Where do you guys shop for tampers?
Shopping at a couple of "coffee snob" websites made me think that while their tampers must be plated with invisible gold, they may not be for me.
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I bought this one and it has served me well for a couple years.

http://cgi.ebay.com/49-mm-rosewood-a...item45e957d288
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You only live once - one for life. Hold your nose high.

Accept no substitute. Reg Barber - rosewood/convex base
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A Reg Barber will be my next toy to pick up :-).
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What benefits does a convex base provide?
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Depends on your experiences with tamps. The Reg is a trusted staple for for newbies this makes a great training tool - the Clicker Tamper
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It looks like a boob. :-)

I have seen people say the convex and the c-curve help make a seal on the wall of the basket but if you tap the side of the PF you will break this seal any way.
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I tap the side of my portafilter after packing it and press down one final time and give it the old twist before locking in, so this convex might not be worth obsessing over for me.

The rosewood tamper I have is nice and heavy and just feels right in my hand.

The one they included with my high priced chrome Brasilia went in the trash as it was a piece of aluminum junk.
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I stopped tapping after getting the naked PF and things have improved for me. The Vario makes such a fluffy grind I found I can go from the grinder and tamp with no distribution and the little left overs on the side walls don't really do any harm.

I need to find one that will fit my hand better, mine is good but just not perfect. So if anyone is taking notes I would like a Reg Barber convex tamper for my birthday, screw that I am going to go look at them now. :-)
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And here is why I have not bought a Reg Baber Tamper yet

Reg Barber Handles

I don't even know which handle I want?

and here are the base choices, notice the pull down window for base shape.

Reg Barber Base

:-):-)

My brain shuts down every time I go look at them then I block it out of my head and go back again a month later.
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I like my Bumper tamper.
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Take your basket and bring it to your local machine shop and have one made.

My dad made mine in his shop and it is super precise. Brass handle and aluminium tamp.
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Coffee equipment, for me at least, has been a long road of, "why didn't I just spend the money the first time and get the right stuff that I was reading about on Coffeegeek's rave reviews?"

I've found that the initial price always scares me off and has me buying the cheaper stuff, then chucking it for the good stuff in the end, thus my wait for a new roaster.

I'm left shaking my head when I realize that $550 grinder really cost me closer to $800 after going through a couple of cheap ones.

Fortunately, I haven't had that problem yet with one small piece; my tamper.
Wish it was the only problem because 80 bucks is easier to swallow than a few grinders and machines.

My rosewood 58mm with aluminum base is heavy, fits great in my hands, and is one of the few things that seems to have a permanent place on my counter.

Probably best I don't ever touch a Reg Barber or one of those $120 clicking tampers that Macap makes or I may be sent over the edge.

I will say that the ones they send with the expensive machines are total junk.
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Indeed.

This is worth checking out if you are new to Espresso Machines:

Image

http://www.espro.ca/tamper.php

It makes a click at 30lb. pressure so you have a consistent tamp each time. Just level to top of basket and tamp. From there you adjust the grinder to get a perfect shot.

For me, it is of little use as I have been doing this 10 years, but would've loved it when I first started. You'll save the money on wasted shots; initally.
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Can you tune out the click if you get tired of it?
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more invisible gold plating on the espro? Really? 90 bucks?
it's a chunk of plastic, some aluminum, and a cheap torque wrench with a little ingenuity.

At that price, I would rather not be one of the cool kids.:-)

"Espro Tamper consistently monitors your tamping pressure and signals" wow, uh.. if I wink at it, will it know I want a hot date? What if I lick my eyebrows?

Marketing genius.
:-)
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Another option is to buy a bathroom scale and test your tamp pressure and monitor your personal weight at the same time.
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Who said anything involved with making espresso at home is cheap?

I do not have one, but tried it and it's a solid piece. Yes, if you already know what you are doing, it might be a waste. I can see how this is useful in a restaurant setting or for someone who is buying their first machine.

Personally, I my tamps at home are slightly harder, but my grind makes up for it.
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this was one of my initial ideas as well.


I can already make a decent espresso, but the tampers I have are crap, I don't need a Cadillac, just something that fits my hand well and will do a workmanlike job. Aesthetics are important, but a distant secondary priority.
I just measured the basket and it is one of the standard sizes, rather than something that would be harder to find. I may get creative this weekend and see what I can come up with.
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There is a marked difference between "cheap" and useful/functional at a lesser price point. I need no elitism when regarding a plug of round metal with an ergonomic handle on it.
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