I'm not a complete newbie, I have some theoretical readings and some practice.
My 'method' is learnt from excellent David Schomer's book.
Yet I have seen quite different leveling techniques resulting in very good espresso cup.
So here is my polite request: please share the different techniques!

Like levelling coffee using tamper for example. That one I am really curious about!

Thanks
Pawel

I did a set of video's some time ago.

Tamp and Dose Techniques Digest

And Stockfleths Move for Dummies.

Thanks
Without a huge heap it's harder to level the coffee, just one move and it's all inside the basket. When it's inside and I put my finger inside then it doesn't get level... that's why I'm so curious about the levering with a tamper.

I've never heard of anyone leveling or redistributing with a tamper. If you do the "Stockfleths Move for Dummies", you can redistribute when downdosing by running your finger along the inside rim. I dose to 15 grams using what's normally an 18 gram basket using this technique (Ken Fox argues it's unnecessary to worry about redistribution when dosing at the espresso machine's designed 14 grams, but I cannot help myself).

Your other thread Changes in dosing and leveling technique from 58mm to 53mm basket has related suggestions, such as this leveling tool:


From Which basket for a fill, level then tamp 14g dose?

Thank you for explaining! I didn't quite undestand at first... so this is the explanation for the super-dummies

As for the tamper-level: I have seen it twice and then tasted the coffee and it was good.
1:the person levelled the coffee with the tamper that is attached to the grinder, it looked like two moves with which she chopped the heap first towards herself and then the opposite side (something like S-N motion - not SNEW). And then tamped pressing the tamper with her fingers into the coffee.
2: another person levelled the coffee compresing it with a tamper (Reg Barber) and then tapped the portafilter strongly twice, so that some coffee jumped out of the basket, then tamped lightly with a polish and then tamped hard.

By the way, you all live in a coffee paradise (I mean the US:) all those accessories etc.
Where will I buy naked portafilter in EU? 1st line and other shops ship only in USA

Espressoparts ships overseas, but there's undoubtedly lots of European resellers. For example, Jens at pasmarose.de sells nicely modified Rancilio bottomless portafilters (e-mail post at pasmarose.de or as at pasmarose.de in English if you have questions). Jens sells the TORR tamper and was one of the HB Tamper Roadshow sponsors; he's an all-around good guy. Our European members may have other recommendations, or you can ask on Too Much Coffee or the regional forums on CoffeeGeek.

Of course another option is to modify the portafilter yourself, or pay a machine shop to do it for you. The modification costs $25 around here, return shipping included.

CoffeeOwl wrote:By the way, you all live in a coffee paradise (I mean the US:) all those accessories etc.
Where will I buy naked portafilter in EU? 1st line and other shops ship only in USA

It's fairly easy to convert one, if you can get the regular ole PF, get a drill press and a hole say that fits into the PF, very nearly edge to edge. Folks have used smaller bits and drilled many, many holes around the perimeter and then sawed the center out, filing down the edges, and one guy used a hacksaw. Other than that, you may want to arrange a shipping exchange. Find someone in the US that wants something from your country, and make the trade!
I'll bet you can get your hands on some fine old Zassenhaus or PeDe hand grinders!

Thanks!
I search for one for S1, as that's what I'm going to buy (very soon:))
Are there any comments on preference (and quality) or are they all good? I can only judge by appearance on the photos.