What is a Tamper?

If you have a manual or semi-automatic espresso machine, then you have the opportunity to use a tamper. This is a device with a flat end made of wood or stainless steel used to apply pressure to the fresh espresso grounds in the portafilter.

It is recommended to tamp the fresh espresso with 40 pounds of pressure, and you can practice this by pressing down on a bathroom scale to see what 40 pounds of pressure feels like. Use this pressure when you tamp the fresh espresso grounds to create a puck that has an even distribution of pressure for the extraction process.

You can practice your tamping skills by checking how long it takes the espresso shot to brew. An ideal shot should brew within 25 seconds, so adjust your methods accordingly!

You can visit The Coffee Bump today for Bunn Coffee Filters!