oils are trapped and have to fill the gaps before getting to the spouts - no such issues in a naked portafilter

If your portafilter is hot there is negligible temperature loss


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I think I'll get one. It'll probably make more sense when I use it.

Although I'm now using a grinder I'm wondering if the sloppy pucks are as a result of using my Synesso double basket as there's more gap between the shower screen and the grinds. I like the fact the screw doesn't touch the grinds but if it means having to rinse my portafilter out in the sink I might go back to the regulation Silvia double basket which I could usually just give a quick blast under the group head. Also I've found I had to increase my dose up to 16g from 14g to get a reasonable double shot (and grind slightly coarser) as although I pull a shot in the 23-27second range I found the pour was going very light and watery (blonding I think it's called) at around the 17-18 second mark. Increasing to 16g seems to delay this to around the time the shot has finished. Do you think I'm going about this in the wrong way? I never realised how complicated this was going to get, lol! I just thought 14g in 25 seconds = perfect shot


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Coffee swells when the water passes through it, causing it to push up against the shower screen (resulting in the screw indent)

This is a good sign, as the water should then disperse evenly through the puck, with constant pressure

If you're underdosing, then the coffee grounds will not expand and push against the shower screen, and may even lead to channeling as the water tries to finds its way through the weakest (or thinnest) part of the puck.

Updosing the Synesso basket should alleviate this issue.

The Silvia baskets were designed shallower and take 14-16g better. If you overdose them you get too little coffee coming through


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

I believe the main reason that the Synesso basket is so popular is that it allows updosing from the standard one - not 100% on that though!

I recently home-made a bottomless portafilter for my gaggia factory lever machine and I do like using it, even if it's just so that the espresso touches less metal on the way through - less cleaning! I think it does help distribution and tamp although I do find it frustrating as whatever I do I can't seem to get a completely even pour, usually there are 'dry' spots in the middle of the basket. Maybe I'm overdoing the 'nutating' tamp perhaps?


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I like the Synesso as you say you can up dose and as there's no ridge your puck (can potentially) come away clean. I've noticed the same problem with my pucks though. Some of them seem to be dry in the middle (I don't know if they are dry or just drier). I've been using the WDT method. The problem is as I don't like to waste coffee and as the Synesso is deep my grounds don't come up to the top. So I tap the basket flat on the counter to try and level before tamping but this rarely seems to get it completely level. I also get very little crema but this might be down to my beans (new ones are on order so I'll just have to see) I've started off with some Jailbreak and Blake's so will have to compare notes with others on dosage etc. I use to do the nutating tamp with my old tamper that was too small for my PF. My new RB is so snug though that I couldn't do it with that. I don't even get any wall grounds in the basket using it.


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I've pulled many shots with my naked PF now and am getting some reasonable shots. They range from pleasant to great. I have found it a tad messy though. I tend to end up with a bit of coffee up the back of my Silvia after the pour starts before it generally settles down into a single and central flow. Before the end of the shot though this flow often seems to move off centre and I get another flow appearing sporadically. Am I reading too much into this or is this helpful information to improve my dosing and tamping? If it is good info, please explain as I do not know what to make of it.


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## Steven Sum (Jan 11, 2011)

MonkeyHarris said:


> The problem is as I don't like to waste coffee and as the Synesso is deep my grounds don't come up to the top. So I tap the basket flat on the counter to try and level before tamping but this rarely seems to get it completely level.


MH, I don't like to waste coffee either, and I solve this same problem by using the tip of my frothing thermometer to flick the cone of coffee grinds down to roughly level. Then I tap the portafilter on the table, to level it more. Then tamp as usual.

Here's a video I just made some hours ago. 16 grams of 5 Senses house blend.


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

Looks like a lovely shot!


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

I did use a bottomless PF for a while when I had a Gaggia and it certainly helped in analysing my shots and it does look rather cool when you pour as in the Video on the thread. Not bothered with one for the Silvia as I seem to have everything running pretty sweetly.

But I am tempted to get the La Marzocco 15 degree clone PF that CoffeeHit are doing at the moment as it takes a deeper filter basket than the Rancilio for updosing and makes a very stable platform for tamping. Will just have to check that it fits correctly without any need to change to a different thickness grouphead gasket.

See here

http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/PRD_ProductDetail.aspx?cid=94&prodid=893&Product=Bowed-15-Degree-Portafilter


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I have a tamp stand from Bella Barista that works pretty when using my original PF. What Synesso basket have you got Don? Mine's the double and it holds a lot more than the original Sylvia probably 18+ and it fits fine in the original PF.


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Same basket as you Monkey, which fits in the Rancilio fine but I also have an even bigger ridgeless basket that doesn`t fit from my Gaggia bottomless PF days. I also have an uneven pour problem with the Rancilio PF which is irritating and has not been fixed by careful machine levelling or smoothing the spout channels (did think I had it sorted a few weeks ago but no such luck)


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I always get an uneven pour and it's always the one on the right that ends up with less. Fortunately that's the wifes one.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

SHHHHH....My wife's is always the first out of the machine each day, particularly if it's just been de-scaled. ;>)))


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Great minds think alike Vintage, same in our house









Monkey - with my PF it is the one on the left that has less.


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