Tampers

So many elements go into making a great espresso: the beans, the grind, water temperature, pull speed, pull pressure and tamp pressure. So get just the right tamp is important and consistency can best be achieved with a calibrated tamper. This can go from calibrated hand tampers to manual lever units to electric. There are plenty of Youtube videos describing the use of tampers and rating them.

The La Pavoni Europiccola pre-millenial that I have uses the 49mm tamper.

HAND TAMPERS

Some hand tampers are calibrated to the depth of the press like the Mahlgut and the JoeFrex, others by pressure like the Happy Tamper and the Normcore. They cost $100-$200.

Happy Tamper makes a calibrated tamper of various basket sizes (and also makes a wire distribution tool).

 

 

 

JoeFrex

 

Neouza

 

Happy Tamper

 

Normcore

MANUAL LEVER TAMPERS

Lever tampers have an adjustable pressure setting. On pulling the lever the tamp releases once the set pressure is reached. Two popular makes are Macap and Mazzer. The Mazzer also rotates at the end of the tamp to smooth out the surface. They cost from $500.

 

Macap

 

Mazzer

ELECTRONIC TAMPERS

Electronic tampers offer precise pressure settings and easy of use but are quite expensive — $1,000 and up. See the Cinoart PT2, the Slingshot Kilo, or the PUQ. There are lots of reviews on Youtube.

 

Cinoart PT2

 

Cube Compak

 

PUQ

 

Slingshot Kilo

Electric grinder

Stepping up to a electric grinder from a manual one is quite a price jump. A top quality manual grinder in around $300. A top quality electric grinder can run in to thousands! But there are some good quality home grinders that won't break the bank.

The Coffee Chronicler recommends both the Baratza Sette series and the Eureka Mignon Specialita.

The Baratza Sette 30 is a good basic grinder but the Sette 270 and 270wi have a finer grind adjustment. The better of the series is the Sette 270wi which doses by weight rather than time which the 270 uses; however, the 270wi is about 40% more expensive. The one criticism of the Baratzas is that they are noisier than the Eureka. The Sette 270wi is available in Canada from Cafuné.ca and Creative Coffee; cost about $800.

The Seattle Coffee Company recommends the Eureka line of grinders, in order: Mignon Specialita, Mignon Libra and the Oro Mignon XL. I prefer the Mignon Libra because it doses by weight rather than time, unlike the others. Their video explains the differences between the models.

I would prefer the Eureka Mignon Libra because it looks like it would produce the same quality grind as the Sette but is quieter. The Mignon Libra is available from I Drink Coffee for $1,299.

Baratza Sette 270wi

Eureka Mignon Libra

In the past few years the most popular higher quality home espresso grinders have been the Niche Zero and the Turin DF64. By experienced users they are noted for producing a high quality grind and resulting flavour. These only do a single dose at a time—no hopper. The Niche by design is not supposed to retain much coffee in the burrs; the Turin has a bellow which blows out most of the retained coffee in the burrs. Compared to the Baratza Sette 270wi, the Turin DF64 is about $500. At $925 the single dose Niche Zero is only slight more expensive as the Baratza Sette 270wi. See a review of the Niche Zero here.

Niche Zero

Turin DF64

Now, for the ultimate in grinders you could get the Weber EG1 which used 80mm flat burrs and is for the ultimate espresso connoisseur — with a deep pocket. It sells for $5,500!

Weber EG1

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Final thoughts
If I buy an electric grinder I think I would go with the Turin DF64. I don't really need a grinder with a hopper because I don't have espresso every day; though the coffee in the grinders with a hopper would retain much of its freshness, the grounds retained in the burrs would go stale. If I did buy a grinder with a hopper, I would get the Eureka Mignon Libra.