# Tampers



## RASD4651 (Apr 15, 2013)

Ok Hi All, I'm looking for some feedback from anyone who has a tamper which has a pressure stop at 30lbs. Has it made a difference to your coffee making for the extra cost of buying one? Is it worth it? I have just bought scales and they have made a massive difference. My shots are really consistent but should I consider a pressure tamper?


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## Big Tony (Dec 18, 2012)

Definitely in my opinion. I have the click mat which costs approx £28. I thought I was tamping 30lb where I was actually tamping around 20lb. It's another variable that you can easily eliminate.


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## RASD4651 (Apr 15, 2013)

Thanks Tony. What difference has is made to your shot? Better thicker pour? Did it make you change the fineness of your grind?


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

it shouldnt make any difference to the pour, if you're consistent with tamp.

even if you tamp at 20lbs, if your grind is adjusted accordingly, you should get a perfectly good pour.

all a calibrated tamper will allow, is for you to take one variable out of the equation and adjust the grind simply to suit your desired brew parameters


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

This is what I was thinking. If you're a beginner, it will help you to be consistent tamp after tamp but I wouldn't say it's necessary. Maybe it'll put your mind at ease that it's one less variable to worry about.


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## aphelion (Nov 23, 2012)

Yep, consistency is the key!


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

but... I must admit, the slightly OCD side of me (that as coffee lovers on this scale I think we all have) wouldnt mind trying a calibrated tamper or click mat, just to see how close i am


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I wouldnt get hung up on 30lbs. I suspect our brew pressure vary from 7-15BAR on this forum...its all relative


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

shrink said:


> the slightly OCD side of me


I only feel like that when a friend is round watching me make them a coffee. The look on their faces when they see the trouble you go to, even though for me it just seems totally normal now. They love it when they're drinking it but you can see them rolling their eyes as they think it's all OTT. Haha!


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

shrink said:


> but... I must admit, the slightly OCD side of me (that as coffee lovers on this scale I think we all have) wouldnt mind trying a calibrated tamper or click mat, just to see how close i am


Would it be possible to tamp onto flat kitchen scales? This in theory should give some idea of pressure


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Yes it is possible to tamp onto scales


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## shrink (Nov 12, 2012)

just not sure i'd want something lifted off my bathroom floor to be on my kitchen top


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## chimpsinties (Jun 13, 2011)

So take your Porta Filter up to the bog then


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Ok how about this, going to get a set of precision flat scales and take it to the grind off, so anyone going can test there own tamping pressure, will speak to glen about a small prize for closest to 30lb ( yes I know some of us don't tamp any where near that pressure because of the grind settings they prefer). Might be a bit of fun......


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I tamp based on a combination of muscle memory & the tamper base in relation to the basket rim....I wouldnt care if it was 10lbs or 40lbs.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

ok picked up some precision flat scales, will take them to the grindoff......


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