Why use a tamper and a grind distributor?
Packing the grind is an important step when making espresso with a manual machine with single filters. If you pack unevenly, with one side more compressed than the other, the hot water will not circulate evenly through the coffee cake and will find the quickest path with the least resistance to pass through. This will result in both over and under extracted coffee, which will taste bitter and acidic... To ensure a good cup result, it is recommended to distribute your grind in the filter pan before tamping, with a grind distributor. The tamper will then be used to compress the coffee cake in the filter pan.
Using a grind distributor
The grinder is used to level the ground before tamping. This accessory is very similar to a tamper without a handle, with one or more blades at the base. By manually rotating the filter with the distributor, the ground coffee is distributed evenly. As a result, what started out as a mountain of ground coffee in the centre of the filter becomes a flat, distributed, but not compressed cake. All that is left to do is to pack it down. Most tundishes can be set to a specific height to suit the filter and the amount of ground coffee.
Using a tamper
Pressing the coffee into the filter requires the right gesture to ensure that the coffee cake is straight and the right pressure. A poorly packed grind in the filter will have less dense areas, allowing the water to channel through more easily. Our coffee experts tell you more in this blog post Why pack your grinds?
How to choose a coffee tamper?
When looking for a tamper, the most important thing is to find the right size. Your tamper should be comfortable to hold and heavy enough to do most of the work for you.
Coffee stampers are available in a wide range of diameters, from 41 mm to 58.6 mm. The most common size is 58 mm, which is used on semi-professional and professional espresso machines. If you are using a high precision filter such as VST or IMS, you will need a slightly larger pad. However, many domestic espresso machines have smaller filter holders which require a smaller pad. If you are unsure of the size, measure the inside diameter of the filter in your filter holder and take a slightly smaller pad. Your coffee cup should fit snugly enough to get a good seal all around the filter cake.
The heavier the tamper, the easier it will be to achieve the necessary pressure when tamping. Therefore, choose a tamper with a stainless steel base. The other options (handle, base shape, dynamometric tamper, etc.) depend on your personal preferences and your budget.
At MaxiCoffee, you will find our complete range of barista grinder pads and dividers with quality brands such as Baristator, Motta, NCD, Espresso Gear, etc
