Reading all your replies and thinking more about it, I now tend to go for the Force tamper as soon as my coffee budget has recovered from the P64 purchase...

Bastian987 wrote:I'm considering switching to a self-leveling tamper. It seems to help to get an even tamp, also the tamping with the spring looks/sounds very satisfying to me

There is an existing thread here. Leveling tamper
I don't see why it needs to be pricey to function well. I've been happy with my cheap leveling tamper.

Espresso aficionados are willing to pay big bucks for end-game grinders and machines. In that context, paying north of $200 for a truly end-game tamper doesn't seem unreasonable. I'll add another vote for the the Bravo tamper.

Grounds wrote:Espresso aficionados are willing to pay big bucks for end-game grinders and machines. In that context, paying north of $200 for a truly end-game tamper doesn't seem unreasonable.

People are free to spend their own money the way they want however, it's important to know that there is always a diminishing return in all products at some price point. For espresso tampers, that point is rather lower than you think.

Anecdotally, so far I have used the Normcore v4 for a year, without issues. Consistent, and it looks and feels premium. I'm hoping it continues to perform in the future, but people have brought up a good point that with more parts there are more points of failure. I do think the simpler the better for tampers. But with the low price point, I was sold.

I have a levtamp and just used my son's normacore. The feel of the two is very different but the function is really the same. The levtamp feels smooth and the normacore feels mechanical.

Overall, I personally don't expect a huge change of taste in the cup by switching from my manual tamper. But I'm looking for an easy and enjoyable tool for the job.

I did some more reading on Bravo vs Force tamper (Bravo Tamper vs Force Tamper - what's more foolproof?, TAMPERS: Decent vs. Force vs. Bravo) both seem to do the job well and provide a premium feel at a premium price.

Appears Espresso Parts has a 10% sale right now. The Force tamper with 58.5mm base is selling on their site for $199, so an extra $20 off helps. Another plus for this tamper is interchangeable bases, if you desire. These normally cost $30 through Amazon.

Thanks again for all your help! I came to a conclusion... and reached out to Gilberto

My personal reasoning: I'm sure the Normcore gets the job done well. In terms of build quality and feel (a focus for me), I hope the more expensive Force and Bravo deliver a bit more. I aim to only invest once and stick with the tamper for years. The Force with its impact tamp seems to be the most foolproof. Interchangeably bases are definitely a plus, too. But some feel it is a bit flimsy (one additional source not linked yet: ), not as heavy and slightly less well-built than the Bravo. I like the look of the Bravo better than the Force (in particular, I don't like the logo on the handle).

I want to go for 58,5mm Bravo as I mainly use VST. I hope Gilberto will get back to me and all works out.

The Force is certainly much lighter, it's designed by an engineer. It has everything it needs to do what it claims for a very long time and nothing more. I have a couple of 550gm tampers and another that 160gm that work about the same, I will always grab the 160gm one because the weight adds nothing to the process unless you're using it as a calibrated weight. Many tampers are heavy because it's equated with quality, but it's unnecessary. FWIW.

Edit: Not dissing your choice, just pointing it out.