Reg Barber Tamper Bases - The Conclusion

After about 2 month of experimenting with my new tamps, it is now time to wrap up to my conclusions.

Here is a quick summary of all the posts:

1. Reg Barber Tamper Bases (Metal Evaluation - First look)
2. Tarnish looks
3. Base Durability
4. Tamper base diameter test
[edit: 10/09/08]
5. Reg Barber Ripple Tamper Evaluation

The right choice here depends on various factors but mostly your personal technique and preference.

If you want a heavy tamper then I will recommend getting an aluminium handle and either brass, copper or stainless steel base. If you prefer a lighter tamper then I would suggest a wooden handle with an aluminium base. The aluminium base is by far the lightest.

If you are going for a specific look suited to your likings or theme than I suggest going on Reg Barber website and having a look at different coloured handles and matching the base to your preferred handle.

Durability is very important, you should choose the right tamper according to level of use. If you are going to use it in a busy café than be sure to get stainless steel base as it is by far the strongest metal and it will not tarnish. If it is a specific base look that you are after for home use or your competition, perhaps other metals will do the trick. Keep in mind that if you drop your precious brass, aluminium or copper tamper on the floor it will dent, so take good care of it.

If you are going for an all round tamper that will last you a long time and will not tarnish, then your best choice is getting one with the stainless steel base. It looks and feels fantastic.

The curve choice is mostly a personal preference based on your technique. I found that for my technique, American curve and c-flat extract a nicer shot than euro or flat. Once again it all depends on your tamping technique.

The diameter is perhaps the most important factor to perfection, so the right size should be picked according to your technique. If you think that your technique might change over the years, or simply want an all-round base to work with different filterbaskets I would recommend 58.0mm.

I would like to thank Reg Barber for his great tampers, they really do an outstanding job both in the industry and home use. I could comfortably stay that this tamper is every professionals choice one way or another.

I hope that this summary was of help to you in choosing your future tamp.