Crafting the perfect shot of espresso takes refined technique. Your equipment plays a huge part in this, all the way down to your portafilter.
There are different types of portafilters that serve a variety of purposes. We discussed a few common types in this post.
One type has become exceedingly popular: the bottomless portafilter. In this discussion, our objective is to take a closer look at them, and whether or not a bottomless portafilter is better.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How a bottomless portafilter is different from a regular one.
- If bottomless portafilters are truly better.
- Reasons why you would choose to use a bottomless portafilter.
Let’s jump right in.
The Difference Between a Bottomless and Regular Portafilter
If you’re not familiar with portafilter types, a good place to start is learning what a bottomless portafilter is, and how it’s different from a regular one.
In most portafilters, there are one or two spouts on the bottom. Espresso comes from these spouts during the extraction process.
Bottomless portafilters lack these spouts entirely. Instead, they have a bottom with openings in it that grants you a full view of the espresso as it streams out.
Is a Bottomless Portafilter Better?
Given their popularity, many wonder if portafilters are better than alternatives. The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Instead, the answer is something more along the lines of, “it depends.”
There definitely are advantages to using bottomless portafilters. We’ll talk about them in more detail shortly, but the main benefit is the improved visibility.
Because the espresso doesn’t have to pass through spouts, baristas can see it perfectly. This makes any mistakes made in tamping abundantly clear, because the stream will split or spray if there’s any channeling.
However, there are benefits to using regular portafilters, too. On top of being easy to find, regular portafilters don’t make mistakes super visible. That sounds like a drawback, but if you’re concerned about looks, that can actually be an advantage.
Here’s Why You Should Use a Bottomless Portafilter…
Let’s take a more detailed look at the reasons why some would choose a bottomless portafilter. There are a few main reasons:
- Visibility
- Flavor
- Honing your skills
Visibility.
The first advantage of a bottomless portafilter is easy to see: baristas (and customers) get a clear view of the espresso streaming from the bottom. When it’s tamped and extracted correctly, this provides a gorgeous perspective.
There’s something mouth-watering about watching perfectly golden brown and silky espresso dripping from the portafilter into a glass. This kind of look is well-suited for artsy and specialty coffee shops with skilled employees. It conveys your skill to your customers.
Flavor.
There are two aspects we’re factoring in here: the taste of the espresso and the crema. Crema is tied to flavor, so we feel they go together in this section.
Many espresso enthusiasts like bottomless portafilters because they feel you get more crema with them. That beautiful golden crema is more than simply pretty – it tastes fantastic.
The reason you’ll see more crema with bottomless portafilters is their lack of spouts. There’s no obstacle in the way of the espresso as it trickles downward, which preserves the foamy crema bubbles.
Honing your skills.
Finally, a bottomless portafilter can be a great way for budding baristas to sharpen their skills. That’s due to the high degree of visibility they offer.
If there’s an issue with their tamping technique, it will be easy to see. Uneven tamping leads to channeling, which is when the water seeks the path of least resistance during extraction.
Baristas can see the stream splitting or when the color of the espresso is off easily with bottomless portafilters. Then they can refine their technique accordingly.
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, whether you want to use a bottomless or regular portafilter depends on what kind of benefits you’re looking for. If you’re a specialty coffee shop or an advanced home barista, you might want to spring for a bottomless portafilter simply because they look stunning and allow you to spot your mistakes instantly.
If you’re interested in getting your own bottomless portafilter, feel free to take a look at the options in our store. Reach out to us by calling 888-978-5224 if you have any questions.
