What a puck screen does

Water leaves the shower screen in jets and hits the top of the coffee bed first. A puck screen sits between the two: it takes that first impact and spreads the water across the whole surface, so the top of the puck is less likely to be disturbed and start channelling. It also works as a barrier, so grounds and oils stay off the shower screen and the group head needs less cleaning.

Choosing the right size

Pick the size by your filter basket. The 53.3 mm screen is made for 54 mm baskets on Sage and Breville machines, including the Barista Express, Barista Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch, Bambino, Bambino Plus, Duo-Temp Pro and Infuser. The 58.5 mm screen is made for standard 58 mm baskets, which covers E61 group machines such as Profitec, ECM, Rocket and Lelit, as well as Rancilio, La Marzocco and the Flair 58. If you are unsure, measure the inside diameter at the top of your basket.

Using and cleaning it

Dose and tamp as usual, then lay the screen flat on the puck before locking in the portafilter. The screen is thin, but if the puck starts touching the shower screen, take your dose down slightly. After the shot, lift the screen off, rinse it under the tap and let it dry. Between shots it can rest on a stand such as the Normcore Silicone Puck Screen Stand, and a soak in espresso machine cleaner now and then removes built-up coffee oils.

Specifications

What’s in the box

• 1 x Cafe Concetto Puck Screen in the size you choose