I had always avoided the WDT in the past, in a desire to not add still more steps to my ever increasingly complex prep routine. Lately though, I've started experimenting with a little stirring and it does seem to remarkably improve the consistency with which I get a good looking pour. I CAN get a perfect (or near enough to my eyes) pour without WDT, but WDT sure does make it seem to happen more often. So is there a downside?

I've done enough lurking around here that i've seen at least a few people recommend against WDT, I think because it supposedly changes the distribution of fines vs other grind particles. Does anyone have any real scientific evidence to back this sort of statement up? Changes in refractometer measurements, blind tasting results, etc?

My equipment: quickmill anita, mazzer mini with "elvinator" mod, VST baskets (18 and 22 gram), OE dosing funnel, dose by weight. Lately I've been dosing 17 grams in the 18 gram basket. My WDT tool is a sewing needle with the tip blunted, shoved into a pencil eraser.

FWIW as I see you're using a Mazzer Mini: I need to WDT for almost all the beans I use when grinding via my MMb (clumping). Whereas the same beans put through the Pharos don't require WDT (no clumping).

I use WDT on every shot I pull. At best, it improves my distribution, and at worst it does nothing. I am careful to perform it the same way every shot, meaning I start my spirograph style circling with the needle at the 12 o'clock position in the basket and am sure to only run the cycle once ending just before 12 o'clock. (I hope I've made it clear, perhaps a video would help)

Put me in the minority, but WDT doesnt help channeling problems from my lumpy mazzer mini. I have ordered and tried several dissection needles from Amazon, paper clips, pins. None made much difference. They all just seem to push the clumps around. Now I do a brief side to side shake to level out the top somewhat, then knock straight down twice to level a little more, and then tamp. Faster. No difference.

So, stinky, you didn't find WDT to help, but did it appear to hurt anything?

To spressoman: Its encouraging that no WDT is required for a pharos, because I'm seriously thinking about acquiring one. I doubt it would totally replace my mini though, if nothing else because my wife is unlikely to put up with a hand grinder.

A good friend of mine recently acquired a K30 Vario (the big German beast, not the Baratza vario) and that thing produces beautiful fluffy grinds that pour perfect every time, no WDT or other futzing around required. I'm jealous, but I have neither the budget nor counter space for one of those.

Nathan: My wife won't use the Pharos otherwise I'd sell the MM. She continues to use the MM but to be honest her "bullseye" for her morning espresso/cappuccino is about 5-rings out

She definitely lacks the OCD thing when it comes to all things espresso

It's been almost 7 years since I posted the WDT article, and I'm surprised at how well it's held up. I was still an espresso newbie at the time, trying to get the hang of bottomless pours. But when I go back and review the article, only one thing really catches my eye: dosing. Finger strike dosing (leveling to the basket rim) now looks like overdosing to me. Otherwise my basket prep technique hasn't changed much.

I still use the WDT on every pour. The upside: beautiful bottomless pours and excellent espresso, time after time. The downside... well, the only real downside has been reading comments from people who imply that using the WDT makes you a worthless human being.

Here is a sampling of negative comments over the years:

• it's a fetishist ritual (thanks a bunch Marshall, I love you too)
• it screws up the dose (no it doesn't)
• it takes too much time (a few seconds is too much?)
• I don't see anyone using it at barista competitions (are you a world class barista?)
• I don't see anyone using it at the espresso bar (are you running a commercial establishment?)
• it causes fines migration (cough bullsh** cough)
• it causes grinds to fall out the holes in the bottom of the basket, and makes a mess on the countertop (my all-time favorite)

So yes, there is a downside.

I've seen folks use thick paperclips to successfully WDT, but regardless of tool, coffee, or grinder I use, I always end up with trailing paths that lead to heavy channeling.

Basically my reason not to WDT is that it just doesn't work for me. Instead, I focus on how the grinds are falling into the filter basket from the grinder.

UltramaticOrange wrote: Basically my reason not to WDT is that it just doesn't work for me. Instead, I focus on how the grinds are falling into the filter basket from the grinder.

+1

works, but fiddly, and corrects an issue that, if you get it right in the first place, doesn't need correcting.

Thanks for the input guys. I've continued to get pretty obvious improvements, so I guess I'm going to keep doing it, at least until I get a different grinder, which won't be anytime soon. Of course, its one more arcane ritual for my wife to make fun of me for, but these are the sacrifices one must make for coffee.