Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

tamper choice

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Re: tamper choice

    I realize thats comforting advice which sometimes happens on the Audio forums when asking about what are good speakers to get.
    You would appreciate them saying B&W are the go but not cheap but you get its what sounds good to you I happen to have K-mart speakers and anything would sound good compared to what I currently have.

    My tamper is a plastic one that came with the machine.
    Any metal Tamper will feel better.

    What your saying is that you can pay $30 or $500
    They both do the job - as do all working audio speakers and $100 coffee machines.

    Why pay $3,000 for an Expobar. Its just a cup of coffee...right?

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: tamper choice

      I think if you are putting 12-15kg of force on a tamper, 100-200g of tamper weight isnt going to make any difference. LIke TG says, get one you are comfortable with. Im in the process of making a Kustom tamper, and the weight isnt any issue, as I make 3-4 coffees a day. As long as the finished result fits both my hand and my basket, thats all that really matters. Go to a sponsor and try a few on. By the way, my B+Ws deliver great warmth and precision ;D This snobbery business is costing me a lot of money over a lot of areas.

      Comment


      • #18
        Re: tamper choice

        Thanks for your reply.

        I guess Im a bit wary these days of clever marketing like Bose speakers and monster cable that sucks in so many people to pay lots of $ for not much.

        If a 220 gram tamper for $30 does a good job and a $600 gold plated one is slightly better, Id go for the $30 one.

        I dont have K-mart speakers by the way.
        Mine are a mixed bag but I do have a Denon 2105 receiver and a B&W CC-3 centre.

        I go for pretty good quality at a budget price and therefore go eBay.
        Admittedly, its risky and I have been caught out a bit on a few things including cheap 2nd hand coffee machines but nothing too bad/expensive.

        I will have to wait a while for the Rancilio Silvia and Rocky grinder unfortunately, but I still want a decent coffee while Im waiting.

        Comment


        • #19
          Re: tamper choice

          Originally posted by 1C3E3E3F2239383F34510 link=1272620363/15#15 date=1274864118
          Why pay $3,000 for an Expobar. Its just a cup of coffee...right?
          No. My Expobar makes sublime coffee.

          As for the tamper, you need a good fit in the basket and a comfortable fit in your hand.

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: tamper choice

            Originally posted by 1A383839243F3E3932570 link=1272620363/15#15 date=1274864118
            Why pay $3,000 for an Expobar. Its just a cup of coffee...right?
            Wrong.

            Comment


            • #21
              Re: tamper choice


              Must admit I was on eBay watching a 2nd hand Expobar going up for auction and was salivating at the thought of having one of those

              I think Ill pass on the invite to try an Expobar coffee thanks all the same.
              Id have to throw my $200 Sunbeam and $150 DeLonghi grinder out and give up coffee until I could afford one <shudder at the thought>

              My dream at this stage is one of those Rancilio Silvia machines with a Rocky grinder for $1,420. I was on Dibartolis website and they refer to this combo as entry level sheesh, compared to what I have atm Im sure Id feel like Im in Heaven.

              How good is this combo do you think? :P

              Comment


              • #22
                Re: tamper choice

                Savings before spendings   I was just having that same discussion with a 14 year old in my big kids toy shop 15 minutes ago  

                Wrong place for a discussion on the Silvia/Rocky but it is a tough as nails combo that driven correctly will produce a better than average cafe coffee time after time. Have your $1400ish stash ready and keep looking here for a good secondhand HX, keep the Sunbeam for a bit then upgrade it later.

                Back on the topic. If a Tamper is to light or more specifically to top heavy compared to the base it is harder to tamp level I reckon so a bit of weight in the base is nice, 4-500g seems to work the 300ish one I have had was ordinary to use. A balanced feel and a handle that fits the hand well (different for different people) is also important.

                So the best thing to do is go pick them up and have a play

                A couple below one of them just feels uncomfortable (I know because I have tried one) and the other will be top heavy.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Re: tamper choice

                  Thanks for the helpful info.
                  The Tamper on the left appears like one I was considering and hadnt thought of the top heavy aspect.
                  Suggesting 4-500 grams is also one I will follow up.
                  Ill go check out the HX although yeah..will have to make do with the Sunbeam for a while yet.

                  Cheers

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: tamper choice

                    Weight is only one aspect of a tamper, balance, fit in your hand and fit to the basket are much more important. Dont get wound up with weight as it is only one factor that you need to look at. Having used a cheap, slightly expensive and high end tamper you definitely get what you pay for (and btw the weight was the same for the cheap and expensive one).

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: tamper choice

                      Cheers...Ill be saving my pennies for that Expobar...hoping I get to live that long?

                      I have measured the diameter of my basket and it is exactly 53mm.
                      There are 51mm, 52mm, and 53mm.
                      How much clearance on each side id ideal if the Tamper is centered?
                      Im guessing from responses here that rather than order one online, I should take my basket to a coffee accessories supplier and get the exact fit and a feel that suits me.

                      Makes sense...glad Im here ;D

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: tamper choice

                        Originally posted by 507272736E757473781D0 link=1272620363/24#24 date=1274940698
                        Im guessing from responses here that rather than order one online, I should take my basket to a coffee accessories supplier and get the exact fit and a feel that suits me.
                        Yes, exactly.

                        You want just enough clearance that the tamper goes into the basket and is removed easily. Any more than a couple of mm and the edge that doesnt fit will likely not tamp as firm and will allow water through too easily. This is channelling and is not good.

                        My custom fitted Pullman has so little space that when inserted into the basket it is difficult to feel whether you can move it from side to side. I would be maybe .5 mm in diameter less than the basket.

                        Greg

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: tamper choice

                          Ok so I have worn out the seach bar.. (though im sure there has to be a dozen threads on my what Im looking for, burried in this mass of snobbery somewhere..)

                          But, i have another question re: tamper choice.

                          is there any preference between flat bottomed tamps and ones with the slight radius to match the curve of the showerscreen ?
                          does one perform better than the other or is it all a matter of preference?

                          thanks,
                          kotaro.


                          [edit]NB. I have both, and havnt been able to tell them apart.[/edit]

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: tamper choice

                            use the word CONVEX and search the subject line only not the message as well and check the box only one message per thread.

                            There is also two slightly different curve styles one from the US and a European one. Apart from any machine with a curved screen go flat I reckon seems to be the consensus.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: tamper choice

                              Originally posted by 5C5B5F505852475750593E0 link=1272620363/27#27 date=1274972979
                              use the word CONVEX and search the subject line only not the message as well and check the box only one message per thread.

                              There is also two slightly different curve styles one from the US and a European one. Apart from any machine with a curved screen go flat I reckon seems to be the consensus.
                              Thanks BF, I think that is probably the only thing I didnt search for  ;D

                              [edit]after reading this thread: http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1264832515/10#10
                              and Greg Pullmans FAQ I have come to the conclusion that there are probly many more things that are going to more greatly impact the quality and consistancy of my coffee rather than whether or not my tamper has a flat or convex bottom. as i said before, i have both and cannot tell them apart in the cup. [/edit]

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: tamper choice

                                Im in Werribee, Melbourne.
                                Any tips who might have a reasonable range?
                                (excluding the gold plated ones)

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X