Need a kid sized tamper

[old442]

A 10 year old daughter of a friend makes a mean espresso but struggles with the large tamper and I want to get her a tamper that fits her hand. If anyone has a recommendation of a good quality tamper that fits small hands well I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[HB]

I have a lot of tampers and my young sons frequently comment on the ones they like and why. One of their key criteria is how well it spins, which gives a distinct advantage to those with convex pistons.

Is it safe to assume you wish to go for a value leader? If so, the Xpressivo Luce or economy Lava tamp are two good choices. If price is no object, I can line up a bunch of tampers and ask my boys to pick their favorites. But be forewarned, they have expensive taste (e.g., the adjustable Coffeelab Design).

[old442]

Is it safe to assume you wish to go for a value leader?

Actually, no.
Her dad owns a coffee shop and she wants to get into barista competitions in a few years. She's truly a sweetheart and always makes me a killer shot. She's worth it.

[cannonfodder]

E-mail Reg Barber and ask him to turn you a short, small bulb tamper that will fit a child's hand, or Les over at Thor tampers and see if he could turn you a small handle that would fit a Reg piston. Then as she grows, she can get a new handle and screw it onto the piston.

During the tamper roadshow I believe the EspressoParts NW EP5 tamper had a rather short handle and small bulb.

[Psyd]

Actually, no.
Her dad owns a coffee shop and she wants to get into barista competitions in a few years. She's truly a sweetheart and always makes me a killer shot. She's worth it.

Then it's probably worth it to take into account her specific preferences of tamp, and get the one that suits her style. Read through the roadshow thread, as we discovered that there were things that we really liked about tampers that we didn't even know existed when we went looking for a tamper. Once she has an idea of how she wishes to use the tamper, (and, at ten, I'd spend the money on a kinesiologist or some sort of sports-medicine or at least a physical /occupational therapist to keep RSI at bay) and then have one made that is safe, ergonomic, and user-friendly. Maybe a Hello Kitty? Or is she more of a Bad Badtz Maru kid? ; >
Seriously, if she's gonna get into some serious tamp time, this is the time to start her on healthy habits. Growing bones and all....

[sultanoswing]

Oh, I see what you mean....I thought you were after a 3 foot high, 30kg sized-tamper!

[HB]

Her dad owns a coffee shop and she wants to get into barista competitions in a few years. She's truly a sweetheart and always makes me a killer shot. She's worth it.

Today I lined up an Espressocraft, Coffeelab Design, Reg Barber classic, two EPNW original design tamps, and the Xpressivo Luce. My 10 year old picked the Reg Barber ("It has a good depth that fits my hand well") and his 8 year old brother picked the EPNW Compressore original design ("I like the wide ball end, it's easy to grip.").


Reg Barber, EPNW Compressore

My wife picked the EPNW Compressore as well ("It rests firmly in my palm"). Dave's right about the EP5, it's the shortest tamper handle of my collection.


EPNW EP5

It's neck is thicker than the Compressore and the ball is slightly smaller. It comes in lots of jazzy colors (mine is the red "flame" model). Hope this helps...

[Psyd]

My 10 year old picked the Reg Barber ("It has a good depth that fits my hand well") and his 8 year old brother picked the EPNW Compressore original design ("I like the wide ball end, it's easy to grip.").

At ten and eight, their hands (and their choices) might change four times in the next four years, though, n'est ce-pas? I dunno much about kids, but I remember going through shoes fairly rapidly about that time...

[HB]

I doubt hand growth over time will dramatically change one's preference. The only one that's adaptable is the Coffeelab design. With both of its spacers removed, it's shorter than the Reg Barber. With both in place, its almost as tall as my tallest tamper, the TORR by Cafe Kultur:



FWIW, the Luce's "exclamation point" design is a good choice for hand position -- you can't really hold it incorrectly. It's easy to adopt the bad habit of bending the wrist ("palming") with the large knob tampers, though it's quickly corrected with proper instruction (I advise new baristas to grasp the tamper like a door knob, not a baseball grip). On the other hand, the Luce has a thin piston, which may make it harder to judge level by feeling the gap between the basket edge and top of the piston, depending on your preferred dosage level.

[jesawdy]

I thought I should add that the EPNW Compressore is a fairly heavy tamper. That may be a good or bad thing, depending on which way you look at it. It is a well made tamp, the first high quality tamp I had.

I would think that the various styles if the EPNW Lava Tamp may also be a good fit for smaller hands. I personally don't care for it. Although my brother has this one, the Black Deluxe Lava Tamper Stainless Steel, which I do like for the weight. I think I prefer a heavier tamper, when I grab a wood handled one, I don't care for the balance or light feeling of it.


EPNW Black Deluxe Lava Tamper Stainless Steel

I wonder about some of the new bumper handles as well. They may work well. See http://www.coffeebumper.com/

(BTW - Dan has entirely too many tampers! He mentions several in this thread that he had not previously 'fessed up to before. What's the count now, Dan? )