If you're using an espresso machine, you need a coffee tamper. You'll know this, but what you might not know is just how much impact the best coffee tampers can have on the quality of espresso you'll produce at home.

By providing Authority to Leave you agree that the parcel is deemed to have been received when left at your premises. This is a Lelit tamper, Aluminium handle with stainless steel base, and very specifically 57.35mm, to perfectly fit the Lelit 57mm baskets for the Lelit Anna & Lelit Kate. Please note, I'm putting each espresso machine into the appropriate category based on what I believe the tamper size to be.

Normcore Spring-loaded Tamper V4 Features

It’s far better being consistent and tamping the same way every time, instead of seeing it as some kind of biceps powerlifting exercise. OK so that's my advice on tampers, and as you can see there are loads & loads to choose from – and really, you can't go wrong, as long as you're selecting the right tamper for your portafilter. It's worth keeping in mind too, that while in most cases, the tamper is the same size as the portafilter, this isn't always the case. If you want to use a leveler, no problem – but I'd use one as well as a WDT tool, not instead of one, as they do a different job. Maybe you have massive sausage fingers and need a tamper handle the size of a rolling pin, or maybe you have slightly more dainty hands?

Whether you're just getting started or having trouble consistently getting an even tamp, a calibrated tamper can help — especially one designed like Decent's, with a rim that prevents slanted or "sideways" tamping. Consistent Pressure - The amount of pressure you apply is simply controlled by a pre-calibrated spring inside the tamper itself. Moreover, it comes with 3 interchangeable springs to suit your preference. Some baskets are slightly tapered or have a ridge in them, which means that you need a slightly smaller tamper, which is why for example the tampers for Sage portafilters are usually 53mm and not 54mm.

Our top picks for espresso tampers

Another tamper from the well known coffee gear brand Motta, but this one has a slightly different shaped handle, maybe one to try if you haven't got on with more standard handle shapes. One thing I would say, is that I really don't like plastic tampers – and that there should be a rule against brands calling a scoop with a flat bottom, a tamper. A lot of domestic espresso machines come with these flat bottomed scoops which supposedly double as tampers, and these are about as useful as something really not all that useful. There are also leveler tools, which I believe started out with the OCD leveler, and now there are lots of similar devices to this, but I think it's important to point out that these kinds of tools don't quite do the same as WDT. I make no apologies for the fact that I'm obsessed with coffee ;-), I'm sure you'd expect nothing else from someone who actually makes his living from writing & talking about it all day! So, as you can probably imagine, I have lots of coffee tools & accessories, including WDT tools.

Remember, you could also brush your hair with your toothbrush, but you probably wouldn't? Each to their own! ;-). Some of the Best WDT ToolsWhat you'll find is that you just can't get a proper grip on these plastic scoop tamper things, which doesn't make them at all conducive to a level tamp. Many people get something known as upgradeitis quite early on in the home barista journey and spend large amounts of money on seemingly more important bits of kit, namely on upgrading their espresso machine. Anyway, it looks cool, and given that I am already starting to build up a bit of a tamper collection, I might just have to get myself one of these. I wouldn't personally want to tamp to over 15 kg, but some do, there are some pro baristas out there who prefer to tamp at a higher pressure.

We're all different, and thankfully there are lots of different kinds of tampers to choose from, and they're among the most inexpensive part of the necessary home barista kit, so if you do need to replace your tamper further down the line, it's not a huge deal. Another pro 58mm tamper from shop coffee, and I'm including this one in particular because, well, you don't see many baby pink coffee tampers! Making one of the improvements above, using better coffee, improving your grinder or using a better tamper will help you to improve your results, but making all of these changes will produce exponential results, leading you on the path to espresso heaven! If you think I've got any of the machines below, in the wrong category, please do let me know, ta. The Best 49mm Tampers Just keep in mind if you're buying this one that they also sell a 58mm one, so make sure you don't accidentally select that one.

Blog Categories

Burr grinder: A mill designed to crush coffee beans between two abrasive surfaces set a particular distance apart (determined by the user)