<p>Several things you could do come to mind.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have to carefully mound it up before tamping and inevitably some small amount spills before I have tamped.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Check how much coffee the filter inside your portafilter is rated for. The Bambino Plus uses a non standard 54mm portafilter and from what I can see, you should have received 4 different filters. Only use the ones with straight walls and if your grounds are flowing over, you are probably using too much coffee. They say it can handle up to 18g in the largest basket but that feels like it would be too much.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Slight excess after tamping. Despite weighing the exact dose I usually end up with a bit extra.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What do you mean you end up with a bit extra? When you tamp the grounds, it should be compressed and at that point the only thing you should do is brew the coffee and not mess around with the already prepped puck.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>often the portafilter basket itself comes out</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You're supposed to knock with the basket towards the rubber, knocking the grounds loose and then just lift it to allow them to fall out. That way there is no possibility of the basket flying out. You will never be able to get every single piece of coffee out, which is why most people use a microfiber cloth to clean out the basket.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>there’s always some grounds in the portafilter along with some water</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Next time after knocking out the grounds and wiping the basket with a cloth, remove the basket and check if there are grounds in the space between the basket and the spout. If there are a lot of grounds there, your filter basket might have too many large holes or you are grinding too finely. If there is nothing there, check your brew head. It might be full of grounds, which is mostly caused by using too much coffee in a shot. You can clean that with a simple brush. Make sure there is no coffee stuck to the brew head as it might get rancid over time and negatively impact the taste of your coffee.</p>
<p>You might want to check out <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTFsBqhpLes&amp;list=PLxz0FjZMVOl3MuAzK5l3gjakoOGrmK8fP" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this video series</a> on espresso by James Hoffmann, where he goes into every aspect of brewing espresso. Seeing what he does differently might give you an indication as to which things you can change or adjust to make your experience more pleasant.</p>
<p><strong>Edit</strong> to answer the comment:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the tamp doesn't fully occupy the width of the basket</p>
</blockquote>
<p>You should really consider getting a tamper that is suitable for your basket, there should be barely any room between the tamper and the walls - ideally, just enough to prevent an airtight seal. It really helps to ensure even flow and it prevents loose grounds floating on top of your puck when you remove it after a brew.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>if I knock immediately after a shot it still makes some mess because there's a small amount of liquid in the basket</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A little bit of liquid is normal but this might also be caused by the loose coffee that wasn't tamped. It could also be caused by pulling a shot that is too long. In general, try to aim for a ratio between 1:2 (18g in 26g out) and 1:3 (18g in 44g out).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-23T14:41:48.073Z
When I tamp, the tamp doesn't fully occupy the width of the basket so sometimes there's a tiny bit of grounds along one of the walls.  

I have started putting the bottom 1/4 of the basket onto the knock bar.  that seems to help.  of course, if I knock immediately after a shot it still makes some mess because there's a small amount of liquid in the basket that goes flying.

I do clean the portafilter each time.  Sounds like the brew head might be getting a bit of grounds in it.  It does seem to come out when I pour an empty shot (water only).

Thanks for the tips!
steve v
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-23T14:49:51.123Z
Happy to help! I have updated my answer to include the things you mentioned in your comment.
technical_difficulty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-21T22:14:26.193Z
2023-10-23T14:49:07.760Z
2023-10-23T14:49:07.760Z
technical_difficulty
<p>I purchased a Breville Bambino Plus recently. I was previously using a Nespresso. The primary motivations for the upgrade were microfoam milk and a wider variety of flavors (Nespresso pods all tasting similar to me).</p>
<p>It’s been a great success in those areas, but I’m struggling mightily with the mess I make each time I prepare a double shot. Coffee grounds inevitably spill at various steps.</p>
<p>What can I do to improve this?</p>
<p>Mess opportunities:</p>
<ol>
<li>Putting the grounds into the portafilter. I have to carefully mound it up before tamping and inevitably some small amount spills before I have tamped.</li>
<li>Slight excess after tamping. Despite weighing the exact dose I usually end up with a bit extra. Breville supplied a blade for this to scrape off the extra but it’s messy and if I’m not careful the whole shot flies out when I’m trying to dump the excess</li>
<li>Knock bar. What magic incantation is required here?  I just bang a lot and about half the time grounds fly outside the bar. Also, often the portafilter basket itself comes out which creates even more mess!</li>
<li>Prepping my next shot. Sometimes I run just water through to heat up my mug and if I do so there’s always some grounds in the portafilter along with some water. Where did they come from and is that bad?</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-22T04:40:42.887Z
Just a general remark as a supplement to the detailed answer below: A small amount of “mess” from the grounds is normal, one marketing point of Nespresso capsules and other pod manufacturers is their closed, mess-free system.
Stephie
<espresso-machine>
How to minimize mess with an espresso maker
steve v
# How to minimize mess with an espresso maker

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-10-17)

I purchased a Breville Bambino Plus recently. I was previously using a Nespresso. The primary motivations for the upgrade were microfoam milk and a wider variety of flavors (Nespresso pods all tasting similar to me).

It’s been a great success in those areas, but I’m struggling mightily with the mess I make each time I prepare a double shot. Coffee grounds inevitably spill at various steps.

What can I do to improve this?

Mess opportunities:

1. Putting the grounds into the portafilter. I have to carefully mound it up before tamping and inevitably some small amount spills before I have tamped.
2. Slight excess after tamping. Despite weighing the exact dose I usually end up with a bit extra. Breville supplied a blade for this to scrape off the extra but it’s messy and if I’m not careful the whole shot flies out when I’m trying to dump the excess
3. Knock bar. What magic incantation is required here? I just bang a lot and about half the time grounds fly outside the bar. Also, often the portafilter basket itself comes out which creates even more mess!
4. Prepping my next shot. Sometimes I run just water through to heat up my mug and if I do so there’s always some grounds in the portafilter along with some water. Where did they come from and is that bad?

**Tags:** espresso-machine

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just a general remark as a supplement to the detailed answer below: A small amount of “mess” from the grounds is normal, one marketing point of Nespresso capsules and other pod manufacturers is their closed, mess-free system.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2023-10-21. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Several things you could do come to mind.

> I have to carefully mound it up before tamping and inevitably some small amount spills before I have tamped.

Check how much coffee the filter inside your portafilter is rated for. The Bambino Plus uses a non standard 54mm portafilter and from what I can see, you should have received 4 different filters. Only use the ones with straight walls and if your grounds are flowing over, you are probably using too much coffee. They say it can handle up to 18g in the largest basket but that feels like it would be too much.

> Slight excess after tamping. Despite weighing the exact dose I usually end up with a bit extra.

What do you mean you end up with a bit extra? When you tamp the grounds, it should be compressed and at that point the only thing you should do is brew the coffee and not mess around with the already prepped puck.

> often the portafilter basket itself comes out

You're supposed to knock with the basket towards the rubber, knocking the grounds loose and then just lift it to allow them to fall out. That way there is no possibility of the basket flying out. You will never be able to get every single piece of coffee out, which is why most people use a microfiber cloth to clean out the basket.

> there’s always some grounds in the portafilter along with some water

Next time after knocking out the grounds and wiping the basket with a cloth, remove the basket and check if there are grounds in the space between the basket and the spout. If there are a lot of grounds there, your filter basket might have too many large holes or you are grinding too finely. If there is nothing there, check your brew head. It might be full of grounds, which is mostly caused by using too much coffee in a shot. You can clean that with a simple brush. Make sure there is no coffee stuck to the brew head as it might get rancid over time and negatively impact the taste of your coffee.

You might want to check out [this video series](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTFsBqhpLes&list=PLxz0FjZMVOl3MuAzK5l3gjakoOGrmK8fP) on espresso by James Hoffmann, where he goes into every aspect of brewing espresso. Seeing what he does differently might give you an indication as to which things you can change or adjust to make your experience more pleasant.

**Edit** to answer the comment:

> the tamp doesn't fully occupy the width of the basket

You should really consider getting a tamper that is suitable for your basket, there should be barely any room between the tamper and the walls - ideally, just enough to prevent an airtight seal. It really helps to ensure even flow and it prevents loose grounds floating on top of your puck when you remove it after a brew.

> if I knock immediately after a shot it still makes some mess because there's a small amount of liquid in the basket

A little bit of liquid is normal but this might also be caused by the loose coffee that wasn't tamped. It could also be caused by pulling a shot that is too long. In general, try to aim for a ratio between 1:2 (18g in 26g out) and 1:3 (18g in 44g out).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: When I tamp, the tamp doesn't fully occupy the width of the basket so sometimes there's a tiny bit of grounds along one of the walls.    I have started putting the bottom 1/4 of the basket onto the knock bar.  that seems to help.  of course, if I knock immediately after a shot it still makes some mess because there's a small amount of liquid in the basket that goes flying.  I do clean the portafilter each time.  Sounds like the brew head might be getting a bit of grounds in it.  It does seem to come out when I pour an empty shot (water only).  Thanks for the tips!  
> **username_2**: Happy to help! I have updated my answer to include the things you mentioned in your comment.  

---

