A:AnswerYes it does. Selecting 1 cup or 2, adjusting the grind size, and the fill amount will all affect the grind time but, the grinder will automatically stop based on your settings.
A:AnswerWhile it may not be as course as is needed for a drip coffee maker or pour over, there's no reason you can't just grind the coffee into another vessel than the porta filter
A:AnswerI think I have seen on Breville’s website some models have a variety of colors. Best Buy offers several models in a beautiful blue or in a black truffle.
A:AnswerI think you can use ground coffee… but actually I find that if you buy an espresso machine you should use a finer grind (varies by machine). If the espresso shot is pulled too fast or slow it can have a pretty unpleasant taste in your drink. I recommend watching some videos on YouTube regarding using pre ground beans in an espresso machine. Hopefully they can help advise you to pull the perfect Americano.
A:AnswerSeveral tips… I use a dishcloth to pull mine… but in some videos I have seen the instructor use another filter basket edge placed in the notch at the side of the portafilter and gently pry it up that way. I find the more you remove it the easier it becomes. Only suggestion is be gentle as not to scratch the porta filter
A:AnswerAs far as my knowledge of the Breville Line almost all units use 54mm except the Oracle series which use the 58mm. I would watch some videos on the Oracle series and on the Barista line. That is I found in my research when I was searching for a bottomless portafilter.