# Confuse about tamping. How hard to tamp



## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Hi

having read some where, I saw they said tamp the coffee with a force a bout 30bl.

However, I am completely confused when I watch the following videos.

The first one, the guy did tamp very hard

The second one, another guy seemed not tamp at all???






please give your advice. How correct did you tamp?

Thanks

Julio


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## Tiny tamper (May 23, 2014)

Your tamp is relevant to your grind, the finer you grind the lighter you tamp and vis versa, that's a quick explanation of course, say you want a shot to hit 25 seconds roughly, so if your shot is running fast and you always use the same amount of pressure then you tighten the grind. Your technique is more important than simply pressure, whilst it is important it's no more important than distribution, having an even tamp etc so don't get too hung up on one point when no single point will make a shot better, a great routine means you can diagnose things quicker simple as that, there are things to help you with pressure calibrated Tampers and click mat's are the two most common.


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

30 lbs pressure for tamping was always considered normal.

Latterly much lighter tamping is now the norm.

I tamp just enough to flatten the grinds with very light pressure.

Try both methods & see what comes out best for you.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Received wisdom not that long ago recommended 30lbs but this is generally frowned on now. Main thing is consistency. Get used to applying the same tamping pressure but don't get obsessive about it. You can use bathroom scales to get a feel for 10lb 15lb etc. Apply the pressure cleanly and swiftly - spin the tamper without pressure to smooth off the puck and you're pretty much there.


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## JK009 (Apr 18, 2014)

Tiny tamper said:


> ?..so don't get too hung up on one point when no single point will make a shot better...


Take this advice, from now on, I will re-consider every single theory. Thanks


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

The Espro 54.4 helped me a lot with my tamping. That said it needs the full 30lb to make the click and this is not always recommended or required as above. It has still though helped me a lot to understand the tamping force and establish some guidelines. The other thing that I think is extremely important is that it is 54.4 and there is a huge difference to a 54 tamper. There is a tamper in the market that measures and inform you of the tamping force - maybe that is the holy grail for a newbie,if it comes at 54.4.


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## charris (Feb 17, 2014)

Tiny tamper said:


> Your technique is more important than simply pressure, whilst it is important it's no more important than distribution, having an even tamp etc so don't get too hung up on one point when no single point will make a shot better, a great routine means you can diagnose things quicker simple as that, there are things to help you with pressure calibrated Tampers and click mat's are the two most common.


I am not sure about this advice. If you do not break up the process into single entities and try to perfect each one, then how is it possible to improve the whole process? The famous advice is to only change one parameter in your process, if you do not single out these parameters, understand them, play with them and adjust them, then i do not see any other way to understand and improve your whole technique.


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