VFiPP Usage Guide

Introduction

VFiPP is a completely new extraction technology that introduces a time-varying but iso-compressive force across the puck's surface. Different "flow number" buttons will result in a higher or lower compressive force on the puck, which can slow or increase shot times and allow you to use different grind settings. VFiPP plates come with a set of flow buttons with "flow numbers" on them; these buttons are mounted in the central slot in the VFiPP plate. The higher the button's "flow number" – the faster the espresso flow – the finer you can grind, and vice versa. The lower the button's "flow number" – the slower the shot – the coarser you can grind or the lower dose you can use.

Our Recommendation on VFiPP

Our recommendation is that VFiPPs produce a reliably high extraction espresso to be used as a base for milk drinks. As an espresso drink by itself, VFiPPs produce an intense, complex, slightly more tart, higher body espresso - but slightly muted on the sweetness, clarity and fruit notes; as such it may only appeal to a select group of espresso aficionados. Hence at present, we recommend VFiPPs for beginners as a base for their milk drinks.

Machine Compatibility

VFiPP extractions work best at a lower pressure, preferably around 6 bar, so you'll need an espresso machine that can alter the pump pressure. VFiPPs can work on 9 bar machines with higher "flow number" buttons (8 and 9 buttons coming soon).

Additional Components That May Be Required

You'll need a bottomless portafilter for your espresso machine, since the custom VFiPP basket (model: VF-58-H35mm-3K) recommended for VFiPP is quite tall at 35mm high. You'll also need 58mm paper filters on top of the puck, as this improves extraction yield and keeps the VFiPP plate cleaner. Note: These are reusable as they do not get clogged easily.

Basket Recommendation

Our recommendation is that VFiPPs are best suited for what we term a "crema breaking or air-lock releasing" basket, i.e., one with at least 3,000 holes like our custom VFiPP basket (model: VF-58-H35mm-3K) or, for example, the WAFO Classic or Spirit 35mm tall basket. Baskets with hole counts under 2K are not recommended; we have found that they require a coarser grind size and produce a slightly muted and harsher espresso due to micro-air locking.

Before First Use

Dilute a natural, toxin‑free dishwashing fluid in water and use a fine‑bristle brush to clean all VFiPP surfaces, then soak the plates in hot water. Pull and discard two blank shots to flush any residue.

Cleaning Instructions

After approximately 10–100 shots (fewer if you skip the paper filter) you’ll notice oil build‑up in the flow channels. Dilute the same mild detergent, scrub all grooves, rinse, and soak the plates in hot water to remove detergent.

DO NOT use steam, harsh chemicals, or specifically acids on silicone; these may degrade the silicon.

VFiPP Longevity

Silicone will degrade over time. It is recommended that you replace plates after about 1,000 shots to be on the safe side. We’ll publish updates if future testing extends that limit.

Usage – Pulling Shots

Dial-in For Beginners

This is the universal recommended dial-in rule that gets us to within 95% of a peak espresso shot:

1) Grind finer until you run into black spots on the bottom of the puck and/or an uneven "channeled" flow.
2) Then grind a notch or two toward the coarser side, until both disappear.

This procedure will produce the best possible espresso, from a tasting notes perspective, for a particular set of extraction parameters, namely for some dose, pressure profile, temperature and/or roast level.

Dial-in For Advanced Espresso

VFiPP allows us to reproduce exactly the same Ratio / Shot Time espresso across a wide range of grind sizes,* and not just at a single grind size as in traditional espresso.

This allows the barista/roaster to explore how a specific coffee bean will taste across a range of grind sizes, using the above universal dial-in rule for all available flow buttons.

_{*Note: At present there are only 4–5 flow buttons, but high flow and more granular flow buttons are planned.
1 Note: With a full implementation of VFiPP, we can have a continuous range of applied forces, not just discrete flow buttons.}

Recommended Roast

VFiPPs are paired best with a medium to medium‑dark roast (or dark roasts if you prefer). This is because VFiPPs will tend to brighten an espresso and reduce bitterness due to the slightly coarser required grind.

Medium-light to light roasts are not recommended with VFiPP extraction at present, as these are already very bright as an espresso, and with VFiPP they can taste overly sharp; see troubleshooting for ways to reduce espresso acidity. Note: Higher flow buttons "8" and "9" are coming soon and may change this as they will allow for a finer grind.

Recommended Bean Rest Time

VFiPPs compress the puck and reduce the size of the capillary flow channels in the bottom layer. If the beans contain an excess amount of CO₂, the puck internals are more likely to become capillary air-locked, which reduces grind surface area to water contact. Secondly, more CO₂ can be forced into the espresso. Both issues can lead to a sour, vegetable-like, carbonated harshness that is exaggerated by VFiPP compression. (Our new custom VFiPP basket [model: VF-58-H35mm-3K] should help here).

However, we strongly recommend a slightly longer bean rest time after roasting than is recommended by the roaster.

As a general rule, the fresher the bean, the less compression (higher flow button) is required. The Ramp and Fruit Bomb pressure profiles can also clear some air-locking to allow more water to grinds contact area.

Recommended VFiPP Ratio

1:2 to 1:2.5 ratios are recommended for milk drinks.

1:1 to 1:1.5 ratios are recommended for espresso drinkers (not for the faint of heart).

Recommended VFiPP Dose

As a general rule on 58mm baskets, a cafe standard 22g dose or above tastes best. A dose as low as 15g is possible with VFiPP but note - you'll compromise taste.

Flow‑Button Suggestion

Rule of thumb – the brighter you want the shot, the lower the button flow number. Lower doses should also use lower flow button numbers.

Shot WITH pre-infusion - Dose on ~3k hole basket	~15 g	~18 g	~21 g
Dark Roast and/or Months of Roast	4	4 - 5	5
Dark–Medium and/or Month of Roast	4 – 5	5	5 - 6
Medium and/or Weeks of Roast	5	5 - 6	6
Light–Medium and/or Week of Roast	5 - 6	6	6 - 7

Shot WITHOUT pre-infusion - Dose on ~3k hole basket	~15 g	~18 g	~21 g
Dark Roast and/or Months of Roast	5	5 - 6	6
Dark–Medium and/or Month of Roast	5 – 6	6	6 - 7
Medium and/or Weeks of Roast	6	6 - 7	7
Light–Medium and/or Week of Roast	6 - 7	7	7

Button Selection Guide Table: VFiPPs can apply anywhere from ~8–9 bar of iso‑compressive force down to 0 bar (no button installed, i.e., traditional espresso). Experiment to find what you enjoy.

Recommended Puck‑Prep Procedure for VFiPPs

Almost mandatory for VFiPP: Shake your grinds¹ after grinding, in a blind shaker or lidded dosing cup for 3–4 s, flick‑spin dosing cup to loosen grinds, tip into the basket, use a JLeverX multi‑level WDT (or similar) to level, then tamp.

Note: Shaking inside the basket is not advised. Extra small fines stick to the basket base, causing fines segregation and unpredictable flow, which lowers EY.

_{1. Shaking is pretty much mandatory for VFiPPs, because of the compression of the lower layers which can produce "air-locking" if the fines/boulders aren't microscopically distributed in the bottom layer contacting the metal basket. There is one exception: if your grind is so coarse that there is little chance for capillary air-locking as the grind size means the flow capillaries in the puck are too far from the capillary air-locking limit.}

Pre-heating VFiPPs

Preheating VFiPPs is required as the 10g of silicone has a heat capacitance that, when transferred to ~40g of water, will drop the water temperature by 5-6°C. Pre-heating can be achieved by locking in the prepped portafilter/basket into the group head and waiting for the group head to heat up the internals of the VFiPP for a couple of minutes before pulling a shot.

Profiles to Try

Machines with pressure profiling let you experiment with the espresso's characteristics. The three profiles below highlight: 1) fines (body/aftertaste), 2) fruit notes (flavor clarity), and 3) crema (mouthfeel) respectively.

Of course, hybrid combinations work as well; for example, the Fruit Bomb profile combined with the Crema Max reproduces a typical declining lever profile.

Troubleshooting

Espresso Is Too Bright / Acidic / Sour

• Grind finer and use the higher flow button (7)
• Try pulling a smaller dose (allows for a finer grind)
• Don't tamp as hard (allows for a finer grind)
• Pull a slightly longer ratio shot
• Pre-heating the VFiPP plate, group head, and basket
• Try "The Ramp" pressure profile, which allows for a finer grind
• Avoid ultra‑fresh roasts (higher CO₂)
• Increase water alkalinity

If the shot still tastes sharp, switch to a slightly darker roast or different beans altogether; some coffee beans are inherently bright.

Espresso Is Too Bitter / Astringent

• Grind coarser to reduce fines reservoir
• Use lower flow‑button (4 or 5, to allow for a coarser grind)
• Tamp harder (allows for a coarser grind)
• Increase dose (allows for a coarser grind)
• Pull a shorter ratio shot
• Add a pinch of salt to the espresso
• Use the Fruit Bomb or Crema Max profile
• Lower the brewing water temperature
• Try slow feeding your grinder to reduce the fines count

If the shot still tastes bitter, switch to a slightly lighter roast or different beans altogether; some coffee beans are inherently bitter.

Espresso Has Unpleasant, Acidic, Vegetable-like Harsh Notes

Beans are potentially too fresh and there is too much CO₂; VFiPPs can exaggerate air-locking, leading to micro-channeling and over-extracted water channels. Let beans rest longer.

Dark Spots on the Puck's Bottom Layer

Dark spots indicate the grind is too fine for the current pressure profile / button / basket / dose; soluble solids will remain in the puck (due to air locks in the bottom layer). Grind coarser until the spots disappear, or try introducing a pre-infusion phase.

Top of Puck Is Convex After the Shot

If the puck domes upward, the basket is too shallow and the group-head rim is pressing on the VFiPP seal. Use a deeper basket or reduce the dose.

VFiPP Hole‑Pattern Showing on a Bottomless Shot

If you see the VFiPPs hole perforation pattern on a bottomless basket, your grind is too fine and/or you haven’t placed a paper filter on top of the puck. The thinner the puck, the more important the use of a top paper filter becomes.

A Note on Safety

Keep Buttons Away from Children

VFiPP buttons are small, shiny, and attractive to children, so please store plates and loose buttons out of a child’s reach.

Plastic in Contact with Hot Water

We have taken a strong stance against any plastic in contact with hot (or cold water) that may leach micro/nano‑particles, phthalates, bisphenols (BPA & variants), stabilizers (BHTs etc.), and forever chemicals (PFAS) into your coffee. VFiPP plates are not made from plastic; instead, they are made from high‑grade silicone, where these chemicals are not generally used in the manufacturing process, but note, silicone production does involve volatile compounds called siloxanes.

Siloxanes are present in many products (personal‑care, textiles, silicone baking trays, etc.) and were recently banned from EU cosmetics over persistence concerns in the body. In baking tray studies* it was shown siloxanes start to migrate out of silicone at temperatures above 95 °C, which is only just at or above an espresso extraction. Secondly, siloxanes are fat-soluble and not water-soluble, and lastly, an espresso shot only lasts for 25-30s which is too short for significant migration. Taken together, any siloxanes released will only be at trace levels. Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, we've taken further steps. First, we've chosen to use a very low-volatile-containing silicone resin (used to manufacture medical‑grade parts) and second, we've de‑gassed the silicone plates extensively.* Lastly, we tested our VFiPPs to make sure they conform to the strongest food certifications in the world, namely German (LFGB) and Japanese (JFS) food‑grade standards. If you're concerned and so desire it, you can further de‑gas VFiPPs at 200 °C for 2 h.

_{*Studies show thin silicone parts release and de-gas volatile siloxanes quickly (see Fromme et al., Environment International 126 (2019) 145‑152, Fig 2).}

Note: Our recommendation for now is to observe a ~1,000 shot limit on VFiPP plates, at which point you should purchase a new plate.