The basket swap that finally makes your shots repeat
Italian Precision filter baskets and shower screens, held in Australian stock since 1999.
TL;DR: An IMS filter basket is an Italian Precision-punched portafilter basket built for even espresso extraction. The B70 family fits 58mm groups; the B62.5 Big Bang fits 54mm Breville portafilters.
If your espresso channels, tastes uneven, or never quite repeats, the basket and shower screen are where the fix usually starts. IMS makes Precision-punched filter baskets and integrated-membrane shower screens for 58mm groups, E61 groups and 54mm Breville portafilters. We've been fitting IMS parts to home and café machines since 1999, so this page covers the full range, how the hole geometry works, and how to pick the right IMS filter basket for your group.
What the holes actually do
A filter basket's job is to let water leave the puck evenly. IMS perforation is patented, with the perforated area sized in proportion to the basket shape. On the Big Bang pattern that is 497 holes across a 44mm area, with spacing that increases toward the edge. The B68 2TH ridgeless basket carries a 641-hole pattern. A more uniform open area gives more even flow resistance through the puck, which is what reduces channelling. Stephen Mackenzie makes the same point in Engineering Better Espresso: the change from grounds to espresso happens inside the basket, so basket quality shapes the result.
Integrated-membrane and Precision shower screen options
IMS competition screens carry a membrane created inside the shower body and fixed by caulking, so there is no separate disc to lose or clog. The MA 200 IM and RA 200 IM use 98 holes of 3mm with 200 micron filtering. The E61 and Rancilio wire-membrane screens filter finer, at 35 micron. The NanoQuartz coated MA200NT adds a non-stick surface that resists limescale and coffee residue.
Fit before upgrade
The most common mistake we see is ordering on dose alone. A B70 2T basket for a 58mm La Marzocco group is a different part from a B62.5 Big Bang built for a 54mm Breville portafilter. Check the group first, dose second.
Step one: match the group, not the dose
Every IMS basket is built to a group standard. The B70 family (70mm border) fits 58mm groups across Astoria CMA, Bezzera, ECM, Expobar, Faema, La Marzocco, Nuova Simonelli, La Pavoni, Rancilio, Sanremo, Slayer, Synesso and Vibiemme. The B62.5 Big Bang family is the IMS Breville basket range, built for 54mm Breville and Breville portafilters. The B68 family sits at 68mm and suits Carimali, Cimbali, Gaggia and Reneka groups. Order the family your group takes before you look at anything else.
Step two: pick your dose band
For a single, the B70 1T H26.5E covers 7 to 9g. For a double, the B70 2T H24.5M covers 12 to 18g and the B70 2T H26.5M covers 16 to 20g. The ridgeless B70 2T CH28.5E is the competition double at 18 to 22g. On 54mm machines the Big Bang comes in four heights: 21.5mm for 14/16g, 23.5mm for 16/18g, 25.5mm for 18/20g and 27.5mm for 20/22g. Ridgeless baskets seat slightly differently and pair well with a bottomless portafilter for diagnosing channelling.
Step three: the shower screen above it
An IMS espresso basket works best under an even shower. If your screen is pitted, scaled or clogged, replace it. IMS screens are group-specific: the MA 200 IM fits La Marzocco, Synesso and Slayer; the RA 200 IM suits Rancilio; the E61 200 IM and E61 NanoQuartz screens fit E61 groups; the 48mm SM 200 IM covers San Marco Beverage Systems and Dalla Corte. The MA200NT with NanoQuartz coating is the pick in hard-water areas.
IMS or Vst?
Both are Precision baskets and we stock Vst alongside IMS in our Precision baskets range. The honest answer is that fit matters more than the badge: choose the family that matches your group, then the dose band you actually use, and either brand will show up a distribution problem a worn stock basket was hiding.
What to pair it with
A new basket exposes distribution errors, so a WDT tool and a puck screen earn their keep here. For replacement screens by machine rather than by brand, our shower screens spare-parts category lists parts by group. We've tested this gear behind the counter and stock the cleaning chemicals that keep membranes clear between backflushes.
A Precision basket is one piece of the extraction chain. To get the full benefit, pair your IMS basket with a bottomless portafilter so you can see channelling as it happens, a WDT tool to break up clumps before tamping, and a fresh shower screen so water arrives evenly. A puck screen on top keeps the IMS membrane cleaner between backflushes. Dialled in, that combination is where consistent, repeatable shots come from, not from any single part on its own.
I'll be straight with you: a basket swap is the least expensive meaningful upgrade in espresso. My dad started this business in 1999 because he couldn't find a part for his Faema E61, and the IMS E61 screens still sit in the same drawer that whole story began in. Once you've pulled a shot through a properly punched basket you feel the difference. We've been selling these to home setups and busy cafés for a long time, and the advice is the same for both: get the group right, then let the holes do their work.
— Pedro Lara
Frequently Asked Questions
What size IMS filter basket do I need? +
Match the group first, dose second. The B70 family fits 58mm groups such as La Marzocco, Rancilio, Synesso and Slayer; the B62.5 Big Bang family fits 54mm Breville and Breville portafilters; the B68 family is 68mm for Carimali, Cimbali, Gaggia and Reneka. Once the family matches your machine, choose the height: single 7 to 9g, double 12 to 18g or 16 to 20g, competition double 18 to 22g.
Is a Precision basket worth it? +
For most people chasing consistency, yes. Uniform, patented punching evens out flow resistance through the puck, which reduces channelling and makes shots easier to repeat. It will also expose distribution problems a worn basket hid, so pair it with a WDT tool and a bottomless portafilter.
How does the Big Bang pattern work? +
Big Bang is the IMS competition perforation used on the 54mm B62.5 range. It places 497 holes across a 44mm area, with the spacing between holes increasing toward the edge. The more open, more uniform punched area lowers and evens out flow resistance, which helps reduce channelling.
What is an integrated-membrane shower screen? +
IMS competition screens have the filtering membrane created directly inside the shower body and permanently fixed by caulking, rather than relying on a separate blocking disc. The 200 micron MA 200 IM, RA 200 IM, E61 200 IM and SM 200 IM distribute water evenly and cannot lose a loose part. Finer 35 micron wire-membrane versions exist for E61 and Rancilio groups.
Will an MA200 or RA200 screen fit my machine? +
They are group-specific. The MA 200 IM (56.4mm) fits La Marzocco, Synesso and Slayer; the RA 200 IM (57.5mm) fits Rancilio; the E61 200 IM (56.5mm) fits E61 groups; the SM 200 IM (48mm) fits San Marco Beverage Systems and Dalla Corte. Check your group against the fitment list on each product page, or browse our shower screens spare-parts category by machine.
Does the NanoQuartz coating help in hard-water areas? +
If your water is hard, yes. The NanoQuartz coating on the MA200NT and the E61 NanoQuartz screen improves non-stick performance and resists limescale and coffee residue build-up better than an uncoated screen. In soft-water areas the standard integrated-membrane version is usually enough.
Ridgeless or ridged: which should I choose? +
It depends on your portafilter. Ridgeless designs such as the B70 2T CH28.5E and B68 2TH seat slightly differently and are popular with bottomless portafilters for diagnosing distribution. If your current insert is held by a retaining spring against a ridge, a ridged-compatible profile is the safe match.
How do IMS and Vst compare? +
Both are Precision baskets and we stock both. The practical difference for a buyer is fit and sizing convention: IMS names its families by border diameter (B70, B68, B62.5) and offers the 54mm Big Bang range, so check which family matches your group before comparing brands. Either will improve on a stamped stock basket.