Hi,
I've been using an unpressurised after market basket and handle with my Delonghi Dedica for a while. It makes just OK espresso. I dont think my grinder is up to scratch tbh.
I thought I'd try a pressurised basket, but for some reason the espresso sprays out of the spouts laterally, making a huge mess, as pictured. Obviously this didnt happen before.
Any idea why? I tried a finer grind, distributing the coffee better, and tamping harder and more evenly. No cigar.
(Why a pressurised basket? The best espresso I've ever had out of this particular machine was with the stock handle and stock pressurised basket. Why not use those then? Because the stock basket doesnt grip the handle well. It falls out into the knock box when you bang it. I hate this with a passion)
Idk about your model, but my delonghi handle has a plastic pin thing with a channel inside that sits underneath the center hole on the pressurized basket for the pressurized stream to hit, which calms down the flow before it comes out. If yours has one maybe it fell out wherever you stored it? It just sits in there so it would fall right out if tipped upside down.