Guide · Dosing funnels and cups
How to choose a dosing funnel
A dosing funnel keeps grounds in the basket while you grind and stir. Which size to buy for Breville, De'Longhi and 58 mm machines, and what to check on a listing.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Unless a page says otherwise, our picks come from published specifications and listing research, not hands-on testing. How we make money · How we research
Short answer
Buy a dosing funnel sized to your portafilter, not to your tamper: 54 mm for Breville's 54 mm machines and 58 mm for 58 mm machines, which is how Breville, Normcore, ECM and Profitec size their own.[1][2][3][4] Then check how it seats and, for a magnetic funnel, that your portafilter holds a magnet. It is worth having if you grind straight into the portafilter or stir with a WDT tool.
What a funnel does
A dosing funnel, also sold as a dosing ring, is a short collar that sits on top of the portafilter. It extends the basket wall upward, so grounds stay in the basket while you grind into it and while you stir them with a needle tool. Without one, some of your weighed dose ends up on the counter.
A dosing cup is a different tool: you grind into the cup, then pour the grounds into the basket. Cups suit grinders that cannot hold a portafilter, and they let you shake or stir the grounds before they reach the basket.
Size: match the portafilter
A funnel sits on the portafilter rim, so it follows the portafilter's nominal size. A tamper or puck screen has to fit inside the basket, which is why those tools are a little smaller.
| Machine family | Funnel size | Where the number comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Breville Barista Express, Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch, Touch Impress | 54 mm | Breville's own BEA201 funnel lists all five[1] |
| Breville Bambino, Bambino Plus | 54 mm | Normcore lists 54 mm; Breville's BEA201 list does not include them[2][1] |
| Breville Dual Boiler and Oracle | 58 mm | Normcore[2] |
| Gaggia Classic, Rancilio Silvia and other 58 mm machines | 58 mm | Normcore; ECM's and Profitec's own funnels are 58 mm[2][3][4] |
| Lelit Anna (LELIT57 group) | 57 mm | Normcore, which says these machines need 57 mm tools[2] |
| Flair PRO 2 | 45 mm | Normcore[2] |
| De'Longhi manual machines | 51 mm class | No maker funnel spec we could verify; De'Longhi's own tamper is 51 mm[5] |
Breville's Bambino and Barista Express both use a 54 mm portafilter, per Breville's own pages.[6][7][8] Even so, Breville does not list the Bambino models for its own funnel. That does not mean a 54 mm funnel will not fit them; it means Breville has not said so, which is why we name the source for each row.
Model-specific exceptions exist. Normcore says its 53.3 mm dosing cup is not compatible with the Barista Express Impress or similar models, even though Breville's own funnel lists the Impress.[9][1] If a listing names compatible models, check that yours is one of them.
How it seats: on the rim or inside the basket
Funnels hold their place in one of two ways. Some sit on top of the portafilter rim. Others have a lower lip that drops just inside the basket. Listings do not always say which.
What to check:
- A lip that drops inside the basket sits within the space your WDT needles stir. Check that your tool still reaches the edges.
- A funnel that sits on the rim must match the rim's diameter closely, or it will slide around when you stir.
- Height. If you grind straight into the portafilter, the funnel adds height under the grinder's chute. Check that the portafilter and funnel still fit in the grinder's holder.
Magnetic or not
Magnetic funnels have magnets in the base that grip the portafilter. Profitec's own 58 mm funnel is magnetic, for example.[4] Magnets grip only some metals, so how well a magnetic funnel stays put depends on what your portafilter is made of. Before you buy, hold a fridge magnet against your portafilter's rim. If it does not hold, choose a funnel that seats by fit instead.
Materials
Funnels come in aluminum, stainless steel and plastic. Breville says its BEA201 funnel is BPA free and dishwasher safe.[1] On AliExpress, material claims are the seller's. Neither of the funnel listings we track documents food-contact compliance, and the MHW-3BOMBER listing marks food contact as not required.
Grounds only pass through a funnel on their way into the basket, but if documentation matters to you, ask the seller for it or choose a maker that publishes it. In the US, a food-contact item's status depends on each substance that could migrate into food, not on a "food grade" label.[10]
Brand funnels on AliExpress
MHW-3BOMBER's and IKAPE's own web stores both sell dosing funnels and cups, which lets you check a model's sizes on the brand's own site before buying it on a marketplace.[11][12] That does not prove that a particular AliExpress store belongs to the brand.
Before you order
- Size by your portafilter: 51, 54 or 58 mm, or 57 mm for a LELIT57 machine.
- Check model notes in the listing, especially for the Barista Express Impress.
- Decide rim-seated or inside-lip, and check it against your WDT tool.
- Do the magnet test if the funnel is magnetic.
- Check the height under your grinder if you grind straight into the portafilter.
Next
Questions
What size dosing funnel fits a Breville Barista Express?
54 mm. Breville's own BEA201 dosing funnel is listed for the Barista Express, Express Impress, Barista Pro, Barista Touch and Touch Impress.[1]
Does a dosing funnel fit the Breville Bambino?
Normcore lists a 54 mm funnel for the Bambino and Bambino Plus. Breville's own BEA201 funnel list does not include the Bambino models, so check that a listing names yours.[2][1]
Will a magnetic funnel stick to my portafilter?
Only if the portafilter's top edge is a metal that holds a magnet. Try a fridge magnet on the rim of your portafilter before you buy a magnetic funnel.
Is a dosing funnel the same as a dosing ring?
Yes. Sellers use both names for a collar that sits on top of the portafilter. A dosing cup is different: you grind into it, then pour the grounds into the basket.
Do I need a funnel for WDT?
It helps. Stirring flicks grounds over the rim, and a funnel extends the wall so they stay in the basket. See what is WDT.