# Best tamper under £20



## Scouser (Jun 24, 2009)

I'm having to save up for my grinder and don't have much for a tamper, will I get anything ok under £20 ? If so where ? Anything will be better than the plastic thing I have !


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## DonRJ (Apr 3, 2010)

Check out the Domestic Lava tamper at Coffee Hit here http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/PRD_ProductDetail.aspx?cid=28&prodid=805&Product=Domestic-Lava-Tamper

Another popular one is the Happy Donkey tamper, but one of my mates has one and he feels it is a little on the small side for his Gaggia.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

When I first read your post I thought that you'd be spoilt for choice, but a bit of research siggests that there aren't that many tampers in the sub-£20 region. Espresso Services do an all aluminium one - I used to have one for my Pavoni and it worked OK - http://www.espressoservices.co.uk/coffee_tamper.html

Also worth looking at Another Coffee: http://www.anothercoffee.co.uk/products/catalogue.aspx?c=6&g=14

These suppliers, and Coffee Hit that Don mentions are all reliable and great to deal with.

We'd all be interested to know what you decide on.


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## Franzpan (May 11, 2010)

I have the Happy Donkey one, its a nice little tamper. A little small for my basket but a second tamp sorts out the bits that are missed. Feels a really solid tamper, quite pleased with it.


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## Grumpy (Jan 21, 2011)

try espressounderground.co.uk they have a selection


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## Fran (Dec 27, 2010)

I have the 57/58mm tamper from Happy Donkey - it's slightly small for my Classic, which I find a little annoying. But for under £20, you can't really complain!


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## RolandG (Jul 25, 2010)

I've got the Lava from CoffeeHit that Don mentions - a good fit for my Gaggia Classic, maybe a couple of mm slimmer than perfect. The size and weight is good too.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

I've used the Flat Hardwood Tamper from Espresso Services (whenever I'm down there and they make me make the coffee!) and it has a really nice feel & weight - great value for money.


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## Scouser (Jun 24, 2009)

I've gone for the domestic lava, will report back when I get it !


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## Jon (Dec 3, 2010)

Yes I have Happy Donkey one: http://www.happydonkey.co.uk/hd0823-57-58mm-wooden-tamper.html

Seems perfectly good...

Oh just read you bought one as I posted.


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## snegger (Dec 15, 2010)

don't know how good they are but starbucks sell tampers,around £8 they seem well made and good quility,when I asked did they sell tampers the young boy didn't know what I was talking about,so I said the thing you use to sqash the grinds down with,he still didn't know so he had to ask for help lol


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

Hahaha! Sadly I'm not surprised.


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

That kind of ignorance from Starbucks is disgraceful.


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

I've just bought a tamper on ebay which was made and dispatched from the USA for around £26. Pictures and experiences will be posted soon.


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## wolsnah (Mar 9, 2011)

Is there much variance/difference between tampers if you disregard size? Is it a case of finding one that feels most comfortable as well as best fitting, or are they much a muchness? Sorry if it's a stupid question.


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## snegger (Dec 15, 2010)

wolsnah said:


> Is there much variance/difference between tampers if you disregard size? Is it a case of finding one that feels most comfortable as well as best fitting, or are they much a muchness? Sorry if it's a stupid question.


I'm wondering this too,went to buy one of Amazon but the prices were crazy,some were about £80,so got one from Starbucks for £8 which to me is a great tamper,well made,heavy and does the job.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

I think that the most important factors in a tamper are the closeness of fit with the basket, the weight, and how it feels in your hands. You can achieve the first two quite cheaply, the third is down to how much you are prepared to spend. Tamping is probably the closest that you get to grips with the coffee throughout the process, and its understandable that the tactile pleasure in doing this assumes what can seem to be, at first, a disproportionate importance.

It's down to a relationship between the tamper and yourself, and this determines how much you are prepared to pay. Whether or not the extra money is cash well spent is a personal thing. Look at cameras - a run of the mill compact would probably take 99% of the shots I take - but would I be happy with it? And given a lottery win I would be straight out to buy a Leica M9 - but would it improve the quality of my photography? So you end up doing a a balancing act. I've just bought a custom Reg Barber but I've done so because I know that I'll get pleasure from owning and using it. It's got my initials on it, it's pretty and immaculately machined. It's heavy and sits well in my hands. I know that I've got a top-end piece of kit. My wife thinks I'm crazy to spend so much money on it. But will my espresso be any better than if I'd bought a £20 special.....


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## Scouser (Jun 24, 2009)

Well I've been using the lava for a bit now, and am happy with it, as it's a convex one I do wonder if it's any different to a flat one. I've only graduated from the silly plastic things that come with the machine, so I don't know how my current lava one compares to the top of the range, but I'm happy.


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

Hey Scouser, happy is good, whatever anyone else says.

Ian


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## iffy (Mar 5, 2011)

snegger said:


> don't know how good they are but starbucks sell tampers,around £8 they seem well made and good quility,when I asked did they sell tampers the young boy didn't know what I was talking about,so I said the thing you use to sqash the grinds down with,he still didn't know so he had to ask for help lol


I nipped into my local Starbucks (quite a big one in fact) on the off chance they had tampers amongst their accessories. No such luck; just got a blank look and left empty-handed and feeling like a bit of a bit of an idiot.


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## Wando64 (Feb 28, 2011)

I've recently bought the Motta 58mm from Cream Supplies for my Baby Gaggia. The fitting is fairly good; just slightly smaller than the basket but any 58mm tamper would have been the same. It is a heavy object and quite well made, in my opinion, though it is my first tamper. Price £17.39 delivered.


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

DonRJ said:


> Another popular one is the Happy Donkey tamper, but one of my mates has one and he feels it is a little on the small side for his Gaggia.


I agree. I can't get a clean tamp with mine, and find myself having to choose between leaving about 1mm around the perimeter untamped, or doing multiple tamps to try to cover the full area. I don't think either are a good result.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Same issue too! Has anyone on here upgraded from the Happy Donkey one and found one that fits gaggia basket better?

Im having to gently 'tap' the basket with the tamper to get the coffee edges to fall in, then a final tamp....


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Reg Barber 58mm base fits the Gaggia Classic baskets, as do the 58mm Pro-Tamp tampers. No coffee left around the edges to fall in, thus a better seal and less steps before engaging the portafilter

However, both priced 2-3 times more than the budget?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Wando, that's a cracking price! Under £20 too. Well spotted


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

I recently purchased this tamper from ebay:










It was about £26 including delivery from the US. I am still getting used to the feel of it, but it is a solid piece of kit. I went for the American Curve version. The seller has a reasonable range to choose from.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Glenn said:


> Reg Barber 58mm base fits the Gaggia Classic baskets, as do the 58mm Pro-Tamp tampers. No coffee left around the edges to fall in, thus a better seal and less steps before engaging the portafilter
> 
> However, both priced 2-3 times more than the budget?


I read on another forum that the RB 58.5mm fit Classic baskets well, and measuring mine there is easily more than 1mm space around the happy donkey one, any thoughts? Its a lot of money to spend and it doesnt fit !


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I have a 58mm copper base - fits snug. The 58.5mm I have is slightly too big for most Gaggia baskets I try. Although, yours may fit. Suggest taking your portafilter/basket complete to HasBean and seeing how the bases fit. Steve has a good selection of reg barber bases and is just up the M6 from you


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

That would be awesome, Ill contact Steve via Twitter then. Find out if they have time for me. Cheers Glenn


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

Wando64 said:


> I've recently bought the Motta 58mm from Cream Supplies for my Baby Gaggia. The fitting is fairly good; just slightly smaller than the basket but any 58mm tamper would have been the same. It is a heavy object and quite well made, in my opinion, though it is my first tamper. Price £17.39 delivered.


I've just received my 58mm Motta tamper and for me it's no better a fit for the Gagggia Classic basket than the Happy Donkey one (only microns larger) so I'm returning it. Think I'll go for Reg Barber or Pro-Tamp as Glenn mentioned, but one question before I do... If I went for a custom-fitted tamper, what happens when I eventually change the basket? Is usual practise to get a new custom-fitted tamper?


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Has anyone got experience of Torr tampers? How do they measure up, quality etc?


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