Best Tamper for Lelit Elizabeth?

[chanty 77]

I have an old heavy rw rattleware tamper. Could anyone recommend another that they love that they use with this machine? They say it needs a 58.3 or 58.4. The one I've had for ages that I also used with the Gaggia Classic & now the Elizabeth has 58 printed on it. Thanks, not finding a 58.3 or 58.4.

[palica]

I love the Normcore 58.5 mm

[BodieZoffa]

Don't read too much into finding an exact fit as it depends on the actual basket diameter as measured by you, how it's used, etc. I've used a simple 58.0mm tamper with different machines/baskets for years and have yet to have a single issue with it. No problems with an even tamp, sidewall seal, nothing.

[chanty 77 (original poster)]

Yeah, thanks. I'm not noticing really any room for it to be bigger than a 58.0mm tamper.

[palica]

I have a 58 mm PF and 3 IMS filters. The 58.5 fits perfectly (means with very tiny clearance on circumference) with all my filters (17, 20 and 22 gr). I is perfect because it does not leave untamped grinds on the sides. Unless you use an exotic filter, I do not see why it would not fit. And asking Normcore is probably the easiest. This is what I have done before ordering.

[chanty 77 (original poster)]

Thanks, will check it out. Do you think a spring-loaded tamper works better than a standard tamper?

[palica]

Yes and no... Yes when you have no idea about pressure needed and to guarantee perfect reproducibility. Now, tamping pressure is a long story If you tamp with not enough pressure, you may have channeling. If you tamp with excessive pressure, well, nothing will happen unless you put 100 lbs and block the filter. Having a dynamometric tamper is the warranty to put always the same good pressure. Absolutely needed? Naaaahh. Nice to have? Yes. Not complicated, not really more expensive, and in this case, well designed.

[chanty 77 (original poster)]

Thanks, more to think about.

[BodieZoffa]

What I've been using for several years is the JoeFrex LevelTamp as that gives me exactly what I like in a tamper. It's around 2.5 lbs, solid stainless, very precisely machined and you simply set the depth as you want for nominal headspace and that's it. I don't get into an exact pressure applied, that sort of thing. I basically sit it on the mound of grounds, spin a few times as it's heavy enough to give a natural distribution, then press firmly until it bottoms out on the basket rim. Gives me a perfect puck every time, nice sidewall seal, etc. Some coffees I will vary a bit on dose weight based on bean density, but very little change overall.