Some people think they are less efficient at dispersing the water stream than the mesh filters and more prone to channeling. You can use paper instead of a screen. Use scissors to cut baking paper in the shape of the coffee basket and once you’re done with tamping you can put it above the coffee grounds.

There is a secondary effect that home baristas have observed when using stainless steel screens. The final coffee cup will have more body. Now this is interesting for a brewing method that is known for its body. The pre-infusion will mostly solve this problem by dumping a small amount of water at a low pressure on the coffee bed, before the extraction. However, the water will still pour in streams from the shower head, and there are still a lot of chances to get channeling. Thanks for the question - it's made from 316 stainless steel, so unless you accidentally throw it away or abuse or break it I'd be surprised if it doesn't last for many thousands of shots.  We've been using the same screen daily for the last few months - probably a few hundred shots at least - and it's identical to a brand new one, so in theory these things will last indefinitely.  Best of all, paper filters can be thrown away with your ground coffee, so they don’t add any maintenance. Not necessarily, but there’s no harm in buying one, especially if you’re into trying different coffee beans. Books about latte art Make sure you follow the guidelines for brewing espresso with your coffee machine to avoid damaging the coffee grounds basket in mint condition. Portafilters Using a WDT tool can help to improve the quality of your espresso shot by ensuring an even extraction. This technique is particularly useful when working with freshly roasted coffee, which tends to be more prone to clumping. Pre-Infusion

If you read our guide on how to make espresso, we mention a few espresso accessories there, but we deem the accessories optional. However, this article is an advanced technique, for the home barista who want to pull the perfect espresso shot. A Bit of History No matter how well you did your tampering, if the coffee basket is damaged (which happens due to excessive usage or when not following the best practices the manufacturers recommend). As a result, the water finds the easiest way to run through the coffee grounds and (as you might have guessed it) this leads to espresso channelling. A faster flow rate means you can grind finer. Grinding finer will increase your extraction. Higher extraction theoretically leads to more flavor in your shot. I say “theoretically” because more extraction can mean more bitter compounds, but generally, people prefer higher extraction. We see this time and time again the coffee industry ‘steals’ ideas and concepts from the wine industry. So, similar to wine-tasting glasses, there are tasting cups for coffee, ideal to taste coffee and identify unique features of different coffee beans. A steam wand spray removes finer particles from the filter’s surface. You can just steam it in a milk pitcher with your espresso machine.Adding a paper filter underneath the coffee grounds is an easy way to make brighter, sweeter shots. That brighter flavor may work against you if you prefer richer, more full-bodied shots or like making milk-heavy drinks like lattes. Distributors are equally important and will help you spread the coffee grounds more evenly and enjoy better coffee. Mesh filters are the original choice. They are easy to buy online and can be found in various sizes and densities. Replace the screen: If the screen becomes damaged or heavily corroded, it's important to replace it to ensure the quality of your espresso.