I took delivery of my Reg Barber Tamper today. It's got a 58.2 mm customized steel base with the new C flat bottom (combination of center flat and Euro curved margins). I didn't believe my taste buds but my espresso tastes much clearer now. I ordered this thing because I wanted to have a tighter fit in order to reduce coffee buildup on the side walls during tamping. However, the super-smooth steel base in combination with the bottom shape and the tighter fit really have improved my espresso. I used standard aluminum 58 mm tampers before (which were a bit smaller than the 58mm that they claimed).
While the Reg Barber is not cheap, it nonetheless is a wonderful piece of art. I absolutely love it from the first tamp on and I cannot imagine how I could have lived without one until now.
As I said, the most surprising thing was that the taste actually changed. My espressi were really good before that. But now the really even and precise tamping brings out a certain brightness in them that's totally taken me aback. The naked extractions - in conjunction with the Weiss Distribution Method - look wonderfully even also.
Just out of curiosity, what basket are you using that allows you such a nice fit with the RB? I'm trying to figure out if my shots would be even better with the "side-wall" problem cured. Thanks.
Just out of curiosity, what basket are you using that allows you such a nice fit with the RB? I'm trying to figure out if my shots would be even better with the "side-wall" problem cured. Thanks.
I am using what I got with my QM Vetrano, namely a QM double basket and a Rancilio Triple basket. I think I could have gone up to 58.4 or even 58.5 mm with a tight fit but the 58.2 works great with just a tiny tad of leeway. Buildup is very little and negligible. Also, I REALLY like the C flat base. I'd say the buildup doesn't make the shot bad, though. It's a matter of convenience more or less. However, I think I prefer tampers with a nice and tight fit. It makes it easier to balance them in the basket and prevents chanelling. My old 57mm tamper (supposedly 58mm but in reality only 57mm) made it much harder to get a perfect side seal. I had to work with its excessive leeway. Now, some people on here might prefer the leeway but I don't.
The 57mm tamper in 58mm basket (and stock baskets are rarely 58, sometimes almost 59) would have left you with side chanelling, ultimately massively affecting the quality of your extraction, unless you overdo on NSEW tamping to make sure all the sides are properly sealed.
My standard 58mm tampers work well on standard 58mm (+ 0.3-0.6mm) baskets even without employing the NSEW technique, just a single straigh 'tamp-and-polish'...no side channeling. .On the other hand I know the 57mm tamper will present a problem, for sure.
I bought my Reg Barber after participating in the HB Tamper "Road Show" more than a year ago. It was a real treat to have all those top end tampers at home to try at my leisure. It was the "standard" RB Tall Bublinga with 58mm convex stainless steel base that just simply felt so darn "right" I had to buy one.
Did you buy direct, or through a reseller? Checked out their site, and they charge $20 for shipping! Would love to get one, and willing to pay for it, but I hate paying inflated shipping charges. I haven't found a reseller that will do custom sizes (measured my baskets and will probably go with 58.3mm).
Went the direct route. Yeah, shipping charges are a bit of gouging. If at least they would ship via air for that money. They only do ground. However, if you want to get a customized size you need to go that route. Well worth it as the quality of the tamper makes up for the shipping charge.
Worldman: Yeah, got the very same tamper like you did, just with that extra .2mm in diameter. I agree with you that it "just feels right." Spot on!
Awesome pictures! Well, this is an interesting design. However, I am just wondering if there is any coffee science involved or if this is just something for the eye. I cannot imagine this pattern to provide a good top seal. Please enlighten us about this! Is this a prototype?
I have to say that I love the tamper more with each day of espresso making. It sits so naturally in the basket and does the first compression of the grounds almost by itself. It feels incredibly even when I level the grounds when tamping harder. And the buildup on the side walls is minimal. The final polish is a pleasure as the tamper seems to spin by itself in the basket. It's that smooth. I have to say that I didn't believe that such a simple tool could vary that much in quality. However, after using the Reg Barber for a week, I now know all the difference between my run-of-the-mill $30 aluminum tamper that I used before and the customized Reg Barber! Not cheap after all to spend $90 on a tamper (this includes the inflated $20 shipping charge) but well worth it in my view! It just feels so perfect!
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