Guide
Leaking Portafilter? Sage Group Gasket and Shower Screen Parts
If water or coffee runs down the outside of the portafilter during a shot, the seal between the portafilter and the group head is not holding. The usual cause is a hardened or worn group gasket, but not always. Check the simple things first, then find the right part number for your exact model.
Check these first
- Debris on the rim. Coffee grounds on the basket rim or on the gasket stop it sealing. Wipe the rim before locking in the portafilter.
- Dose. Too little coffee leaves a gap under the shower screen; too much can stop the portafilter locking fully. Your instruction book gives the recommended dose for each basket.
- The right basket. A basket from another machine, or a non-Sage basket, can sit too high or too low. See single-wall vs dual-wall baskets for the part numbers Sage lists for each model.
- How far the handle turns. As a gasket hardens, the portafilter usually has to be turned further to seal. If it now turns well past where it used to stop, the gasket is a likely suspect.
Part numbers for 54 mm machines
| Part | What it is | Listed for (models visible on Sage’s page) |
|---|---|---|
| SP0025526 | Gasket Shower 54mm — the group head gasket | BES810, BES870, BES875, BES878, BES880 |
| SP0001475 | Screen Outer Shower 54mm | BES810, BES870, BES875, BES876, BES880 |
| SP0025527 | Filter Showerhead 54mm | BES878, BES880, BES882 |
Sage’s gasket page shows five models and a “View More” control that loads more in the browser. If your 54 mm model is not listed above, the gasket may still be listed for it on Sage’s own page: check there before ordering.
Notice that the Barista Touch BES880 appears on both shower screen pages. Sage does not explain whether the two are alternatives or different layers of the same assembly, so compare your existing screen with both official listings, or ask Sage support.
Part numbers for 58 mm machines
For the Dual Boiler BES920, Sage lists the 58 mm outer shower screen SP0020053. We have not yet found a Sage UK page that links a 58 mm group gasket part number to a 58 mm model code, so we do not list one here. Do not assume a 58 mm gasket sold for another brand is the same part.
Replacing the parts
Follow the cleaning and maintenance section of your instruction book. In general: switch the machine off, unplug it and let the group head cool completely before touching it. Sage lists a hex key for several models (for example SP0001523) because some shower screens are held by a screw. If your instruction book does not describe removing the gasket, or the parts are seized, Sage’s support team or an authorised repairer can do it.
Replacing a gasket does not fix a leak caused by the wrong basket or by a damaged portafilter. If a new gasket does not help, compare your portafilter with the part number Sage lists for your model: for example SP0027237 for the Barista Express and Barista Pro.
Related: check a part before you buy