I have two (one for each of my two Gaggia Factory lever machines)...

One of these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Large-Long-Handle-Espresso-Tamper-Stainless-Steel-Base_W0QQitemZ280264244919QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20671QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

And one of these...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Heavy-Stainless-Steel-Tamper-weights-one-pound-plus_W0QQitemZ280263244448QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20671QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

They're from HaiPham at "Precision Tamper Maker" (available through e-bay). I'm very pleased with the quality of his work - as well as the speed with which he fills orders. He makes quite a few different models (seems he's been expanding his line with new models all year) and each model is highly customizeable as to base diameter and choice of convex or flat bottom. The difference between the two I have is that the first has a stainless steel base and an aluminum handle. The second is all stainless steel and much heavier - a full pound. The second is a newer design. I love the extra heft - and may eventually replace the older aluminum/stainless steel model with a second all stainless steel...

BTW, both tampers actually look much nicer in person than what appear to be the "CAD" and "semi-CAD" images he posts and I've uploaded. (At some point I'll take/upload actual photos of mine, but presently, I'm at work with one tamper at home and the other at the beach house...)

r-gordon-7

Richard, if you love those tampers so much, maybe this item would interest you.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI....MOBOX:NEWLIST#LIST

Thanks, Scott - Very interesting...

Let's see... $95,000.000 - at, let's say, an average charge of $20 per tamper (a reasonable figure - some of his tampers sell for more, some for less) - and one would "only" have to sell a mere 4,750 tampers to cover the cost of the machine (ignoring all other costs, such as raw materials, etc...) I think I'll pass. No, I think I'll order that second 1 lb tamper while he's still in business...

"How many tampers... " indeed

r-gordon-7

2 x RB tall handles (one black delron, the other an older HasBean branded one) the black delron one is easily the best, finish and comfort-wise
RB s/s bases: Flat (58mm) US curve (58mm) Euro curve (58mm, 57mm) C-flat (58mm)

Iberital tamper (like Darren's) 57-point-something mm

Thor triple play 58mm flat

Isomac double-ended aluminium (my first: way too small for a 58mm basket)

I do use different ones for different baskets, but I have to confess that for my particular E61 machines, I find I get the best general results with the RB Euro curves to be honest, even though I tell myself it shouldn't matter and keep trying the others...

Jon

3
Cheapo 58mm Lava for Mazzer neck usage
Custom Reg Bubinga 49.3mm flat
Custom Richard Penney 49.4mm very slight convex
Oh yeah, a extra Reg 51mm brass "Cflat piston

Guess that makes 3.5, not the 3 I indicated by my earlier "vote."
Geez, election fraud on HB

2.5
1.5 RB Bubinga/RB Logo with a 58.2mm c-flat and 58mm flat base
1 Espro 58 flat

"Cheapo" 58mm Lava convex for espresso use.

Even Cheapo-er dual sided aluminum tamper for grinder neck and for my Presso....the small side is a perfect fit.

By the way, how do those C-flat tampers seem to work.

A Reg Barber, HB branded Reg Barber, LaForza with the column piston, a lava tamp, another Reg, a generic rosewood, handles change. I have a lathe so I turn my own to suite my taste.

Four, but only use two as tampers. Plus one RegBarber 48mm flat base. The 1st nice tamper ever purchased was the Vivace Ergo 58mm. It now sits as a weight in the mini-hopper of the MaCap MX. The two I use are a 49mm RegBarber for the Elektra Micro Casa a Leva and a 44.?mm RegBarber for the Ponte Vecchio Lusso 2. The other is a 45mm RegBarber. Bit too tight for the Lusso.

cannonfodder wrote:I have a lathe so I turn my own to suite my taste.

How do they taste?

Well, looks like I need to change my vote from two tampers to three. I went ahead and ordered another stainless steel large long handle "one pounder" from HaiPham at "Precision Tamper Maker". It arrived today. This one is just like the other I already have (51mm for use with either of my Gaggia Factory machines), but for this one I decided to try a convex bottom (my other being a flat bottom). Here's a photo of these two... (the new convex bottom tamper is on the left):



Seems there are some very minor differences between these two other than just the convex vs flat bottom... The convex bottom tamper is slightly taller and has a slightly vertically elongated egg-shaped "ball" at the handle top - the "ball" at the handle top of the flat bottom tamper is closer being a spherical. One more difference - neither one weights exactly one pound. The convex bottom model weighs 17.760 oz. The flat bottom model weighs 18.560 oz.

I doubt wether any of these differences in weight or handle shape make any difference in the pull or cup, but it will be interesting to see if the differences in bottom shape do make any difference in the pull or cup... (experimentation is at least half the fun )

r-gordon-7

I wish all of these were mine But I do own three tampers, a Lava Deluxe, a Reg Barber with copper base (which has taken on a nice color after two years), and a new Pullman (you can see in the pic with the checkered pattern). They're all great, but the Pullman is my favorite, the Lava has been relegated to sitting on my mazzer.

The brass ripple base is a Christmas present:





The short tamper handle is purple heart. The tall is the bubinga. I only use the short one.

Both are Reg Barber. A friend made that piece of wood that I use as a tamping base.

Not including the plastic one that came with the machine... zero. But I have this one on order from http://www.wholelattelove.com ...

1 Reg Barber for now.

I have just purchased my first tamper from Precision Tamper Maker via ebay, it's an Heavy Espresso coffee tamper stainless steel and I am very satisfied both from the precision CNG making both for how it works.
It's a 49mm flat base and weight 523 g.
The design has been updated compared to the tampers of the same manufacturare shown in this thread

Oh dear!

I own a small army of them and have more on order!

1xRB 51 C-flat with ball handle for the Pavoni
1 x the same but 49 for the Elektra and Cremina (with round wooden handle)
1 x 58 mm flat RB used in a previous pump machine and now on Mazzer throat duty
1 x very cute 43.5mm or whatever it is Caravel-matching orange tamper from Orphan Espresso
1 x ally tamper supplied with Cremina plus an assortment of black plastic thingies

And then I have a Thor tamper plus various handles and things for the Elektra and Cremina which have been on order since last May.....

I love how the data from the poll tell that if you get to 3 tampers and still get the itch to get more....all hope is lost. There is no such thing as "just one more" after that point. I'm at 2 currently and will have to keep that in mind as the point to ponder if I've actually completely lost it or not.

1 Espro flat bottom

6 Reg Barber. 3 radical pro, one bubinga with steel base and two maple one with cobber base and one with steel base. 3 tall one maple, one wenge and one zebra all with steel bases.
3 Bumper, all T-handle. Two rubber, one flatt and one curved and one alu. with flat base.
4 Pullman. two deluxe, one Jarrah and one Australian Oak. Two Barista tamper, one Acetal and one Australian Oak.
So in total 13 tampers