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How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

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  • adair
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    see my post re unblocking double wall filter


    mercaptan

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  • adair
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Have tried all the suggested methods for unblocking double wall filters for the Breville series 800 machines but they only work for a limited time. A new method that does a good job of destructing the congealed oils and waxes between the two walls is to apply heat to the outside wall with a propane torch
    until no more smoke comes off (the metal may blue slightly with the heat, but does not seem to change its function).
    The filter is cleaned with hot detergent, and is then back to as new.

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Hi Boldor
    My modified/enlarged hole still sits over the centre of the plastic dohicky thing, although it is square rather than round (I will take a photo if there is any interest. but basically I cut a ~5mm2 section out of the centre of the lower layer of my pressurised basket), so it may be spraying the stream around a bit before it hits the plastic thing. It isnt too great a problem, occasionally I just need to transfer a teaspoon or two from one glass to the other.
    DIG

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  • Boldor
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Originally posted by DIG link=1168768543/30#34 date=1182994568
    The only downside I have found is that the two cups usually dont fill evenly - maybe my tamping needs work...
    Dig,

    Just a thought, the plastic doo-hickey in the pf is what balances (directs it, is probably a better phrase) the amount of coffee coming out of the spouts. If your holes dont line up with the centre of the plastic bit then you will get uneven amounts out of each spout, however if you have taken the plastic doo-hickey out, then I couldnt comment. Have been thinking of doing the same with my EM3600 baskets, but was inclined to just enlarge the single hole.

    I am also in a place where there are no service agents readily available to source baskets from.

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    OK, I will try it. If I end up deciding I need to buy myself an EM6910 as a result, you will have to answer to my wife...

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  • kaanage
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    With lattes you can get away with it but the small basket capacity still means that dual shots will be somewhat overextracted and you will be getting far more caffiene as a result.

    Try the shots as straight up espressos and you should be able to taste/feel a clear difference between a single and a double shot (~25 sec extraction for both). Average cafe quality isnt that great - many have no idea of how good espresso can/should be.

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Yes, I am a bit surprised about what I can get from the small double basket on my machine. I used to make single coffees at a time because the double basket didnt hold enough for two cups, before I got my Sunbeam grinder, but now I can get sigificantly more out of the same amount of beans due to the finer grind, and I find that I am getting quite strong and full bodied lattes (2 from the double basket) with the coffee I am using, particularly now that I have modified the basket and can tamp it firmly. I am using quite strong/full bodied coffee (Fidels blend from Coffea) that is freshly roasted, and my latte glasses are pretty typical of cafe latte glasses (ie. smallish), so it seems to work quite well (and I am much happier not having to do the whole procedure twice!). Certainly, the lattes I make with this set up are stronger and more full bodied than most of my cafe experiences, so I am pretty happy with the results.

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  • kaanage
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    With that tiny basket, I wouldnt try to make 2 cups at a time but to use the double basket to pull a single shot. The Breville/Sunbeam double basket is about the size (capacity) of a commercial 58mm single basket.

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    As an update. I decided to try my tiny angle grinder bit on the dremel. I used this to cut a small square hole (roughly 5x5mm). I have only made 2 coffees since then, but it has definitely changed the appearance. Now, there is no sign of the false (pale and fluffy) crema. It also flowed a bit better this time (I have my sunbeam grinder set on 14, and tamped to something like 10kg - prior to the mod, this would barely have flowed and probably would have blocked). With regard to the taste of the coffee - my opinion is similar to that in my previous post, although I am more convinced that it has improved (stronger/more body), but Im not sure I would say it is dramatically better....Further update. Two more brews down the track, nice dry pucks, and consistently improved depth and body to the brew. It takes a bit more getting used to obviously, but I think I will have to recommend performing the modification, but ideally, you should try to get yourself a spare basket just in case the mod doesnt work or you prefer the simplicity and ease of the pressurised basket (which can still produce quite high standard espresso in my (relatively inexperienced) opinion). The only downside I have found is that the two cups usually dont fill evenly - maybe my tamping needs work...

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    A little. I drilled 4 larger holes (approximately 1mm each). I was intending to do more but my dremel bit wasnt very good and lost its edge, but I am sure I will have substantially depressurised the basket with roughly at least 10 times the outlet area that it used to have. I am still comparing variables every time I make a coffee but I havent noticed a dramatic difference. The crema is different (probably because it is real crema rather than enhanced/fake crema), and the coffee seems to have a little bit more body, but I am not convinced I could pick the difference in a blind test. I think the non-pressurised basket introduces more variables (tamp pressure and therefore amount of coffee) that I am still optimising. The other thing that is a bit annoying is that the coffee isnt flowing out evenly from the two holes any more. Since I usually make two lattes from one double basket, this is a hassle as I have to balance them out afterward. I am not really ready to make any conclusions yet, need to test it a bit more, but my first impression is that the coffee is REALLY good (better than most cafe coffee in my experience) with the pressurised basket, and marginally better maybe, but also more variable, with the non-pressurised mod basket. I have been using fresh roasted beans (Fidels blend) from Coffea in Melbourne, so I am pretty confident that the coffee itself is first class. I will need a bit more time before I am convinced one way or the other and will post again then.

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  • kaanage
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Have you done any testing as yet?

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  • DIG
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Update - Breville are sending me a spare basket, so I will try enlarging the hole in the first one and Ill be able to do a controlled experiment or two. I will report back with my findings.

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  • kaanage
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    True, but Ive never seen a waisted 53mm basket so I dont see that applying here.

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  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Actually,

    It isnt just the coffee which provides resistance to water flow, the cumulative cross-sectional area of the holes in the bottom of the basket do their bit too. If you have a look at a single (normal) basket, you will notice that it has significantly fewer holes than the double so as to allow for similar shot pour times with only half the amount of coffee,

    Mal.

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  • kaanage
    replied
    Re: How to modify Breville 800ES filter... NOT!

    Id give it a go - it wouldnt hurt as you could always go back and open up more if you didnt find much difference

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