Your Bottomless Portafilter Questions—Answered!

Home baristas ask us all the time: Why should I use a bottomless portafilter? What size do I need? Why is mine spraying everywhere?! ☕️

If you’ve ever wondered about these things, you’re not alone! We’ve collected the most common questions about our bottomless portafilters to help you make the best decision or get the most out of it!

What’s the benefit of the open bottom?

A bottomless portafilter is more than just a cool-looking tool—it’s an diagnostic tool that helps to improve your espresso! Here’s why:

Better taste: Since the coffee goes straight from the basket into your cup with no extra contact, you get a richer crema and fuller flavor.
Skill improvement: No spouts mean no hiding mistakes. You can instantly see the extraction of your espresso, helping you identify channeling in the form of spraying or an uneven extraction. A bottomless portafilter challenges you to refine your technique, leading to consistently better espresso over time.
Amazing view: Once you get it right and the exctracton is smooth like honey, it is so very satisfying.

Why is my portafilter spraying?

praying happens when water flows unevenly through the puck, often due to channeling—some areas are too dense, others too loose. Water rushes through the loose parts, causing the spraying and a messy kitchen!

But don’t worry—it’s a sign that you can improve your technique and get better shots. Here’s what to check:

1. Are your ratios correct?

A solid starting point for a double espresso:

Dose: 18.5 grams of coffee in
Yield: 36 grams out
Time: within 25 to 30 seconds

If water flows too fast through the puck, your grind is likely too coarse. Try adjusting your grinder slightly finer to slow down extraction and improve flavor. Try to get into the above ratio 🙂

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2. Are you distributing and tamping correctly?

Uneven coffee distribution creates channels in your coffee where water rushes through, causing messy extractions and spraying. Tamping uneven will also force all water down one side. To avoid this:

Use a WDT tool (Weiss Distribution Technique) to break up clumps and evenly distribute coffee.
You need to make sure your tamp is level so water goes trough your puck evenly:
- You can use a coffee distributor to create an even surface before tamping
- Tamp correctly — aim for a level tamp with decent pressure (dont get too focused on the amount of pressure)

3. How fresh are your coffee beans?

Freshly roasted beans (ideally no older than two months) extract more evenly, leading to better crema and balanced flavor.

Does it come with a filter basket?

Yes! Each bottomless portafilter includes a double-shot filter basket, so you’re ready to pull shots right away.

Can I swap the filter basket?

Absolutely! Bottomless portafilters are designed to fit standard-sized baskets, so you can swap them out based on your coffee dose and preference.

👉 Pro tip: We always recommend using single-wall filter baskets for double espressos, especially with a bottomless portafilter. This helps ensure an even extraction—otherwise, you’ll likely end up with spraying and channeling issues. Want to learn more about filter baskets? Check out our guide: Filter Baskets Explained.