HB Roadshow - Espresso Tamper Reviews - Page 4

[Worldman]

Espresso Parts Compressore

For my third tamper, I have chosen the Compressore, Espresso Parts $54 tamper. While their website states the handle is powder coated aluminum, I think it looks and feels like plastic, very heavily weighted plastic. On first grab, the Compressore feels top heavy and the handle feels, well, plastic. But the piston has the sure feel (action?) of the best tampers in the RS; tamping and polishing are a dream. For my pudgy Slavic/Magyar hand, the shape is nearly ideal.

I wish that it were possible to make this exact handle in a weighted wood as then it would be my favorite of the whole RS. I tried the EP5 wood handle (also included in the RS) with the Compressore piston and the looks are GREAT. The problem is that the overall height with the EP5 handle is too low (though Cannonfodder/Dave might like it) and the EP5 handle is not weighted yielding a too lightweight tamper.

Overall ranking

This is my ranking of the RS tampers by preference based on their overall feel, performance and looks.
1. Reg Barber & Compressore - these are the ones that performed the best and gave me the most confident feel to my tamping. Reggie gets a little bump based on its wood handle vs. the Compressore powder coat.
2. Torr, Pullman, Bumper, Espresso Craft - these are the real beauties of the show (OK, the Bumper "not so much") that all have a nice feel in the hand and good balance and weight. My problem with the Pullman and Espresso Craft is that they have flat pistons which don't work as well with my machine and the Torr has a most non-aggressive convex piston. I've got no problems with the Bumper and strongly considered putting it in the above group.
3. Lava Deluxe, EP Clicker, EP5 Wood - these are very nice and serviceable tampers.
4. Lava Import, Reg Barber Radical Pro, Thor, EP Pro, La Forza, Coffee Lab - These were all too flawed for me / my hand / my machine but have a definite place and every one of them can allow you to pull a good shot.

I give my heartfelt thanks to HB and EPNW for this experience. Here in the backwoods which is Pittsburgh, PA I would never have had the chance to try out so many top rated tampers in my home and over several day's time.

My apologies to any persons, manufacturers, distributors, etc. for any misstatements or errors in my observations. They are, after all, just one man's opinion. I know that some of the tampers in the final ranking above (vide: Thor, La Forza & Coffee Lab) have very strong followings. It is just that they weren't for me.

I bid you all: much coffee!


Len

[terryz]

Len,

We are glad you enjoyed the HB Roadshow!

[OlywaDave]

Nice reviews Len. I really enjoyed following along with your picks, and the summary this morning was great. You put them tampers to the test and I thought your comments showed lots of sensibility and insight. It seemed like a nice journey for you.

Thank you for participating.

[GreatDane]

Len asked:
"I am sorry for asking, but who is Paul O'Day?"


Paul is a professional barista in the San Francisco Bay area. I loved your review, Len. I also like your taste in Espresso Machines. When I am not playing with my lever machines, my Expobar Office Control gets the lion's share of the workout.

Les

[Worldman]

Les,

Does "pro barista in SFB area" = "pro barista at Barefoot"?

Len

[kaioslider]

Hello all,
I have really enjoyed reading about the RS tampers. My first thought was to try an get on board with this great opportunity to try all these fantastic tampers, but in all honesty, I'm not sure I could give each hammer the proper time due them, so I look forward to the next RS review. I think you have all done such a great job on these write-ups, so I just wanted to give you all a big THANK YOU

[Fr. John]

After getting the kit I decided that the lack of empirical scientific study was lacking in the few reviews that have been posted thus far. To correct this I loaded my three favorites and headed straight down to the University of Iowa Physics department to have these babies bombarded with stray alpha particles in the Fremilab particle accelerator. The results are telling:



Seriously, I've decided that I don't have much to offer in the way of reviews. How much can be said about tampers, probably a lot, but not by me. My first tamper was a cheap double ended aluminum job that I used with my first machine (a Krups single boiler). That quickly went out the window with my first decent machine (Solis SL70) which is when I picked up one of the non-import Lavas from EPNW. I immediately appreciated the difference between it and the cheapo, the weight and ergonomics made a lasting impression.

Recently when I sold the SL70 and moved up to a Vetrano I had to get a new tamper (58mm vs 53mm) as I sold the old one. I knew my tamping, though several years in practice, was not terribly consistent and that moving to a wider piston would introduce another variable making me even less consistent. I started looking around at clickers and ended up with the Espro (more on that later). Though I stated that I didn't have much to say about tampers I would like to add a few comments especially for the uninitiated, many of whom I hope are going to benefit from the final RS reviews. I could make good coffee with any of these tampers, literally. Every tamper in the kit is a cut above (even the Lava import ) and will in most ways exemplify what a good tamper should do and be. I cannot over stress the difference between a heavy well balanced tamper and the plastic one that came with your machine. A well made tamper may not make you a pro barista but it will definitely put you in the mood to be one.

That said the first thing I did with the kit was narrow down what I really liked, in one way or another. It became quickly evident that my preference is for short, stubby, heavy and well balanced. Unfortunately this includes several tampers that have already been reviewed but I suppose that can't be helped. It also negated some obvious detractors namely the EPNW Clicker and the Reg Barber Radical Pro. Though I could have chosen several that filled the bill (one being the La Forza which surprisingly I liked very much) I settled on the following three:



Cafe Kultur TORR

Almost perfect, excellent design and possibly the finest example of craftsmanship in the bunch, this tamper fills all my requirements. The weight is substantial, something I really appreciate. Likewise I have come to realize that I prefer a thick piston, something this tamper has at 14mm. The knob is shaped well and large enough for big hands but I suspect fine for smaller hands as well. The machining and turning I don't think could be better or more precise. My only caveat is that the handle could be a bit shorter. If Jens comes out with the prototype XS version with the same diameter knob as the original I'll be tempted to order one. In all, there is no tamper in the kit that beats the TORR in my opinion.

Coffeelab Design

In contrast to the beautiful wood of the TORR, and equally to my liking, is the striking Coffeelab tamper. I appreciate the cold Kraftwerk reminiscent design of this tamper as much as I do the warmth of the wood tampers. Much of what we see in espresso design is either vintage retro (i.e. Elektra Sixties) or modern stainless utilitarian and this piece fits in with either. It's nice to have the choice if your emphasis leans a little more toward form than it does toward function, though this tamper is no slouch in the latter. The feel is nice, again with good weight a good balance though I would like to see a bit more of the weight toward the top as it seems a bit bottom heavy. The piston shape and thickness are likewise well designed. Excessive "handle tappers" will appreciate the feel and especially the resilience of the rubber top which will show less stress. My caveats; a slightly shorter (yes even with all the spacers removed) and considerably thicker handle (at the narrow part) would be a vast improvement, moving this tamper into to the "hard to beat" category. If you want to jazz up your set-up this is the one. The etched design on the base is also pretty neat.

EPNW Compressore

Lastly is the Compressore. This is, to me, basically the Lava only much nicer. As the Lava was my first real tamper this one was an easy pick for me. Ergonomically the best of the three, even better than the TORR due to its shorter length and slightly more bulbous knob. Machining and finish not on a par with the TORR nor as flashy as the Coffeelab. However this tamper says "basic" in the best of ways, heavy, balanced, nice semi-translucent finish with a good feel. My only real complaint is that the piston, like the Lava, could be thicker.

Pistons

I learned on flat but I have since moved on to convex. It has been some months since using a flat tamper and I have to say I now feel more comfortable with a curved base. The curved base, if used properly, has a way of balancing itself out, making it harder to tamp unevenly. Likewise, I feel that those pistons with extra thickness also help in the same manner and also seem to have the advantage of allowing less coffee to creep up over the edge of the piston. This last observation is completely subjective however.

Shameless plug



I feel obligated to give credit to my current tamper as it possesses most if not all the qualities I have outlined. As I mentioned earlier my tamping technique had fallen a little behind and I decided I wanted to try a clicker of some sort. The design, again reminiscent of the Lava, of the Espro immediately attracted me to it. It has excellent weight, height, thickness and overall ergonomics. The "click" is really quite perfect and nicely unobtrusive. The build and quality are likewise excellent. In the end, I will find it hard to go back to a non-clicky tamper. Admittedly though, the lure of having maybe just one other (maybe a TORR XS), is probably strong enough to sway me.

Though I have no illusions to the value of my particular review I nonetheless have no doubt as to the value of this process as a whole. The culminated information will be extremely helpful to anyone in the market for a new tamper, now and for generations to come (OK, that's a bit of stretch). Thanks to Home-Barista.com and EPNW for doing this.

[Worldman]

Hello all,
I have really enjoyed reading about the RS tampers. My first thought was to try an get on board with this great opportunity to try all these fantastic tampers, but in all honesty, I'm not sure I could give each hammer the proper time due them, so I look forward to the next RS review. I think you have all done such a great job on these write-ups, so I just wanted to give you all a big THANK YOU

KS,

Very kind words...thank you. As far as giving "each hammer [its] proper time due..." I found it pretty easy to form opinions right away based on the feel of the tamper and the feel of the tamping action.

Len

[Worldman]

Fr. John,

Nice and well-reasoned reviews. Also, I really liked the "cool art" of the three tampers "bombarded with stray alpha particles".

Well done!

Len

[Fr. John]

Thanks a lot Len. Not as comprehensive as yours though.

[terryz]

I just thought I would post something here. It has been really quiet in the Windy City.............


Hey Matt! What's the score?

[ThaRiddla]

Hey Terry,

The tampers arrived last Wednesday. Just in time for me to leave to go to the SERBC (WAY TO GO NICK!!!).
Over the weekend Stephen "The Rog" Rogers put about half of them through the ringer and is continuing to do so throughout this week. I can see that we will be needing our full (and gracious) 2 week period for everyone here to get a chance to use these. Initially, The Rog's favorite has been the La Forza with EP Base or as he deemed it "The Fresco".

More to come...

[terryz]

Sweet!

Really, I'm just ribbing Dan, but it is great to get the news direct from the source!

Thanks Matt, and have some fun with the Road Show.

Cheers,

[cannonfodder]

Hey Terry,

The tampers arrived last Wednesday. Just in time for me to leave to go to the SERBC (WAY TO GO NICK!!!).
Over the weekend Stephen "The Rog" Rogers put about half of them through the ringer and is continuing to do so throughout this week. I can see that we will be needing our full (and gracious) 2 week period for everyone here to get a chance to use these. Initially, The Rog's favorite has been the La Forza with EP Base or as he deemed it "The Fresco".

More to come...

Nice to see a pro likes the same setup I found worked best for me.

[ThaRiddla]

I had several folks, including myself test these tampers. For the most part, they were tested on a La Marzocco FB-70 hybrid 2 Group with a Mazzer Robur. This is very similar to what we have in our stores. We used both double and triple baskets during testing.

The testing group attracted a lot of attention:

L to R: Bob Q, James Weiler, Sarah, Andy (Doug Zell and myself behind Andy)

Others tested in their own way, but I pulled somewhere between 15 and 30 shots with each tamper before making any decisions. I wanted to know not only how it initially felt, but how it felt with repetition. One of the most important things to me is comfort over a longer period of time. When we were in the large-ish group, we didn't discuss any tamper until all of us had tried it so we didn't sway one another.

The Players:
Riddla - That's me.
Rog - Stephen Rogers, Roaster and Barista
Sarah - Sarah Kluth, Barista Trainer, USBC Judge
Andy - Andy Carey, Barista Trainer
Amber - Amber Sather, Barista Trainer, 3rd Place in USBC 2006.
Strumpf - Mike Strumpf, Quality Assurance, USBC competitor.

The Tampers:
I'm not listing these in order of favorites (yet), just going by the order on the sheets.

Pullman
Riddla: I felt this had good balance. I liked the bevel on the piston which added comfort to where my fingers fall. I also appreciated the depth on the piston...the lines around the side of the base offered great reference for checking the level of your tamp. One complaint I had was that the sharpish edge on the ball kind of dug into my hand, which made it a bit uncomfortable after a few repetitions.
Rog: Experienced some "sticking" of the piston in the baskets...not quite sure why. Also found the rough edges to be uncomfortable.
Sarah, Amber: The slant and angle of the piston allowed for better stability when tamping.
Andy: Great job of keeping the force of the tamp nearest to the piston.
Strumpf: Very nice piston- good height and bevel. I don't like the hard, flat cut-out of the handle.

Thor
Riddla: This had a comfortable feel and I was able to get some really nice extractions. The polish was a little weird, so I adopted my polish method that I used in the WBC - no loose spin (like a top), but just turning my wrist ¼ to ½ turn. Even using this method, I found it to be "gritty". Grounds kept getting stuck around the edges of the piston portion as well - see image below. I'd be interested in seeing how this held up after a month or so of use in a cafe environment.
Rog: Solid. A little bulky, but easy. A bit rough on the polish and not form fitting...definitely for folks with larger hands. (man hands?)
Sarah: Found it a little awkward, but probably just not used to it. Also had a "frictiony" feel.
Andy: Very aesthetically pleasing. Very comfortable to hold, but not as functional as he might have hoped.
Strumpf: Its very tall base makes it awkward to feel how level I am tamping. The wood base is very difficult to polish with.




Torr
Riddla: The handle was a little too tall for me and it felt "jiggly". I don't really have any other words to describe it. I think it was the bevel of the piston. Great idea, but just wasn't for me.
Rog: Great polish. Good idea with the tapered base (closeup below). The meeting of the base and stem could be better. Experienced thumb and finger problems with the tamper - he didn't elaborate.
Strumpf: Handle is too tall for my hand. I like the handle facing edge of the piston, it helps create a level tamp.




Reg Barber Original
Riddla: One of my favs. I love the OG Reg, but the one that I use and love (THAT I CANNOT CURRENTLY FIND!!!) has a taller, thinner handle and the top isn't as bulky. It's really slight, but it makes all the difference in the world for me. See image below using one that is just like mine (BUT NOT MINE!!!).
Rog: Classic. Smooth and friendly. We all know this one.
Sarah: Very accustomed to this one. Natural affinity to the tamp, but probably because it is what we use at the shop and as a standard.
Strumpf: Handle is a little short for my hand. The base is thin- I have to use my palm to apply pressure because my fingers are resting on the basket rim.




Reg Barber Radical Pro
Riddla: I've used this one before, but never dug into it. I found it to be really top heavy, if that makes sense. Like I was balancing on top, despite my fingers being on the piston. It was a very strange feeling.
Rog: This can work...and well. You have to adjust to the handle and a new style of tamping.
Sarah: I prefer to cradle the handle in my palm while tamping - this handle doesn't allow me to do so. I can see how it's a great learning tool, but not something that I'd choose for every day.
Andy: The above-average length of the handle necessitates an awkward arm angle when tamping. See images below.
Strumpf: The small end is hard to knock with. I'm mixed on how I feel about the change of pressure from your fingers to your fist when tamping.




Coffee Lab
Riddla: I really liked this one. I liked the "grippy" stuff. I liked the transition from handle to piston and I liked the length of the handle. I found the small part to be just a little too skinny. If it were about 2 mm wider, I think it would be perfect.
Rog: Large base. Loved the transition from handle to piston, loved the rubber grip. Wished the stem was wider. If it were a woman, it would be 36-9-48
Sarah: Nice lightness. Great Stability.
Andy: Didn't prefer the rubber feel, and wondered if (with wet hands) it would lead to discomfort/blistering.
Strumpf: Perfect fit for my hand. I like the rubber grip and knocking surface. Nice control for creating a level tamp.

**Guest Judge Doug Zell: Great overall feel and a very nice ability to feel the level of your tamp.




Espressocraft
Riddla: This one is weird for me. I find the balanced-balance very odd. The piston is too thin and it starts to hurt my hand after a while because the piston is flat on top.
Rog: Base Transition is too drastic and starts to hurt the hand after a bit. (check his Frankenstein creation below) He uses this on a daily basis. It's an early prototype EC handle (steel) with a Reg Barber Base.
Strumpf: Nice ergonomics of the handle. I don't like how short and flat the piston is, though.




Espresso Parts Compressore
Riddla: This one has a great feel. I'd like to try this one again for a longer period of time. Great weight, nice balance, nice piston. It fits my hand very nicely.
Rog: Love it. Simple, classic, heavy, extremely functional.
Strumpf: The handle is very heavy and makes for an uneven feeling weight distribution. The piston is very thin.


La Forza
Riddla: The handle was a little bulky for me and I couldn't find a good grip. I found the piston to be a bit thin as well.
Rog: Love it. Great feel in the hand. Great transition from stem to base...and it's pretty. Nicknamed it "The Fresco".
Sarah: Great feel. Very accustomed to the EP base, so that is a plus. Question how the handle would hold up in a cafe environment.
Amber: Great feel.
Strumpf: There is a big gap between the handle and piston. Nice and heavy. The big ball of the handle fits my hand well. Easy to knock with the end of the tamper because of its size.


Lava Import
Riddla: This one felt way too light. It also kept slipping out of my hand between my thumb and forefinger. It reminded me of one of those gel balloons that is turned in on itself and you can't hold on to it too tight.
Rog: Feels cheap, hard to polish, no control.
Sarah: Fits well in my hand. Wishes it was a bit weightier.
Strumpf: Very light, hollow piston. Feels like a plastic toy. Nice thickness of the piston.


Bumper
Riddla: I have one of these at home and it is an on/off feel for me. It's really hard to judge the "tap" pressure with this one. Sometimes I've knocked so hard that I cracked my puck. The response is so different from all the other tamps.
Strumpf: Handle fits my hand very well. Nice bevel on the piston. Piston is tall, well above the basket rim.


EP Lava Deluxe
Riddla: I had a similar experience to the import.
Strumpf: Nice handle feel. All around nice.


EP5 Wood
Riddla: This was a little bit stubby for me, but I liked the feel of it in my hand.
Strumpf: Very short handle makes you have to use pressure from your fist, not your fingers.


EP Pro
Riddla: The top of the handle was digging into my palm with this one. The length of the handle and balance were very nice.
Strumpf: Great feel and balance. Handle fits my hand well. Nice bevel on the piston, but it is a little thin.


EP Clicker
Lots of us had the same conclusion about this one. It has a nice feel, but (for a pro barista) this would be best utilized as a training tool...which is actually what we use it for. We bring this out during trainings, Enthusiast classes and other sessions to demonstrate to people the proper pressure (or at least a starting point) for tamping.



The Favorites:
I'm not sure if these are hard and fast, as a lot of them had some great qualities. I think that almost all of them could be a favorite of mine if there were minor changes. Enough yapping...here they are.

Riddla: Reg Barber Original, Compressore, Coffee Lab (with small changes)
Rog: La Forza, Compressore
Sarah: La Forza, Reg Barber Original
Andy:
Amber: La Forza, Reg Barber Original
Strumpf: Bumper


Check out my Flickr Set of the testing if you want.

[OlywaDave]

Nice reviews... Really good stuff guys.

Something looks a bit wrong with the Espressocraft tamp picture... Looks like it didn't have the appropriate base attatched which may contribute to the "base transition" issue. The handle should roll right into the piston seamlessly.

[ThaRiddla]

Nice reviews... Really good stuff guys.

Something looks a bit wrong with the Espressocraft tamp picture... Looks like it didn't have the appropriate base attatched which may contribute to the "base transition" issue. The handle should roll right into the piston seamlessly.

No, the roadshow one is properly assembled. The one pictured is Stephen's "Franken Tamp". He took an old Espressocraft prototype handle and put it on a Reg Barber base. That is his standard tamp. He even used that at the USBC!

[OlywaDave]

Gotcha. That's hilarious. Thanks for clearing it up.

[luca]

Whoa! Thorough!

Steve from coffeelab has an interesting little trick with his tamper; at the beginning of his shift, he sits it on the drip tray and spritzes some hot water from the americano jet over it, then dries it. Warms up the handle a bit, as well as cleaning stuff off it and softening the rubber slightly.

LOVE the new intelly cups!

Cheers,

Luca

[Worldman]

Matt,

Nicely done!

I really liked the format where each of the barista gave a quick "snippet" on each tamper. (Many I agree with and some I do not...but that is what this is all about.) It had not occurred to me how advantageous it is to have professional barista run these through their paces since where a "home barista" might pull a couple to 6 or 7 shots per day, you guys pull that in a few minutes during the day. Also, we "home barista" can become over caffeinated in short order since we feel a "cosmic" urging to consume all the shots we pull.

This is totally off subject but what I wonder is this: why do everyone's photos look so darn nice and mine are so darn "so-so"? Did you (& Dave/Cannonfodder & Fr. John, et al) use professional photographers? Is my Casio digi camera that "poopy"?

Anyway, thanks for taking the time and spending the effort to do this...WELL DONE!!!

Len