Incognito007 wrote:As i continue to contemplate the decent, i have to say it seems rather incredulous that it does not come with a tamper. Can't help but feel a bit cheated if i were to drop the monies on it. Anyone else feel similar? To top it off, if you order the v2 tamper it ships in August. If you order the machine you get it much sooner. I suppose you could use another tamper in the meantime (i actually don't have a 58mm tamper). A bit of buzz kill imho...

Seems like a fairly trivial issue in the overall purchase decision. Just my $.02.

Bunkmil wrote:Are there any machines that come with a tamper ?

Adding a tamper to the package would increase the price for a piece of equipment that most of the buyers already have.

Well i was looking at some of the expensive Italian machines and they seem to all come with a tamper. For example profitec 700.

slybarman wrote:Seems like a fairly trivial issue in the overall purchase decision. Just my $.02.

Lol no doubt about it

slybarman wrote:Seems like a fairly trivial issue in the overall purchase decision. Just my $.02.

Agreed, does sound a bit trivial. Looking through this thread:

1. This was my first machine. I think more and more, people are reading H-B and realizing that starting at a higher level equipment wise is a good way to help with the learning curve.
2. I had nothing so I also ended up buying the barista kit. This was a fairly economical way for me to get everything I need.
3. I don't think anyone includes higher end calibrated or self leveling tampers with their machines.
4. I purchased the $100 skale later. Once again, I don't think anyone bundles scales with their machines. LaMarzocco has the patent for integrated scales and I think they only use it on some of their commercial machines. Actually, I prefer to have scales and tablet separate I think it lengthens the useful life of the espresso machine.
5. This thread seems to have provided useful information to help people decide between two excellent machines. Both are luxuries and people that don't understand our hobby will think we are crazy spending so much on coffee equipment. My wife overheard me talking to someone the other day and found out what my monolith flat cost... oops.

slybarman wrote:Seems like a fairly trivial issue in the overall purchase decision. Just my $.02.

I agree. Few machines come with a tamper, and even then, a good number of them include a tamper that it best suited for a landfill, recycling, or a game of fetch with the local K9.

The Bianca comes with a proper all steel tamper with wide base actually. I won't use it as I use a Pullman with the Tampsure system for repeatable level tamp and preset depth. I think it's nice that it comes with a bottomless filter though. But the plastic scoops and plastic tampers are pointless and just straight up landfill, the plumb in hose too. From an environmental perspective machines shouldn't come with too much accessories. I like that Decent stopped including the plumb in kit so that only those who need it buys it. From a customer satisfaction standpoint it is nice to have most everything you need.

Both of my old machines came with a garbage plastic tamper, but my LM GS/3 came with a nice one. I still use a cheaper, heavy 58.5mm tamper that I got from Amazon, though.

All I can say is try to avoid the Bianca, it is not worth it at all

Well, with all due respect, there are a whole lot of owners on this board that would very much disagree.

I have a DE1 and also debated if I wanted a pile of tech on the counter vs something more pleasurable as an object. In the end, here's why I've enjoyed it:
- Extreme repeatability makes converging on the right pull for a particular bean much easier.
- Super dry steam makes good microfoam easy.
- Shot-to-shot profile and temp changes make drinking multiple beans at once a thing if you also have a good single doser. (Niche Zero is popular with Decent people.)
- I find the lever-ish profiles are more forgiving of puck prep than the LM Linea machines we have at work. I'm really not sure what people are talking about when they say this machine is less forgiving. Maybe that you'll see your channels in a graph. Maybe having pulled so many good shots you'll realize what your bean can offer.
- It's light and portable-ish. I bring it on long vacations sometimes.
- Though this thread has given too much air to such a comparatively minor issue, it starts fast.

I agree with the sentiment that the scale situation is kind of janky. I haven't tried the volumetric option yet and maybe it works fine.

I do not spend much time obsessing over its full range of possibilities. I found a few profiles I like and tend to stick to those.

I wish it felt and looked like a good lever machine. Can't have everything. I also gave up my pretty audio amp when I found a little kit switching amp that sounded better. Same idea: this is a switching amp for coffee. Turns out to work well.