Anyone tried them? They look nice in the pictures, and they have three handle styles, but I searched HB and CG and found no info on them. Not in any of the previous tamper evaluations or roadshows that I could see. Price is reasonable at < $30, which is where I'm looking.

http://www.espressoparts.com/category/06baristatoolscoffeetools.01espressotampscoffeetampers.05rattlewaretampers/

Well, I JUST got a Rattleware 53mm Large Round Handle for my SBux Barista and I've got to say I LIKE it.. decent fit in the hand, perfect fit for the basket and overall a nice tamper. One thing it does much better than my Espresso Parts NW EP-5, it has a much smoother, more polished surface and fresh ground coffee doesn't seem to cling to it like it does with the EP-5 (my EP-5 is 51mm for my Gaggia Factory 106).

I also got the Rattleware knockbox (with maple base) and I like that as well, MUCH better than the old SBux round knockbox that I was using before.

These are initial impressions, I've had them for less than 24 hours!

More to come after I've had them a few days!

Tampers are about 99% comfort and < 1% utility

Tamping Twaddle
Some thoughts on tamping (tamping twaddle, part deux)

Do you like a cool metal handle?

I start to test one a couple of years ago before selling them
I personally like the short one
is solid stainless and the abs handle top makes it hand friendly
saying so, I never had a tamper in 9 years that "didn't work"

The one I got is solid SS with what appears to be a rubber cover over the top "half" (approximation). I've got fairly large hands so the large round seemed to be the nicest one for me... Fits quite well in MY hand... seems to handle well...

I got a 55mm (54mm?) Rattleware tamper for my newly-aquired Pasquini Livietta (Olympia Coffex). I like the tamper, it fits my hand nicely and fits the basket perfectly and the price was right

It's ABS just to clarify

I have and use the large round that I got from Espresso Parts. Great weight to it, perfect fit in the 58mm basket with just enough wiggle room for a few grains of coffee. As ntwkgestapo mentioned the polish on the face is smooth and polishes a puck to a shine

I do find that for my hand that the large stands a bit tall. I like the 'squid' move where I palm the ball and then let my fingers rest arround the rim. And that is hard for me to do with the taller handle. Next time I get an order together for EPNW I am going to order the Small Round and see if that fits my hand and style better.

-Cecil