Bottomless portafilters for perfect espresso preparation

Bottomless portafilter

A bottomless portafilter, also known as a naked portafilter, is a special filter holder used for espresso machines.

In contrast to a conventional portafilter, a bottomless portafilter has no base plate or distributor, leaving the coffee spout uncovered.

Are there any advantages?

The advantage of a bottomless portafilter is that you can observe the entire extraction process of the espresso.

As there is no bottom, you can see how the coffee flows directly out of the sieve. This makes it easy to spot problems such as uneven extraction, channelling (where the coffee flows through the grounds in unwanted areas) or other faults.

Gimmick or not?

A bottomless portafilter is often used by professional baristas and coffee lovers to improve their espresso technique and monitor the quality of the extraction process.

However, it also requires some skill and experience, as even grinding, distribution of the coffee grounds and correct tampering are required to achieve optimal extraction. If this is not the case, the coffee will splash in all directions during extraction.

What to look out for

It is important to note that not all espresso machines are compatible with a bottomless portafilter.

The portafilter must be specially developed and manufactured for the respective machine. You should therefore make sure that the portafilter is suitable for your espresso machine before you buy it.

Selection of portafilter