# New Classic producing wet pucks



## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

Hu guys,

I'm still learning the ropes when it comes to making decent espresso but two days in and I'm making good progress.

I have a quick question about my classic. After i brew there is water left standing on the puck in the portafilter. I've read that the solenoid valve should stop this happening so I gave it a good back washing and water comes out of the drainage pipe as in would expect. This would indicate to me that the valve is OK.

I wondered if this is expected and if not where i might be going wrong or could it be a fault on the unit?

Cheers

Spence

*Solved: Purchased new double basket and bottomless PF from Happy Donkey and all is now well. Great service from HD as well, stuff arrived next day, perfect!*


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## skenno (Oct 14, 2012)

Happens on mine too. Not loads of water, just a shallow layer. I think it's normal - but best wait to hear from someone with more experience....


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## tribs (Feb 21, 2012)

It's probably the pressurised basket (Single hole on the bottom and black plastic perfect crema thingy). These create the resisitance that should be created by the coffee puck. They are not so nearly as fussy about the grind particle size. They supply these so that people who stick in pre-ground supermarket coffee, for instance get something drinkable, although barely









As they have much more resistance than a normal filter basket, the water is retained for much longer, it doesn't drain, leaving you with a wet puck. I bet if you run water through the basket without any coffee in it even after say twenty seconds you'll still find water in the basket.


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

Thanks guys,

Tribs, I have a second-hand basket that I am using (not the gaggia version), I did notice that a few of the holes seemed to be blocked up with coffee on it so I guess that could be causing unwanted pressure. I have noticed that when you run water through it that it take a while to run through.

One other thing I thought was that as the basket is non-standard that it could be too deep for the Portafilter and actually touch the bottom causing some of the holes to be blocked. I can't really test this theory though.

I suppose the next question is which baskets to go for? Does anyone have a recommendation?

Also here are some pics of my current basket, any ideas if it should work ok? Also any tips on how to clean it as I read not to go sticking pins in it









Cheers

Spence

Edit: Can't upload photos, probably don't have enough posts yet.


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## mookielagoo (Dec 12, 2012)

Hi Spence - Ive yet to get a dry puck...Ive experimented with pressure and non pressure baskets and different tamp pressures - I think it might be to do with the amount of coffee in the basket...Ive worked out that my ideal double needs to be 13g exactly (Lavazza) My wife likes 10g...Obviously the basket isnt full to the brim so the gap allows water to collect which is present when I remove the portafilter after an extraction (still lovely coffee though!!). Strangely, ive seen many youtube vids where folk fill to the brim and level off with a knife before tamping (this seems too much for me maybe its the richness of the coffee im using?!)

I purchased the non-pressurised baskets from Happy Donkey - They work beautifully with fresh espresso ground and produce a nice head...The 'daft' pressurized baskets are still great with slightly stale, not so fine coffee - they give a foamy head (granted, it's not a quality creme but i still enjoy it...im not that fussy....yet!! I think Gaggia have assumed that customers may not always use freshly ground beans so the plastic widget compensates and adds air to the extraction). As for cleaning - I just give the baskets a soapy scrub and tap them on the sink - that seems to do the trick!... cheers......Mark


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