Yes, the Bravo levels (very well) and tamps.
My grinders are really good (Mythos and Hg one), that obviously helps a lot, but just a little side shake, a tap and the Bravo is all it takes.
No more need for WDT, RDT , at least with most beans (there is always a weird behaving one that requires special treatment).

shawndo wrote:My portuguese is rusty, but it looks like that bravo tamper is does leveling as well as pressure control.
The levtamp, specifically does only leveling and made a point about not wanting to include pressure control.

From what I could see from the YouTube video on Bravos spring mechanism I thought it looked similar the the levtamp and 5 star pro tampers... How does the levtamp not allow for pressure control?

I bought a Bravo tamper from Gilberto couple of weeks ago and I will have a video on YouTube showing the tamper and explaining what it does very soon. The Bravo tamper allows you to control the travel depth of the tamper base. The aligner sits on top of the basket but you get to control the distance the tube holding the tamper base is travelling inside the basket, which in turn controls the tamping weight. The travel depth is controlled by a dial on the tamper, the deeper the dial the shorter the travel depth.

I have now used my new mushroom LevTamp for a few days. I got the mushroom version because my espresso bar is higher than countertop level and it's more comfortable to use a palm press than a classic high-elbow tamping motion. I did notice that the mushroom LevTamp is heavy! It's twice the weight of my previous wood-handled tamper. Because of the way it works the weight doesn't impact its tamping pressure just the feel of it as I move the tamper to and from the basket.

I'm definitely a fan! The tamper brings more consistency to my tamping that is just sooo easy to accomplish. It's kind of mind-blowing how well it works.

The only thing I noticed was the first couple of times I used it I ended up with more than a few coffee grounds between the tamper head and the basket-edge rest. The next few times I've used it I gave a slow initial tamp to settle the grounds then a full-pressure tamp with a light-pressure quarter-turn to polish the puck. That seems to be less messy. How do you all keep grounds from building up in the tamper?

Once a week I use compressed air because brushes and cloths are difficult to use. Whatever small build-up is present, has never impacted smoothness of operation.

Just have to add my support for the LevTamp. Got mine about 2wks ago and absolutely love it. I have the regular black handle. Its so smooth and easy to use. Combining with my Sette-W I am not even using WDT and getting gorgeous pours. Additionally, broke a rib in a skiing accident recently and cannot use my right arm to tamp due to pain. There is no way I would be able to tamp decently with my left hand with my previous tamper but with the LevTamp I am able to and get a nice even puck. Even had my 3yr old assist last week and she loved being able to help with this step. Between the Sette-W and the LevTamp, espresso making has become so easy I think many untrained people would be able to manage a decent pour.

pizzaman383 wrote:The only thing I noticed was the first couple of times I used it I ended up with more than a few coffee grounds between the tamper head and the basket-edge rest. The next few times I've used it I gave a slow initial tamp to settle the grounds then a full-pressure tamp with a light-pressure quarter-turn to polish the puck. That seems to be less messy. How do you all keep grounds from building up in the tamper?

I asked Denis about this, and he suggested brushing and thought stiffer bristles would work best. I just find it a little awkward to hold the tamper open against the spring pressure while brushing. I don't get much coffee in there, more like a dusting, certainly not enough to affect the dose or taste of the coffee or the function of the tamper. I'd call it a very minor annoyance (as someone who really tries to keep my coffee gear spotless).

Hi!

Curious if anyone got one of Kafatek's levtamps? What are your impressions?
I'm also having a hard time understanding how it ensures a leveled tamp better than, say, Mahlgut's Buzzer?


...merged with existing thread on same subject by moderator...

Tanax wrote:Hi!

Curious if anyone got one of Kafatek's levtamps? What are your impressions?
I'm also having a hard time understanding how it ensures a leveled tamp better than, say, Mahlgut's Buzzer?

I have mine for couple of months now and use it exclusively. I have not touched my old tamper since. LevTamp for me makes things fool proof.

I do not think it ensures leveled tamp any better than Buzzer, but I think Buzzer is fixed depth tamper while LevTamp is more like traditional tamper with leveling added. That means you tamp to any depth without adjusting the tamper... That just works much better for me since I just don't see how tamping to pre-set depth is useful.

You cannot get them right now anyway. I've been waiting on some for a couple months and Denis said he is going to start making his own. Just no real eta yet.

Don't slow up the monolith builds!