What is a Bottomless Portafilter?
In the world of coffee brewing, enthusiasts and baristas are constantly seeking ways to elevate the quality of their espresso. The best bottomless portafilter for your coffee machine can be a game changer when brewing quality coffee.
A bottomless portafilter is a simple tool that has gradually gained popularity among baristas and homebrewers. This article reviews the seven best espresso bottomless portafilters for different coffee machines. Let’s find out more.
Is a Bottomless Portafilter Better?
Before delving into the details of a bottomless portafilter, it’s essential to understand the basic concept of a portafilter. A portafilter is a handle-equipped device that holds the coffee grounds and gets attached to an espresso machine. It is a critical component in the espresso brewing process, allowing water to flow through the coffee grounds, extracting the flavors and aromas.
Most bottomless portafilter models have a stainless steel basket and a detachable plastic or wooden handle. Generally, bottomless portafilters are not any better per se. However, they can be helpful in many situations that you would not have thought of. Both non-spouted and spouted variants have their advantages and disadvantages.
Our Preferred Bottomless Portafilter Revealed
This year, the 54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express is our preferred bottomless portafilter. It is compatible with almost all Breville models. This tool provides real-time monitoring of the coffee extraction process. It has a durable stainless steel and rosewood construction. It is simple to disassemble, clean, and reassemble for use again.
This Year’s Top Picks for Bottomless Portafilters
- 54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express : Best for overall use
- MATOW 54mm Bottomless Naked Portafilter : Best for Breville coffee machines
- 54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express, ABS Handle-Black : Best for Breville Barista Express
- Joytata 51mm Bottomless Portafilter Fits DeLonghi Espresso Machine EC680 : Best for Delonghi coffee machines
- 58mm Bottomless Portafilter with Double Shot Filter Basket & Wood Handle for Gaggia Classic : Best for the Gaggia Classic
- 58mm Bottomless Portafilter For Breville Dual-Boiler, Oracle Touch : Best Crema portafilter
- Normcore 54mm Bottomless Portafilter Bottomless Naked Portafilter : Best 54mm portafilter
The Best Bottomless Portafilters Currently on the Market
54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express : Best for Overall Use
Brand: TAPBULL
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility: Breville Barista Express
Ring diameter: 54 millimeters (5.4 centimeters)
Basket included: No
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Wood
Dishwasher safe: Yes (basket only)
General Description
The 54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express is an excellent bottomless portafilter compatible with many Breville and Sage Barista models. This naked portafilter will assist you in real-time monitoring of extraction issues if you are new to coffee brewing.
Crafted with high-grade stainless steel, it provides the best espresso possible without metallic contamination. Its rosewood handle is also incredibly sturdy and provides a comfortable grip while you fit.
| Pros | Cons |
| It has a durable wooden handle | It does not come with a ground filter basket |
| Easy to assemble and disassemble | |
| Easy to use and clean |
MATOW 54mm Bottomless Naked Portafilter : Best for Breville Coffee Machines
Brand: MATOW
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility:
- Breville Barista Express
- Breville Barista Pro
- Breville Barista Touch
- Breville Bambino Plus
- Breville Infuser
- Breville Duo-Temp Pro
Ring diameter: 54 millimeters (5.4 centimeters)
Basket included: Yes
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Wood
Dishwasher safe: Yes (head and basket)
General Description
The MATOW 54mm Bottomless Naked Portafilter is ideal for most Breville coffee machines. When using this portafilter, you can spot and fix extraction issues; the bottomless portafilter will let you know whether your grind or tamping is off.
The portafilter head is perfectly cast in food-grade stainless steel and highly polished by hand. Its precise size ensures the portafilter securely fits on the coffee machine. It has an ergonomically designed handle of 100% natural sandalwood and a solid surface to ensure perfect grip and easy manual control.
| Pros | Cons |
| It’s easy to assemble and use | Compatible with Breville models only |
| It’s easy to clean | It’s not water resistant |
| It is convenient and quick to disassemble. |
54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express, ABS Handle-Black : Best for Breville Barista Express
Brand: FIRJOY
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility:
- Breville BES840XL Infuser Espresso achine
- Breville BES870XL Barista Express Espresso machine
- Breville BES870BSXL Barista Express Espresso machine
- Breville BES878BSS Barista Pro Espresso machine
- Breville BES880BSS Barista Touch Espresso machine
- Breville BES500BSS Bambino Plus Espresso machine
Ring diameter: 54 millimeters (5.4 centimeters)
Basket included: No
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)
Dishwasher safe: Yes
General Description
This FIRJOY product is a bottomless portafilter for a number of devices. It has an excellent-looking sturdy ABS handle and a high-grade food-grade stainless steel head. You can view the extraction in real-time with this 54-millimeters (5.4 centimeters) espresso bottomless portafilter to determine if you’re grinding and tamping correctly.
Its handle is easily detachable, making it quick and easy to disassemble when cleaning. This is the ideal tool to improve your barista skills by using visual help to see what you’re doing incorrectly.
| Pros | Cons |
| It’s convenient and easy to assemble | It does not have a filter basket |
| It’s easy to clean | |
| It’s easy to use |
Joytata 51mm Bottomless Portafilter Fits DeLonghi Espresso Machine EC680 : Best for Delonghi Coffee Machines
Brand: Joytata
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility: DeLonghi, Breville
Ring diameter:
- 51 millimeters (5.1 centimeters)
- 54 millimeters (5.4 centimeters)
- 58 millimeters (5.8 centimeters)
Basket included: Yes
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Wood
Dishwasher safe: Yes (head and basket only)
General Description
The Joytata 51mm Bottomless Portafilter is a useful tool for learning how to make espresso. This bottomless portafilter for Delonghi and Breville coffee machines produces 50% or more of crema in the hands of a skilled barista using fresh espresso beans. It preserves and protects the delicate crema bubbles that we all want.
Additionally, since there isn’t a spout, espresso is typically served directly into the cup. It has double-shot filter baskets, typical sizes for commercial and prosumer machines, holding an average of 0.56 to 0.77 ounces (16 to 22 grams) of ground coffee. It comes with a non-pressurized, food-grade basket that is dishwasher-safe.
| Pros | Cons |
| It is easy to use and clean | It is compatible with limited models |
| It’s simple to troubleshoot extraction issues. |
58mm Bottomless Portafilter with Double Shot Filter Basket & Wood Handle for Gaggia Classic : Best for the Gaggia Classic
Brand: GURUDAR
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility:
- Gaggia Classic models (up to 2015)
- Gaggia commercial models (TE, TD, TS, XE, and XD)
- Gaggia espresso deluxe
- Gaggia baby models (new baby, baby class, baby, baby dosata, and baby twin)
- Gaggia evolution
- KitchenAid
- Starbucks Sierra
Ring diameter: 58 millimeters (5.8 centimeters)
Basket included: Yes
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Wood
Dishwasher safe: No
General Description
This product is the best bottomless portafilter for multi-series coffee machines. It has an ergonomic handle constructed with durability and comfort in mind. The portafilter’s ergonomic, smooth wood handle is secure and easy to hold. Consequently, it offers a solid handle to effortlessly create your ideal coffee puck.
The portafilter head consists of food-grade stainless steel hand-polished to a high shine. This makes it safer, more hygienic, and environmentally friendly. The filter basket has a perfect-fit hole design and an encircling filter screen that evenly filters the coffee powder while requiring less work and is easier to operate.
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to disassemble and clean | Not compatible with all Gaggia models |
| Simple to diagnose and fix extraction issues |
58mm Bottomless Portafilter For Breville Dual-Boiler, Oracle Touch : Best Crema Portafilter
Brand: CREMA COFFEE PRODUCTS
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility: Breville
Ring diameter: 58 millimeters (5.8 centimeters), 54 millimeters (5.4 centimeters)
Basket included: Yes
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Wood
Dishwasher safe: Yes (head and filter basket only)
General Description
The 58mm Bottomless Portafilter For Breville Dual-Boiler, Oracle Touch is ideal for Breville coffee machines. It is not compatible with E16 group heads. It comes with a double-shot single-wall filter basket.
This crema portafilter has a durable stainless steel head with an all-natural wood handle. The stainless steel head exposes the bottom of the portafilter basket, allowing you to monitor the entire coffee extraction process. This provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve your espresso shot’s quality.
| Pros | Cons |
| Pairs seamlessly with Crema products | It is expensive compared to similar brands in the market |
| Lets you observe the extraction process | |
| It is easy to use and clean |
Normcore 54mm Bottomless Portafilter Bottomless Naked Portafilter : Best 54mm Portafilter
Brand: Normcore
Shape: Basket
Machine Compatibility:
- Breville Barista Pro
- Breville Barista Espresso
Ring diameter: 54 millimeter (5.4 centimeter)
Basket included: Yes
Head material: Stainless steel
Handle material: Anodized aluminum
Dishwasher safe: Yes
General Description
The Normcore 54mm Bottomless Portafilter Bottomless Naked Portafilter is well-designed to provide a precise pouring letting you observe the whole extraction procedure.
Normcore is one of the best 54mm bottomless portafilters made with an all-anodized aluminum handle. These handles are comfortable and feel smooth and light even after a long day behind the bar. Also, there are no restrictions on the size of the basket you can use with this tool. It is dishwasher safe.
| Pros | Cons |
| Provides precise pouring | It is compatible with limited models |
| Its anodized aluminum handle is comfortable to hold |
FAQs on Bottomless Portafilters
What Are the Reasons For Using a Bottomless Portafilter?
Bottomless portafilters are small handy tools that come with plenty of advantages. So, why use a bottomless portafilter? Here are a few reasons:
Improving Shot Quality
The absence of spouts in a bottomless portafilter allows for better extraction and provides an opportunity to diagnose and address issues in the brewing process. The espresso shot flows directly into the cup by removing the spouts, providing valuable visual feedback.
This allows baristas to identify problems such as uneven extraction, channeling, or poor distribution, which can significantly impact the taste and quality of the shot.
Enhancing Visual Feedback
One of the key advantages of using a bottomless portafilter is its enhanced visual feedback. As the espresso shot gets extracted directly into the cup, the barista can observe the formation of the coffee stream. This helps determine the extraction’s evenness, ensuring the perfect balance between flavor and strength.
Importance of Distribution and Tamping
Using a bottomless portafilter highlights the importance of proper coffee distribution and tamping techniques. It exposes any inconsistencies or mistakes in these processes, which can directly impact the shot quality.
A bottomless portafilter allows baristas to refine their distribution and tamping techniques, leading to more consistent and flavorful espresso shots.
Promoting Even Extraction
Achieving an even extraction is crucial for brewing high-quality espresso. A bottomless portafilter encourages better distribution of coffee grounds within the basket, leading to a more even extraction. It lets you see if the water flows evenly through the coffee puck or through specific areas.
How Many Grams is a Bottomless Portafilter?
Since the replaceable basket determines the portafilter’s overall capacity, you can decide the size of your bottomless portafilter. Choosing a model with the proper size for your espresso maker is crucial.
What Size is an E61 Group Head?
The standard diameter of an E61 group head is approximately 58 millimeters (5.8 centimeters), with a height of 90 to 95 millimeters (9.0 to 9.5 centimeters). It is essential to ensure compatibility between the E61 group head and portafilters, shower screens, and gaskets by selecting components with matching sizes.
What to Look for in Bottomless Portafilters
Here are some key factors to consider when looking for the best bottomless portafilters for Breville, Delonghi, Crema, Gaggia, or any brand you have:
Price
Price is an important consideration to make. Although we all want quality products, we usually do not want to strain our budgets. It would be best to consider the price of the portafilter you want before purchasing.
Compatibility
Find a portafilter that is compatible with your coffee machine. You can get this information on the product manual or the manufacturer’s official website.
Construction
Since it is a daily-use tool, it would be best to consider a durable product. Generally, portafilters with stainless steel heads and wooden handles are the most durable.
Material
Portafilters come in different materials, from stainless steel to ABS. While most people prefer stainless steel, others choose ABS. This entirely depends on personal preference. Nonetheless, we recommend stainless steel portafilters.
Final Musings
A bottomless portafilter offers coffee enthusiasts a unique perspective on the espresso extraction process. With enhanced visual feedback, improved technique, and the potential for increased crema, it allows baristas and homebrewers to take their espresso brewing skills to the next level.
We recommend the 54mm Bottomless Portafilter for Breville Barista Express for daily coffee brewing. This product is premium built, sturdy, and durable. It is easy to use regardless of your expertise level. While it may not be essential for everyone, those passionate about perfecting their espresso will find value in investing in a bottomless portafilter.
