In this video, I will upgrade and comparing an IMS shower head setup with a stock shower head on my Gaggia Classic Pro.
These are the parts that you will need for this upgrade:
Gaggia Brass Shower Holder 57x14mm
https://amzn.to/3BbXHS3
IMS Nanoquartz Precision Shower Screen for Gaggia
https://amzn.to/3Ld8uQM
Cafelat E61 Group head silicone gasket
https://amzn.to/3xj3PqE
IMS Nanoquartz Precision Ridgeless Double Espresso Basket
https://amzn.to/3qwkq6D
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I’ve had the IMS assembly for over a year now and i’ve been getting consistent and delicious espresso with this set up. Not to mentioned that I have already modded my machine with a 9Bar OPV spring and a PID temperature controller. Video link is up in the corner of the screen if you’d like to do a similar mod to your machine.
I’ve been wanting to remove the IMS for cleaning but figured why not make a comparison video to share the outcome. So here, I’m removing the shower screen, brass grouphead and silicone gasket and dip it in a hot bath with Puly’s espresso cleaning solution.
I fixed the original Gaggia showerhead, rubber gasket, screen and also the portafilter basket. Filled the tank with fresh water and then after the machine is warmed up, I then flush the grouphead. Here you can see how the water channeled through the stock shower screen and some areas don’t have consistent water flow. I’ll do a side-by-side comparison in a short while.
I then ground 16g of coffee bean and pulled an espresso shot. This shot took longer compared to the IMS and I get a slight bitter and burnt taste in my espresso. So I got 34 seconds for a 30g of yield.
This definitely took longer and I can definitely taste bitterness in the shot. The coffee puck also looks slimey and wet in this case.
Next, I removed the stock showerhead setup and installed the IMS showerhead setup after it’s cleaned thoroughly. The silicone gasket also lasts longer compared to the stock rubber gasket, as the rubber ones will get harden over time with heat. After pulling a similar shot, I tasted much sweeter espresso and less of the bitterness from before.
In conclusion, the IMS shower head has a bit of advantage over the stock Gaggia showerhead. The hot water flows evenly and distributed nicely in an IMS shower screen so you will get a more consistent shot time after time.
Well, I hope you find this useful and as always, please comment, hit the like and subscribe button if you like my content. Thank you and I’ll see you in the next one!
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