Cosmostar Espresso Puck Screen Metal Reusable Filter for Espresso Portafilter Filter Basket Professional Barista - Filter Mesh 1.7mm Thickness 100μm Mesh Silver - 316 Stainless Steel (CG-PS53-T17-100)

Ease of use

To the belt sander.

Couple this with a a WDT tool and calibrated tamper and you've got a winning combination for improving the consistency of your pulls and reducing channeling. The mesh screen helps to evenly distribute pressure and flow over the whole puck and can help prevent grounds from backflowing into your machine, keeping it cleaner and avoiding costly repairs over time. Plus you'll save money over time compared to using paper filters. Highly recommend this product.

I have mixed thoughts about this product and think that it could be more useful for some espresso heads than others. I own a Cafelat Robot manual espresso machine which has a very tall basket and have had a lot of trouble getting the filter into the basket. It fits JUST right when you put it in straight, but gets stuck very easily and I've had trouble getting it to sit flush with the coffee without upsetting the bed. Additionally, my first shot tasted like somebody had put cleaner in my coffee even though I tried to rinse out the filter for several minutes before pulling my first shot. That said, I am sure that those with a regular old fancy espresso machine would give this product a different review. The taste, I am sure, would dissipate over time and the close fit would not be a problem for someone with a shorter basket. I think this would be a great product for someone, but it just does not fit my setup right now.

A puck screen is a great addition to any espresso setup, it allows for your water to distribute nice an evenly and helps prevent channeling. This screen definitely doesn't feel cheap or flimsy and has a nice solid construction.I have probably pulled about 50 shots through it so far and have seen no signs of warping or bending due to the heat. There are two sides, I highly suggest you put the smooth side down as this makes it much easier to clean off. Speaking of cleaning, I usually just blast it with the steam wand or brush it off once the coffee drys. Every so often I soak it in cafza to make sure it's really clean but it's mostly just coming in contact with hot water so doesn't get dirty like a portafilter does.I do wish this had come with a small stand or someway to prop it up after you preheat it in the portafilter, but for the price you can find somewhere to set it. It does heat up really fast so I usually wipe out my basket, toss it in there, put it back in the machine while I grind and then puck prep.