Just realized I blew $45 on a 'revolutionary' coffee tamper that's basically a paperweight

I saw an ad for this fancy calibrated tamper that promised perfect pressure every time, so I ordered it online. It arrived and the base is so uneven my shots channel like crazy, making the coffee taste worse than before. Has anyone actually found a decent calibrated tamper, or are they all a gimmick?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair3962mo ago

Check your technique before blaming the tool, because a bad tamp often causes channeling too. That uneven base might not matter if your grind and distribution are solid. Maybe practice more with what you have before buying another gadget.

the_shane2mo ago

You're right about the bad tamp causing channeling. I spent months blaming my leveler before I really focused on my tamping pressure. It turns out my grind was actually pretty good, but I was tamping way too hard on one side. That uneven base you mentioned became a non issue once I fixed my technique. Sometimes the answer really is just more practice with the basics.

cooper.nathan1mo ago

Totally agree! I had the same exact problem and just focused on keeping my arm straight when I tamp. Now my shots are way more even and taste so much better. It's crazy how such a small fix makes a huge difference.