IMS & Herbpress - Help Guide
In this somewhat short guide we will help you find the perfect IMS and Herbpres filter for your espresso machine
The products all have different code names, these can be confusing at first glance, but worry not! We are here to simplify it and help you find the best filter for your needs.
We will go in order as they appear on the products to ease your search for the perfect basket.
And how to choose which one is best suited for you?
Let us show you!
1. The size of the basket and your tamper
Many sizes, many choices
With IMS' great selection you can find a size for every machine. The sizing is easy to understand:
"B" stands for border and the numver is the size of the basket in millimeters.
Let's start with the most common ones.
- B70, B68: These baskets are for tampers of the 58 and 58.4 sizes. Some machines with this size are for example:
- ROCKET, LA MARZOCCO, GAGGIA, ARKEL
- B62.5: This size is for 53 and 53.4 mm tampers. You can use these with machines such as SAGE
- B64: Tamper size 57 - LELIT
- B66: Tamper size 54 and 54.4 - SAN MARCO
- B65: Tamper size 53 - ARAM
- B60, DL: Tamper size 51 - LA PAVONI POST MILLENNIUM, DE LONGHI
- B58: Tamper size 49 - OLYMPIA EXPRESS MINA
At BeanBros we have machines in the size of B70, B68 and B62.5, so choosing from these sizes is a safe bet, if you ordered a machine from us before.
2. How many cups?
Just for me or for you too?
Depending on how you like your espresso or for how many people are you making it you can choose different dosing sized baskets. This one is pretty easy.
In the names there will be either "1T" or 2T". The T stands for the italian world of cup, Tazza.
If you always only make one cup for yourself, then a basket with 1T is perfect for you as they are smaller in capacity.
Otherwise we recommend the 2T variants, as they are perfect for those sleepy mornings, when one cup won't be enough and brewing 2 cups would take too much time with a smaller basket.
We recommend the 1T basket for less than 12 grams of coffee, and the 2T for anything more.
3. How much coffee?
Is this enough?
Every basket has a height in their code name,it looks like this: "H26". They range from 21.5 to 32 millimeters.
The Diameter and Height of the basket can help you choose the right amount of coffee to brew. The volumes of the baskets vary greatly and it depends on a lot of things, for example:
- Is it a 1T or 2T basket
- narrow or wide
- short or tall
For a 1T basket the amount is around 6-10 grams at most from smallest to largest.
For 2T baskets the range is grater at 10 grams to the small baskets and 22 grams for the largest ones
It's a lot of sizes, but each is there to help you find that perfect cup of espresso for you.
4. The tastes in the shapes
ROUNDED
This basket was made to utilise all of the coffee in it, with the rounded corners it leaves no taste behind and pours it all into your cup.
This basket is just for you, if you are looking for an espresso with lots of body, crema and a rich sweetness. Also has a hint of ripe fruit. This basket gives a uniform flavor to your coffee.
CONVEX
The convex basket has, as the name suggests, a convex bottom. With this, during the extraction the coffee flows towards the center, therefore it is perfect to use with a bottomless portafilter.
This gives a middle ground taste with more acidity, but still a good crema and with a hint of ripe fruit.
FLAT
The flat basket is for those who want to enjoy the taste of coffee as it was made by grandma on those family holidays. The taste is raw and sharp.
The coffee made with the flat basket has a that distinct coffee taste and flavor with a thin but very silky crema
Different technologies for different tastes
Nanotech coating
Using nanoquartz technology, that further improves the surface of the filters, this coating type offers a highly non-sticky basket that is easier to remove used ground from and is also easier to clean.
The main advantages are:
- Longer Basket life
- Better heat distribution
- A longer extraction time
- Ease of cleaning and a faster workflow
Superfine Membrane
IMS went above and beyond to achieve an even finer filtering even with an espresso machine. The superfine membranes 170 μm level of filtering offers one of the finest espresso filtering. This will result in a clean and acidic shot of espresso.
The main advantages are:
- A clean cup of coffee
- A more acidic flavour
The Big Bang Holes Pattern
The Big Bang Pattern is made with the distance between the holes increasing from 1.5 mm up til the edge of the basket.
The main characteristic of this pattern is that it offers the coffee a sweeter note with a very uniform extraction, that also enhances the sweetness and reduces the acidity.
It is also perfect for a basic coffee, like Brasil, as they make a very balanced cup.
We advise against citric coffees with this filter as it would be counter productive to use a filter made for sweetness, when you are looking for a more acidic cup of coffee.
The ALL IN ONE Holes Pattern
The ALL IN ONE basket is perfect for those who want to make different recipes of coffee with the same filter. The most important thing is an espresso machine with different pressure profiles to modify the extraction to your taste.
This filter can make espresso, brewing, infusion and café créme extractions.
The 2.4 mm holes offer a 150 μm level of filtering.
Tea from my espresso machine?
Is that even possible?
Yes, it is!
Herbpress filters were specifically designed to make tea with an espresso machin.
It combines the speed of the machine and the flavour of a traditionally made tea.
The filter is almost identical to an espresso basket, but the bottom has only one hole. This design ensures precise control over the water and the pressure throughout the chamber.
The laser-welded, photo etched membrane with a 150 μm filtration capacity prevents any plant residue from reaching the cup, all while maintaining extraordinary cleanliness and extraction accuracy.
The enhancing pick screen diffuser effectively directs the water toward the center, ensuring even distribution among the leaves and a closed system that operates under pressure.
We hope our guide made it a little easier to choose the perfect basket for your needs and helps you enjoy coffee as much as possible