Espresso Terminology

In order to understand how to make espresso, you must first know what all the terms mean. So here are some of the most common:

BASKET: This is the metal dish that is placed in the porta filter. It holds the coffee in order for the espresso to be extracted from it.

GOD SHOT: This is the perfect shot of espresso. It can't get any better than this.

GRIND: This is the coursness of the coffee. Coffee ground for espresso is about the same as table salt.

GRINDER: The machine used to grind the roasted coffee beans. Burr grinders are the best. They provide the most consistent grind.

KNOCK BOX: This is the container into which the spent puck is knocked out of the basket.

PORTA FILTER: This is the part of the espresso machine in which the basket fits. The porta filter has a handle on it as well as a single/double spout. It also comes in what is called a bottomless porta filter. This version has as the name suggests, no bottom to it. You can readily see the bottom of the basket once the porta filter is locked into the espresso machine. This version allows you to actually see the espresso being extracted, and allows you to fine tune your espresso making methods. There is more on this further in the site, as well as hints on making your own bottomless porta filter.

PUCK: This is the term given to the compressed coffee in the basket.

SHOWER SCREEN: This is the part of the espresso machine that sits above the porta filter. It is through this, that the hot water passes in order to get to the coffee in the basket. Its main purpose is to make sure that the hot water is evenly distributed over the coffe in the basket.

TAMPER: This is the implement used to compress the coffee in the basket. It is usually made from various types of metal, but can also be made from plastic, wood etc. Metal is perhaps the most popular as it enables the most even compression of the puck.

THERMO-BLOCK:This is what is used to heat the water in a thermo-block espresso machine. The block is made of metal which is heated. Cold water is passed through a channel in the block which heats up the water. This makes heating water very quick compared to a boiler, but it's much harder to get a consistent temperature for the water unlike the boiler.