# Why no single portafilters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Q&A\ **Created:** [October 4, 2017, 10:23am UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992 "2017-10-04T10:23:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ben\_Forsyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Ben\_Forsyth](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Ben_Forsyth)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 10:23am UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/1 "2017-10-04T10:23:16Z")
Hey everyone. I’m looking for an answer as to why the use of single portafilters has essentially vanished. Everything I’ve seen so far is ‘convenience’ based, I’m looking for something more scientific. Cheers! ---
**Author:** ![Adam\_Sepe](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/baristahustle.discourse.group/adam_sepe/32/901_2.png) [@Adam\_Sepe](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Adam_Sepe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 11:25am UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/2 "2017-10-05T11:25:20Z")
🤔 Convenience causes the release of dopamine in the brain which causes the mind to feel pleasure? ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Forsyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Ben\_Forsyth](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Ben_Forsyth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 12:06pm UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/3 "2017-10-05T12:06:35Z")
Ok…but how/why did this start happening? Due to needing more light roast coffee in the basket to come through in milk? Is the coffee actually any better through a double? ---
**Author:** ![Adam\_Sepe](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/baristahustle.discourse.group/adam_sepe/32/901_2.png) [@Adam\_Sepe](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Adam_Sepe)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 1:14pm UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/4 "2017-10-05T13:14:39Z")
You mean baskets? I thought you were talking about spouts lol. In the former case maybe people generally prefer making double over single shots? In the latter I figure that in addition to the practical benefit of being able to split a double into two singles, it is more aesthetically pleasing to run double over single spouts. This, of course, excludes bottomless. ---
**Author:** ![jessemedley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@jessemedley](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/jessemedley)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 2:18pm UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/5 "2017-10-05T14:18:33Z")
Single shots? single spouts? or single group machines? It is very hard/not even possible to extract a single shot well. The puck depth is too shallow the puck integrity is too weak. The shots will almost always be sour/watery and under-extracted. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Forsyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Ben\_Forsyth](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Ben_Forsyth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 4:01pm UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/6 "2017-10-05T16:01:02Z")
Yeah baskets, and spouts. It would be weird to see a single basket with a double spout? I figure one constitutes the other. I understand the convenience side of things. A double is obviously way more practical. Just wondering where it all started I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Ben\_Forsyth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Ben\_Forsyth](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/u/Ben_Forsyth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://baristahustle.discourse.group/t/why-no-single-portafilters/1992/7 "2017-10-05T16:03:21Z")
A single portafilter (which has a single spout or none unless they’re splitting a single which I hope to God isn’t happening). I’ve always been told that yeah the quality of the espresso is better through a double for the reasons you’ve outlined there but has it been measured properly through tds maybe?