Did you guys see this?
http://www.1st-line.net/cgi-bin/categor ... type=store
It's a chromed over bottomless PF. Anybody using one yet? Just wondering how good it looks before I consider ordering one. I already have a chopshop version of one but a clean one sounds very tempting.
Bottomless PF, chromed over
-
RGoldman
-
Barry
-
Niko
No advantage at all, just wanted to see one since those bozos at 1st-line don't show the most important part of the item on sale. I got an email from one of the owners saying that it'll cost me $20 just to see the picture because it's a cost they cannot absorb. What a clown!
Anyone else would first of all, shoot and post a pic of the most important part and seconnd of all, they wouldn't say something ridiculous like that - they'd just shoot something with their digital cam and email the pic and say "here's the bottom of the bottomless..." and be done with it.
Anyone else would first of all, shoot and post a pic of the most important part and seconnd of all, they wouldn't say something ridiculous like that - they'd just shoot something with their digital cam and email the pic and say "here's the bottom of the bottomless..." and be done with it.
-
Weska
Niko, you deserve an answer on this.
I've got the portafilter you are interested in. It is not fashioned from a La Spaziale one, but the quality is not bad at all. The handle is not rubberized like the Spaz one and its steam knob, but is a hard plastic with a deeply pitted surface texture to give it "feel" as if rubberized.
The portafilter on the whole seems quite worthy, of course lighter because so much is missing. It doesn't give the impression that it is skimping on materials.
I bought it for two reasons. First, because it was cheaper than Chris's. It's probable that it is made from a cheaper original. Also, Chris once revealed on one forum or another that he preferred to give business to a craftsman like Lino Verna than find a source for a cheaper bottomless. Second, I bought this one because it was said to come with a triple basket. I would have bitched to 1stLine about that because the basket is not any bigger than any Spaz double, but they withdrew that description from their website before I could raise the issue.
As it is, it serves as a perfectly fine bottomless.
Is it aesthetically superior? Hard to say without seeing both side by side. Could be that an achingly beautiful surface of contrasting bare brass looks better than what you see in the picture.
I've got the portafilter you are interested in. It is not fashioned from a La Spaziale one, but the quality is not bad at all. The handle is not rubberized like the Spaz one and its steam knob, but is a hard plastic with a deeply pitted surface texture to give it "feel" as if rubberized.
The portafilter on the whole seems quite worthy, of course lighter because so much is missing. It doesn't give the impression that it is skimping on materials.
I bought it for two reasons. First, because it was cheaper than Chris's. It's probable that it is made from a cheaper original. Also, Chris once revealed on one forum or another that he preferred to give business to a craftsman like Lino Verna than find a source for a cheaper bottomless. Second, I bought this one because it was said to come with a triple basket. I would have bitched to 1stLine about that because the basket is not any bigger than any Spaz double, but they withdrew that description from their website before I could raise the issue.
As it is, it serves as a perfectly fine bottomless.
Is it aesthetically superior? Hard to say without seeing both side by side. Could be that an achingly beautiful surface of contrasting bare brass looks better than what you see in the picture.
-
Niko
-
Weska
-
Martin
-
Niko
This is the espressoparts.com basket I've been talking about. It's HUGE, mammoth and whatever you want to call it. And yes, I have a tamper that fits very tightly into it.
I think this basket holds another 2 grams of coffee, haven't tried it yet but I'm guessing somewhere in the 18-20 gram range. I wouldn't call it a triple, espressoparts doesn't, but it obviously looks bigger slightly than the factory Spaz ones. I have about 8 baskets and this one really sticks out when they're next to each other, also - there's no taper to this one (at least not really a noticeable one).
I think this basket holds another 2 grams of coffee, haven't tried it yet but I'm guessing somewhere in the 18-20 gram range. I wouldn't call it a triple, espressoparts doesn't, but it obviously looks bigger slightly than the factory Spaz ones. I have about 8 baskets and this one really sticks out when they're next to each other, also - there's no taper to this one (at least not really a noticeable one).
-
RGoldman
-
Niko
Good question Ron...
Not sure. I only have one of these so I can't speak for the rest of the batch, I haven't even put coffee through it yet - had it for a long time and I just avoided using it because it was so odd looking. Now that you guys mention it, this basket might be our savior because: A. It's big, so big that it's bigger than a double (but let me confirm by actually loading some coffee into it) and B. these baskets might be way more consistent in size than the Italian ones.
I have a feeling these aren't made in Italy for some reason.
Update: here's how each one sits in the bottomless...
Not sure. I only have one of these so I can't speak for the rest of the batch, I haven't even put coffee through it yet - had it for a long time and I just avoided using it because it was so odd looking. Now that you guys mention it, this basket might be our savior because: A. It's big, so big that it's bigger than a double (but let me confirm by actually loading some coffee into it) and B. these baskets might be way more consistent in size than the Italian ones.
I have a feeling these aren't made in Italy for some reason.
Update: here's how each one sits in the bottomless...
-
Weska
Cute crop on the avatar shot, Niko.
Where business is concerned, however, I'm also beginning to think that the espressoparts.com double is more interesting as a match to the pending tampers on Fred's thread.
If you'll use it and confirm that it holds more than a regular double with no disadvantages (like big holes that let grinds go into the cup), then I think the tamper group should head toward the espressoparts basket.
What do the rest of you think?
Where business is concerned, however, I'm also beginning to think that the espressoparts.com double is more interesting as a match to the pending tampers on Fred's thread.
If you'll use it and confirm that it holds more than a regular double with no disadvantages (like big holes that let grinds go into the cup), then I think the tamper group should head toward the espressoparts basket.
What do the rest of you think?