Remove Portafilter Basket – Coffee Cherish

Are you frustrated enough trying to remove the portafilter basket from its group head? Many people try either their fingernails or the butter knife to remove the stuck portafilter basket. These filter baskets are usually put inside the portafilters very tightly and it takes extra efforts to remove them. If you don’t know the right method to do it, then it could be a tedious and time consuming task for you. Today, I am going to help you solve this issue with few easy tricks. In this article, you will know 5 simple methods to remove any portafilter basket and unstuck it from the group head effortlessly in few seconds. So, without further delay; let’s get to it. 5 Simple Methods to Remove Portafilter Basket Quickly Method 1: Use Portafilter Basket Remover Tool Yes, there is a special tool available in the market that can be used to remove the stuck portafilter basket from the group head. A tool such as Joefrex Filter Basket Remover is really helpful in quickly removing the stuck filter basket from the portafilter group head. It is actually very handy and easy to use tool. You will have to only insert this tool under the filter basket (in between the gap) and then just pry it open with a small force. And that’s it. You are done. Method 2: Use Another Filter Basket If you have another extra filter basket (or blind filter basket) then you can use it to pry open the stuck portafilter basket. This process is pretty straightforward and takes just few seconds. First, you will need to take an extra blind basket and then hold the basket firmly in your hands in the up side down direction (the bottom should be in the up direction). Now wedge the edge of this blind basket in the gap of the portafilter group head and the stuck basket. You will now have to just twist your blind basket in the up direction and your stuck basket will become loose and will come out easily. You can then clean the basket properly with the right cleaning methods. Once you are done cleaning, you can put it back by pushing and snapping the basket in its original position firmly. I recommend you to check out the following video to understand this process more precisely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mC7jGiKYtw Method 3: Force Push with Your Hands for Bottomless Filter Baskets This is another easy trick which you can use to quickly remove the stuck bottomless portafilter basket at your home. In this method, you will have to use your bare hands to remove the basket. What you do is you put the portafilter group head on the plain surface in downward direction. In this position, the bottomless basket should be clearly visible to you now. After this, put the force of your middle fingers on the basket and just wiggle it out. You might need to apply a little bit pressure to pry open the stuck basket in this method. But it will be quick and will take minimal efforts from your side. Once the basket is out, you can clean it quickly and put it back by just pushing and slamming as shown in the above video. Method 4: Use Flat Head Screwdriver to Pry Open the Basket Yes, a flat head screwdriver is definitely a great tool to quickly pry open any stuck portafilter basket. In some cases, you might need to change single shot non-pressurized basket with double shot non-pressurized basket. In such a scenario, you can replace the basket much faster with the help of a screw driver. Get a reliable flat head screwdriver and then put it alongside the tab just between the gap of the group head. Now, just twist it in the upward direction. A little push is enough to remove the tight filter basket. To make this process much more comfortable, I also recommend you to loosen the internal wire of the portafilter which is also called as a spring clip. You can loosen the spring clip easily by either straightening some of the bends or removing them completely. Once you do this, the stuck basket will come out in few seconds and then you can either clean it and put it back or just use another filter basket in its place. Placing another filter basket is pretty easy too. Just line it up properly in the group head and tap it or slam it in the downward direction. It will fit perfectly and then you are good to use your portafilter again. Method 5: Use Paint Can Opener Tool Paint can opener is also highly efficient in removing the stuck portafilter basket. Similar to the portafilter basket remover tool, you can use a good quality paint can opener tool for this task. Just insert the front head of the can opener in the gap of the portafilter basket and pry it open quickly. The loop side of this opener can be used as a bottle opener and to open many other stuck things such as portafilter basket. Click Here to Get a Good Quality Paint Can Opener Tool. Final Thoughts Removing a tight fit portafilter basket is somewhat difficult and a time consuming process. But with the right tool at your disposal, you can quickly remove the stuck basket from the portafilter. I am sure with the help of the above 5 methods, you will not have any issues removing the basket in future. Good luck. References: https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/filter-basket-stuck-portafilter-t55346.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mC7jGiKYtw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP-R1Xe_t_A