Best tamper for Ponte Vecchio Lusso

[josh]

Flat Flat C Convex- what is best?

Thanks Again,
Josh

[HB]

The Lusso has a very forgiving group and thus I would not agonize over the shape of the piston. For what it's worth, I use a flat piston. Also check out To tamp or not to tamp for an interesting discussion of no-tamp Lusso espressos.

[grong]

I think as long as it is close to the proper diameter any shape of tamper surface would do, and it would make no difference with this machine. I personally use Mr. Brown's distribution technique (overfill the basket, cover it with a single basket, toss the grounds up and let them settle, scrape across to level grounds) and use a very light tamp.

[mattx52]

As I'm still waiting for a Thor tamper to arrive from the US (going to have to email Les again to ask what has happened to it), I've had to improvise. I've been using the lid off a small (closed) jar of honey.

Its not ideal, in that whilst the width is perfect, the lid has a 5mm wide, 1mm tall raised rim around the outside, which causes a matching depression in the tamped puck. But it seems to be doing the job fine, even with the Lusso's super small single basket. Before I found the jar at the back of a cupboard, I was using a spoon or even my thumb, and getting pretty decent (if not quite as good) results. Like other posters have said, the PV Lusso is a very accommodating machine - a delight to use.