# Motta Tamper



## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Hi guys,

I wanted a Torr tamper but after just buying a Gaggia Classic I cant afford £37 for one tamper.

So I saw some Motta 58mm Tamper for £14. Are these any good and will they fit the Gaggia Classic portafilter?

Thanks


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Really good quality & value with a good weight to it.....been using one for years


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## Yes Row (Jan 23, 2013)

They are excellent value for money, I use one daily.


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## suferick (Jul 19, 2011)

And it will fit the Classic just fine. Now you have to decide: flat or curved?

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

Thanks









Not sure about flat or curved. Was thinking flat! Used curved for my Cubika Plus but it was uneven sometimes.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

You probably know anyway, but try Cream Supplies for all things Motta!


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

mike 100 said:


> You probably know anyway, but try Cream Supplies for all things Motta!


Yeah thats where Im getting it from.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

I use flat with no problems. Majority seem to like a curved based of some sort.


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## glevum (Apr 4, 2013)

Yeah. Great service from cream supplies


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## Big Tony (Dec 18, 2012)

I use one with mine. Although they are excellent, I would mention that there is a very very small gap when you place the tamper inside the portafilter. This is acceptable by most but some people opt for the madebyknock 58.3mm tamper to complete a snug fit. Your choice in the end


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Convex everytime for me.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Motta is a good Tamper for the Gaggia standard doubles baskets.

I think some of the standard gaggia double baskets can come up slight small. My Made By Knock 58.3 fits super snug on larger doses (when I fill basket) but on lower doses I've noticed it can catch where the basket start to taper in. Although from what I can gather this differs from basket to basket.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

I would get made by knock but its £30+ for 58.35.


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## Big Tony (Dec 18, 2012)

nekromantik said:


> I would get made by knock but its £30+ for 58.35.


Let me assure you that if you're starting out on this road to perfection, £30+ for an item that will keep forever is a drop in the ocean. I've paid more for a months worth of coffee!! I bought the motta tamper that you're considering and I'm now looking at a Torr tamper. They retail at around £40 for a basic tamper but once I've purchased it, I can't see me needing another for many years.

I'm buying the Torr because that small gap annoys me on the motta. It's a great little bit of kit for the money but just be careful you don't regret buying it and end up buying another


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Well put Tony!


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## robti (Mar 27, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> I think some of the standard gaggia double baskets can come up slight small. My Made By Knock 58.3 fits super snug on larger doses (when I fill basket) but on lower doses I've noticed it can catch where the basket start to taper in. Although from what I can gather this differs from basket to basket.


Is that not because a standard double is only 58, are the 58,3 ones not VST,strada,LM specials.

I thought if you got a 58.3 tamper you had to go for one of the matching baskets

Robert


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## robti (Mar 27, 2013)

nekromantik said:


> I would get made by knock but its £30+ for 58.35.


Think you need to check the prices again on them £26 when i look

Robert


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

robti said:


> Is that not because a standard double is only 58, are the 58,3 ones not VST,strada,LM specials. I thought if you got a 58.3 tamper you had to go for one of the matching baskets


VSTs and LM Stradas come with straight sides (no taper at the bottom). So an over-size tamper fits really snugly with no need to over-tamp any grind around the edges of the puck giving a much more even consistent tamp.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

True tamps last long time.

Once I perfected by espresso brewing then I may well upgrade in 6 months time.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

If you get a motta tamp, it will do everything you need it to, if you subsquently decide to buy a new tamp in the future you will barely lose any money on a tamper from cream supplies, so IMO get the motta, pound for pound they are one of the best you can get.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

coffeechap said:


> If you get a motta tamp, it will do everything you need it to, if you subsquently decide to buy a new tamp in the future you will barely lose any money on a tamper from cream supplies, so IMO get the motta, pound for pound they are one of the best you can get.


Yeah I used the 54 version for my Cubiika Plius.

They are good.

Bit annoyed as Cream Supplies downgraded standard service from first class royal mail to second class and did not reduce price of postage!


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## Savo (Apr 9, 2013)

Sorry for jumping in on this thread but i want to order a tamper today, cream supplies works out at £17.34 delivered for a 58 curved Motta vs £26 delivered for a 58.35 curved madebyknock, which should I order?

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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

i thought made by knock didn't do curved 58.35?!! He has tremendous quality products and it'll fit much snugger in the basket!! Could you post the link for the curved 58.35?

Thanks


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## Savo (Apr 9, 2013)

Oops sorry they don't I'm being stupid again :banghead: I've ordered a 58.35 flat madebyknock tamper so fingers crossed it fits. Next on the shopping list is a vst basket.

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## truecksuk (Sep 22, 2011)

welll.. If you email him, he might actually be able to make it convex!!

I spoke to him about this some weeks ago,, actually, i've emailed him and am waiting a reply on my request LOL!


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## MStambo (May 27, 2013)

Ordered a madebyknock 58.35 Heft Tamper, they have a deal on currently (ends 11th June) where you get the Heft Tamper and a heavy duty rubber Lippy corner mat for £35 delivered. I emailed Peter at madebyknock because in my haste to order, I forgot to specify if I wanted the 58 or 58.35mm tamp and I was impressed to receive an email reply from Peter within an hour acknowledging my request and informing me that it would ship today.


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## Savo (Apr 9, 2013)

Well the tamper arrived recorded delivery today so very pleased with the quick delivery. Tamper is a little big for one of my double baskets but fits the other fine.

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## krf1963 (Jun 10, 2013)

I just bought a 58mm black ceramic Heft from Knock as a second quality and I am struggling to see the problems with it. Only query I have is that on the Knock site, they say"welcome to the heft. nigh on half a kilo of metallurgical mass in its 58mm incarnation. a rounded 1lb averdupios for those who think in old money."

however mine only weighs around 360g including handle. Still like it but I am a little confused.


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## drude (Apr 22, 2013)

That weight is for the metal handled version. I experienced exactly the same confusion when my heft arrived.


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## nekromantik (Nov 13, 2011)

My Motta tamper is great. A little bit small for my Gaggia Classic double basket but does the job.


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## krf1963 (Jun 10, 2013)

drude said:


> That weight is for the metal handled version. I experienced exactly the same confusion when my heft arrived.


Ah! that explains it! A little unclear though. Thanks.


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## Iwwstriker (Dec 6, 2013)

Woah, thanks to this post, I can finally have some deeper insights about choosing the right tamper for myself. I am just facing some problem, not sure whether to go for a flat base or a curved base, and for curved, how curved it should be? Torr has so many choices that I can't even make up my mind right now...


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## andyt23 (Nov 24, 2013)

looking to buy my first tamper, don't mind paying about 30 quid.

I'd appreciate a bit more insight into flat vs curved too though, rather than a straight up recommendation of a particular model


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

flat versus convex

58.4mm in conjunction with a VST basket - recent data shows flat allows a higher % extraction

anecdotal evidence has reported visually better pours (and result in the cup) when using a convex base tamping on a mound, rather than groomed-flat bed of coffee.


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## Iwwstriker (Dec 6, 2013)

Hurray, just ordered my Motta tamper with aluminium handle, apparently it's the only metal handle that motta has, well, actually from what cream supplies uk ltd's website display... =) oh well, just waiting patiently for the tamper.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm finding whether I groom the mound(oo-er missus) to a flat bed or tamp the mound I'm getting better results with my Torr 58.4 convex on both the Sage and the Classic than with my KNock 58.35mm heft with a flat base.


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## Iwwstriker (Dec 6, 2013)

Tamp the mound, I would suggest, then groom it, but not tamp it partially and tap the filter with the tamper, it looks cool, but apparently, it was said to create small canyon cracks in the tamped coffee powder which you just tamp nicely. As suggested by "SeattleCoffeeGear" on youtube. Found them a week ago. But I am still gonna go on with the tapping on the side of the filter, it looks so cool!! ahaha


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## andyt23 (Nov 24, 2013)

Could it be that a different shape may just suit a different user better? Or could it be the difference in shape of the handles, one more easy to adjust pressure/feel? There can't be much in it (newbie assumption), especially when you add individual technique/skill of the user.

All I've used is the wee Gaggia plastic one so far, so I mean these points as questions more than views.

Guess it might be one of those things that you just have to try. With that in mind I think I'd go flat first (feels more conventional) and maybe try convex with a different hand shape when I have nothing else to spend my pocket money on sometime...


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

If your grinder produces a lovely mound of coffee then a convex is the way to go, convex tamps produce a fab seal as they push the coffee out to the outer edge of the basket, I have all kinds of tampers but I invariable go to one of the convex tampers every time.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

andyt23 said:


> Could it be that a different shape may just suit a different user better? Or could it be the difference in shape of the handles, one more easy to adjust pressure/feel? There can't be much in it (newbie assumption), especially when you add individual technique/skill of the user.
> 
> All I've used is the wee Gaggia plastic one so far, so I mean these points as questions more than views.
> 
> Guess it might be one of those things that you just have to try. With that in mind I think I'd go flat first (feels more conventional) and maybe try convex with a different hand shape when I have nothing else to spend my pocket money on sometime...


The size of the handle on your tamper can make a difference I find my Torr XS handled tamper easier to use that either of my 2 Knocks, but I have weird hands large palms and stubbyish finger, need a a size xl glove to fit on my hand but the fingers are always too long lol.


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## andyt23 (Nov 24, 2013)

thanks coffeechap - so my grinder (until I can afford better, the Dualit one that was given away free here a couple of weeks ago), collects the coffee in a container, then I have to pour it into the basket.

I have been tending to give it a shake/tap to kind of level it before I tamp, is that wrong?

Should I be trying to get a heap, or is that only if I have a convex tamper. I can see I'm going to have to get a better one pretty quickly, the one I have seems a bit too small too.

Is it worth going convex first if my grinding and basket filling process is merely as described?


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Try to avoid tapping, if you spoon the grinds into the portafilter into a mound then just tamp it, alternatively, you can stir the grinds in the portafilter, but avoid tapping.


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## aFiercePancake (Dec 8, 2013)

I am late to this thread but can attest to the Motta. Very good tampers!


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