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Thors are nice and pretty and can even match the wood in your kitchen
cabinets, guitar or knife handles if Les has them in stock (the
cocobolo is gorgeous). You are going to want an even tamping surface
and as heavy a tamper as you can easily wield--Les' Thor tampers and
most pro tampers weigh in at around a pound because they are
internally weighted with bismuth. They are shaped to fit your hand.
They're not cheap, but they will last and look great to boot. What
kind of machine do you have? Bear in mind that many "steam toy"
machines (the kind where you pour in water after opening a screw cap
on top and the steam from the machine's boiler automatically forces
water through the grounds into the cup or little glass carafe without
your having to use a lever or press a button) cannot take much of a
tamp, or else the relatively weak steam pressure won't make it
through the coffee. Any machine that comes with a little glass carafe
into which the "espresso" gets brewed is almost inevitably a "steam
toy." (I tried to use a tamper on a friend's Hamilton Beach steam
toy, and the water had nowhere to go--it literally blew the
portafilter off the machine). Then there are some cheap pump
machines that have pressurized "crema enhancer" portafilters that
don't let you vary the tamp or grind--some of the fair-to-middlin'
ones will let you order an aftermarket nonpressurized portafilter--
these latter ones would benefit from a good heavy tamper.
If you want to buy a tamper, trace the diameter of the portafilter
(bearing in mind the tamper will have to be about 1-2 mm smaller to
fit the inside). Pro tampers come in certain standardized diameters
but Les can turn one to fit your machine. I would certainly not use
anything less sophisticated than the cast aluminum "Terry's Tamp"
sold by Espresso Parts NW and Sur La Table, or the HOAN cast aluminum
ones. Bring the PF to the store to see if it'll fit. Those run about
twelve bucks or so and are a step up from the little plastic cat toys
that even the quality machine mfrs. enclose with their machines, but
won't do as good a job as a Thor or pro steel tamper. Steam toys and
cheap pumpers usually take between a 46mm-52mm tamper. Good machines
take between a 49 (Pavoni lever), 52 (LaSpaziale, Francis!Francis!),
53 (Saeco/Barista/Estro), 57 (Pasquini, Bezzera--though a 58 works
fine on my Pasquini Livia) and 58mm (industry standard for Rancilio,
Nuova Simonelli, LaMarzocco, Faema, Gaggia, and "boutique" e61 group
HX and double boilers like Expobar, Isomac, Bricoletta, Quickmill,
etc. Dunno what the Breville, Solis, or Ascaso machines take.
BTW, I just got an Espro tamper--it clicks when you've reached 30# of
pressure. My routine now is to level and tamp firmly with the Thor,
and tap the rim very gently to shake the grounds adhering to the
sides on to the surface of the puck (the compacted grounds). Then I
take the Espro and tamp till it clicks; then polish the puck by
spinning the tamper w/o exerting pressure about two revolutions. Note
that I could use the Espro for the whole operation, but I like the
feel of the Thor in my hand; I could use the Thor for the whole
shebang but it doesn't spin smoothly.
On Aug 18, 2007, at 8:55 PM, thirddayhomeroaster wrote:
<Snip>
Sandy
www.sandyandina.com
www.sass-music.com
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Thors are nice and pretty and =
can even match the wood in your kitchen cabinets, guitar or knife =
handles if Les has them in stock (the cocobolo is gorgeous). You are =
going to want an even tamping surface and as heavy a tamper as you can =
easily wield--Les' Thor tampers and most pro tampers weigh in at around =
a pound because they are internally weighted with bismuth. They are =
shaped to fit your hand. They're not cheap, but they will last and look =
great to boot. What kind of machine do you have? Bear in mind that =
many "steam toy" machines (the kind where you pour in water after =
opening a screw cap on top and the steam from the machine's boiler =
automatically forces water through the grounds into the cup or little =
glass carafe without your having to use a lever or press a button) =
cannot take much of a tamp, or else the relatively weak steam pressure =
won't make it through the coffee. Any machine that comes with a little =
glass carafe into which the "espresso" gets brewed is almost inevitably =
a "steam toy." (I tried to use a tamper on a friend's Hamilton Beach =
steam toy, and the water had nowhere to go--it literally blew the =
portafilter off the machine). Then there are some cheap pump machines =
that have pressurized "crema enhancer" portafilters that don't let you =
vary the tamp or grind--some of the fair-to-middlin' ones will let you =
order an aftermarket nonpressurized portafilter--these latter ones would =
benefit from a good heavy tamper.
If you want to buy a =
tamper, trace the diameter of the portafilter (bearing in mind the =
tamper will have to be about 1-2 mm smaller to fit the inside). Pro =
tampers come in certain standardized diameters but Les can turn one to =
fit your machine. I would certainly not use anything less =
sophisticated than the cast aluminum "Terry's Tamp" sold by Espresso =
Parts NW and Sur La Table, or the HOAN cast aluminum ones. Bring the PF =
to the store to see if it'll fit. Those run about twelve bucks or so and =
are a step up from the little plastic cat toys that even the quality =
machine mfrs. enclose with their machines, but won't do as good a job as =
a Thor or pro steel tamper. Steam toys and cheap pumpers usually take =
between a 46mm-52mm tamper. Good machines take between a 49 (Pavoni =
lever), 52 (LaSpaziale, Francis!Francis!), 53 (Saeco/Barista/Estro), 57 =
(Pasquini, Bezzera--though a 58 works fine on my Pasquini Livia) and =
58mm (industry standard for Rancilio, Nuova Simonelli, LaMarzocco, =
Faema, Gaggia, and "boutique" e61 group HX and double boilers like =
Expobar, Isomac, Bricoletta, Quickmill, etc. Dunno what the Breville, =
Solis, or Ascaso machines take.
BTW, I just got an Espro =
tamper--it clicks when you've reached 30# of pressure. My routine now is =
to level and tamp firmly with the Thor, and tap the rim very gently to =
shake the grounds adhering to the sides on to the surface of the puck =
(the compacted grounds). Then I take the Espro and tamp till it clicks; =
then polish the puck by spinning the tamper w/o exerting pressure about =
two revolutions. Note that I could use the Espro for the whole =
operation, but I like the feel of the Thor in my hand; I could use the =
Thor for the whole shebang but it doesn't spin smoothly.
On =
Aug 18, 2007, at 8:55 PM, thirddayhomeroaster=
r.net wrote:
tamper gives an even "packing" =
all over the portafilter. =
Pressurized water takes the path of least resistance, so you have =
to create the same resistance through the whole puck. Proof? I sometimes tamp =
unevenly. On a double =
shot, 1 shotglass will fill all the way up, the other only half. Can give you some bitterness =
or watery sour espresso b/c the extraction is not right.
---- =
Michael Purcell <mr.purcell> =
wrote: My latest obsession is trying to =
use an old wedding gift espresso machine.I'm =
looking forward to trying SM's Liquid Amber tonight for the first =
time.
While using a shot glass as a tamper & watching =
a Good Eats episode on theFood Network =
on espresso I realize a tamper upgrade could be an easyupgrade.
What do people use as a =
tamper? Any unique =
materials or custom jobs?
Mike
homeroast mailing listhttp://li=sts.sweetmarias.com/mailman/listinfo/homeroastTo change your personal list settings (digest =
options, vacations, unsvbscribes) go to http://=sweetmarias.com/maillistinfo.html#personalsettings =
Sandywww.sass-music.com
=
=
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