Silicone gasket for E61 group heads

Group head gaskets are crucial  components for a good extraction. As they are subject to wear and tear they should be changed regularly, which can easily be done by the user.

The DVG group gaskets are made from food grade FDA silicone. Unlike regular gaskets that are made from rubber these do not have any smell or taste whatsoever, and are easy to change since they will not bake rock hard like rubber does.    

If you have ever struggled to change an old gasket you probably could not help but notice the awful smell and the black soot that comes off the rubber (and that is what you are potentially consuming with each drink)

Which thickness is appropriate and good for your machine?

In general terms, the thickness of the gasket will determine the “lock-in” position of the portafilter handle. Ideally you want the handle to lock in directly towards you (6 o’clock position). If the gasket is too thin it will lock in too far, if it is too thick it will not lock in enough

The replica E61 groups made these days are pretty much all the same and the different machine manufacturers then use either an 8mm or an 8.5mm gasket.

8.5mm is likely to be good for most E61 machines except for some Expobar and Bezzera models, for which the distributor recommends 8mm. Also fits Gaggia Classic (only older models, before 2015) as well as the Decent machines.
 

Size (8mm):  73mm x 57mm x 8.5mm