The portafilter espresso machine

La dolce vita in your own home!

Illustration of a portafilter espresso machine

Portafilter espresso machines are ideal for preparing espresso, cappuccino and other espresso-based beverages. Here, a consistently high pressure of around 9 bars is crucial for creating a full-flavoured espresso with a crema. After all, true coffee enjoyment is also about presentation! A good espresso should have a dense, hazelnut-brown crema that is 2–3 mm thick and slightly marbled.

Our tip:

If the finished coffee is coming out too slowly, set the grind size to a coarser level. If, on the other hand, it’s flowing out too quickly, select a finer grind size.

Ground coffee being poured from the coffee grinder into the portafilter
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Ground coffee being tamped in a portafilter
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Portafilter being inserted into a brewing unit
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Freshly brewed espresso flowing from a portafilter espresso machine into Dallmayr espresso cups
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Ingredients & equipment

  • A portafilter espresso machine
  • A tamper and tamper mat (optional)
  • A cloth or brush
  • A conical or flat burr grinder with very precise grind settings
  • 7–9 g finely ground coffee for a single basket (brews 25–30 ml of espresso), 16–18 g for a double basket

Here’s what to do:

  1. Remove the portafilter from the brewing unit. Flush the brewing unit.
  2. Measure out the dose of ground coffee in grams and distribute in the basket.
  3. Level off and ergonomically tamp the coffee. Remove any ground coffee from the edge of the portafilter.
  4. Next, lock the portafilter into the brewing unit and immediately start brewing.
  5. Keep an eye on the flow of the coffee and end the brewing process at the right time.
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