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Why does the espresso flow over the edge of the portafilter?

There are a few reasons why the espresso might be spilling out over the filter in your Espresso Machine, and all are easily fixed. Here's how...

Reasons why espresso flows over the edge of the portafilter

  • Portafilter is not inserted in the group head properly. Make sure the portafilter is completely inserted and rotated until the handle is aligned to the lock icon.
  • There are coffee grounds around the rim of the filter basket. Swipe any excess coffee to ensure a proper seal in the group head.
  • Too much coffee in the filter basket. Use a lower dose of coffee.

Here's our handy guide for how much ground coffee you need to put in your espresso machine's filter basket:

Basket type Shot Dose (grams) Use for
Single wall 1 shot 10-12 Freshly ground whole bean coffee
Single wall 2 shot 18-20 Freshly ground whole bean coffee
Double wall 1 shot 10-12 Pre-ground coffee
Double wall 2 shot 18-20 Pre-ground coffee

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