The 3 best espresso tampers, and why you need one for great espresso

Pros: Almost entirely foolproof, large, comfortable grip

Cons: You'll need to keep it clean and dry

Whether you're just getting started or having trouble consistently getting an even tamp, a calibrated tamper can help — especially one designed like Decent's, with a rim that prevents slanted or "sideways" tamping.

Tamping properly is paramount to achieving a good shot of espresso, and just like hanging a picture frame perfectly straight, you're almost never going to tamp in a flawlessly level manner. A lopsided tamp will almost certainly produce a poor shot of espresso, with over-extraction of the less tightly-packed side being the culprit.

Apart from the mechanical aspects of the Decent Tamper, it's adequately weighted at 13.5 ounces (the pros we've spoken with recommend something close to one pound) and has a rounded handle for a comfortable palm grip. While it does have a number of moving parts, everything is robust enough to handle a fall from the counter. The only thing you'll want to be careful of is getting the mechanism(s) wet. If the thing does end up submerged in water, you'll want to take it apart and make sure to thoroughly dry it in order to prevent rust.

Pros: Good balance between the handle and base, lifetime satisfaction guarantee, comes in most portafilter sizes

Cons: The brand doesn't offer interchangeable bases or handles

The Luxhaus is about as bare-bones as the best espresso tampers get without skimping on quality metal or meticulous construction, as evidenced by its perfectly balanced handle and base. The handle's conical shape accommodates a range of hand sizes and grips, and at just shy of 14 ounces, this tamper is hefty enough to get the job done with or without a leveler. 

The Luxhaus was comfortable and effortless to use, and the 58mm model we tried fit snugly inside the 58mm portafilter basket of our Gaggia Classic Evo Pro espresso machine (the top pick in our guide to the best espresso machines).

Simply put, there are no design shortcuts that make it inferior to many of the $100+ models we tried. Dip below the Luxhaus's price point, however, and you'll start to find unbalanced handles that don't offer enough stability and cheap plastic components that bring a tamper's weight down and make it more unwieldy. 

This model also comes with a lifetime warranty and a felt bag for storage. 

Pros: Easy to use, easy to adjust, compact (for a two-in-one device)

Cons: Only comes in three sizes, we wish it had visible measurements so you could change between depth calibrations without having to guess

A tamper's weight is crucial to its effectiveness, and at 17.3 ounces the Matow was the heaviest option we tested from all the best espresso tampers. That's thanks in part to its two-in-one tamper and leveler design. A leveler, or distributor, is the tool you use to level out espresso grounds before tamping in order to get a more consistent extraction. Most levelers, including Matow's, feature a set of fins accentuated by deep grooves for flat and even redistribution. Some people prefer to use a leveler sans tamper, or vice versa, to achieve the perfect pour. 

In testing the device, we had to spend a little bit of time calibrating its adjustable depths. As long as you don't change baskets too often, this isn't much of a nuisance, but it's a downside to consider. We're hoping Matow will engrave a simple scale into future versions of the Dual Head Coffee Leveler. 

Once we got everything dialed, extraction was flawless, and the grippy surface on the outer ring made tamping especially comfortable. We've used and tweaked this tamper enough to know it's not going to fall apart easily.

Weight: Former Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) judge and home-barista.com founder Dan Kehn said, "The thing the tamp[er] really does is help with the pre-infusion or pre-wetting. A tamper weighing at least a pound, and no more than two pounds, is the ideal weight for ergonomic tamping."

Fit: The other thing you want to make sure of is a snug fit. Lance Hedrick, of Onyx Coffee Lab, opts for the snuggest-fitting tamper for your espresso machine's portafilter, and a "kind of sharp edge" that eliminates room for slipping and, to some degree, uneven tamping.

Throughout testing, we used Gaggia's Classic Pro espresso machine, which is our pick for the best espresso machine. 

Pulling shots

For each tamper, we pulled four shots: two with a leveler, or a distribution tool to even out the grounds, and two without. This was the most telling testing phase. Whether you're using a spouted or a bottomless (or "naked") portafilter, you want a slow, constant drizzle with enough foam, or crema, to give it a golden hue. This signifies an even extraction.

If the flow is too slow, it's an indication that the grounds are compacted. Conversely, if espresso is cascading and/or spurting out of the bottom of your portafilter, your grounds are probably not tamped enough, or too coarse to start.

Tasting

Tasting is always the best way to decide on the quality of your shot;  it's also highly subjective. We noted where shots seemed under- or over-extracted, and when we pulled a shot that wasn't up to par, we checked to make sure that the issue was related to the tamper we were using, and not the result of improperly-sized grounds or a portafilter in need of cleaning. 

Analyzing the puck

Apart from tasting and watching a shot pour, looking at the puck afterward is the next best way to dissect the quality of an espresso shot. It's a bit like making a tea-leaf prophecy in reverse. If it's rock-hard, there's a good chance that the grounds were too fine. If it's soft, your grounds might be too coarse or you might have tamped too finely. If it's cracked, or partially dry, the tamp was almost certainly uneven. 

During testing, we oftentimes looked at the puck to essentially confirm what we already knew from previous steps. Between watching the shot pour, tasting the shot, and analyzing the puck, we were able to form a clear picture of what happened.

Start with a good grinder and fresh grounds. After dialing your burr grinder and getting your grounds the right size and consistency, measure out your portafilter basket's recommended capacity. Note that if your grounds touch the screen of the group head (the part of the espresso machine where the water comes out) when you lock in your portafilter, your basket is overfilled. 

Calibrate your leveler and level the grounds. If your leveler isn't calibrated, adjust it so that it reaches the top of your grounds when they're sitting in your portafilter basket. Again, this depth will vary from basket to basket, which is why an adjustable leveler is best. Give the leveler a few good spins and check if there's a wave in the grounds from the fins or ridges of your leveler, which indicates it's probably set too deep. 

Use the best tamper. Place your tamper in the basket atop the grounds and push down until it clicks (assuming it's calibrated). To tidy things up, some baristas recommend "polishing" the puck by briefly spinning your tamper with about five pounds of pressure. Once you're done tamping, look at the grounds in the basket to make sure they're level. If your puck is slanted, water is going to find the path of least resistance and channel its way through rather than evenly extract.

Attach the basket to the group head, and pull your shot. Provided your grind size is right and your grounds are consistent, you should get a slow but steady trickle into your demitasse. 

If you want to see how your infusion and extraction are working, try removing your puck right after the machine completes the pre-infusion (or pre-wetting). If you see dry spots, that's where water didn't penetrate. If you see cracks, that's where water channeled. 

Do I have to tamp my espresso?

Extraction with espresso occurs via pressure, and the only way to achieve proper extraction is with tamping, employing at least 20-30 pounds of pressure. When lower-pressure brewing is involved, compacting grounds isn't necessary because of the longer brewing or steeping process.

Why does tamping my espresso matter?

Tamping matters because you need compressed grounds; without it, your bed of coffee is too loosely settled to generate the necessary pressure to create espresso. While 30 pounds is often cited as the amount of pressure needed to properly tamp, Dan Kehn, along with the folks at both Javapress and Whole Latte Love, maintain that 10 pounds will do the trick. Even with more weight, there will still be small air pockets, and the grounds won't compress much further with each increase in pressure.

What is the difference between tamping and leveling?

A tamper is a flat (in some cases convex or lined) piece of metal used to press coffee grounds into a compact puck within your portafilter basket. A leveler is a tool that sweeps across the surface of loosely piled grounds in order to distribute them evenly throughout the portafilter basket. You can use a leveler without the best tamper — and a lot of contemporary baristas do — but a tamper provides an extra bit of insurance against channeling.

What is the Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) and do I need a WDT tool?

The WDT, founded by retired computer scientist and biochemistry Ph.D. John Weiss, involves using a series of acupuncture needles to break up and "distribute" coffee grounds evenly throughout your portafilter. Many of the experts we have consulted over the years are adamant about using one (see Lance Hedrick's video on the method and tool here). It's not necessary, but it will almost certainly make your espresso pour more evenly and taste better.

Do I need a distribution tool?

Basically, tamping an espresso shot without a distribution tool is a bit like hanging a picture frame without a level: it might look straight, but it probably isn't. Once the grounds are perfectly leveled, they'll remain even within the portafilter. Tamping them afterward with the best tamper just reduces the margin of error.