whitehawk Senior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 24 Location: Bellingham, WA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: ECM Giotto Classic Grinder: Preciso with Esatto Drip: French Press Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Fri Jan 20, 2012, 2:51pm Subject: Best bottomless portafilter?
I want to buy a bottommless portafilter for my ECM Giotto and am wondering if anyone has experience with multiple naked pfs? I want to get the best build quality that I can - I like 'em heavy!
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,645 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Fri Jan 20, 2012, 3:22pm Subject: Re: Best bottomless portafilter?
Except for the first one, I know the rest of the vendors will sell you a good product. I don't know the first one or have any dealings with them so that is the reason I excluded them.
You will get basically the same product from all of them, just as a preference I would buy one that was chromed after being cut, it looks nicer than having the raw brass showing but all will function the same.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 704 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Fri Jan 20, 2012, 3:39pm Subject: Re: Best bottomless portafilter?
I think i would give the SCG a try. i can tell you I am no fan of my Rancilio, the dumb handle went all wanky on me after about 6 months.
I have purchased ACF cups from Great Infusions in the past. The cups are GREAT and the vendor seems ok.
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
whitehawk Senior Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 24 Location: Bellingham, WA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: ECM Giotto Classic Grinder: Preciso with Esatto Drip: French Press Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Fri Jan 20, 2012, 4:26pm Subject: Re: Best bottomless portafilter?
Some quotes from the 1st line model: "Its light weight but it is sturdy and will handle many a knock." "Let me say that 1st line was great. The portafilter on the other hand is lacking. It weights about half of what the factory one does."
People seem to say it functions perfectly they just wish it had more weight. It seems stupid to care about the weight, but I do.
I saw some people saying they were buying the La Marzocco bottomless and doing some light filing to make it fit their E61 groups: Click Here (www.home-barista.com)
tjkoko Senior Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 699 Location: Somewhere in the swamps Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Bialetti Moka Pot Grinder: Baratza Preciso and Turkish... Drip: Meiltta filter with cone Roaster: Whirlypop Stovetop Unit,...
Posted Mon Jan 23, 2012, 5:39am Subject: Re: Best bottomless portafilter?
I've had good experiences with Great Infusions (for cups) in the past and am presently awaiting for the delivery of another set of ACF cups from them. Fwiw.
Posted Mon Jan 23, 2012, 7:41am Subject: Re: Best bottomless portafilter?
The Rancilio OEM handle is probably the heaviest direct fit, and I feel like it's one of the best made castings for a bottomless because the handle-to-body part is thick and positioned so it doesn't get machined away when making it bottomless. I have the one from ChrisCoffee (second from the top).
After having had quite a few bottomless portafilters, the OEM Rancilio is one of my favorites along with the OEM LaMarzocco with ergonomic rubberized handle. (These are also my two heaviest).
The one I use currently is a LaMarzocco bottomless with a custom-made Macassar Ebony wooden handle from Dave Stephens (check him out at Home-Barista.com for custom wood ideas)
Doing a bit of a revival on this thread, as to not make a new one asking more or less the exact same questions...
After much browsing around here and HB, I ordered a Rocket Cellini Premium Plus earlier this week from Chris' Coffee, and am trying to decide which bottomless portafilter to buy.
I'm leaning towards the one Chris sells, but my only worry with that one is how the matte plastic handle will look will all the shiny plastic knobs/levers on the Rocket. What I was thinking of doing would be to buy the Rancilio one then swap the handles with my single spout portafilter, but when I emailed them inquiring about handle compatibility, they weren't sure if they would fit, or break the handles, etc.
Does anyone have any opinions on how the Rancilio matte black handles looks with shinier black knobs/levers and/or possibly pictures? Or an answer to my handle swapping idea?
yeah, I have that Rancilio with the matte finish handle. It's ok looking, not great. The unit is nice and heavy and I really like it otherwise. However, I have an order for custom handles in with Dave Stephens (see Jon's post above), so when that arrives, I'll be moving this one to back up. The only thing I would change otherwise with the Rancilio handle is the shaft going from the ring to the handle. The shape is rectangular, rather than round. I like the round ones better 'cause it's easier to swipe off the grounds that spill over from the grinder and tamp, etc.
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 