I posted this many moons ago on another forum and stand by what I said. On the other hand if you want and can afford a new tamper, go for it. 🙂 The gap between the handle and base on tampers shown seems quite large and may well collect coffee grounds, think I prefer the Pullman or Reg Barber. http://www.coffeetamper.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=7 "I get a little annoyed with self proclaimed experts and retailers trying to tout their products telling me (and anyone else gullible enough to listen) that if I don’t use a tamper that fits the basket like a piston in an engine and if it doesn't have an ergonomic, height adjustable handle my coffee is gonna taste like crap and I will be doomed to a life of coffee mediocrity. It’s scare tactics and rubbish, they know it but ignorance breeds fear, if you’re a novice, or, if you don’t know and ask questions, the sermons begin, what’s happening of course is these snake oil salesmen are simply drumming up business, you can almost hear em rubbing their hands together. Tamp your coffee with a pickle jar lid attached to a 100mm length of broom handle if ya want, it’ll work just fine. As a matter of interest I bought a very nice 58 mm Reg Barber tamper 12 years ago, it ain’t a perfect fit in the baskets of any of the 3 machines I have owned over the period but it has done an excellent job on each and every one. A 1mm gap is nothing, centre the tamper in the basket and it becomes .50mm, which is absolutely bugger all."
