How to Choose Your Filter

The code of our IMS Competition products tells you a lot about the characteristics of the filter basket:

To find the right filter basket for your espresso machine, follow the instruction here below:

1^ STEP

Check the diameter of your tamper

According to the diameter of the tamper you use, the internal diameter of the filter changes and determines the compatibility of the product with your espresso machine.

N.B. It is always necessary to check the technical specifications of your espresso machine about the diameter of the filter basket.

For example, the filter basket B70 is for a 58/58.4 mm tamper but it’s possible that a brand changes the diameter and use different filter basket.

For tamper 58 / 58.4

B70 - (BORDER Ø 70 mm) E61 & compatible groups like FAEMA, VIBIEMME, WEGA, BEZZERA, BFC, BIANCHI, BRASILIA, D.I.D. L’ORCHESTRALE, ECM, EXPOBAR, FIORENZATO, GRIMAC, IBERITAL, LA NUOVA ERA, LA SCALA, QUALITY ESPRESSO, ROCKET, ROYAL FIRST, SAN REMO, SV - SAB, VFA. MARZOCCO, SYNESSO, SLAYER, KEES VAN DER WESTEN, NUOVA SIMONELLI, VICTORIA ARDUINO, MAVAM, QUICK MILL, PROFITEC, BREVILLE (The Oracle), BELLEZZA, LELIT, FLAIR ESPRESSO (58).

 

B68 - (BORDER Ø 68 mm) LA CIMBALI, GAGGIA, CARIMALI.

The body of B68 filters is the same as B70 filters but with a border that is 2 mm narrower for a better fit in portafilters of the quoted brands.

 

For tamper 57

B64 - (BORDER Ø 64 mm) LELIT (Anita, Diana, Anna, Kate).

For tamper 54 / 54.4

B66 - (BORDER Ø 66 mm) DALLA CORTE, SAN MARCO, IZZO LEVER, LA SAN MARCO LEVER

For tamper 53 / 53.4

B62.5 - (BORDER Ø 62.5 mm) BREVILLE/SAGE, SOLIS.

For tamper 53

B65 - (BORDER Ø 65 mm) LA SPAZIALE, WEGA E ASTORIA WITH SMALL GROUP.

For tamper 51

B60 - (BORDER Ø 60 mm) LA PAVONI POST MILLENNIUM.

DL - (BORDER Ø 60.5 mm) DE LONGHI, SMEG.

For tamper 49

B58 - (BORDER Ø 58 mm) LA PAVONI PRE MILLENNIUM.

2^ STEP

Decide the macro-dose of your coffee

By convention, a filter can be for 1 cup (1T means 1 Tazza, the Italian word for cup) for a single dose of coffee, or for 2 cups (2T) for a double or triple espresso.

Typically, the filters for 1 cup are narrower to reduce the capacity of the filter.

We usually suggest to use a 1T filter basket for < 12 gr of coffee, and a 2T filter basket for > 12 gr of coffee.

3^ STEP

Decide how many grams of coffee you want to use

In each code’s page you’ll find an approximate weight of ground coffee in grams associated with the filter basket. The actual capacity of a filter depends on many factors such as the coffee grind and roasting or the space that is left between the coffee puck and the showerhead screen.

N.B. We usually take into account the volume of the filter basket. This because according to the coffee you use, the capacity of the filter basket may change, while the volume of the filter is always the same.

For this reason, we suggest some approximate weights of coffee to address you to the right filter, but the capacity changes according to the coffee you use.

4^ STEP

Which result in cup do you want to obtain?

The result in cup, in terms of what you want to emphasize (taste, origin, body, etc.) in your coffee may change according to 2 factors:

1 – THE SHAPE OF THE FILTER BASKET

ROUNDED – This specific shape has rounded internal corner that avoids those section where the ground coffee is not well utilized during the extraction. It is not identified by any letter in the filter basket code. Result in cup: more body, more crema, more sugar brownie, and ripe fruit hint.
The flavors are more homogeneous.

CONVEX – Cylindrical filters with a Convex bottom that collects coffee towards the center during the extraction, so it’s perfect to use with a bottomless portafilter. Result in cup: ripe fruit hint, more acidity and good crema.

FLAT –  Cylindrical filters with a Flat bottom that creates a compact coffee pod and improves a lot your extraction. Result in cup: it emphasis the origin of the coffee, the flavor are more distinct, the crema is thin but more silky.

THE NANOTECH COATING

It’s a high-quality coating to further improve the surface of the filters using the nanoquartz technology. Thanks to its high non-stick potency, this coating makes it easier to remove used coffee cakes and to clean thereby rendering the antibacterial nature of the surface extremely effective.

Main advantages:

  • The filter basket lasts longer
  • The heat is better distributed through the cake
  • The time of the extraction is longer
  • It keeps the filter basket cleaner, so the workflow will be faster

THE SUPERFINE MEMBRANE

IMS has created an innovative and unique product for finer filtering even using an espresso machine. The level of filtering is normally between 250 μm and 350 μm, while the Superfine filter has a level of filtering of 170 μm. To achieve this, IMS combined the benefits of a photo-etched membrane with its own perforation technology. This results in a cleaner espresso that accentuates the acid component of coffee.

Main advantages:

  • The coffee will be cleaner
  • The acidity is emphasized

N.B. Since the filter basket is composed by two parts, it is necessary to keep the filter basket clean, to avoid dirt stuck under the membrane.

THE BIG BANG HOLES PATTERN

The new IMS holes pattern that has an incremental distance between holes from 1.5 mm to increase til the edge.

The main characteristics is the emphasis on the sweeteness note of your coffee.

The extraction is very uniform, it exalts the sweetness and reduces the acidity.

The Big Bang filters are perfect also for basic coffee, like a Brasil, as they make the cup very balanced.

We don’t suggest to use the BIG BANG filters with citric coffee since they sweetened the cup and modify the sought characteristics.

2 – THE TECHNOLOGIES

Do you have any other questions?