58mm-49mm Stepdown Espresso Basket

Quality build yields quality brews!

I'll start with the build. This is machined from a solid block. No wimpy stamping. The tooling and finish is immaculate. Period. As I've come to use it more, I'm really loving the balance the stepdown basket offers with respect to taste. I even tried some beans that I really wasn't enjoying (on my stock 58mm basket). The taste improved from bad to quite pleasant. With beans I typically enjoy, the taste is fantastic. I'm not sure about the other review stating that they can't get 16g-18g to fit - My typical shot is darker-roasted bean and I'm pulling 17g shots without issue (and with room to spare).

Very well made

The basket feels premium, well machined. The 3d printed accessories has a lighter and more plasticy feel (as it is plastic), but the functions is without remarks. The notch on the funnel fits perfectly on the catch cup of my timemore sculptor 078. The workflow and puckprep is quite similar to a regular basket for me. In terms of coffee, I am getting a deeper, more rounded taste as a product of more ecstraction, without the bitterness that would usually accompany this. So far I have only had a good experience with the stepdown basket.

Blown away by the improvement in taste

I’d been struggling with channelling on my stamped 58mm for ages. It pulled perfectly, water distributed evenly, really clean cup and an amazing taste. More sweetness and reduced bitterness right away. I have a 1 year old Gaggia Classic E24 with a bottomless portafilter from Shades of Coffee in UK. It fit both perfectly. The 3d printed dosing ring and portafilter base all fit perfectly. Well worth the wait.