Why Do Espresso Machines Have Two Spouts? Why it MATTERS to Know?

Why do espresso machines have two spouts? 

Has this ever crossed your mind? It’s odd, some have one and others have two. Why is that and why does it matter to know? In this article, I go over why this happens and why it helps to brew better coffee and of course, I share a bunch of tips and tricks on better coffee.

Let’s dive in. 

Key takeaways: 

• The main reason coffee machines have two spouts
• What are the unique benefits of single-spout portafilters 
• The aspects you should take into account when buying a new coffee machine 

Why do espresso machines have two spouts? 

Those espresso machines that have two spouts can pull out 2 single espressos at the same time. They are often called ‘moustache spouts’ because of their shape of it. Most coffee machines come with two portafilters, one with a single spout and one with a double.  

When to choose a two-spout portafilter

If you’re a professional barista and you pull out hundreds of espressos every day, I’m pretty sure you need a two-spout portafilter to speed up the process of making espresso-based drinks. If you are planning to throw a party in your house and treat your guests to Espresso Martini cocktails, you probably need a two-spout portafilter as well.  (You can also try copper mug coffee)

But if you just want to brew an espresso to make cappuccino, americano or latte to kick-start your day, use a single-spout portafilter – it will do the job. 

Here’s what a coffee lover says: 

Controls the flow better and easier to debug if only one stream flows. I’ve gone to a bottomless portafilter as it’s very easy to identify an uneven tamp. If you don’t tamp evenly, the flow will be lopsided and may even spray everywhere. Plus it looks cool to pull shots.

– Connor McClellan

What is a double-basket espresso? 

Typically, espresso machines come in 3 different types of baskets: 

• Single 
• Double
• Triple

A single-basket espresso machine can take between 7 to 12 grams of coffee while a double can 14-22.

What is a pressurised basket espresso?

First off, let’s talk about how an espresso machine works. 

High pressure forces the coffee grounds to extract their flavours and aromas to make delicious coffee, but it comes out in an oily form that should be filtered, otherwise, the créma layer won’t be achieved. 

On the bottom of a non-pressurised basket, you’ll find small holes that do this job and it’s mostly suited for espresso machines that use high pressure for brewing (those you’ll mainly find at coffee shops). 

If you have a machine with a pressurised basket, go for slightly coarser coffee grinds as it has one main hole where the coffee flows out. 

In general, you can make better-quality coffee with a non-pressurised machine. 

What you should know about single-spout portafilters 

There are a couple of pros when using a single-spout portafilter for brewing:

• Tamping is done right: One of them is to make sure that tamping is done properly. There might be cases where espresso channelling happens which leads to bitter or even tasteless coffee. If you use a single-spout portafilter, you’ll be able to see how the coffee is flowing out of the portafilter. If it isn’t flowing from the middle it means the tamping wasn’t done right. Obviously, you’ll find this helpful if you’re a beginner. Connor McClellan on Quora says ‘Controls the flow better and easier to debug if only one stream flows. I’ve gone to a bottomless portafilter as it’s very easy to identify an uneven tamp. If you don’t tamp evenly, the flow will be lopsided and may even spray everywhere. Plus it looks cool to pull shots.’

• Better créma: It creates better créma at the top of your espresso. The reason is that some more of this créma might end up in just one of the espresso shots when brewing with a 2-spout portafilter. But the reality is that this extra little layer doesn’t make much of a difference in the taste of your coffee. Don’t get me wrong it looks more appealing to the eye when it has créma but it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t.

Does your portafilter need to have a spout?

Funnily enough, it doesn’t need to have one. 

The main purpose of a spout is to ensure coffee flows smoothly into a cup. And as you might have guessed you can still brew aromatic espresso. It’s wise to take off your spout if you prefer the coffee to go straight into your cup. (Do you know how to clean an espresso filter properly?)

Here’s what a coffee expert has to say about portafilter and their spouts: 

The double spout acts like a tri-pod in conjunction with the handle. The single spout won’t sit upright on its own.

– Moxiechef

Why do some espresso machines have two steam wands?

This approach offers more customisable options.

If you have a machine with two steam wands it typically, means you can set different temperatures for steaming and brewing. You can also adjust the water temperature to brew better coffee.

What do the 1 and 2 mean on the espresso machine?

In plain English shows you the ratio of an espresso drink (and whether it’s bad for you) compared to the weight of the coffee grounds. To put things into perspective if you brew a 38g espresso shot using 19g of coffee, the ratio is (you guessed it) 2:1.

Let’s wrap it up 

Do you know now why espresso machines have two spouts? It’s good to know about coffee machines and coffee if you’re a real coffee lover and want to brew better coffee every single day. This is all I’ve got for this one; I’ll see you at the next one.