PRESSURIZED VS NON-PRESSURIZED FILTER BASKETS: IS ONE BETTER?
Believe it or not, the portafilter basket is one of the biggest factors impacting the quality of your espresso shot!
A fun aspect of espresso is that there are always things to tinker with in the quest for a perfect shot. One of the first decisions is whether to use a pressurized or non-pressurized portafilter.
In this article, I’ll explain the difference between the two and why you might want one or the other. Each has advantages, but only one is capable of the ultimate espresso shot.
What Is A Portafilter?
Let’s start with a quick anatomy of the portafilter, one of the most important features of any espresso machine.
It has two parts. The main component is a handle attached to a basket holder with one or two spouts on the bottom. The more critical part is the filter basket itself, which sits inside the basket holder.
The filter basket is a small metal filter designed to let extracted coffee through while holding back coffee grounds – just like any other coffee filter. However, a filter made for brewing espresso rather than coffee is designed to operate under high pressures.
What’s The Difference Between Pressurized and Non-Pressurized Portafilter?
A non-pressurized filter is just a regular filter. It can also be called a “standard basket”, “single-wall basket”, or simply a “traditional basket”. It has a single bottom layer with a regularly spaced grid of holes. These are sometimes called single wall baskets.
A pressurized basket has a false bottom, so it’s also known as a dual wall basket. From the top, it has a grid of holes. But from the bottom, there’s just a single hole. This design pressurizes the extracted espresso by forcing it to exit through one hole.
Precision Baskets
Precision baskets are a more advanced (and expensive) version of non pressurized baskets. They are carefully machined so that each hole is evenly sized and spaced and has microscopically smooth edges. This helps avoid clogs that can interfere with extraction, yielding more consistent shots (1).
Which Is Better?
Pressurized portafilters were designed to produce a beautiful-looking espresso shot with the appearance of a thick layer of crema, even if your grind or puck preparation isn’t perfect. You’ll often find them with affordable or entry-level espresso machines because they’re ideal for espresso beginners.
If you’re just starting your espresso journey, don’t be afraid to play around with pressurized baskets until you feel comfortable leveling up to standard baskets.
If you’re new to espresso or don’t have access to a good burr grinder, a pressurized version is probably the right choice.
Non-pressurised baskets are less forgiving. But if you have a quality burr grinder and the skills to dial in the perfect grind size, you can make undeniably better tasting espresso. It takes more practice, but you’ll be rewarded with a richer and sweeter shot.
All commercial espresso machines use non-pressurized portafilters, as do prosumer espresso machines, which says a lot about their quality.
An Easy Upgrade
The great thing about espresso filter baskets is that they are inexpensive to buy and easy to snap in and out of the portafilter.
You can learn to make espresso using a pressurized model, then swap in a non-pressurized basket once you’ve acquired more expertise and a proper grinder.
That’s what I did with my Breville Bambino. It cost me $12 and one minute of effort to make the switch, and my espresso was notably softer and sweeter after the upgrade.
Some machines, like the Gaggia Classic Pro or Breville Barista Express, come with both types of filter baskets. They are perfect for beginner baristas planning to progress and improve.
What About A Bottomless Portafilter?
A bottomless portafilter doesn’t have spouts at the bottom. Instead, the basket holder has nothing. It’s just an empty ring. These are also called naked portafilters.
This style of portafilter is always paired with a non-pressurized basket. It makes it easy to spot any flaws in your puck preparation, so it can help you improve your technique. Plus, it looks gorgeous when you manage to nail that perfect shot.
The Verdict
Both pressurized and non-pressurized portafilter baskets have their place. The right one for you ultimately depends on your lifestyle and home espresso goals.
Use a pressurized portafilter if:
- You prefer to buy pre-ground coffee
- You want a reliably decent shot of espresso
- You’re a novice home barista
Use a non-pressurized portafilter if:
- You have access to a quality burr grinder
- You’re willing to work a little harder for truly great espresso
- You have a commercial or prosumer espresso machine
FAQs
Yes, you should still tamp the puck of coffee in a pressurized filter (2). However, because this style of basket is more forgiving overall, it’ll still produce a nice shot even if your tamp isn’t quite the right pressure or properly leveled.
If your espresso machine included a lightweight plastic tamper, make sure you upgrade to a heavier palm or regular tamper as soon as possible. Check out my favorite espresso tampers for some suggestions.
A pressurized basket isn’t bad, but it can’t produce the same quality of espresso shot as a non-pressurized basket. It artificially builds pressure by forcing the shot through the single hole at the bottom. While this gives the appearance of a nice crema layer, it limits barista control over the brewing process and detracts from the mouthfeel of the shot.
You can’t tell by looking at the portafilter itself, unless it is bottomless. You’ll need to pop the filter basket out of the portafilter and flip it upside down. If you see a single small hole in the bottom, it’s pressurized. If it’s a grid of holes, it’s non-pressurized.
The difference between an automatic vs semi-automatic espresso machine is how these machines work. A semi-automatic machine relies on the barista to control most aspects of pulling the shot, including grinding, dosing, tamping, and timing. An automatic machine automates one or more of these steps.
References
- Prestidge, J. (2016, June 15). Espresso Baskets and Their Effects on Extraction. Retrieved from https://perfectdailygrind.com/2016/06/ims-vs-vst-espresso-baskets-and-their-effects-on-extraction/
- Seven Miles Coffee Roasters. (2021, March 7). Tamping Coffee: does it even matter? Retrieved from https://www.sevenmiles.com.au/blogs/editorial/tamping-coffee
