Presso 57mm Bottomless Portafilter for Lelit Anna

Picking up new accessories to upgrade your espresso setup is one of the great joys of being a home barista. But for those working with espresso machines sporting group heads with a non-standard diameter, such as the Lelit Anna, sourcing compatible equipment can pose more of a challenge than for a standard machine. Fortunately, here at Cape Coffee Beans, we’ve got a widening range of non-standard espresso accessories, including this Presso 57mm Bottomless Portafilter.

The bottomless portafilter, whose lack of spouts on the underside explains its name, was originally made as a training tool for new baristas. The absence of the spouts makes it significantly easier to diagnose extraction issues like channelling just by looking at the flow of the shot. On the other hand, they’re a little less forgiving than spouted portafilters when it comes to puck prep: if your distribution and tamp aren’t quite right, you might find yourself on the receiving end of some spray. Don’t feel at all sheepish if this ever happens to you – it’s all part of the learning process.

Nowadays, bottomless portafilters have become fairly popular not only for their educational utility but for their aesthetic too. Few things are quite as satisfying as watching a thick, rich shot of espresso pool to the centre of your portafilter and then cascade down in a gooey, golden-brown ribbon. This particular bottomless filter is itself rather aesthetic too, with an ergonomic grip and sleek shiny basket holder, and is a must-have for your Lelit Anna or any other espresso machine with a compatible 57mm group head.

Presso 57mm bottomless portafilter specifications

• Basket diameter: 57mm (compatible with Lelit Anna)
• Bottomless (no spouts)
• Material: chrome plated brass (filter) and PVC (handle)

Note: This portafilter does not come with a basket. Pick up a compatible 57mm basket here.

A note on distribution, channelling & spraying

Using a bottomless or naked portafilter can be a humbling experience. If your tamp and distribution aren't exactly right, not only can you get a wonky extraction, you may even experience some spray. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with your portafilter. It, unfortunately, means that there's something wrong with your puck preparation.

Those good old spouts that your original portafilter came with mask those issues, for better or for worse, but now that you've upgraded, you're seeing the naked truth, and sometimes it ain't pretty.

How do you fix it, you may be wondering? Well, it's all about even distribution and an even tamp. You can achieve this without any extra accessories, but we have some tools that might help with the distribution part at least. These will help you make your extraction Instagram-video-worthy and your espresso exceptionally tasty:

• Motta Coffee Distribution Tool
• Normcore Wire Distribution Tool