IMS Precision Filter Baskets And Integrated-Membrane Shower Screens
Italian-made precision punching for the extraction you've been chasing.
An IMS filter basket is an Italian precision-punched portafilter basket with patented, uniform hole geometry for even espresso extraction. IMS also makes integrated-membrane shower screens.
If your shots channel, taste uneven, or never quite repeat, the basket and shower screen are where the fix often starts. IMS makes precision-punched filter baskets and integrated-membrane shower screens for most 58mm, 53mm and group-specific machines on the market. This is the upgrade angle: better hole geometry, more even water distribution, more consistent extraction. Below, the full IMS range, plus how to choose the right precision basket for your machine.
What the holes actually do
A filter basket's job is to let water leave the puck evenly. The difference between a stamped supermarket basket and an IMS one is the punching. IMS perforation is exclusive and patented, with the perforated area sized in proportion to the basket shape. On the BIG BANG pattern that's 497 holes across a ø44mm area, with incremental spacing from 1.5mm that increases toward the edge. More open, more uniform area means lower, more even flow resistance, which is what reduces channelling.
Membrane shower screens
IMS competition shower screens carry an integrated membrane created directly inside the shower body and fixed by caulking, so there's no separate blocking disc to lose or clog. Filtering capacity runs from a fine 35µm wire-membrane up to the 200µm integrated-membrane screens, depending on group. The Nano Quartz coated MA200 adds a non-stick surface that resists limescale and spreads water more evenly over time.
Fit before upgrade
The single most common mistake we see is ordering on dose alone. Group diameter, body diameter for your tamper, and ridge profile all have to match. A B70 2T basket for a 58mm La Marzocco group is a different part from a B62.5 basket built for a 53mm tamper. Check the group first, dose second.
Choosing the right IMS basket or screen
IMS makes two things this page covers: precision filter baskets and shower screens. The decision tree is short, but you have to start in the right place.
Step one: match the group, not the dose
Every IMS basket is built to a group standard. The B70 family (ø70mm border) fits 58mm groups across Astoria CMA, Bezzera, BFC, Brasilia, Casadio, Conti, ECM, Elektra, Expobar, Faema, Fiorenzato, Grimac, La Marzocco, Nuova Simonelli, La Pavoni, Rancilio, Sanremo, Slayer, Synesso and Vibiemme. The B62.5 BIG BANG family is built around a ø54mm body for ø53/53.4mm tampers. The B68 family sits at ø68mm. Order the family your group takes before you look at anything else.
Step two: pick your dose band
| Shots | Typical IMS basket | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Single | B70 1T H26.5E | 7–9g |
| Double | B70 2T H24.5M | 12–18g |
| Double (competition) | B70 2T CH28.5E | 18–22g |
| Double (BIG BANG) | B62.5 2T H23.5BB | 16–18g |
Ridgeless baskets seat slightly differently to ridged ones and pair well with a bottomless portafilter for diagnosing channelling.
Step three: the shower screen above it
A precision basket works best under an even shower. If your screen is pitted, scaled or clogged, replace it. IMS integrated-membrane screens (200µm) and fine wire-membrane screens (35µm) are group-specific. The MA200 fits La Marzocco, Synesso and Slayer; the RA200 suits Rancilio, La Pavoni and Bezzera; E61-format screens fit E61 groups. The Nano Quartz MA200 is worth it in hard-water areas.
What to pair it with
A new basket exposes distribution errors a worn one hid, so a WDT tool and a bottomless portafilter 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 consumables that go with it.
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, 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 screen 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 cheapest meaningful upgrade in espresso. For the price of a couple of bags of beans, an IMS basket fixes problems people spend hundreds chasing elsewhere. Scott Rao built half his teaching on what uniform basket punching does to extraction, and once you've pulled a shot through a good one you feel it. We've been selling these to home setups and busy cafés since 1999, and the advice is the same for both: get the group right, then let the holes do their work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size IMS filter basket do I need? +
Match the group, not the dose, first. The B70 family fits 58mm groups (La Marzocco, Rancilio, Synesso, Slayer and many more); the B62.5 BIG BANG family is built around a ø54mm body for ø53/53.4mm tampers; the B68 family is ø68mm. Once the family matches your group, choose the height/dose band, single 7–9g, double 12–18g, or competition 18–22g.
What does the IMS BIG BANG pattern do? +
BIG BANG is IMS's competition perforation. On the B62.5 baskets it places 497 holes across a ø44mm area, with incremental spacing from 1.5mm that increases toward the edge. The more open, more uniform punched area lowers and evens out flow resistance through the puck, which is what helps reduce channelling and improve extraction consistency.
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 200µm integrated-membrane screens distribute water evenly and won't lose a loose part; finer 35µm wire-membrane screens are also available for specific groups.
Will an IMS shower screen fit my machine? +
IMS screens are group-specific. The MA200 fits La Marzocco, Synesso and Slayer; the RA200 fits Rancilio, La Pavoni and Bezzera; there are E61-format and San Marco / Dalla Corte versions too. Check your group head against the product fitment list before ordering, or browse our shower screens by machine in spare parts.
Is the Nano Quartz coated screen worth it? +
If you're in a hard-water area, yes. The Nano Quartz coating on the MA200 improves the screen's non-stick properties for more even water distribution and is more resistant to limescale build-up over time than an uncoated screen. In soft-water areas the standard integrated-membrane screen is usually enough.
Ridgeless or ridged IMS basket, which should I get? +
It depends on your portafilter. Ridgeless baskets sit slightly differently and are popular with bottomless portafilters for diagnosing distribution. Many IMS competition baskets are ridgeless by design. If your current basket is held by a retaining spring against a ridge, a ridged-compatible profile is the safe match.
Does Coffee Parts hold IMS stock in Australia? +
Yes. We carry the IMS basket and shower screen range as Australian stock and have been supplying espresso parts since 1999. In-stock items dispatch fast; some sizes carry a lead time, which is shown on each product page.