Fix Channeling on 54 mm Breville Baskets

By Presstige • 6 min read • Updated Sep 28, 2025

Symptoms: spurting from the spouts, thin crema, sharp sourness, or a rapid “gusher.” Use this order to fix it quickly.

Setup

Steps

1) Distribution. Break clumps fully; sweep grounds outward, then level the surface. Pay attention to edge density—thin side walls invite bypass. Tip: a quick leveling pass helps keep the bed flat. If you want a set-and-forget tool, here’s our 54 mm Gravity Distributor. If you spill grounds easily, a 54 mm Magnetic Dosing Funnel keeps edges tidy.
2) Tamp level. Keep elbow/wrist straight; apply consistent pressure to avoid tilting the puck. Prefer not to guess force? A 30 lb Spring-Loaded Tamper makes it repeatable.
3) Optional puck screen. Place gently on top; it can even out early flow from the shower and keep the puck cleaner on machines with less uniform dispersion. You can try our 54 mm Puck Screen if your shower is messy.
4) Evaluate flow. Aim for a central, even stream with blonding near the end. If it gushes early, go finer; if it sputters, revisit distribution and tamp level.
Quick fixes by symptom: Early gusher → finer grind. One-sided stream → level tamp & edge density. Sprays at the start → distribution + consider puck screen.

FAQ

Will a puck screen always improve taste?

Not always. It helps with uneven showers and messy pucks; evaluate by taste.

My shot runs fast and sour—what’s first?

Grind finer. Then check distribution and tamp level. Extend yield slightly (toward 1:2.3) if still sharp.

Why does edge density matter?

Thin side walls create low-resistance paths; ensuring even density reduces side-wall channels.