Tamper

A handheld tool with a flat, slightly convex, or curved base used to compress the ground coffee in the portafilter basket. The base is precision-machined to match the basket's internal diameter so it sits flat across the puck.

Why it matters — A level, evenly compressed puck is what lets water pass through uniformly during the shot. The right tamper, used with even pressure, is one of the simplest upgrades to shot consistency.

Good to know

• Match the base diameter to the basket (58.4 mm for most 58 mm baskets — a 58 mm tamper has a fraction of mm gap that causes channelling).
• Even pressure matters more than absolute force. 15–20 kg of pressure is enough — pushing harder doesn't compact the puck further.

Related: Tampers