Kaffeemacher|30. Mai
Fake Baskets: We understand them, but they solve the wrong problem
Problem Statement
- Many owners of budget espresso machines (e.g., Delonghi Dedica, KitchenAid Design) face issues with crema or taste.
- Either: nice crema but bad taste – or no crema but acceptable taste.
- Coffee freshness: Ideal 2–3 weeks after roasting, max 4 months. Freshness shows in a stable crema.
- Grind size: No universal espresso grind – it must match the combination of grinder and machine.
- Pre-ground coffee almost always has the wrong grind size and ages faster, so it cannot build enough resistance in the coffee puck.
- These baskets artificially create pressure and crema by introducing a restriction after extraction (second wall with a tiny hole).
- The resulting crema is fizzy and airy – not the fine, dense crema from fresh coffee.
- They mask the underlying problems: wrong grind size or stale coffee.
- Without the pressurized basket, there is no artificial crema.
- Pre-ground or old coffee then runs through extremely fast (“gushes out”).
- Even freshly ground coffee can cause issues if the grinder cannot grind fine enough.
- Step 1: Switch to a single-wall basket (e.g., a dedicated portafilter for the Dedica).
- Step 2: Buy a good grinder – even a solid hand grinder is sufficient to grind fine enough.
- Step 3: Use fresh coffee and adjust the grind size individually.
- Crema is not a quality indicator, but a sign of freshness and proper grind.
- The biggest quality improvement comes from grinding fresh and having the correct grind size – not from the machine.
