How to Tamp Espresso Like A Pro
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Hey, yo. Are you in search of better espresso shots? I have tamped thousands of shots and if you implement this 3-step process, I guarantee you will improve your espresso shots dramatically and will be on your way to becoming a tamping master.
There are a few details you need to know in addition to that actual 3-step process and I’ve laid them out below. Read on or click on a topic to jump to that section:
Why proper tamping matters
Proper espresso tamping is a skill that allows you to consistently pull shots that have good extraction. You can identify a well-extracted espresso shot because it will have a good body/mouthfeel as well as complex yet pleasant flavors.
Two essential tools you'll need for tamping
In my experience, there are two key things you must invest in: a WDT distribution tool and a good quality, properly-sized tamper. There’s a time and a place for the plethora of espresso gadgetry you’ll see online, but you can brew great espresso today with this basic setup.
Tool #1: WDT distribution tool
You need a coffee distribution tool that can stir your espresso grounds and distribute them throughout the portafilter basket evenly. You can make your own with a cork, hot glue, and a guitar G string (which I DIY’d and it works pretty darn well) or buy one like the Subminimal Flick (which I own).
Subminimal Flick vs. DIY cork and guitar string WDT tool
Tool #2: Good quality, properly-sized tamper
Cheap tampers will get you by for a little while, but for proper tamping you want something made with a little more attention to detail. This will benefit you both ergonomically and practically in your pursuit of great espresso. A 53.3mm or 58.5mm tamper will also help. The .3 and the .5 are key because they provide the extra little bit of area that is needed to cover your grounds completely. I recommend either this basic tamper from Barista Hustle or the self-leveling tamper from Normcore.
How to tamp correctly in three steps
Step 1: Create even grounds distribution in your portafilter
When your espresso comes out of your grinder it’s often in a mound and clumpy. You shouldn’t just tamp that mound down — that will result in channeling. Instead, you want to spread your espresso grounds around in the portafilter basket so that they are evenly distributed. This is where your WDT distribution tool comes in.
Closeup of undistributed grounds straight out of the grinder.
The little needles on your distribution tool will move the grounds around thoroughly so that there are no more mounds or divots. It also breaks up most of the clumps that may cause channeling.
The process is simple, just swirl your distribution tool around in your espresso grounds a few times until you achieved the desired result – 5-10 rotations in enough. By the way, this distribution method is called the Weiss Distribution Technique or WDT for short.
Closeup of distributed grounds after using a WDT tool. Much more even and significantly fewer clumps.
Step 2: Techniques that allow for level grounds compression
It’s important to keep your tamper level when you’re compressing the coffee grounds. If water is pushed into the portafilter on an unlevel espresso puck it will result in pressure being applied more to the lower side than the higher side, which will cause uneven extraction.
The portafilter setup
Holding the handle, rest the edge of the portafilter on your tamp mat. Do not tamp with the spouts on the countertop or your tamp mat. You will damage your counter, your tamp mat, and your portafilter. Be extra careful that your tamper doesn’t slide off the counter mid-tamp as it could cause injury. I’ve done this; It sucks.
If you have a bottomless portafilter, you should still use a tamp mat, but your portafilter will have more surface area on the tamp mat and your handle will still be off the counter.
Side note: a quality tamp mat will make your life a little easier. If you don’t have one, use a hand towel doubled over.
Grab the “doorknob”
A level, even tamp can be achieved using this technique:
Set your tamper into your portafilter.
With your arm bent and elbow up, grip the tamper like a door knob.
Put your thumb and index finger on opposite sides of the tamper and your palm in on the ball of the tamper.
Press straight down using your palm and fingers to apply pressure from your shoulder and elbow.
When you’re finished (we cover that in a moment), look at your tamper — is it sitting level? It should be. If not, resume the same position and press down while moving it a little to make it level.
Do your best. Don’t go for perfect. Go for pretty darn good. Once you do this a couple times you can skip step 1 and just hold the tamper and insert it into the portafilter as level as possible. Let’s talk about how hard to press next.
Proper tamping requires a little bit of technique to ensure an level puck of espresso.
Step 3: Applying proper downward pressure
When tamping, you want to continue applying pressure until the espresso grounds won’t compress any further. It really doesn’t take that much effort to achieve this. You may see videos talking about the risks of over-tamping. Don’t worry about that. You won’t over-tamp, but you can definitely under-tamp. Under-tamping leads to sloppy, sour shots.
In terms of pressure needed to properly tamp, 30-lbs of pressure is often cited, but as a beginner don’t worry about this. Just follow the steps above and focus on consistency in compressing until the grounds won’t go anymore rather than hitting a number that you can’t even measure without specialized tools.
That’s it. That’s tamping. Be gentle with your portafilter so that your nicely tamped espresso puck doesn’t get damaged before you put it into your espresso machine.
Other tamper details you need to know
So, you just tamped like a pro. Nice work. Soon it will be second nature. Just keep practicing and focus on consistency so that you can work on the other variables like grind size, extraction time, and brew ratios without worrying if you tamped correctly. Before you head out and practice, let’s quickly cover a couple more things you need to know.
There are 2 main tamper size variations
There are various sizes. If you buy a new tamper make sure you’re getting one that fits your portafilter. 53mm and 58mm are the most common. Barista Essentials has put together a great list that helps you find the tamper and portafilter size for your espresso machine.
There are different tamper styles for different preferences and needs
If you have a plastic tamper, you DEFINITELY need a new one, asap. For the rest of you, you can get by on whatever cheap tamper came with your machine…for now. They generally aren’t great so when you’re ready to upgrade you’ll be faced with some choices. Let me give you a quick rundown:
Standard - A high quality, no-frills option you’ll see almost everywhere. Luxhaus.
Self-Leveling - Made to make your leveling technique very easy. Normcore.
Palm - An ergonomic approach that is helpful to those who don’t like the standard tamper feel. Pullman Palm Tamper.
Spring-loaded or piston - Meant to tamp at a certain pressure (15lbs, 30lbs, etc.). A good option for those looking for consistency. Like anything with moving parts, it’s safe to say they’ll wear out over time. Force Tamper.
Auto-tampers - Great for consistency and those who may not be able to tamp due to physical ability. Bose or Puqpress.
Tamper surface - flax vs. convex vs. rippled
Most tampers come with a flat tamping surface but you’ll see convex and rippled tampers out in the world. The theory behind these is they help achieve better extraction. There doesn’t seem to be data supporting this but there is data from Lance Hedrick that shows a flat base to be the best. I agree with Lance: go with the flat.
Recommended gear lists for 3 budget levels
You don’t have to spend a fortune on gear. Anything you buy below will be perfectly adequate. It’s all about your needs, style, and budget. Make sure anything your purchase is compatible with your espresso setup.
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There’s a companion video on the way for this, so subscribe to my YouTube channel using the button below. Until next time, peace. -Rob
