To make a good cup of espresso coffee, you need to learn the art of tamping as it is one of the core requirements. While using the espresso machine; ensure that the ground coffee is compressed well in the filter basket. If the coffee is not packed compactly in the basket, the water will flow quickly through it; thus, making your coffee bitter and thin. The espresso tamper is the tool that is used for packing coffee properly in the filter basket and this process is known as tamping. If the tamping is done properly, the water will flow evenly through the coffee so that you get a perfect cup of coffee.

Tamping is a simple process; only if you learn it correctly! Choosing the apt tamper is of utmost importance. It should be of the same dimensions as that of the filter basket as a smaller tamper will lead to uneven packing of the coffee. Moreover, tamper should be made up of metal including its handle rather than a plastic one, so that while applying pressure, it does not break. It should be comfortable to use and should not be very light in weight. If it gives a good grip, then making espresso coffee will become extremely simple. Moreover, if you want to speed up the entire process and make it easier then you should consider buying an automatic espresso tamper.

While making coffee, you should always level the coffee on the surface of the filter basket with your fingers so that it is smooth. This will help in having even extraction; else the area that is pressed more will be over extracted and the area that is pressed less will be under extracted. Always release downward pressure gently while using the tamper so that you get an even bed of coffee.

Some of the issues that you might face while tamping the coffee:

• Keep the tamper level correctly on top of the filter basket so that the water flows evenly and smoothly through the compressed coffee.
• Do not fill the filter basket with too much or too little coffee else it will lead to uneven extraction.
• Don’t push down the coffee in the filter basket before tamping as it will create uneven density.
• Do not lift the tamper quickly after extraction as it will create an air gap around the edge of the filter basket.
• There is absolutely no need to spin the tamper while compressing the coffee.
• Do not knock the filter basket on the countertop after adding coffee into it as it will make uneven extraction.

With Automatic Espresso Tamper, you could forget this issue, it will help you to solve them.

Finally, if you use the best ground coffee, a good espresso machine, and an automatic espresso tamper; you will surely end up with an amazingly flavorful cup of homemade espresso coffee.