What to do with portafilter between drinks

[Yelta]

It even said it in the training manual but I can't find it atm to take a photo. Any who, from all the tips here the portafilter is going back in clean!

So! there ya go, don't believe everything you read.

[Uji86]

It even said it in the training manual but I can't find it atm to take a photo. Any who, from all the tips here the portafilter is going back in clean!

[level3ninja]

No idea what it is L3N, just a pic I found on Google.

The machine I experienced the sneeze with was a LaPavoni.

Ah fair enough, I was impressed you'd snapped a picture.

[greg131]

I once had the pleasure of a "second" espresso extracted from the same puck - the "barista" had been "trained" to do it that way. [emoji57]

Wow, and I thought I had it bad seeing the "barista" making my long black by pulling a ~200 mL shot!

[Yelta]

Is that a Gaggia Evoluzione Yalta? I had one of them do that to me when I took it on holidays as the portable option but hadn't used it before. Lesson learned; travel with full setup or not at all.

No idea what it is L3N, just a pic I found on Google.

The machine I experienced the sneeze with was a LaPavoni.

[level3ninja]

Is that a Gaggia Evoluzione Yalta? I had one of them do that to me when I took it on holidays as the portable option but hadn't used it before. Lesson learned; travel with full setup or not at all.

[Yelta]

In my experience the people who recommend leaving the puck in the handle are either people who started as a barista several decades ago, or Italian backpackers working as baristas.
I believe it is a hangover from the days of lever machines, before 3-way solenoid valves, where there was no facility built into machines to 'vent' the remaining water pressure above the puck after extraction.
Hence, if the group handle was removed to knock out the puck immediately after a shot was pulled, the remaining water pressure caused the machine to 'sneeze' hot water and grounds from the handle as it was removed from the group.
By leaving it in the head until it was time for the next shot, it allowed the remaining pressurised water time to slowly dissipate through the puck.

Quite possibly Morgan, sounds logical to me, anyone who has experienced the dreaded portafilter sneeze will know exactly what your talking about.

I once blasted a puck all over a friends pristine kitchen, I was embarrassed, they were less than impressed, big cleanup required, wont do it a second time.

[MorganGT]

In my experience the people who recommend leaving the puck in the handle are either people who started as a barista several decades ago, or Italian backpackers working as baristas.
I believe it is a hangover from the days of lever machines, before 3-way solenoid valves, where there was no facility built into machines to 'vent' the remaining water pressure above the puck after extraction.
Hence, if the group handle was removed to knock out the puck immediately after a shot was pulled, the remaining water pressure caused the machine to 'sneeze' hot water and grounds from the handle as it was removed from the group.
By leaving it in the head until it was time for the next shot, it allowed the remaining pressurised water time to slowly dissipate through the puck.

[kbilleter]

I once had the pleasure of a "second" espresso extracted from the same puck - the "barista" had been "trained" to do it that way. [emoji57]

Ah... so _that's_ what a double is!

[Magic_Matt]

What to do with portafilter between drinks

Beats the hell outta me why you'd leave it any longer than necessary. Lots of schysters claiming to be experts in the specialty coffee world, I guess.

I once had the pleasure of a "second" espresso extracted from the same puck - the "barista" had been "trained" to do it that way. [emoji57]

[Yelta]

If you leave the puck in you will eventually get mould growing.

Something tells me they're not suggesting you leave the puck in situ long enough for an ecosystem to form John.

[greg131]

I would imagine that it is true, but exactly how great an effect it has I couldn't say. Obviously, the amount of time that you are applying force (and changing force and being exposed to changing temperature) to the group seal affects the wear and tear on it.

Completely agree here with Barry and just to add to it if you're only gently putting the PF back in place (as opposed to locking it in as if you were about to pull a shot) I can't imagine any measurable reduction in seal life. Typically the biggest effect on elastomer (fancy term for rubber!) life is pressure and temperature fluctuations which if you're only lightly putting the PF back in place is insignificant.

My thoughts on this are purely from a Materials Science background and as far as I'm aware no peer reviewed scientific studies have ever been conducted on this

[Magic_Matt]

By coincidence, just the other day I accidentally left the puck in as I was distracted taking photos of my coffee #hipsterproblems [emoji848]

After about 10-15 minutes, the puck was significantly dried out and left quite a bit of residue on the basket when I did knock it out. After soaking in water it rinsed pretty clean to the naked eye, but not something I'd want to be doing often.

[Johnd80]

If you leave the puck in you will eventually get mould growing.

[Yelta]

I've heard that leaving the portafilter in the group head all the time refugee the life of the group head seal, so I leave it out until I go to bed, then put it in to warm up for the next morning when the machine comes on.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Probably is to a degree, I change the seals regularly (approx 12 months) to avoid problems, have never had one fail.