Does NSEW distribution do the same thing? If so, I'll stick to NSEW.

No. That levels things evenly, which works for many. Being an amateur and finding coffee expensive, I'd rather not dose excess grounds into the basket only to sweep out and waste a sizable portion. I use all the coffee I dose into the basket. This also provides me with consistent dosing by weight. I think many professionals dose in extra grounds and sweep out some excess, developing muscle memory for consistent dosing.

Other alternatives that conserve coffee and dose evenly can include WDT and the Orphan Espresso Slap Shot method. YMMV.

Admittedly, I read the topic and wondered, why? Although, I think it could be intriguing to find other innovative ways to distribute the grinds, I find it hard to believe that someone would think that WDT is cumbersome. To be more specific, to be so cumbersome that a possible alternative method would be less cumbersome.

I think the recommendations for purchasing a grinder that removes a WDT altogether is the only way to make the whole preparation process less cumbersome. I can't think of anything that would be less cumbersome than just shifting a 'needle' through grinds for 3 seconds. It's about as easy as any step can get, it's even easier than tamping because I would argue that it's harder to distinguish a level tamp than to be satisfied with your grind distribution.

Spitz.me wrote:Admittedly, I read the topic and wondered, why? Although, I think it could be intriguing to find other innovative ways to distribute the grinds, I find it hard to believe that someone would think that WDT is cumbersome. To be more specific, to be so cumbersome that a possible alternative method would be less cumbersome.

I think the recommendations for purchasing a grinder that removes a WDT altogether is the only way to make the whole preparation process less cumbersome. I can't think of anything that would be less cumbersome than just shifting a 'needle' through grinds for 3 seconds. It's about as easy as any step can get, it's even easier than tamping because I would argue that it's harder to distinguish a level tamp than to be satisfied with your grind distribution.

No wonder I find it cumbersome, I WDT for 30 seconds...

30 seconds is overdone! Just a couple swipes in two directions is all that's needed. You are just trying to blend the grounds. The tool is very important too. Too think and you will ruin the distribution. What are you using?

thomas5267 wrote:Is there any alternatives to WDT? I find WDT very cumbersome and I really suck at Stockfleth's move. Any advice will be really appreciated.

Found a heavy plastic cup with a bottom to match the size of the PF at the basket top. Took thin needle nose pliers for inserting through cup bottom, a package of twenty or thirty sewing needles. Couple spins with that and if I initially put in the tamp too quickly - puff - there's an expulsion and a little cloud of "flour" grinds surrounding the basket. Been using it for fluffing up the basket grind ever since I read about the Weissman technique and the idea occurred to expand into a grid of needles. Just plain wicked placed alongside a rack of spices, though, if I miss a bottle of dried peppers and come up with cupful of needles stuck into my hand.

I use a sewing needle to WDT. If you only WDT part of the puck, then you created a a puck that is fluff somewhere and dense elsewhere. Then is it better to not WDT at all?

How long could a WDT take? It takes me about 5 seconds with an unbent paperclip, then another 10 seconds for distribution with a butter knife.

1. Scotty Callaghan's Competition Distribution Technique:
a) Load half the dose in the pf;
b) Gently rap the pf on the counter to level (and distribute) the partial dose;
c) Finish loading the pf; and
d) Tamp.

My way:
a) Load half the dose in the pf;
b) Tap the pf against your palm until the partial dose is level;
c) Finish loading the pf;
d) Tap the pf against your palm until the full dose is level and evenly distributed around the edges; and
e) Tamp

My alternative way
As before, but use the tamper to tap.

Non-OCD "Good Enough" alternative:
Stockfleth without WDT

Notes:

• These methods aren't as comprehensive as the WDT + Stockfleth, and work best with a really good grinder. That's not to say they won't make things considerably better than a simple "load and tamp," but they won't make things quite so much better.
• The rapping, tapping, may actually cause visible clumps to form. However, those are "good" clumps, in the sense that they'll break up again during tamping.
• My tamper stand sits between the grinder and espresso machine; and the Concept Art tampers I use most frequently has a rubber "tapping belt" (aka o-ring) around their bases, and so are particularly good and convenient tappers Also, tapping during dosing got me out of the bad habit of tapping after tamping -- which I learned here. None of that may apply to you.
• If you decide to try one of my methods, bear in mind that you can distribute evenly by tilting the pf when you tamp; the grinds will tend to flow downward and away from the tap -- with a greater tendency to flow downward.
• Finally, it's more important to develop routines you can live with than remove the pleasure from the coffee with obsessive technique. There's an American saying, 'Don't let perfection become the enemy of good." The point at which the drive for perfection turns problematic falls at different places for different people. If WDT + Stockfleth is too much trouble for you, it's too much trouble. This is coffee, not women's gymnastics. There are no 10s. Be comfortable.

Hope this helps,
BDL

WDT pattern for < 1 second with as fine a needle as you can find.



The side to side shake does every bit as well in < 0.5s.
See WDT Effective at Last

When the missus espies a barista playing patty-cake, she with a "Just what does he think he's doing?"