Brew Logs

Bottomless or Spouted? A 54mm Breville buying guide, with a Creamore walnut portafilter, detachable spout and basket
Bottomless or Spouted? Choosing a 54mm Breville Portafilter
A practical guide to choosing a 54mm Breville portafilter: when to use bottomless or spouted mode, what to check before buying, and why your basket still matters. Read more...
Best Accessories for Breville Barista Express (Beyond Basics)
Best Accessories for Breville Barista Express (Beyond Basics)
The Breville Barista Express is one of the best beginner espresso machines you can buy. It has a built-in grinder, a steam wand, and enough control to pull genuinely good... Read more...
Two espresso portafilters, one 54mm and one 58mm, shown side by side on a wooden counter
54mm vs 58mm Espresso Basket: Which Size Do You Need?
Some forums swear 58mm is “the real espresso size.” Others insist 54mm is plenty for serious home brewing. Both camps are arguing about the wrong thing. This isn’t a preference... Read more...
Espresso shot showing channeling with a thin fast stream next to a properly extracted shot in a portafilter
How to Stop Channeling in Espresso (And Why Your Basket Might Be the Problem)
You dial in your grind. You weigh your dose to the tenth of a gram. You tamp level. And the shot still comes out fast, sour, and thin in the... Read more...
Best Espresso Basket for Breville Barista Express: 54mm Upgrade Guide
Best Espresso Basket for Breville Barista Express: 54mm Upgrade Guide
If you own a Breville Barista Express, Barista Pro, or Bambino Plus, you already have a solid machine. But the stock filter basket it ships with? That's often the weakest... Read more...