9 Best Espresso Tampers in 2024

Thanks for tuning into my guide to the best espresso tampers.

I’ve spent a lot of time researching these tampers and I’ve picked out the PUSEE Espresso Coffee Tamper as number one. It offers amazing value for money and comes in many sizes. 

PUSEE Espresso Tamper:
Best Overall

• Weight: 425 g / 1 lb
• Price: $$
• Base: Flat 
• Sizes: 45 mm, 49 mm, 51 mm, 58 mm, 58.5 mm
• Handle: Plastic 
• Material: Stainless steel
• Best For: All users 

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If you’re a pro barista, on a budget, or from another part of the world, you might prefer one of my other top picks.

So stay tuned. 

Top 9 Espresso Tampers in 2024

Here’s an overview of my top picks:

• Best overall: PUSEE Espresso Coffee Tamper
• Best for budgets: Aptspade Coffee Tamper
• Best for professional baristas: The Force Tamper 
• Best for UK and Europe: Caffero Coffee Distributor & Tamper
• Best for Australia: Normcore Dual Head Coffee Tamper
• Best automatic: De’Longhi DLSC058
• Best puck: MATOW Coffee Distributor & Tamper
• Best classic: Normcore V4
• Best convex tamper: ESPRO Espresso Tamper

9 Best Espresso Tampers 

Now, we’re going to find out more about each of those top picks.

1. Best Overall – PUSEE Espresso Coffee Tamper

Weight	425 g / 1 lb
Price	$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	45 mm, 49 mm, 51 mm, 58 mm, 58.5 mm
Handle	Plastic
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	All users

I believe that the best coffee tamper right now in terms of value for money is the PUSEE Espresso Coffee Tamper. It has everything most people will need from a tamper and for a good price. 

This tamper comes with two calibrated springs loaded. This means you’ll be able to know exactly when you’ve hit the required 30 lbs of pressure for a perfect cup of espresso.

As such, I’d recommend this for beginners and professionals alike. It’s easy to use but it has the functionality required for any kind of user.

This is also a fairly heavy tamper at 425 so it shouldn’t be difficult to get to the required amount of pressure.

Furthermore, there are loads of sizes available for this tamper. That means it’s going to be suitable for most espresso machines.

A couple of users have reported breakages in the reviews. So, it could be true that this isn’t the most durable tamper. However, most of the reviews are very positive, so I’m taking that bad feedback with a pinch of salt. 

Because overall, I’m confident that this is the best espresso tamper in terms of value for money that money can buy right now.

2. Best for Budgets – APTSPADE Coffee Tamper

Weight	200 g / 0.4 lbs
Price	$
Base	Flat
Sizes	51 mm
Handle	Stainless steel
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Users with some experience

Coffee fans looking to save some cash might want to look at the APTSPADE Coffee Tamper. This thing is super affordable but still good quality. 

The whole device, including the handle, is made out of good quality steel so it’s going to be durable. But it’s still a little light at half a lb. 

There’s no calibration here so getting to 30 lbs of pressure requires some knowledge. That means it might not be the best option for beginners.

One downside is that it only comes in one size. 51 mm means it won’t be suitable for a fair few espresso machines, so be sure to check this. 

But overall, as a cheap fix, this is the best product on the market.

3. Best for Professional Baristas – The Force Tamper

Weight	310 g / 0.6 lbs
Price	$$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	53 mm, 53.5 mm, 54 mm, 58.35 mm, 58.5 mm
Handle	Wood (comes in a variety of shapes)
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Users of all levels

Pro barista looking to make espresso quickly and with ease? Check out The Force Tamper. It’s super easy to use quickly and it’s very reliable in its output. 

The Force Tamper comes in a few sizes, accommodating home espresso machines and more industrial devices.

Another option purchases will be able to make is the shape of the handle. There are four options, so you can opt for the one you think will give you the best grip. 

The weight is 0.6 lbs, which is a little light considering how much you must pay. Because it is rather expensive! But still, it’s easy to get to that 30 lbs of pressure you need. 

The fact that it’s easy to use comes from the excellent calibration. It would be good for beginners but because it’s a little more technical and expensive, it’s probably better for professional users who want to make espresso as quickly as possible. 

4. Best for UK and Europe – Caffero Coffee Distributor & Tamper

Weight	522 g / 1.2 lbs
Price	$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	53.3 mm
Handle	None
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Experienced home users and pro baristas

Puck tampers appear to be very popular in the UK and Europe right now. Perhaps the best example of one in terms of value for money in that part of the world is the Caffero Coffee Distributor & Tamper.

Caffero is, in fact, a British company. So for those looking to make warranty claims or with any other issues, this is going to work well.

And they sure know how to make a good tamper. This device is robust and heavy weight, making it easy to achieve the desired pressure.

This tamper is only available in one size, which isn’t ideal. But it is adjustable, so you can get it to fit perfectly if your puck is in the right ballpark size wise. 

Plus, the fact that it’s a puck tamper means that there’s no handle. Nor is there any calibration, so beginners might find it quite tricky to use.

But other than that, this is an awesome puck tamper and will be perfect for more experienced UK and European users. 

5. Best for Australia – Normcore Dual Head Coffee Tamper

Weight	523 g / 1.2 lbs
Price	$$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	58.5 mm
Handle	None
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Experienced home users and pro baristas

It appears to be the case that puck tampers are pretty popular out in Australia as well. That’s one of the reasons I’ve picked the Normcore Dual Head Coffee Tamper as the best for this market.

This Normcore tamper is a particularly good example of a puck coffee tamper. It’s very good at maintaining an even shape to the coffee grounds. 

This tamper is also super heavy so you can get some good pressure behind it.

It is a little on the pricey side, as far as they go. But I think the extra level of quality justifies the price. And therefore, I think it’s perfect for users in Australia with a little experience. 

6. Best Automatic Espresso Tamper – De’Longhi DLSC048

Weight	266.5 / 0.6 lbs
Price	$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	51 mm
Handle	Wood
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	All home users

Love the sound of an automatic, calibrated espresso tamper? Besides one or two of my other top picks, your best bet is the De’Longhi DLSC048.

The fact that this tamper is made by De’Longhi is good news for us customers. This is a highly trusted company, so you can expect the quality to be high and the customer service to be good should you ever run into any issues. 

The DLSC048 is also very reasonably priced. That’s impressive considering the brand prestige.

That might be because it’s a little lightweight though. While it has a beautiful wooden handle, I might have liked to have seen a bit more weight just to make the tamping easier.

It appears to only come in a 51 mm suitable for many home espresso machines but not for larger ones that you might have in a coffee shop. 

But other than that, I can’t think of many automatic espresso tampers out there. 

7. Best Puck Espresso Tamper – MATOW Distributor & Tamper

Weight	490 g / 1.08 lbs
Price	$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	53 mm
Handle	None
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Any home users

Puck, or palm, tampers seem to be all the rage these days. A lot of baristas prefer it as they claim that the tamping is more consistent. For me, the jury’s still out on that. But if you like the sound of it, the best bet is the MATOW tamper.

This is a really robust tamper that feels like it should last a long time. And the reviews seem to reflect that it does. 

As far as puck tampers go, it’s pretty heavy as well. At over 1 lb, you shouldn’t have to use too much effort to reach that pressure you need. 

I’d have liked to have seen this tamper available in other sizes as the 53 mm feels a little restrictive.

The price is a little high but you get what you pay for in my eyes. Because all in all, this is just about the puck tamper you can buy for the price! 

8. Best Classic Espresso Tamper – Normcore V4

Weight	385 g / 0.8 lbs
Price	$$$
Base	Flat
Sizes	45.5 mm, 49.7 mm, 51 mm, 51.55 mm, 53.3 mm, 58.5 mm
Handle	Anodized aluminum
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	Any home users

Alongside one or two of my other top picks, my favorite classic espresso tamper right now is the Normcore V4. 

This tamper is particularly easy to use. The calibration is top quality. And, it comes in many different sizes so users with all kinds of espresso machines will be able to use it. 

I love the aluminum handle as it has a lot of grip while feeling robust. It’s not the heaviest, but that’s okay with me. 

The V4 is definitely in the upper edge of what I’d expect to pay for a home coffee tamper but it does justify the price tag with good quality. It definitely doesn’t distract from the fact that it’s just about the best classic tamper out there.

9. Best Convex Base Espresso Tamper – ESPRO Espresso Tamper

Weight	453 g / 1 lb
Price	$$$
Base	Convex
Sizes	53 mm, 57 m, 58 mm, 58.35 mm
Handle	Plastic
Material	Stainless steel
Best For	All users

Some baristas prefer a convex base for their espresso tamper as it can improve the coffee distribution. I’ll talk about that more in the buying guide, but for now, let’s take a look at the best convex base espresso tamper, the ESPRO Espresso Tamper.

The ESPRO is calibrated and well weighted so it’s super easy to use. You should be able to pick it up and get good results even as a beginner. 

This tamper is available in a few sizes but make sure that you confirm one of them is going to fit your espresso machine before you buy it. 

One small issue is that it seems rather expensive for what it is. But, that’s the price you have to pay to get this premium quality. 

So if you’re good with spending a little more, the ESPRO Espresso Tamper is the best option with a convex base. 

Espresso Tamper Buying Guide 

Ready to learn more about what to look for when buying a new espresso tamper? Here’s my ultimate guide to the matter. 

Stay with me for more information on each of those categories. 

1. Size 

Certain espresso machines require you to use certain sizes of espresso tamper bases. If you buy a tamper that’s the wrong size, it might not work with your espresso machine.

So, the first thing you need to do is find out which size your machine requires. The most common sizes are between 51 and 58 mm, but many home espresso machines require a smaller tamper base than this.

On the flip side, some industrial espresso machines require a larger tamper base than this. You should be able to find out what the size range is going to be by looking at the manual for the espresso machine and then filtering your tamper search accordingly. 

Once you’ve bought a tamper, you can double check that it’s the right size by placing it into the puck and ensuring that it has a good seal. 

2. Weight

Heavier tampers are going to be able to apply more pressure to the coffee when you’re making an espresso. You’ll need to achieve a total of 30 lbs to make espresso and the heavier tampers will make this easier. 

For this reason, I like to opt for a tamper that weighs up to a couple of lbs. But one should be more than enough! 

Another factor that’s affected by the weight of the espresso tamper is the portability. Sure, they’re pretty small and lightweight most of the time anyway. But if you want to travel ultra light, this could be something to think about. 

3. Price

How much are you willing to spend to get a great espresso tamper? Would you prefer to pay more for the premium quality or do you want to save cash by sticking to a particular budget?

Generally, I don’t think it’s worth spending much more than about $100 on a tamper. 

And even then, you can still get a good quality espresso tamper for less. For example, my budget pick from my top 8 today will only cost less than $20.

But if you are a pro, you might want to spend a little more to get the most premium quality.

4. Base Shape

There are two shapes of espresso tamper bases: flat and convex. The flat base is by far the most popular shape and I prefer it a lot. That’s why most of my top picks feature it.

Flat base tampers are easier to use as they help easily distribute the coffee grounds to the right shape.

However, some people like a convex base tamper as they can prevent ‘side channeling’. This is when water doesn’t flow evenly through the coffee, which can ruin extraction and therefore affect the taste of the espresso.

Inconsistent coffee extraction (namely under extraction) can cause bitter flavors due to the lack of sweetness of the coffee coming through from a correctly extracted blend.

That said, I would recommend staying with a flatt one. 

Flat base benefits

• More common
• Easier to use

Convex base benefits 

• Can prevent side channeling 

5. Handle

Do you want to opt for an espresso tamper with or without a handle? Traditionally, espresso tampers do have handles but we’re seeing the rise in popularity of ‘puck’ tampers, which don’t have a handle.

Espresso tampers with a handle are easier to use. Plus, espresso tampers with a handle can be calibrated. I’ll explain what that means in the next section. 

However, some baristas claim that puck tampers are better for evening coffee grounds. This improves extraction and therefore the overall taste of the coffee. And they’re smaller, so they can be more portable. 

Traditional espresso tamper benefits

• Can be calibrated
• Easier to control

Puck espresso tamper benefits

• Easy to level the coffee
• More portable

You may also wish to think about the material of the handle. I’ll cover that in the upcoming materials section.

6. Calibration

A calibrated tamper helps users achieve the correct amount of pressure onto the puck. It achieves this with a spring inside of the mechanism that clicks when you put the right amount of pressure onto the tamper. 

Calibrated tampers are easier to use as they help you to apply the right amount of pressure. This makes them a great option for beginners. 

Most of my top picks today are calibrated as I (like many other baristas) think it’s worth having. Not only is it easier for beginners but it saves time for pro baristas in a busy coffee shop environment. 

However, they do tend to be more expensive. So bear this in mind if you want to stick to a budget.

7. Material 

I always recommend opting for a stainless steel coffee tamper. It’s going to be way more durable than a plastic one. Plus, it’ll be much easier to apply the pressure discussed in the weight section. 

You can save money by opting for a plastic tamper but I’d recommend avoiding that regardless. 

You might also want to think about the material of the handle if you want to opt for a tamper with one. Tamper handles can be made out of wood, aluminum, rubber and other materials.

They all weigh a similar amount so this is mainly about aesthetics. However, rubber handles will be easier to grip. And aluminum is often easier to clean.

Best Espresso Tampers: FAQ 

People have been wanting to find out the following information about espresso tampers.

My Verdict 

We’ve looked at some high quality espresso tampers today. I think there’s something for everyone in my top picks overall! As a reminder, here’s my top three and the best things about each of them.

• Best Overall – PUSEE Espresso Coffee Tamper: This is the best coffee tamper overall in terms of pure value for money. I’m sure of it! It’s super easy to use, has a high build quality and comes for a very fair price. 
• Best for Budgets – Aptspade Coffee Tamper: This simple piece of kit will save you a lot of money. Even though it doesn’t have the calibration feature, it’s very satisfying to use and well built for the price. 
• Best for Professional Baristas – The Force Tamper: This amazing tamper might be a little expensive but the speed with which you can use it makes it the perfect option for baristas working in busy coffee shops. 

Now it’s over to you. Which one is best for you? With the reviews and the buying guide, you’ll be able to make that call.

PUSEE Espresso Tamper:
Best Overall

• Weight: 425 g / 1 lb
• Price: $$
• Base: Flat 
• Sizes: 45 mm, 49 mm, 51 mm, 58 mm, 58.5 mm
• Handle: Plastic 
• Material: Stainless steel
• Best For: All users 

Check Current Price