The Handle You Lock In Before Every Shot You Pull
Bottomless, double and wooden portafilters for E61, La Marzocco, Rocket Espresso, Rancilio and Delonghi machines
TL;DR: A portafilter handle locks the filter basket into your espresso machine group head. Spouted models pour into the cup; bottomless ones like the MHW-3Bomber Flowlight expose extraction.
A portafilter, also called a group handle or coffee handle, holds the filter basket and locks it into your espresso machine's group head, where water passes through the coffee bed. This range covers the portafilter handles we stock in every style: spouted doubles from Pesado and Rancilio, bottomless options from MHW-3Bomber, Rocket Espresso and iKape, wood-finished handles from Muvna and Rocket Espresso, and fits for E61, La Marzocco and Delonghi groups.
What a portafilter handle actually does
The portafilter is the handle and head that carries your dose into the group. Water disperses through the screen onto the coffee bed, and every drop that leaves the basket passes through the portafilter on its way to the cup. Three details decide whether one suits you: the group it fits, the spout design, and the handle you hold.
Spouted or bottomless
A spouted portafilter splits a double cleanly into two cups, which keeps it the default for café service. The Pesado Stainless Double, for example, uses a stainless steel body and an open spout that unscrews for cleaning. A bottomless portafilter drops the spout and exposes the base of the basket, so channelling and uneven distribution show up as off-centre or spurting streams while the shot runs. Stephen Muir Mackenzie, in Engineering Better Espresso, notes that a spouted portafilter only performs well when it is cleaned regularly; he went bottomless rather than keep up a weekly deep clean.
Why fit matters more than looks
We've been supplying, servicing and repairing espresso machines since 1999. The portafilter is the part you handle on every shot, so a loose lock-in or a basket that sits crooked gets noticed fast. That is why this page is organised by group type first and handle style second, with OEM handles from Rocket Espresso and Rancilio alongside aftermarket options from Pesado, Muvna and MHW-3Bomber.
Start with your machine, not the handle
Your machine manufacturer sets the group size and lug pattern. 58mm is the standard for E61 machines and La Marzocco, and Breville's Dual Boiler and Oracle also take 58mm. The Barista Express, Barista Touch and Infuser use a narrower 54mm basket with a different lug pattern, so check the model number before you choose a Breville portafilter handle.
E61 machines
For E61 espresso machines, the MHW-3Bomber Flowlight Series bottomless in 58mm Black/Gold pairs a 632-hole Precision filter with E61 compatibility (it excludes the La Marzocco KB90 and Strada X). The Muvna Lucifer E61 comes in Sky Blue or Black, and the Muvna E61 Integrated range (Satan, Devil and Hades) builds the handle and filter basket into one piece to reduce movement. The iKape Openwork bottomless in Silver gives a clear view under the basket, and Pesado's LM/E61 range covers stainless doubles, bottomless models and the Black and Gold Modular Double.
La Marzocco group handle options
The MHW-3Bomber Astra Collection bottomless in 58mm Black/Black is a full-metal design with a 632-hole filter, built for La Marzocco groups, and MHW-3Bomber also makes a dedicated Bottomless Portafilter Series to fit La Marzocco 58mm. Our own Bottomless Portafilter with M12 Handle and 21g basket fits La Marzocco, Rocket Espresso and Vibiemme machines. The Pesado Stainless Steel Bottomless Head is sold head only with an M12 female thread, and suits La Marzocco, Synesso, Slayer, E61, Wega and KVW groups.
OEM handles for Rocket Espresso, Rancilio, Bezzera and Profitec
The Rocket Espresso OEM Bottomless fits all Rocket Espresso machines and comes with a 21g basket. Rancilio owners can choose the OEM Bottomless for Silvia and commercial Rancilio machines, or the OEM Double Spout that fits all Rancilio models including every Silvia. Our Bottomless Filter Holder is designed for Bezzera and Profitec, and the MHW-3Bomber Two Ears Bottomless is made to fit Delonghi.
Handle material
Pesado's POM handles are minimal, smooth and 100% recyclable. Muvna offers resin finishes and a wood grain option, and the Rocket Espresso LM Walnut Double Spout Handle (with a 14g/16g basket) is the pick if you want a wooden portafilter handle. Material changes grip, weight and look; the extraction itself happens in the basket. If you are replacing a handle on an existing head, match the thread size (M10 or M12) named in the listing.
Shop by type
Coffee Parts is the exclusive Australian distributor of MHW-3Bomber, the Official Gold Sponsor of the 2025 World Barista Championship in Milan. The Flowlight Series and Astra Collection bottomless portafilters on this page come from that same brand, and in Australia they come through us.
A new portafilter handle earns its keep when the rest of the puck prep matches it. If you are fitting a bottomless for diagnostics, pair it with a Precision basket so the flow you are reading reflects your prep, not the basket. Break up clumps with a distribution tool, then tamp with a calibrated tamper matched to your basket diameter. An MHW-3Bomber wood portafilter holder from the tamping stations range holds the handle level while you work, in 58mm and 51-54mm versions. Finish each session by backflushing with espresso machine cleaning chemicals, and browse the wider coffee machine accessories range for the rest of your bench.
If you run a 58mm machine at home, I'd own two handles: a spouted double for everyday coffee and a bottomless for the days the shots start tasting off. The bottomless tells you what went wrong; the spouted one is easier to live with. Choose by how the handle sits in your hand and how cleanly it locks in, then let the basket and your puck prep do the work. Our team uses and tests the products we sell, and that is how we choose what goes in this range.
— Pedro Lara
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the handle of an espresso machine called?
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It is called a portafilter, also known as a group handle, coffee handle or filter holder. It holds the filter basket and locks into the group head, where water is pushed through the bed of coffee.
Is a bottomless portafilter a good idea, or is spouted better?
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For learning and dialling in, a bottomless model is hard to beat: it exposes the base of the basket, so channelling and uneven distribution show up as off-centre or spurting streams during the shot. A spouted model is tidier for splitting a double into two cups and for busy service. Owning one of each covers both jobs.
Is 54mm or 58mm better?
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Neither size is better on its own; your machine decides. E61 machines and La Marzocco use 58mm, as do Breville's Dual Boiler and Oracle. The Breville Barista Express, Barista Touch and Infuser use 54mm with a different lug pattern, so a 58mm handle will not lock into those groups.
What is a portafilter and basket?
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The portafilter is the handle and head; the basket is the removable perforated cup that sits inside it and holds the ground coffee. Baskets come in different doses, such as the 21g basket supplied with the Rocket Espresso OEM Bottomless or the 14g/16g basket with the Rocket Espresso LM Walnut Double Spout Handle. You can change dose or move to a Precision design from our filter basket range.
Can I run my espresso machine with the group handle removed?
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Not for brewing, because the handle and basket hold the coffee in the group. Between shots, machine manufacturers recommend leaving the portafilter locked into the group head so it stays hot. After a long idle period, run water through the group with the handle engaged before you pull the first shot.
Which size fits my Breville?
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Check your model number first. Breville's Dual Boiler and Oracle take a 58mm basket, while the Barista Express, Barista Touch and Infuser take 54mm with a different lug pattern. Send us your model and we will confirm which handle fits before you order.
Does a wooden or POM grip change the coffee?
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Not the extraction, which happens in the basket. The grip changes feel, weight and look. Pesado uses POM, a smooth and recyclable polymer; Muvna offers resin and wood grain finishes; and the Rocket Espresso LM Walnut Double Spout Handle suits anyone after a wooden handle on their bench.
