As I said, this HAS been an interesting couple of days!
My equipment: I use an Expobar Office Control which is, um...not stock + Cunill Tranquillo doser-less grinder, EPNW OEM cut nekkid' PF with a (mostly) double, ridged basket.
My settings: The boiler pressure is set to ~0.95 bar (13.8 PSI) as confirmed by a home-made steam wand gauge. The pump pressure is limited to ~ 10 bar (145 PSI) as confirmed by an 1-st Line PF mounted gauge.
My practice: I grind directly into the PF basket and overfill it quite a bit. This is followed with a Stockfleth move, then leveling. I then place the PF onto a thick cotton cloth on the edge of the counter and tamp, first vertically (applying ~34 pounds force), then N-S-E-W. This is followed by swirling 4 or 5 times in the CW direction using only the weight of the tamper as force. I then lightly tap the side of the PF a couple of times with the side of the piston of the tamper. This is followed by a reverse rotation (CCW) of ~ ¼ to ½ turn with reduced downward force of perhaps 20 pounds. The PF is then inverted over the cloth and lightly shaken to drop any stray grounds. I mostly pull doubles and split the espresso between myself and wifey; we each drink 5, 6 or 7 espressos per day, every day of the week/month/year.
This shows the dosing before I went naked...but you get an idea of the amount of grinds I dispense.
EPNW Lava Import
For my three (3) reviews, it was inevitable that one of the tampers I choose be the Lava Import as this is the only non-plastic tamper I have ever owned. I bought it a couple of years ago from EPNW via Ebay for $16 or so and was taken with its smooth and confident feel from the very first tamp.
Mine is the one on the left...or is it the one on the right?
The tag "import" is of some interest as I usually consider that identifying something with a generic "import" usually means that it is imported form China. One would assume that if it were imported from France, it would be called a French import, from Germany, a German import, from Brazil, a Brazilian import, etc. When something is called merely imported (without identifying the country from which it came) it is pretty easy to assume that it came from some country that we do not associate with quality and since so much of US imports do come from China, I always assume China is the country of manufacture. If the source of the lil' Lava is China, we can then wonder if it is made by prison labor; you have all seen the documentaries. Prison labor aside, I have been to China dozens of times (perhaps as many as 80 times) since 1989 and have traveled throughout China a far north as the HEILONGJIANG Province (China's northernmost province - just below Russia), as far west as Gansu Province (only three provinces and one steel mill are west of Gansu) and everywhere south and east of these. Many people assume that China can NOT make quality products. This just isn't so. China has the capability to produce quality. In fact, China has the capability to produce ANYTHING.
The "Import" Lava is clearly outclassed by nearly all the other tampers in the RS but is, I believe, the lowest priced tamper in the RS. Based on its economy alone, it would merit consideration...especially by a self avowed cheapskate like me. The Lava import also feels to me to be the lightest/lowest weight of the tampers in the RS. There is a definite feel of superiority and confidence that a heavy tamper imparts and the Lava import, by comparison, doesn't "meet muster".
Before the RS arrived at my door, I thought the Lava was an ideal fit in my hand. Now, I realize that there are better fits, but the Lava still feels good. Its "action" is as secure as I need; maybe just not as secure as I now want. [DARN you HB & EPNW!!!] While it doesn't have the refinement of the other tampers, it will allow you to pull a really good shot and this IS what it is all about. Here are some pictures of shots pulled with the Lava import doing tamper duties.
Reg Barber - (NOT Radical Pro)
I commented in the my post regarding my preconceptions of the tampers that:
As for Reg Barber, I still don't get "it"...but please allow me to continue my "search".
I never understood the popularity or high-ish price of the RB tamper and assumed that they were popular because most were merely buying that which they were directed to buy. Man, do I ever get "it" now. I think the Reg Barber is the finest overall tamper in the group! This is a strong statement, but I can support it.
The RB seems to almost center itself in the basket. There is a positive feel to the way it enters the basket and an even more secure feel to the way it performs the tamping. Maybe it is that the fit of the RB piston is ideal for my Expobar supplied basket, but I KNOW that it feels right. OK, this sounds like "lunatic fringe" commentary, but it is what I experience with ol' Reggie. It is something about the shape of the handle and more so, the piston, the sides of which look to be straight but behave as if they had a very, very slight taper. It has a sweet polishing feel that is only rivaled by the Pullman, Compressore and Torr, making polishing feel almost as if it is effortless.
Note to self: get one soon.
Here is a double shot pulled with ol' Reggie and the resultant cinos.
Since I can't figure out which tamper to pick for my third, I'll post this and get to number 3 within the next day or so.
Len
. I'll need to know to what precision they'll need the dimensions of my group 
