Found out my 15 year old tamper was actually a bottle cap

I was cleaning out my drawer last week and found the tamper I've been using since I started making espresso at home. It's always felt a little light but I just figured it was a cheap model. I took a closer look and realized the handle was a plastic bottle cap glued onto a metal disk. I looked up the company on the bottom and they went out of business in 2008. So I've been tamping with what is essentially trash from a recycling bin for over a decade. I finally bought a real 58mm tamper for 12 bucks at a local kitchen supply store and my shot quality improved instantly. The puck doesn't crack anymore and I get way less channeling. Has anyone else accidentally been using some garbage tool without realizing it?

2 comments

2 Comments

robin_foster13d ago

Gotta admit I always ROLLED my eyes when people said the tamper matters that much. Thought it was just espresso snobs overthinking everything. But your story actually got me. I've been using this old plastic handled tamper my dad gave me and now I'm wondering if it's secretly trash too. Never thought to check if the handle was just some random bottle cap glued on there. Makes me want to go look at mine right now.

the_robert3d ago

Wait, are you actually using a tamper with a plastic handle and never questioned it @robin_foster1? That's wild. The weight and fit matter way more than people think... I used a cheap metal one for years and always had channeling issues, got a proper 58mm one that sits flush and it leveled everything out. Not saying you need a hundred dollar one, but if the base doesn't match your basket size perfectly, you're gonna struggle pulling good shots.