I was in the mood to buy a new tamper for a new machine I've recently received and saw that the Reg Barber site now has two new tamper configurations... the Ripple and the C Ripple... Anyone have any experience with these?

When I bought a new machine back in November, I needed new tampers. I have a C-ripple, as well as the usual flat and curved varieties.

I like the C-ripple very much. That notwithstanding,, it makes absolutely no difference in the technical quality of espresso, whatsoever, and I am unable to taste any difference. If you spin the tamper, either light or hard, to finish, the ridges make it a bit easier to not shear the puck. I actually only do a tamper-weight twirl after my initial leveling tamp, but I think that the rippled tampers may make a difference with hard-pressing spin afficionados.

Any tamper that allows you to perform consistently, and is comfortable for your hand is the best tamper.

Try it... you might like it. You can always buy a different base for the RB handle if you don't.

-Mike