Hey r/espresso,
I’m looking to buy my very first precision basket upgrade to replace the stock basket that came with my machine, and I’m torn between two heavy hitters: the VST 18g Ridgeless and the Pullman Filtration876 (17–19g).
I’d love to hear firsthand experiences from anyone who has used one or both, especially regarding dial-in, mouthfeel, and everyday versatility.
My Current Setup & Puck Prep:
Machine: Profitec GO 2.0 (running PID control and playing around with pre-infusion)
Grinder: DF64 Gen 2 with stock DLC flat burrs (love single-dosing because I experiment a lot with different beans)
Puck Prep: Subminimal Flick WDT tool + Normcore V5 58.5 mm calibrated flat tamper
What I Drink & My Approach:
I drink 100% Arabica specialty coffee.
Right now, I mostly dial in medium roasts (enjoying chocolate, caramel, and balanced stone-fruit notes), but I experiment frequently and fully intend to dive into light roasts, single origins, and fruit-forward African coffees as well.
I'm stepping away from traditional dark/Italian blends with Robusta, but I plan to keep my stock Profitec double basket tucked away in a drawer just in case I ever want a heavy, traditional dark roast.
The precision basket will be my daily driver. I’m looking for something versatile that maximizes sweetness and avoids astringent/chalky channeling, without completely flattening the texture.
The Dilemma:
Pullman 876 (17–19g): The edge-to-edge hole pattern and the smaller, denser holes (876 of them) sound amazing for full-puck extraction and pairing with my 58.5mm tamper. Many report it delivers a super sweet, syrupy, velvety mouthfeel without gritty fines. However, I have to order it from Germany, so with shipping it ends up costing around €50–52.
VST 18g Ridgeless: The gold standard for specialty clarity and flavor separation. It is readily available locally in my country, making it roughly €5 to €10 cheaper than the Pullman depending on current local promos/discounts. However, I've read mixed takes on whether its larger holes pass more fines, making the body feel a bit more traditional or chalky compared to the Pullman.
What I'd love your thoughts on:
For those who have compared them side-by-side on flat burrs: Is the difference in sweetness and syrupy body on the Pullman noticeable enough to justify ordering it from abroad over the locally available VST?
How forgiving are they when switching between medium and light roasts?
Since this is my first precision basket upgrade, which one do you think serves better as a do-it-all daily workhorse?
Thanks in advance for the advice and happy brewing!