Anybody using one of these?
I'm talking about the big counter top version.
I just picked one up (used) from some seller on craigslist. It doesn't fit the Spaz baskets but I was able to test it on my Quick Mill machine. I couldn't pass it up for the low price but it was mostly curiosity that got me sucked in the rabbit hole. This is one strange gadget! Weird and odd but I can see where it has it's place. It's extremely precise and very consistent, wasn't the greatest tamp I've ever had by no means but it does have something over all my other tampers and it's called "User Friendly". Almost anybody can tamp with this thing.
I noticed that a lot of coffee is left behind on the walls of the basket after tamping, the piston is probably for a Marzocco and not my E61's 58mm so it's a little small.
I'm so impressed with this thing that I'm considering having a machine shop turn a new Spaziale sized piston for it. At least it makes for a nice conversation...
MACAP auto tamper
-
bbqnut
Well, I had the handheld version of the Macap tamper (sort of).
Loved it, but being about 2-3mm too small, it did not work out.
Loved the action and feel and craftsmanship. I considered getting a machined piston (my cousin runs a precision machine shop), but felt that for $110, it should fit better than that (I blame La Spaziale, not Macap).
Anyhow, I am hoping the group buy of the Australian-made tamper goes through. My current 53mm Reg Barber is pretty good, but being a bit too small, coffee sticks the outside rim of the piston which is annoying.
What was the question again? :D
Loved it, but being about 2-3mm too small, it did not work out.
Loved the action and feel and craftsmanship. I considered getting a machined piston (my cousin runs a precision machine shop), but felt that for $110, it should fit better than that (I blame La Spaziale, not Macap).
Anyhow, I am hoping the group buy of the Australian-made tamper goes through. My current 53mm Reg Barber is pretty good, but being a bit too small, coffee sticks the outside rim of the piston which is annoying.
What was the question again? :D
-
RGoldman
-
Niko
I can say one thing about the CoffeeLabs tamper, it's the very best. My 58mm version fits perfectly, no wiggle room. Can't say the same about the Spaz version, it's loose but I never get gounds stuck on the side of the basket walls at least. So I'm not going in on that group buy as of yet...might jump on the band wagon last minute though.
-
bbqnut
For reference, here is the group buy. We need more people!
http://www.rimpo.org/wforum/viewtopic.php?t=300
Also, the coffee sticks to the side of the piston (on the tamper) for me.
http://www.rimpo.org/wforum/viewtopic.php?t=300
Also, the coffee sticks to the side of the piston (on the tamper) for me.
-
Niko
-
Niko
I just got a piston sized to fit a Spaz basket, unfortunately it wasn't sized correctly. It went down from a 57mm to a 52mm (instead of 53.3) but I'm getting a replacement for the correct size in a couple of days. I'll post an update on how well this auto tamper works with the correct sized piston. Anyways, just wanted to mention that it actually works with a 52mm, it leaves a wall of grinds down the sides of the basket but to my surprise it pours coffee into the cups and not shooting out everywhere. The fit is very poor and the pour is just plain OK, not good or great but it makes me wonder how great it will work when it gets the proper size on it.
I'm not going to use this auto tamper much but I'd like others in the household to be able to pull a shot every blue moon or so.
UPDATE:
The piston fits perfectly. All with one stroke of the lever and this auto tamper makes every technique in the books obsolete. I never thought I'd say this but this auto tamper can tamp better than most humans. I've been using it for a few days now and I had to put it away because it felt like cheating! Now the wife can make espresso.
I'm not going to use this auto tamper much but I'd like others in the household to be able to pull a shot every blue moon or so.
UPDATE:
The piston fits perfectly. All with one stroke of the lever and this auto tamper makes every technique in the books obsolete. I never thought I'd say this but this auto tamper can tamp better than most humans. I've been using it for a few days now and I had to put it away because it felt like cheating! Now the wife can make espresso.
-
Consty
Re: MACAP auto tamper
Hey Niko,
Did you machine-shop a proper fitting piston or did you order it somewhere? I saw here http://www.espressoparts.com/product/CP ... _Tamp.html
that the tamper comes with 58 and 53 mm pistons and I wonder if this is the one you are (or have been) using?
CC
Did you machine-shop a proper fitting piston or did you order it somewhere? I saw here http://www.espressoparts.com/product/CP ... _Tamp.html
that the tamper comes with 58 and 53 mm pistons and I wonder if this is the one you are (or have been) using?
CC
-
Niko
Re: MACAP auto tamper
Yes, that's the same exact one.
It's a nice tamper for anyone who doesn't feel like tamping
It's a nice tamper for anyone who doesn't feel like tamping
-
zoey
Re: MACAP auto tamper
[voice of horror] First it was machines that turn themselves on and off. Then it was auto tampers, now it's pre-infusions.......Lord, what's next? An Italian female barista who dresses like a French maid and cooks like Gordon Ramsay spending days on end attempting to roast the perfect blend for you (in between cooking 5-star meals of course). 
-
Niko
Re: MACAP auto tamper
As long as she doesn't look like Gordon Ramsey
Now that would give a new meaning to the term "super auto" machine.
Now that would give a new meaning to the term "super auto" machine.