# Tamper



## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

I recently bought a heavy tamper for my Rancilio Sylva and find that the diameter is such that it sits on the ledge which runs around the inside of the filter basket. It fits the basket perfectly. This obviously means that the coffee can only be compressed to that point. Does this mean that if I fill the basket completely, then the tamper will compress the coffee to the level of the ledge which will represent perfect compaction? If I put 14g of coffee into the basket however, the tamper hits the ledge without much pressure being applied. Certainly nowhere near 30lb.

Happy donkey advertise a 57mm diameter tamper arguing that 58mm is no good. Have I bought the wrong type? Any advice would be appreciated.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Standard baskets are 57mm because of that ridge. Most swap out the basket for a strada/vst/IMS basket which extract more effectively and accept 58/58.35mm tampers.


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## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

That's good advice thanks.


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## kedo (Feb 9, 2014)

Michael. Do you know where I can buy such a basket.

Thanks

Jack


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

kedo said:


> Michael. Do you know where I can buy such a basket.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Jack


Coffee Hit, one of the forum sponsors, sell a variety of baskets - http://www.coffeehit.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=basket


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

They are also available on ebay, although Coffee Hit have a large choice, I would suggest the 16/20g and 12/18g IMS Competition baskets rather than VST ones as they seem a lot more forgiving so far. I also worth mentioning that you don't have to stick to 14g of coffee try experimenting with a higher dose say 17g or so, I don't think many on the forum go with the Italian specification of 7g for a single and 14g for a double, probably the most common weight for a double is 16-18g.


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## AussieEx (Jul 10, 2013)

I find I dose my standard Silvia double with 16g of a darker roast and up to 18g of a lighter roast. 14g results in tamping to the ridge, and (more problematically) channeling.


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