Why do you need a puck screen?
The puck screen, also known as the lower shower screen, or contact screen, is a small accessory for the semi-automatic espresso machine, placed between the group head or portafilter. The primary functions and benefits of the puck screen include:
Even Extraction: The puck screen disperses hot water evenly across the coffee grounds by having multiple small holes through which the water passes. This helps ensure that every part of the coffee grounds receives the same amount of water and pressure, leading to an even extraction.
Preventing Channeling: Without a puck screen, water tends to follow the path of least resistance through the coffee grounds, which can lead to some areas being over-extracted while others remain under-extracted. This phenomenon is known as channeling. The puck screen mitigates channeling by spreading the water flow evenly.
Optimizing Coffee Flavor: Uniform extraction not only ensures a consistent taste across the espresso but also helps to extract the full range of flavor components from the coffee grounds, resulting in a richer and more balanced cup of coffee.
Consistency in Coffee Quality: In commercial settings, the use of a puck screen helps maintain the consistency of each espresso shot, ensuring that every customer receives a coffee of the same quality.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance: The puck screen is typically designed to be easily removable and cleanable, which aids in maintaining the hygiene of the espresso machine and prolongs the life of the equipment.
In summary, the puck screen is an essential and affordable accessory in semi-automatic espresso machines that enhances the quality and consistency of espresso by ensuring even water distribution across the coffee grounds, simplifying the espresso-making process, and facilitating cleaning and maintenance.
Why the puck screen slow down the espresso extraction?
A thicker puck screen adds more resistance to the espresso puck, slowing down the espresso extraction and increasing extraction yields. The resolution of the mesh will also have a similar result on water flow, with a finer mesh creating more resistance for the water.
How to clean the puck screen?
Regular Clean:
Rinse under water immediately after use to clean. A follow-up with a steam wand spray helps remove finer particles from inside the mesh.
Deep Clean:
A periodic soak with Cafiza or other coffee specific cleaner is highly effective at keeping them extra clean.
Or
You can try using the steam wand to clean the puck screen.
How often should the puck screen be cleaned?
Regular Clean: Clean after every shot
Deep Clean: Once a week
