Upgrading filter baskets and shower screens

West_Village

Hey,

But of a newbie question here. Will upgrading filter baskets and shower screens I.e to IMS, VST and (any other acronym know to man ) improve your coffee or is the impact of such an upgrade more to do with other elements of the process I.e cleanliness, repeatability, consistency, water distribution etc or both?

Dare I ask about the whole ridged vs ridgless debate also? Although I'm pretty sure that wouldn't have any effect on shot quality? Am I that naive?

My head is spinning on the subject!

Thanks guys

askthecoffeeguy

Most commentators agree that the average person is not going to taste the difference between a VST and a non VST basket bit I beg to differ I have found superior and noticeable shot quality using these baskets They're a tricky beast to manage in a busy commercial setting however because they tend to trap a lot more oils (than non VST) so they need to be rinsed a lot more often which can be a bit tricky when you're under the pump Not convinced that there's any benefit to ridged verses non ridged baskets in my experience P

West_Village

Firstly, pat do you ever sleep? 4am replies, 2am replies . Your dedication to this forum astounds me!! Secondly, would you say different baskets present different flavour profiles? Some give more body, some accentuate acidity more etc etc? Are there more forgiving baskets I should consider. I presume by "forgiving" you mean your distribution needs to be spot on? Thirdly, are these basket upgrades only worth it if you are a pure espro drinker? Lastly, what about the shower screens? Any value for money in an upgrade? Thanks again

Koffee_Kosmo

Dont personally use a special filter basket, the basket I have used for many years is a standard Synesso that is matched to my tamper But I do use an IMS filter group head screen and that works well in keeping the group head much cleaner than the standard KK

askthecoffeeguy

I agree that the IMS screens are much better for low maintenance and even water distribution I tried a variety of baskets before settling on the VST and I suggest that you do the same - I like the VST because I found that they pull more fruit sugars and brighter acidity our of the mix, which is a bit intangible really, but the main thing I noticed was that customers were complementing me on the shot quality and consistency, and even asking if I'd switched coffee brands ! I think VST is something you look at as part of a variety of measures to see how it improves what you're tasting in the cup, as the VST tends to pull everything out of the coffee, both good and bad, so if there's any faults in the roast or if your product is too fresh, it tends to show up more From memory we also changed our milk supplier after introducing VST as the profile changed in the cup and the old one wasn't cutting it any more ... P

Koffee_Kosmo

A filter basket is relatively inexpensive for a large gain I would give a competition IMS basket a try if I could get the precise fit for my tamper KK

askthecoffeeguy

Koffee Kosmo wrote:

A filter basket is relatively inexpensive for a large gain I would give a competition IMS basket a try if I could get the precise fit for my tamper KK

ive used the IMS basket as well and I thought they were excellent

vyapada

Some baskets appear to behave differently at different doses, or be easier to get right from a technique point of view - if we try and combine the commentary and stories of many users... but when it comes down to it, if you're using a 58mm and have your skills down pat it might not matter too much https://www.instagram.com/p/BPy1N5kDsB2/ (Socratic Coffee's analysis pending!) My experience isn't with 58mm so I can't comment on that specifically but have noted in the lower diameters, baskets behave very differently and some might be more to your preference than another.

Brett_H

I love my IMS screens, Paesedo and VST baskets. I found for the Splendor 18g rigeless VST plus the IMS screen suited me best. The great joy is that for not a lot of money a lot of experimental discovery and fun can be had.

K_Bean_Coffee

I'm a fan of the IMS baskets and shower screens. The latest IMS screens are packed with tech inc "nanotech". Read about them here: https://www.kbean.com.au/extras/ims-precision-shower-screen

K_Bean_Coffee

Picture of the latest from IMS:

West_Village

Wow they look great! I want one! Hahah . do you sell baskets as well Paul? Would it be fair to say that your tamper would need to be matched to these baskets in order to get the best out of them? If I had a stock standard 58mm tamper would it be a complete waste of time trying out the IMS or VST's? How important is tamper choice when using these baskets? Or could I get away with it using a standard tamper. Fascinating discussion by the way. I had absolutely no idea the impact a small filter basket could have!

Koffee_Kosmo

This is one of the reasons I haven't gone down this path My Tamper is 58.70mm Need to find a matching basket KK

askthecoffeeguy

I had my tampers machined by my coffee roaster to fit the baskets, now that's what I call service!

West_Village

Ok so tampers seem to be critical in getting the best out of these baskets. I certainly pan on mastering the current lot of baskets I have first but figure these upgrades could be my next logical step in the quest for coffee heaven. If and when I'm ready I'm leaning towards the IMS screens and baskets ( because the comments suggest they may be more forgiving ?). Do you guys know which tamper size or brands best match those baskets?

Koffee_Kosmo

You can have the retailer select a tamper to match your chosen basket for best fit If you get a Pesado 58.5 filter you can match it up with Pesado Tamper - so its a set I had my tamper made by Greg Pulman and matched to the basket KK

K_Bean_Coffee

West Village wrote:

Wow they look great! I want one! Hahah . do you sell baskets as well Paul?

Here's a link: www.kbean.com.au/espresso-accessories/

West Village wrote:

Would it be fair to say that your tamper would need to be matched to these baskets in order to get the best out of them? If I had a stock standard 58mm tamper would it be a complete waste of time trying out the IMS or VST's?

You could use a 58mm tamper with one of these but 58.5 is ideal 🙂 .....10% off accessories for forum people 🙂

K_Bean_Coffee

Koffee Kosmo wrote:

This is one of the reasons I haven't gone down this path My Tamper is 58.70mm Need to find a matching basket KK

Have you tried a Pesado/IMS 58.5 basket KK? I'm sure it would fit like a piston as with 58.5 tampers there's still a tiny bit of play. Cheers, Paul

Koffee_Kosmo

K_Bean_Coffee wrote:

Have you tried a Pesado/IMS 58.5 basket KK? I'm sure it would fit like a piston as with 58.5 tampers there's still a tiny bit of play. Cheers, Paul

No I haven't and it slipped my mind since my last look at them I would like to visit a stockist in Brisbane and take my tamper and test it for fit KK

Brett_H

Easy... Simply Beans has them! My 22g Pesado basket cost me 22.95 from them. That is cheaper than Dolo where I first discovered their loveliness so it may be an end-of-line price. Get there fast and PM me when you're going... I might be able to pop down for a cafe!