Tampers are tools used to pack (or “tamp”) espresso grounds into the basket of an espresso machine. The purpose of a tamper is to pack the grounds evenly for a quality shot Essentially, you’re taking it from a loose pile of ‘dosed’ grounds to a tightly compressed cake inside the basket. Why is it important … Read more
The puck is the used coffee grounds in the portafilter If your grind was right, the grind should stick together in a solid round ‘puck’. It should be firm and dry, easily snapping into 3-4 pieces. What does your coffee puck tell you? If your coffee puck is too soft or muddy, then you are … Read more
coffee makers, especially espresso machines, can lose water due to a defective seal on the bottom of the tank. To find out if the problem is coming from there, simply fill this tank and see if any water is leaking from the joint below. This part can then be worn, crushed or broken. Why is … Read more
The purpose of tamping is to create a resistance using the compacted coffee and making the water work to push through it This is how the flavor is extracted. Learning proper espresso tamping – how the ground coffee is packed into the portafilter (basket) – is key to getting this right (1). Why do you … Read more
A coffee puck can be wet when the amount of coffee grounds in the scoop isn’t enough You can also get a sense of this when you don’t notice resistance upon tamping your espresso. If you want to decrease your espresso’s potency, you can use a coarser grind or a different roast. How do you … Read more
– The grind may be too coarse The grind can be decreased one notch at a time during the grinding process. – Try increasing the strength of coffee on your machine settings which will increase the amount of coffee during the grinding process. How can I make my espresso machine better? If you haven’t recently … Read more
You could be the cleanest person alive, but without a tamping mat, you’re just begging for the grout in your kitchen counters to become magnets for your spent grounds available in different shapes, sizes and materials, we have mats that would tickle even the most ocd barista. Are tamping mats necessary? Tamping mats are an … Read more
single dosing is the practice of only putting in enough beans in a grinder to make a single shot of espresso The idea is that you decide what coffee you want to drink, how much you want in a given dose, you measure it out, put it in the grinder, and grind getting exactly the … Read more
espresso tamper sizes vary in millimeters from 48 mm to 58 mm with most brands utilizing a 58 mm size tamper. Many tampers will include the size of the basket right in their name (i.e. The Motta Professional Coffee Tamper, 58mm). How do you know what size tamper to get? The ideal tamper should be … Read more
For daily cleaning add 1 level scoop of Espresso Clean ® into the group handle and insert as if brewing espresso If the machine is cleaned less often, use 2 level scoops. Start cycle and allow to run for 10 seconds to dissolve cleaner. Stop cycle and allow to sit for 10 seconds. How do … Read more