# Gaggia Cubika Plus - Single shot filter leaks



## newtonuk (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi, I thought I'd share with you all my recent experience of buying a Gaggia Cubika Plus machine.

Firstly, the machine itself is very well made as far as I can see.

However, when I first unpacked the machine I noticed that the metal part of the portafilter had what looked like a tear in it. This must have been during manufacturer because the chrome plating covered the tear. So I contacted the retailer and advised them of this and that I would be returning the portafilter to them for a replacement.

Secondly, I primed the machine as per the instruction and everything seemed okay. But when I tried to brew a coffee, I didn't actually get any coffee out of the thing.

So, I cleaned it all up again, tried priming it for a second time and followed the instructions even more closely.

This time, I got a few dribbles of coffee out of the filter, but when I tried to remove the filter this time I got a kick back of pressure which resulted in wet coffee grinds all over the place.

I checked that the water was actually coming out of the head, which it was, but it wasn't actually running through the portafilter.

So, back to the retailer it went.

Comparing the double shot filter basket it was quite clear that the perforations were very, very few and far between and testing on the demo machine in the shop also resulted in pressure building in the head, but no water flowing out of the filter.

A swap of the basket and the portafilter handle sorted the problem.

That was double shots sorted, so I thought I'd try a single shot of espresso using the single shot basket.

The single shot basket or filter (whatever the correct terminology for it is) fits with a rubber spacer under it, which I duly placed into the portafilter handle thingy and then fit the single shot doobery on top of it.

However, now when I tried to run water through it, leaks spring from everywhere. It comes out of what should be the seal between the portafilter and the shower, it comes out of the screw holes on the bottom and some of it even comes out of where it should, i.e. the two little holes.

So, back off to the retailer we go...

The unit was tested on their demo machine in the shop again and it did the same thing.

Now, what we did notice was that the portafilter handle thing that came with my machine was much heavier than the one that was with theirs. It seems that mine is chrome plated brass and theirs is aluminium.

We also noticed that the cams which lock the head into the unit are a lot narrower on mine than they are on the demo unit. So, under at the same position my portafilter is not fitting as tightly as the version on the demo unit. Hence leaking everywhere.

The store manager had never seen this before so she checked with an engineer, who also said that he had never heard of it, nor was he aware of any differences to the portafilters.

Does anybody else have any experience of this with the Cubika Plus models?


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## shaunclarke (Nov 30, 2011)

Hi. I have a Cubika Plus and despite the knocks it gets, it is a good cheap beginners machine (Im saving for my Classic though). The new Cubika's have a pressurised filter handle and only come with one basket and that is a double. The 'single' basket you describe sound like it is the adaptor basket so you can use ESE Pods. These are flat coffee bags that you put in the adaptor so saves on the mess. Just slightly better than Happy Shopper Instant coffee in my opinion!

When you attach the Porta Filter you do need to give it a sharp pull to the right so it locks in place properly.


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## newtonuk (Feb 3, 2012)

Hi Shaun, thanks for your help. I'm thinking that a Classic should have been on the shopping list instead .

Yes, the single basket came in a bag in the box and is labelled Pod Kit, but the Gaggia store manager assures me that this is also a single basket filter as well as an adaptor basket. She even demonstrated using my basket in her demo machine's portafilter with just a single spoon of coffee and it worked fine.

However, the instructions for the "pod kit" basket say "Insert the pod filter into the pressurised portafilter. Insert the portafilter into the brew unit as shown in the coffee machine instruction manual. Preheat the portafilter by dispensing hot water water."

Well, I can't even do that with the single basket in place as water leaks out of everywhere.

I don't have this issue with the double basket in place, so I guess I'm pulling it to the right correctly and the handle is returning to a 90 degree position, perpendicular to the body of the Cubika.

Comparing the "pod kit" basket with a standard replacement Gaggia single basket filter shows no difference, so I can only take the word of the Gaggia store manager when she says they're the same thing.

Her demo machine's portafilter works fine in my machine, but mine doesn't work in the demo machine, the only difference that we could see, as I mentioned, was the weight and apparent difference in materials and the thickness of the cams the lock the unit into place.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

I have that happen to my single basket on my machine if I dont lock the PF into the machine tight. With the double basket I dont have to use much force but with single I do. Single shots are harder to perfect so I just dont bother.


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

If you're having problems with real coffee, don't try the ESE pods. They are slower letting water through and create more pressure. If you're not happy, make them change the whole machine.


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