So I know this has been discussed some in other threads or spread across multiple but thought to try a fresh take. Reply with would you get the below:

Leveling tamper
distribution tool
both
neither
for any of the above why and which

I'm stuck deciding between the LevTamp, OCD, or the palm tamper/buzzer. At the same time not sure if the $ is worth the benefit, I've got a tidaka funnel which helps with WDT but some of the fines get between the basket and the bottom of the funnel which at extreme costs me about .2 on the scale and as little as it is - there goes the consistency - I'm trying to get to a point without WDT. Finding so far the biggest struggle is level tamp with the included Breville tamper but tried WDT, nothing, tapping, and find still quite a bit of channeling (bottomless PF). 98% of shots are for Latte or Capp but on the off chance for a straight shot would like to get a good taste.

Also trying to streamline the process and WDT plus struggle for level temp is not helping.

While I have considered getting a distribution tool for the fun of it, I use none of the above. Why? I don't consider them necessary.

OCD is great, plus it levels your bed before tamping.

Current prep in a 22g VST:
- LWW blind shaker
- OCD v1
- Pergtamp

My daily tamper has become "The Force Tamper" (link to my review) for about 10 months. Has adjustable tamping force which is not calibrated nor measurable so it takes some experimentation to see what (or if any) force is beneficial to you. It also has a leveling "wiper" built into the base. Finally, it has a unique force system that is quite different and explained in detail in the review which also features a video.

It is slightly finicky in that coffee eventually builds up on the 'wiping leveler' which requires unscrewing the base a few turns and manipulating the wiper to clean it. A bit of coffee also gets trapped between the top, level tamp portion and the base. That is simple to deal with.

Is it worth $200? I can't say. It is made quite well though.

No relation to the seller other than I reviewed the tamper and use it.

Since you asked-

I'd say a scale that is quick and does .1g accuracy. After that the blind shaker was a solid investment for me personally. That thing drops coffee into baskets just right to the point that I don't groom, just tamp. Your grinder choice may make this easier / harder to use but I like it, it also allows the PF to stay in the group staying warm.

Next up is the adjustable calibrated tamper & base from Joefrex. This tamper can be adjusted lighter or heavier if you wish. The bases they have go up to 58.5mm which is tight enough that I have to spin the tamp to get the base out of the basket when some coffee gets between the basket & base.

I bought a levtamp and noticed that if you don't prep right, you'll still get a not level tamp, it can't fix bad prep. It is a well made tamp.

How about a bottomless PF and VST (or IMS or Decent) baskets?

Feel free to send a pm if you want to talk about the Joefrex stuff or see pix.

I think its worth it to learn how to distribute properly (I use the hit the side of the portafilter approach). After you do, you basically have a 100% success rate.

That being said, I use a 5 star pro eazytamp as it has the leveler and the pressure clicker. My issue was always doing 'handstand' tamps so this helped me lighten it up ha.

I used a standard concave tamper for many years, during which I learned how to apply consistent pressure and keep the puck level. However, none of that matters if the distribution is poor. Ensuring even distribution of the grounds and a reasonably level top layer prior to tamping is essential, and you must keep the puck level when tamping.

To do this, I shake the PF back and forth to level the grounds horizontally (you can tap with the tamper, but never after tamping), tap the PF once so loose grounds drop off the funnel and sides of the basket into the basket, groom the top with a my index finger (modified Sockfleth's move), tap the PF gently two times on the counter to settle the grounds, tamp and finish with a light polish.

About 18 months ago I started using a Kafatek Lev-Tamp. Keeping the puck level while tamping isn't all that hard, but the Lev-Tamp makes it effortless and foolproof. I couldn't polish the puck, or at least not easily, but I doubt it makes any difference. Better pours, especially with RDT and WDT, which usually produce the best pours with my Monolith Flat.

About eight months ago I started using a Kafatek distribution tool along with the Lev-Tamp. I got it because leveling the top of the puck with my finger was too time consuming and sometimes a hit-or-miss proposition -- especially if the coffee was well below the rim of the basket. I still had to do all the other steps noted above. Results were better than using my finger for leveling.

More recently, I was give a BT Wedge distribution tool as a gift, along with a recommendation to extend it about the same depth as the tamper, and skip the tamper. I still do the single tap to get loose grounds into the basket, WDT, two light taps, and lower the BT wedge into the basket, gently spinning it on the way down and continuing to spin a few times when it reaches the rim. No tamp. This produces the best and most consistent pours I've managed to get with VST baskets.

Note that the BT Wedge won't extend quite as far as my tamper depth, but that doesn't seem to matter. I haven't had problems with lower or higher levels as I switch between different coffees. However, I tend to use an 18g dose all the time. If I switched to 14g or 20g, I might have to adjust the BT Wedge.

I just use any tamper that fits my portafilter. I'm currently using the Barista Hustle flat plastic tamper. For distribution, I'm finding it very easy to get good looking and tasting pours by grinding into a smaller milk pitcher instead of the basket. I can shake and swirl the grinds in there. Pour them out with a few taps of the PF to flatten out the grinds. Something about this process consistently reduces channeling for me. The WDT has always been hit or miss. I do it, but there's no consistency.

Thanks everyone for your input. This has been very helpful and confirmed some suspicions I had and some new ones.

Question: how do those with bottomless pf tap on the counter? I have a tamping map and find that tapping just bounces. Started tappin on wooden board but... and do you do it flat or at angle? I have the breville db and the bottomless basket is not quite level with handle so have to tap on edge.

What this confirmed is what I suspected with wdt not necessarily being a better solution. What I can't accomplish even after 6 months is a good surface. Partially instructor with trying to get the side walls clean but fail with the stock tamper. Lev tamp is on my wish list and some of the feedback reinforces it. The bt wedge though I've seen have not considered it until now. Any thoughts on the mahlgut tamper and buzzer? I know it's cost prohibitive but so is lev tamp and a leveler or blind shaker.

Bottom line what I am trying to accomplish is save time on my process, make sure I'm doing the best way, using the least time and struggle and getting best outcome.

I've got:
- .1g scale
- Tidaka funnel at the 30mm height which though really high helps keep all grinds in while under grinder and also a lot of wall for wdt
- bottomless pf
- mirror so I can see the mess

Considering a lev tamp unless talked out of it. The force tamper mentioned looks really cool but I have some concerns with the springs and the knock plus looking for ease of use and sounds like there is some overhead there. Also considering a kafatek distibution tool or the ocd. The mahlgut is on a bottom of the wish list maybe one day.

In reality I'll be really bummed if none of this helps the time and process.

Thanks again and keep the thoughts coming. I'm sure there are others with questions.

I've used the BDB/SGP combo for years until just acquiring a monolith flat this year.

The stock tamper does not fit the BDB baskets as well as the LevTamp, which fits more snugly and mostly eliminates the sidewall grind cling problem. If you have the 920 model and the straight wall baskets (the 900 had curved walls) any tamper sized for VST baskets should fit well. This (In my case the LevTamp) also made keeping the group head clean much easier.

Like you, I found WDT to cause problems rather than solve them. This was using the SGP. With the monolith flat, at least during the break-in period, I'm finding WDT to be valuable.

I tamp on a mat that fits at the edge of the counter, and I tap the pf on that same mat with the full bottom rim of the bottomless PF on the mat. Works well for me.

With the SGP, getting a consistently level tamp turned out to be hugely helpful for me. The LevTamp was my choice, as it does not require adjustment when changing doses. Also because Denis and Kafatek products each awesome.

As a result of this thread, I've tried using the distribution tool as a tamper: did not work out favorably for me, and could require adjustment every time dose/grind size changes, so that's a deal breaker for me, and it doesn't provide any 'feel' to me about the tamp pressure (full compaction or not). I do use it now (did not have one until I got it with the monolith) and it also does make a difference. I use it to distribute and level the grounds after WDT and before LevTamping. I can't say for certain that it would help similarly with the SGP grind but I suspect it would, and it's hard to imagine that it would hurt.

I think your plan to start with a LevTamp is sound. Not just because I did the same exact thing, but because I did it and it definitely helped using the same set up you have. I'm sure other level-tamper solutions would work, though I would (personally) avoid any type that requires a new adjustment for each dose level or significant change in grind fineness.