Frequently Asked Questions

There are many questions you may have before deciding whether or not to buy a new tamper. The links on this page address some of the more common enquiries, or things you need to know to help you decide!

General Information:

Q: What is 'tamping' and why is it necessary? (Top of page)

Tamping is an important part of making a good espresso or cappuccino. After your filter basket is full of ground coffee, you need to compress the coffee grounds, and this process is called 'tamping'. By tamping the coffee grounds, you pack it together a lot tighter, meaning it takes longer for the water to flow through the coffee, thereby extracting more flavour from the coffee grounds. If you didn't tamp the coffee grounds, the water would run through the coffee very quickly, resulting in a weak watery coffee, and a lot of wasteage of coffee beans.

One of the most important things about making coffee is to be able to repeat a good brew - and to do this you need to be able to be as consistent as possible with what you do. Tamping is one area where there can be great variations - and a good tamper can help to eliminate most of those variables, thereby helping you to achieve more consistent brews. Depending on their configuration, espresso machines typically provide between 9 and 15 bar of pump pressure, so with this much pressure the water will certainly take the path of least resistance through the coffee grounds. If certain parts of your coffee grounds aren't packed together as much as other areas, that's the path the water will take - meaning certain areas of the coffee will be overextracted (too much water flow) and bitter, while other areas may be relatively unaffected by the water. The result will be an unpleasant, inconsistent and unrepeatable brew. However, a good heavy tamper which is exactly the right size, will allow you to exert a good firm tamp which will compress all the coffee grounds evenly, every time. The result will be a richer, fuller brew which you can repeat time and again.

Some have suggested it's possible to pack the basket full of coffee and let the showerscreen do the tamping. This can work to a degree, but since you're pushing loose coffee hard up against the showerscreen while turning it through 45 degrees, the showerscreen will clog quite quickly and bits of ground coffee will be left in the machine. This has the potential to decrease brew quality, by re-extracting the old, burnt grounds. As the next point shows, tamping is only one part of the process to making good coffee, and choosing not to tamp means having to spend more time on cleaning the old coffee grounds from the brew area.

Q: Is tamping the only thing to consider when making good coffee? (Top of page)

Correct tamping is important for consistent coffee, but it's not the only variable. Other areas of importance are:

  • fresh beans
  • fresh water
    • use filtered water if possible, which won't add any unpleasant flavours to your coffee
  • the right temperature water and equipment
    • if you assemble the portafilter and filter basket to the group and allow it to all warm up together, then pump some water through the machine before adding the coffee, the temperature will be as stable as it can be. In general, cheaper aluminium thermoblock machines will have difficulty maintaining constant temperatures and producing consistent results compared to more expensive machines with steel or brass groups and boilers
  • correct level of extraction (how long you run the water for)
    • avoid running the pump longer than necessary, as this will lead to bitter and overextracted coffee
  • correct grind and tamp pressure
    • espresso is best brewed with a fairly fine grind (due to the high water pressure compared to dripolators and plungers). The tamp should be even across the whole surface of the coffee, and tamp right to the edges of the filter basket. The 'ideal' pressure depends on the bean roast level and the grind, but it does need to be quite firm (one popular figure is 30 pounds - push down on a set of bathroom scales until it comes up to about 15kg, and that's about what's suggested). If the water flows too slowly, try a lighter tamp or a coarser grind.
  • a clean machine
    • you wouldn't prepare a Sunday roast on a dirty tray which had been used three times already and was covered with old fat and seasoning; so why do the same with espresso? It's important to regularly clean the showerscreen and group area to prevent the build-up of old coffee grounds and oils which can lead to inferior tasting brews. The technique varies from machine to machine, but is generally not difficult. This is even more of an issue if you don't tamp, as the point above shows.
Q: What is stainless steel? (Top of page)

Stainless steel is an alloy. This means it is made by combining a number of different metal types to form one new metal. Stainless steel is a low carbon steel (about 1.2% or less) containing predominantly iron, but also contains at least 10% chromium. This addition of chromium provides its unique stainless, corrosion resisting properties. Stainless steel is very hard, it won't rust and has a shiny finish, making it ideal for food applications. Further information is available at The Stainless Steel Information Center.

Tampers:

Q: Which is better - the Deluxe Tamper or the Barista Tamper? (Top of page)

In short, neither! They are different tampers aimed for different markets. The Deluxe tamper is the original Pullman tamper which was first produced in early 2003 based on Greg Pullman's own design. It has gone through a number of subsequent refinements based on customer feedback to make it the best it can be, and has proved to be very popular among discerning home connoisseurs. The vast majority of the testimonials on this site, for example, relate to the Deluxe tamper and show just how happy people are with their Deluxe tamper. The Barista tamper by contrast is aimed more at the commercial market and came about through extensive consultation and prototyping with commercial operators prior to its creation. The result has been a unit which meets the unique requirements of high-volume high-quality commercial espresso bars and has exceeded the expectations of those involved in the prototyping process.

For more information about the pros and cons of each design, visit the Products page.

Q: What's better - flat-base or convex-base tampers? (Top of page)

This is one of the age-old questions in the world of tamping. The whole purpose of tamping is to get uniform compression throughout the coffee puck, and in my opinion this can only be achieved if the tamper has a flat base. A convex tamper will create a dished tamp, rather than a flat one. This extra pressure at the centre will discourage even water flow throughout the coffee, and thus will lead to uneven extraction. Flat base tampers also sit nicely on the bench, rather than rolling around and scuffing the centre of the tamper.

However others have counter-arguments. Some suggest convex tampers improve 'particle distribution' (that is, how evenly the coffee grounds are distributed in the filter basket). Most grinders tend to heap a pile of coffee grounds in the middle of the filter basket, and the convex shape of the tamper is intended to push this pile to the sides of the basket and leave a perfect tamp. While this may have its merits, a convex tamper still results in the centre being tamped harder than the outside, which clearly is not ideal. A much better technique is, after loading the filter basket with coffee, knock the portafilter on the bench to level it down, and perhaps to smooth it over with your finger or slide the tamper across the top lip of the filter basket to 'grade' the coffee flat. Once the coffee's relatively flat, you can then use your flat-bottomed tamper get an even, consistent tamp all the way through. Being more time-consuming than a simple tamp though, some may prefer a convex base in high-volume situations. Some machines have a convex shower-screen, in which case a convex tamper may be desirable.

Ultimately, there are more important factors than the presence or absence of 1.5mm of curve across the puck. You can choose whichever view you subscribe to, and providing you're after a 57mm or 58mm tamper, you can purchase the base with the profile you prefer.

Q: Why do the tampers have three grooves cut into the side? (Top of page)

A good tamp is all about getting even pressure all the way through the coffee grounds. But it's also important to be able to have consistency in what you do, so if you follow the same procedure, you should get the same results.

The TrueTamp guide rings assist you in both these regards. They allow you to line the top of your filter basket up with one of the guide rings to ensure the tamper is level. This makes sure the pressure is even across the basket, and not packed more on one side than the other. Also, by giving you a clear indication of how deep the tamper is in the basket, they allow you to tamp to exactly the same depth each time. If the coffee volume is kept the same, you eliminate almost all the variables within the filter basket. Whether you're at home or at the cafe, this feature will greatly assist you in gaining consistency in your brews.

Q: What about plastic and aluminium tampers? They seem a cheaper option. (Top of page)

A number of coffee accessory retailers sell plastic or aluminium tampers. Both are popular with lower-end mass-production suppliers, because the materials are cheap to buy, easy to work with and light to deliver. From a manufacturer's point of view, they're ideal. However, for the actual purpose of tamping coffee, which is what you're interested in, plastic and aluminium both have a number of significant disadvantages which should be taken into account when considering purchasing a coffee tamper.

Plastic

Plastic is very light, a quality which is generally undesirable for effective tamping. Some inherent dead weight stabilises the tamper, which helps to get a flat tamp, and reduces the amount of force the user has to apply. Increased user force increases the possibility of a misaligned tamp, leading to uneven extraction throughout the coffee grounds. Plastic is typically quite soft, meaning it can readily get damaged in a kitchen or cafe environment. Plastic looks as cheap as it is, and a good espresso machine deserves a good tamper. It's a shame to have an attractive and powerful espresso machine in service, only to have it let down by a cheap plastic tamper.

Aluminium

A tamper made from a lightweight material such as plastic or aluminium is far less than ideal for achieving a smooth, even tamp (essential if you want to brew repeatable coffee). The lack of any significant dead mass requires the user to exert more force than on a heavy unit, thereby increasing the probability of a skewed tamp, leading to uneven pressure across the coffee grounds and an unpredictable brew.

Aluminium is a physically soft metal, which makes it easy for a manufacturer to make, but also makes it inherently more prone to scratches and dents. Aluminium is also prone to corrosion, particularly when exposed to moisture, a likely factor in a kitchen setting. Combined, these factors mean that over time an aluminium tamper is likely to lose any smooth finish it may have, and become scratched, dented and developing a milky/mildewey appearance instead.

There have been suggestions over many years that aluminium is connected with Alzheimer's disease and other mental illnesses. I'm not a chemist and have no experience in this field to state whether or not this is true, but the suggestion has been frequently put forward so it's just one one potential factor to consider (more information on aluminium toxicity). The number of food utensils made from aluminium has decreased markedly over recent years, so using it in connection with food in any way seems very unwise. Coffee contains a number of oils and acids which could accelerate breakdown of the aluminium over time.

Wood

Wood feels beautiful, which is why wood is used for the handle. But stainless steel has been chosen for the base for a number of good reasons. Some of its key benefits are not only its inherent weight, natural resistance to scratches and dents, and corrosion-proof surface, but also the fact that it doesn't absorb moisture and germs. No matter how often you tamp, or how you treat it, a tamper with a stainless base will be as good and as healthy as new with a quick wipe. The same can't be said for wooden tampers which can not only dent and scratch, but also have the potential to absorb bacteria - the very reason we're often advised by health professionals to regularly bleach our wooden chopping boards.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is completely food safe. The number of stainless steel cutlery sets and cooking utensils (saucepans, frypans, etc) further indicate its compatability with a wide range of food products. You can use a stainless tamper in the knowledge it will not corrode or leach chemicals into your coffee.

Stainless is heavier than aluminium, meaning its inherent weight starts the tamping process before you add any force yourself. You therefore need to add much less manual force to achieve a firm tamp than you would with other lightweight materials. The weight assists in keeping the tamper flat, ensuring the pressure is even across the coffee grounds.

Stainless steel is a very hard material. This means it is much more resistant to dents and scratches than aluminium. Most common kitchen utensils will not damage the surface of stainless steel; and as the name implies, it's "stainless", meaning it will retain its clean, shiny appearance for years to come, so your tamper will always come up like new with a quick wipe. 304 grade stainless steel is 'food grade' steel which is the minimum grade used for these tampers; in some cases 316 grade will be used, an even higher grade steel designed to withstand the salts and oils of marine applications. So regardless of which tamper you buy, you can be assured that its construction is of materials which will provide safe and attractive service for years to come.

Q: Will the tamper I receive be identical to those in the pictures on your website?(Top of page)

Probably not. We make every effort to ensure the photos on our website provide a good indication of how they will look, however as in the case of wooden furniture, Persian rugs and oil paintings, subtle differences from unit to unit are an inherent quality of any product that employs hand-made artisan processes. Our wooden handles, for example, are made from natural timbers with natural variations so no two units will ever be identical - small variations in colour and composition are considered a normal part of the process. We do however endeavour to separate and sell separately units that have significant differences (such as dark brown and light brown Jarrah, and 'rustic' handles that have a lot of gum vein). Likewise, one tamper base to the next may have slightly different finishes, however all will be within our quality specification.

If you have any preferences in these areas you can include this in the Notes field with your order and we will endeavour to accommodate your request as far as is possible within the range of units we have at the time.

Tamper and basket sizes:

Q: How do I know what size tamper will suit my machine? (Top of page)

Throughout the coffee tamper world, this is perhaps one of the most difficult issues to deal with. There are so many machines with so many different sizes, it's impossible to have an up to date listing of every machine ever made and the filter basket size. Even for the same type of machine, there can be differences, for these reasons:

  • Manufacturers sometimes change the specifications of their filter baskets
  • Filter baskets sometimes get slightly crushed over time by the portafilter spring, making them a bit smaller than a new one
  • Manufacturing tolerances mean that different production runs can produce different results
  • Single and double baskets are pressed from different dies, and differences often exist
  • Aftermarket baskets may be slightly different in size to the original baskets which came with your machine

These are just some of the factors which can lead to your filter basket being a non-standard size. Another misleading factor is the term '58mm filter basket'. Most would, understandably, presume this to mean a machine whose filter basket is exactly 58mm, however this is rarely the case. In the years of making Pullman tampers, we have seen baskets ranging from 57.9mm to 59.1mm all claiming to be '58mm' baskets. The precise tolerances of the tampers means a tamper made for a 'large 58mm' basket will never fit a 'smaller 58mm' basket. For this reason, many tamper suppliers simply refuse to touch the issue, saying "You supply a size and we'll give you a tamper - we will not recommend tamper sizes for machines". While this is the easiest option for the supplier, it's not much help for you; so we offer several options, listed here in order of preference to give you best results:

  1. The only way to be 100% certain the tamper will be exactly the right size is to post both your filter baskets and I'll ensure the tamper fits them both. Given the tamper will last for many years, many feel the short-term pain of being without their filter baskets for a week or so is far outweighed by the long-term gain of a perfectly fitting tamper for years to come.
  2. If your machine takes 58mm filter baskets, you can elect to purchase suitable Synesso filter baskets when you order your tamper which will fit your tamper.
  3. If you want to send only one filter basket, wobble your existing tamper in both baskets and try to work out which one is smaller, and send the smaller of the two. If they seem about the same, send the one you will use most commonly. A little extra clearance will have to be allowed for any variation in your other basket, but this is still an acceptable option.
  4. If you know someone who has a Pullman tamper, see if you're happy with how it fits your filter basket. If it's a good fit, unscrew the handle and you'll see a serial number stamped into the top of the tamper. Include this number with your order and I'll make your tamper to exactly the same size.
  5. If you're ordering a new machine from Coffee for Connoisseurs, order your tamper before ordering your machine. The proprieter over at Coffee for Connoisseurs uses a Pullman tamper and he can test it in your filter basket.
  6. We have taken filter basket measurements for all the machines shown in the 'machine type' drop-down list on the order page, and these can be useful as a guide:
    • Whether or not your machine is listed, you can endeavour to provide an accurate measurement of your filter basket using vernier calipers (see how to measure filter baskets). This method is not as reliable as sending your filter basket for exact sizing, but it can work if done properly.
    • If your exact machine is shown in this list, it may be acceptable for you to take an approximate measurement of your filter basket with a ruler (see how to measure filter baskets). This is only accurate to about 1mm so will only detect if the manufacturer has made a big change in their basket size (e.g. 49mm to 53mm) and won't pick up subtle differences between your basket and the one we measured.
Q: I notice you sell genuine Synesso filter baskets and compatible tampers - what's so good about Synesso baskets and will they fit my machine? (Top of page)
Synesso is a relatively new espresso machine manufacturer but they have quickly become recognised as one of the highest quality espresso machine manufacturers in the business. The filter baskets made by Synesso are of exceptionally high quality and are undoubtedly one of the best 58mm filter baskets on the market. They also hold slightly more coffee than most factory filter baskets such as those used for the Rancilio Silvia, which can result in richer espresso. For comparative purposes, photos of these and a couple of other types of baskets can be seen at Coffeesnobs.

Generally speaking, if your machine uses 58mm filter baskets it's likely you'll be able to substitute these with Synesso baskets - this applies to almost every commercial machine on the market as well as some of the higher-end domestic machines.

Synesso double baskets come in ridged and unridged variants. This simply means the ridged basket has a small ridge near the top for the portafilter spring to lock into, whereas the unridged basket has perfectly smooth walls. We feel the unridged basket gives better results so would generally recommend that over the ridged version; however the lack of a ridge in the unridged baskets means it requires a portafilter with a stronger spring than demanded by a ridged basket and we have stronger replacement springs available.

If you're not sure what you should do, the safest method is to take the type of basket you already have. If you already have an unridged basket, your portafilter would be designed with a strong spring to retain it in place so a Synesso unridged basket should go straight in. If your machine came with ridged baskets, an unridged basket may fall out when knocking out the used coffee puck, whereas a ridged basket will stay in place. Ultimately of course it's your responsibility to choose components which will fit your machine, but we am more than ready to assist you in determining which Synesso filter baskets will fit your machine. Contact us about which Synesso baskets are best for your machine.

The benefit of purchasing a tamper and filter baskets at the same time is that you don't have to be without your filter baskets while they're sent in for sizing. It also means you enjoy the benefits of one of the most highly respected baskets on the market at little more than the cost of sending your baskets in. All in all, if you have a 58mm basket machine, this option makes a lot of sense.
Q: My machine has a 58mm filter basket. Why can't you just send me a 58mm tamper? (Top of page)

Unfortunately the term '58mm' is used very loosely; baskets ranging from 57.8mm to 59.2mm have all passed through my doors claiming to be 58mm units. While this makes no difference for undersized ill-fitting tampers, it creates a big problem when tampers are precision-made to tight tolerances, as Pullman Tampers are. With so many aftermarket '58mm' filter baskets on the market, it's not surprising there are variations, but even within a manufacturer there can be big differences. Have a look at these photos, taken of measurements made on three different genuine Rancilio Silvia filter baskets:

Photo of basket being measured with a rulerPhoto of basket being measured with a ruler
Two genuine Rancilio Silvia single filter baskets, complete with genuine markings and identical serial numbers.

Photo of basket being measured with a ruler
Rancilio genuine single and double baskets

Photo of basket being measured with a rulerPhoto of basket being measured with a ruler
Both single baskets being measured with a set of digital calipers - nearly 0.5mm difference on two seemingly identical baskets!

Photo of basket being measured with a ruler
The measurement of the double basket - larger again!

As you can see there's a big range even within genuine manufacturer's baskets, and it's even harder to predict with no-name aftermarket units. In the case above, unfortunately the customer with the 58.72mm double basket also owned the 58.12mm single basket, meaning there was 0.6mm difference between the two baskets they bought with their machine. Obviously it's hard to make a tamper that fits both perfectly!

So the moral of the story is, there's no way to guarantee the size of your filter baskets just by the machine you own. Fortunately, the next two articles provide information about how to get around this problem.

Q: How do I measure my filter basket? (Top of page)

A tamper needs to fit the filter basket to do the job properly, so we always need you to provide some kind of measurement of the internal diameter of your filter basket. There are two ways to do this:

  • Approximate measurement:
    If your machine is shown on the order page, an approximate measurement with a ruler may be sufficient. As the previous article showed, there can sometimes be variations even from a genuine supplier, but some are known to be more reliable than others, and we will advise you if there's a high risk of your basket being an odd size.
    • Put the 0 of the ruler at the inside edge of one side of the filter basket
    • Run the ruler directly across the centre of the basket
    • Take the reading where it meets the inside edge of the other side of the basket
    Be aware that most filter baskets have a rolled top, so make sure you take the measurement from the inside starting point of the roll. As the two pictures below show, it's hard to get any more accurate that 1mm with a ruler, so if you are able to supply an exact measurement with vernier calipers, you should do this.

    Photo of basket being measured with a rulerPhoto of basket being measured with a ruler
    57.5mm and 58.5mm both appear correct measurements with a ruler. Accuracy is difficult.
  • Exact Measurement:

    To be more accurate, particularly if your exact machine is not listed, you need to take an exact measurement using a pair of measuring calipers. Calipers, whether they be vernier calipers, dial calipers or digital calipers, are much more accurate than a ruler; if you don't have access to a pair calipers, your local hardware store may be able to take the measurement for you.

    • Place the internal measurement fingers of the calipers inside the basket
    • Open out the calipers and wriggle them up and down slightly while trying gently to open the calipers as far as they will go, making sure the fingers are vertical and parallel with the inside of the filter basket.
    • Take the reading when the calipers won't open any more with gentle force
    • If your basket has a ridge for the portafilter spring to lock in to, take measurements both just above and just below the ridge
    • Take 6 readings of each measurement, rotating the basket about 30 degrees each time. When you submit your order, include the smallest measurement from both above and below the ridge.
    The photos below show a set of digital calipers and dial calipers. Traditional vernier calipers are also available.

    Photo of basket being measured with calipers
    A set of digital calipers

    Photo of basket being measured with calipersPhoto of basket being measured with calipersPhoto of basket being measured with calipers
    Measuring the inside of the basket. The final measurement - 57.82mm.
Q: What happens if I choose to not send my basket with my order and the tamper doesn't fit?(Top of page)

The list on the order page shows machines for which we have filter basket sizes recorded; but this doesn't always mean your machine will have exactly the same size basket; 'What size tamper do I need?' addresses the benefits of sending your basket in.

However, if you still choose to not send your basket, we respect the reasons for your decision; we understand the increased cost of sending your filter basket, and the considerable inconvenience of being without one or both of your baskets for a week or two. You need to understand though, that if the tamper turns out to be the wrong size for your basket, we can't be held liable for this error. Based on my experience, it is by far the safest option for all involved for you to send your filter baskets at the time of order; this way the tamper can be made to the right size first time. Here's some extracts from the Testimonials page:

  • "if you are reading this and you're still deciding whether to send your basket off & live with your other basket for 1-2 weeks? yes you can! "you must" you need to!! i am sure measuring your own tamper and sending that info to greg will result in a good fit but that's not why you're here - is it? you're after the best" - Mark Newcombe
  • "i requested a tamper without sending the filterbasket (at my own risk); however using only a ruler my measurement was innaccurate. ... i would recommend those considering ordering without sending their filterbasket to reconsider.. it would just be easier that way. - Andrew
  • "I recommend you send your basket in, might as well have it right the first time." - P.V.
  • "The tamper is beautiful, and works a treat! Really nicely made, and fits my filter basket perfectly (I'm glad I sent in the basket for that perfect fit)" - Julie Akerholt
  • "I was glad in one way that I sent in my single and double filter baskets as it ended up that they were sized slightly differently. From this experience I would say that sending both filter baskets is very important. I was hesitant to send them both but in the end I'm glad I did it." - Mathew Wilson
Past customers who have sent their baskets in have strongly indicated their support for this method on the Testimonials page, while some who have chosen not to have ended up rueing their decision on finding they need to do more than they originally hoped to avoid, that is, sending in their filter basket as well as the tamper base. The exercise in this case is more expensive, more inconvenient and more time-consuming than sending just the baskets would have been.

If this unfortunate event does happen in your case, we will make every endeavour to resize the tamper to fit your basket as cheaply as possible, but additional costs will be incurred on your part. As a ballpark figure, postage to us and then back to you will normally cost around $10 within Australia, and resizing will be in the order of $15. Rest assured we will do all we can to get you a tamper which perfectly fits your machine for as little as possible, but since the decision not to send the basket was on your part, you will need to cover the costs of that. If you have any questions about the process or about the specifics of your situation, please e-mail us and we will be quite happy to discuss it with you.

Handles:

Q: Which wood handle is best? (Top of page)

All of the wooden handles are capable of doing the job, so by and large the choice is aesthetic and financial. The only caveat is the Huon Pine is a little softer than the other hardwoods, so may not be as suitable for a commercial environment. Having said that, some are successfully in service in commercial environments.

Q: Can you make handles from any other type of wood, such as a variety I can supply? (Top of page)

Yes. If you have a particular type of wood you want for a tamper handle which is not supplied, it's normally possible to get one made up for you. It's easiest if you source and supply your own wood as you can then pick something which is exactly what you want and send it to me. The wood needs to be dried and ready for furniture use, and must measure at least 2"x2"x3" (50mm x 50mm x 75mm). Alternatively we may be able to source some wood for you if you are unable to do so yourself. Note that additional costs are normally involves for any of these services due to their highly unique and labour-intensive nature. Contact us for details about a custom wood handle.

Ordering / Delivery:

Q: If I order a tamper today, how long will it take to get to me? (Top of page)

Within Australia, roughly 7-10 working days. The exact time depends on the payment method you choose, the size of the tamper you order, how busy things are and my stock levels at the time of your order, and any customisation you elect to have done (e.g. engraving). Note that payment needs to reach us (and clear if necessary) before we can send the tamper.

Q: How can I pay for my tamper? (Top of page)

We accept payment by Australia Post Money Order, Direct Debit, Credit Card (through PayMate), PayPal, Cheque and Cash.

Q: Do you accept credit card payments? (Top of page)

Yes and no. Being a very small operation, we can't justify the fees and red tape associated with processing credit card payments directly. However, you can pay by credit card if you use PayPal or PayMate. A PayPal account is a useful tool to have if you ever need to send money to people overseas, especially if you're a eBay user, and it's free to set up an account. PayMate allows you to send money without having to sign up for an account. Both methods attract small surcharges which are calculated in the checkout process.

Direct debit / bank deposit is also available as a means of electronic payment.

Q: What payment method is the best one to use? (Top of page)

Your specific circumstances may dictate which payment method suits you best, but from my experience the following order works best for most people:

  1. Direct Deposit
    • Direct deposit, or electronic transfer of funds from your bank account to ours, normally takes 1-3 working days (the exact delay is at the discretion of your financial institution). Some banks charge the sender a fee for using this service. Providing you use our recommended transaction description, this is normally a quick and efficient method of paying and is the most common method of payment used.
  2. Australia Post money order
    • Money orders require no clearance time, they are secure, quick, and easy to track, however there is a fee payable to Australia Post for this service (around $3.00) and it then has to be posted to us. Still the cheapest option if direct deposit isn't available
  3. PayPal
    • PayPal is an easy way of paying by credit card, but a small fee applies. In most cases, this is the best option for overseas buyers, but Australian customers are encouraged to use one of the above two options. Unlike direct deposit which takes at least a day, PayPal is normally an instant payment method so is ideal if the order is extremely urgent.
  4. Credit Card (PayMate)
    • This is similar to PayPal except you don't need a proprietry account to do the transaction, and the fee is slightly higher than PayPal. This is the best option for overseas buyers who don't have a PayPal account or Australian buyers who want to use a credit card.
  5. Personal or bank cheque
    • Cheques take 3-5 working days AFTER we receive it to be cleared from your financial institution before we can then send the goods. From the time you send the cheque, work on your tamper can be delayed for at least seven working days.
Q: All I've got to go on is photos. How do I know the tamper is really as good as what's in the photos? (Top of page)
Q: Given that I have to pay money upfront to someone I've never heard of, how do I know you're not just going to 'take the money and run'? (Top of page)

Both these questions are good questions, and very important ones. Every internet business is faced with these questions, because the nature of e-business is that the customer generally can't see the goods before purchase, and they're required to pay before the goods are sent. So at the end of the day, the answer to both questions relating to any e-business is "You don't" - you need to have a degree of trust in the integrity of the seller.

But rather than just saying, "Trust me", we want to give you reasons to see this for yourself. A number of my previous customers have agreed to publicly state their opinions on their experience when they purchased their tamper from me, and their comments can be found under the Testimonials page. In every case, the comments are exactly what has been sent to me, and in many cases their e-mail address is even available in case you want to contact them completely independent of me, to confirm exactly what they thought about it. You'll find statements on the service they received, the speed of delivery of the tamper, their feelings on the quality of the tamper compared to what's in the photos, and how functional it's been throughout the time they've been using it.

The photos on the website are photos of real tampers - it's not like the soft, juicy, fresh hamburgers you see displayed at fast food outlets, which bear no resemblence to the limp sponge you find when you open the wrapper! If we're not satisfied that each unit is as close to flawless as it can be, then we don't sell it - simple. We take pride in our work and won't sell rubbish (which is why we only sell stainless steel tampers, not plastic or aluminium). So all this combined should hopefully help to allay any fears you may have that you're going to be disappointed or ripped off, but if you have any further concerns, by all means e-mail us and we can discuss them.

Post-Purchase:

Q: I've just received my new tamper and the espresso is now pouring too slowly. What's wrong?(Top of page)

This is quite a common occurrence, but fortunately it doesn't indicate a fault in your setup.

Chances are, the tamper you previously had wasn't quite the right size for your basket so there would have been a ring of coffee around the edges of the basket that was packed at a lower pressure than the coffee in the middle of the basket, or possibly not packed at all. Depending on the size of your previous unit, this may or may not have been obvious however it would have been there to one degree or another. When you brewed a shot of espresso tamped with your old tamper, a lot of the water would have rushed through this low pressure area around the edge of the basket (through the path of least resistance) in a behaviour known as 'peripheral channelling'. This uneven water flow through the puck has been compensated for up until now by a finer than necessary grind or a more heavily packed filter basket to increase the resistance and bring the pour to the right speed, however inside the basket the water flow has still been mainly around the edges - it's just that the extra pressure makes the pour speed about right.

With a Pullman Tamper that's the right size for your filter basket, your filter baskets will now be more evenly packed right to the edges, which cuts off the water's fast escape path and it's forced to flow evenly through all the coffee puck. By achieving a correctly packed filter basket, the previous compensation for an unevenly packed basket is no longer necessary and there's now too much resistance to water flow which is why the shot runs slower. What you now need to do is to undo that compensation to achieve the correct resistance.

The simplest solution to this is to adjust your grinder a little coarser (or ask your coffee supplier if they can grind it a little coarser for you). If you don't have these as options, you can simply pack a little less coffee into your basket or tamp not quite so hard. A little experimenting will be necessary but once you've got it right you should notice an improvement in the colour of the pour and the quality of the espresso. Your previous shots may have been overextracted and bitter from having passed a lot of water through a relatively small amount of coffee, whereas by extracting espresso from all of the coffee you should now get a more richer extraction.

Q: Does my tamper require any special care or regular maintenance?(Top of page)

Very little. Your tamper should have come with a set of 'Tamping Tips' and care instructions, however you can review these under our Tamping Tips area.

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