Coffee Filter Baskets

A portafilter basket looks like the simplest part of an espresso machine, yet the shape and consistency of its holes decide whether your grinder gets a fair hearing. This range covers coffee filter baskets for mostly 58mm portafilters in single, double and triple capacities, from standard replacements to precision designs by VST, IMS, Pesado and Pullman. Below you'll find how baskets change extraction, how to size one to your dose, and what to pair it with.

Why the holes matter more than the metal

Ground coffee looks uniform to the eye, but under magnification the particles vary widely in size. The smaller ones pass through the basket into the cup; the larger ones lodge in the holes. A few blocked holes barely register. Enough of them, and flow slows in that patch of the puck, the coffee there under-extracts, and the shot tastes thinner than the grind deserves. We know this from the bench: two baskets that look identical can pour very differently from the same dose.

That is the case for precision. In Espresso Extraction: Measurement and Mastery, Scott Rao notes that most conventional baskets have mechanically punched holes, which leaves misshapen holes and inconsistent flow rates, and he recommends baskets with precise, laser-cut holes verified by imaging. The precision baskets here are built on that idea. VST filters are warranted for zero defects and designed to brew a Normale, Ristretto or Lungo properly within a narrow gram range. Pullman baskets are hand measured to a 58.70mm internal diameter, with holes held to 0.3mm plus or minus 0.02mm. The MHW-3Bomber JusBean 18g uses more than 1800 holes in a concentric pattern. We have tested them on our own machines before putting them on the shelf.

If your basket is cracked, warped or missing rather than underperforming, start with our replacement filter baskets matched by machine, where fit comes before extraction talk.

How to choose a portafilter basket

Three questions settle most choices.

What diameter is your portafilter?

Measure the inside of the basket you already own before you buy anything. 58mm is the most common commercial and prosumer standard and is what the bulk of this range is built for, with 57mm and 53mm baskets also made. If your machine takes a different diameter, a 58mm espresso basket will not seat, however good its holes are. Searching for a Breville filter basket or a 54mm portafilter basket? Check the diameter first, then look at our Breville Barista Express accessories for model-matched gear.

How much coffee do you dose?

Baskets are labelled by gram capacity. Singles usually run 7g to 14g, doubles 14g to 21g, triples above 21g. Pick the basket that matches the dose you actually weigh, because a precision filter is designed to perform within a narrow range: a VST basket, for instance, comes in 15g, 18g, 20g and 22g versions, each meant for a dose near its label. At a 1:2 brew ratio, an 18g dose yields roughly 36g in the cup, and a 20g dose about 40g.

Standard or precision?

A standard basket is the honest choice when you need a like-for-like part that fits and pours reliably. A precision basket earns its place once your grinder and dose are already dialled in and you want the remaining inconsistency out of the picture. Here is how the precision brands on this page differ:

• VST: ridged and ridgeless 15g, 18g, 20g and 22g filters, warranted for zero defects, aimed at uniform extraction across every group on a multi-group machine.
• IMS Competition (B70 series): 7/9g single, 16/20g and 18/22g doubles for 58mm groups, with a long published list of compatible brands from La Marzocco to Rancilio.
• Pullman: ridgeless 17-19g, 19-22g and 22-25g baskets, hand measured to a 58.70mm internal diameter to suit the Pullman Big Step tamper.
• Pesado: EP precision filters in 18g and 22g optimised for medium to dark roasts, plus the HE[%] High Extraction range in 15-17g, 17-19g, 19-21g and 21-22g sizes.
• MHW-3Bomber: the 15g BEP Butterfly with a straight-sided, flat-bottom profile and dual-layer filtration, and the 18g JusBean with more than 1800 holes.
• Muvna: the Nika 22g in 58.5mm stainless and the Morbius 20g in titanium black, both laser-cut with dual-layer filtration.

Ridged or ridgeless?

A ridge clips the basket into the portafilter spring; ridgeless baskets slide out freely, which many people prefer for swapping sizes and for cleaning. Neither changes extraction. Whichever you pick, match your tamper to the basket's internal diameter, and if you want to see channelling for yourself, a bottomless portafilter shows exactly what the new basket is doing.

The MHW-3Bomber baskets on this page come from the brand that was Gold Sponsor of the 2025 World Barista Championship in Milan. Coffee Parts is MHW-3Bomber's exclusive distributor for Australia, so the BEP Butterfly and JusBean filters you see here are the same catalogue that stood behind that competition stage, stocked and supported locally.

What to pair with a new basket

A better basket shows you what the rest of your puck prep is doing, so it pays to finish the job. A WDT tool breaks up clumps before you tamp, which is where most channelling starts. A coffee scale under the cup is the only way to hit the same 1:2 ratio twice. A puck screen keeps the shower screen cleaner between backflushes, and a blind filter is what you backflush with. None of this is an upsell; it is the order we would set up a bench in ourselves.

My dad started Coffee Parts in 1999 because he could not find a part for his Faema E61, and baskets have been on our shelves ever since. For years they were an afterthought: you used whatever came with the machine. Then precision filters arrived and we watched customers stop blaming their grinders. I still think the basket is the cheapest way to learn what your espresso is actually doing. Buy the size that matches your dose, tamp with a fitted tamper, and pay attention to the pour. The rest follows.

— Pedro Lara

Frequently Asked Questions