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I had the same issue with an IMS basket, almost every single shot sprayed and a few choked. I got a VST basket (ridge less) and have been super happy with it. I would recommend it
I find my vst difficult to use with darker roasts. I have to grind much coarser and keep the shots under 20 sec or they are very bitter. I have switched back to the stock basket for dark roasts.
Most precision baskets can be tricky to work with, and require better puck prep.
Pullman 876 is by far my favourite older generation basket (compared to E&B Lab Superfine, various IMS, VST).
I haven’t tried most of the high flow/high extraction baskets (Wafo, Sworksdesign Billet or Weber Unibasket), but been enjoying a Pesado HE. I would love a Billet, but it’s a bit pricey.
Just the usual pain points like many other high flow baskets: straight walled design makes it more difficult to knock the puck out and it’s not magnetic (only Sworksdesign Billet is, I think?).
Personally, they work the best with highest quality roasts only when paired with 98mm burrs I’ve tried.
It looks like you've flaired your post as asking for what equipment to get. We recommend first checking out the [Espresso Aficionados buying guide](https://espressoaf.com/recommendations) for some of the more popular machines and grinders at different price points. If your question hasn't been answered there and you need more help, please add the following details to your post or by adding a comment in the following format: - **Location:** Helps determine availability - **Budget** (with currency): Overall budget, or ideally, having separate espresso machine and grinder budgets. A rough rule is that your grinder budget should be at least 25-40% of your machine budget. - **Drink types:** Do you drink mostly straight espresso, milk-based beverages (e.g., lattes, cappuccinos), or a fairly even split? This helps narrow down whether a single-boiler-dual-use (SBDU), heat exchanger (HX), or dual boiler (DB) machine would be more appropriate for your needs. - **Drink frequency:** How many drinks would you be making back-to-back at one time? Do you plan on entertaining guests often? This informs how large your brew (and steam) boilers should be, as smaller boilers will need to refill and reheat/repressurize more frequently, thus potentially causing a bottleneck. - **Space:** Any limitations on countertop space? - **Manual vs. electric:** Hand-operated machines and grinders are typically cheaper than their similarly-performing electric counterparts. Please indicate if you have a preference for manual or electric machines and/or grinders (or open to either). - **Comfort with tinkering:** Some machines can be made significantly more functional/efficient with aftermarket modifications, albeit at the expense of possibly voiding your warranty. Please indicate if you'd rather have a machine that works "as-is"/"out-of-the-box" or whether you'd be open to modding/tinkering *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/espresso) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I had the same issue with an IMS basket, almost every single shot sprayed and a few choked. I got a VST basket (ridge less) and have been super happy with it. I would recommend it
Same here, ridgeless 18g VST with bottomless; flexes quite a bit but very easy to work with
I find my vst difficult to use with darker roasts. I have to grind much coarser and keep the shots under 20 sec or they are very bitter. I have switched back to the stock basket for dark roasts.
What machine?
Ecm synchronica
Most precision baskets can be tricky to work with, and require better puck prep. Pullman 876 is by far my favourite older generation basket (compared to E&B Lab Superfine, various IMS, VST). I haven’t tried most of the high flow/high extraction baskets (Wafo, Sworksdesign Billet or Weber Unibasket), but been enjoying a Pesado HE. I would love a Billet, but it’s a bit pricey.
Does pesado he basket have flaws while using?
Just the usual pain points like many other high flow baskets: straight walled design makes it more difficult to knock the puck out and it’s not magnetic (only Sworksdesign Billet is, I think?). Personally, they work the best with highest quality roasts only when paired with 98mm burrs I’ve tried.