Yes, a 54mm bottomless portafilter fits the Sage Barista Express Impress (BES876, SES876) and the Barista Touch Impress (BES881, SES881). Both machines use the same 54mm group head and fitting as the rest of Sage's home range, and Sage lists its own 54mm Naked Portafilter as compatible with both. The assisted tamp and the dose gauge keep working. Two habits change: the puck screen goes in after the machine has tamped, and for the first few shots you check the gauge against a scale.
Below: what the Impress system does, what changes with a bottomless portafilter, where the puck screen goes, and when the upgrade is not worth it.
What the Impress puck system does
On an Impress, you grind into the portafilter, pull the lever on the side, and the machine tamps for you: about 10kg of pressure, according to Sage, with a small twist at the end to polish the surface. A gauge then shows whether the dose was right, short or over, and the machine adjusts the grind time for the next dose. Sage calls this intelligent dosing.
All of that happens at the top of the basket: the grinder fills it, the lever presses it, and the reading comes from the tamp. The spouts under the portafilter play no part, which is why removing them changes nothing about how the system works.
What changes with a bottomless portafilter
The gauge may read slightly differently at first
The gauge was set up on Sage's own portafilter and baskets. A basket that is a fraction deeper or shallower holds a slightly different weight of coffee at the same reading. So for the first few shots, weigh the coffee as well as watching the gauge. If the machine settles on a dose you like, carry on as normal. If it keeps drifting away from it, switch to manual dose and set the grind time yourself. Sage's manual notes that in manual mode the machine stops correcting the dose for you, which is exactly what you want here.
Use a single wall basket
The Impress comes with single wall and dual wall baskets. A bottomless portafilter is for watching the shot, and with a dual wall basket there is nothing to watch: the coffee leaves through one small hole under the basket. Use a single wall basket with freshly ground beans. Our basket guide shows how to tell the two apart in five seconds.
The first shots will show channelling
Assisted tamping makes the tamp level and the same every time, but it does not spread the coffee before the tamp. Clumps from the grinder still leave soft spots in the bed, and a bottomless portafilter shows them as spurts and sideways spray. Stirring the grounds with a thin needle tool before you pull the lever fixes most of it. Our channelling guide explains each spray pattern and the fixes in order.
The good news on an Impress: the tamp is already taken care of, so what the bottomless portafilter shows you is mostly grind and distribution. That makes the diagnosis simpler than on a plain Barista Express.
Where the puck screen goes on an Impress
On top of the tamped coffee, after the lever has done its work. Not before: the lever would press the screen into the coffee, and the machine would likely read the extra 1.7mm as extra coffee and shorten the next grind.
With the screen on top, the coffee has a little less room to swell before it meets the shower screen. Check the spent puck: if it shows the imprint of the shower screen or its central screw, the dose is a touch high. In auto mode the Impress aims for the same tamped height every time, so it will not take that half gram off by itself. Switch to manual dose and shorten the grind time slightly. Our puck screen guide covers the adjustment in more detail.
Is it worth it on an Impress?
- Yes, if you use the single wall basket with fresh beans and want to know why some shots taste sour or bitter. You see the problem on the shot that has it, not three shots later.
- Not yet, if you use pre ground coffee or the dual wall basket. Start with the single wall basket that came with the machine. It is free and it is the bigger change.
- Not at all, if you were hoping for more crema or a different taste by itself. The portafilter shows you the shot; the grind and the dose change it.
Questions we get asked
Does a bottomless portafilter sit in the Impress grinder cradle?
Sage sells its own bottomless portafilter for both Impress machines, so the cradle and the lever are made to work without spouts. Ours locks into the group head like any 54mm Sage portafilter. If it does not sit or tamp properly in your Impress, the return is free and we pay the postage.
Will I lose any Impress features?
No. The grinder, the lever, the gauge and the top-up button are all part of the machine, not the portafilter. The only thing to watch is the dose reading in the first few days, as above.
Is the Barista Touch Impress any different?
Not for this. It has the same 54mm portafilter, the same lever and the same gauge, so the same advice applies. The touchscreen only changes how you choose the drink.
Which size puck screen, and do I need a tamper?
A 53.3mm or 53.5mm puck screen, both fit (the difference explained). You do not need a tamper, since the lever tamps for you. If you want to tamp by hand now and then, a tamper with a 53.3mm or 53.5mm base fits the basket; our basket and tamper size guide has every number for the 54mm range.
The parts, if you want them
- 54mm bottomless portafilter, stainless steel with a solid hardwood handle and a filter basket
- 53.5mm puck screen, 1.7mm thick
- Both together, cheaper than buying them separately
Free delivery in the United Kingdom. If a part does not fit the machine listed on its page, the return is free and we pay the postage. How returns work. Not sure? Email contact@cremalab.co.uk with your model code and we will answer within one working day.