I used to just use a regular tamper but not that long ago I upgraded to the force tamper. Without a doubt it brings me enjoyment every time I used it and as long as it doesn’t break I will never buy another tamper. Yes, it’s kind of expensive but so is the hobby.
Thanks for the video and really liked it. I have the Normcore tamper and love it. Thought about getting the Force Tamper but think I will wait and see if the price drops - esp. if it works about the same as the Normcore (which is what I wanted to know for its price).
Thx for watching. The only reason I bought Force tamper is that I got £50 voucher from Amazon. It is nicely made for sure but not worth the full price.
Thank you Jack ("Not you we named the money jack"-Pirates of Caribbean) After your review i know that me still using Pullmen Big Step is the right choice. I dont have any of the issues that you mentioned with all 3 of the tamper. Always a perfect tamp, no coffee all over the parts or place. Personaly i think tampers with a lip takes away from the art and skill. And the spring is just a gimic. The idea of tamping has always been consistancy. If you tamp with the same amount of presure every time that is all that matters. Thats just my opinion, and with lack of experience with any of these tampers at that. Thus this video confirms my suspitions. Thanks 👍
Thanks Jack, your videos are always a treat! I absolutely love my Normcore V4 tamper, but I’ve got a minor issue with the classic base. After every tamp, grounds seem to cling to it like a magnet. I’ve been debating upgrading to the titanium PVD coated base. While it doesn't drastically affect extraction, my OCD is driving me crazy 🥲
I use the Normcore tamper and it works....I'm not concerned too much about aesthetics,but it does work no question,especially if used in conjuction with the Normcore self leveller. Great show as always Jack thank you.
Thank you very much for watching and sharing your experience. Have you seen new version of Normcore with wooden handle? Looks much better, at least on pictures.
I picked up last month and have been using the MHW-3BOMBER 58.35mm Flash Coffee Tamper from HK at 1/4 of the price of Force Tamper. It is available in Amazon UK at £45.99 and does similar clicking when 30lb pressure is applied and reached. Build quality and finish is good. My last tamper for many years has been a Decent level tamper. Again a very nice review, Jack. Thank you!
Thanks for the comparative review. The issue with all single-spring tampers, incl. the miicoffee one, is that the only thing they do with the spring is to provide a resistance to your hand. So, if you apply 15kg of force, then the puck will feel 15 - X kg, where X is the resistance of the spring. Some tampers of this type have a really strong spring, so you need to press with quite a lot of strength in order for the puck to feel 10kg of pressure. Doing that many times per day can guarantee a trip to the orthopedist.
You have obviously never used the force tamper. With one of those, one is not blind anymore on the amount of force to apply, and as a result the calibrated force is incredibly effortless, painless, soft and right.
@@jean-michellae9041 right, I have used the force tamper and it is, indeed, effortless. If you respond to my comment, I am talking about single-spring tampers (the force tamper is double-springed), which only provide a resistance to your hand and nothing else. The Decent tamper is single-springed, but its spring resistance is quite low, so this is not so much of an issue. Many other single-springed tampers have springs with high resistance, needing more than 5-6 kg of force just for the tamper surface to reach the puck, and then you need to add 10kg of force for actually tampering, bringing the overall force you need to apply at >15kg.
The force tamper retails 280 dollars Canadian in my country! With tax will be 322! I can’t justify the cost! So I opted for the MHW3bomber impact tamper at 85 dollars with discount code during discount event! Comes with a puck screen as free gift!
Not convinced with any fancy expensive tampers yet. I learnt how to tamp at an accurate level by spending a few extra seconds inspecting how the tamper is sitting in the basket + running my fingers around the edges. I think, having more volume of coffee on one side would defeat the purpose of having an even tamp. Having even coffee throughout the puck, in my opinion, as far more difficult to accomplish than tamping evenly. For the time being I'm sticking with my cheap tamper from amazon that is "calibrated", although nothing stops me from tamping harder. Also if I remember correctly, tamping harder won't necessarily have any affect on the extraction as the puck will still be compressed by the machine in any case.
Agree with everything you said. For me it is about consistency- when I compare grinders ect I want to control as many variables as possible to get fair results.
Still on an old school heavy tamper after quite a few years. But interesting to compare a self leveling. Not keen on anything with a click or an internal adjustment because that can upset the puck. Is the Decent tamper a good alternative?
Thx for sharing. Never tried Decent tamper- seems like something between Normcore and MiiCoffee. As long as you don’t move force tamper up immediately, the puck should be ok.
@@mycoffeeshow111 I think what Graham is argueing about is the shock impact of the piston firing down (not when it's released). The same shock that always stirs up some grains that will land in the mechanism. This consideration is according to Lance Heddricks statement, that he saw a little bit more variability in shot times with the Force Tamper than with other self leveling tampers. I can't contribute any own experience here, only thoughts.
@@Martin-i8o8n thank you for the info. I would never dare to argue with Lance. I like it as it is, but I do realise it is not 100% perfect. That gives me a perfect excuse to get something new in the future 😁
Did you not get the decent tamper with your machine? Would have been good to see how that compared but i suspect it is basically the same as the normcore
my Normcore has a floppy base, that‘s why I don’t like it. The springs give it stiffness when not in use, that’s why it might be overlooked. I went back to my regular tamper which is more than 20 years old now. It is easy to get flat, as it has a curved top grip and by holding it loosely it will level. If I tiered in the morning I additionally use the level tamper my son gave me as a present. It levels no questions asked and the rest ist tamped by hand. More success than the Normcore I liked your basket reviews, have you tried the BEP (Butterfly Effect Portafilter) from m3 bomber? Very easy basket for barely awake mornings with my setup, even with the Timemore 78mm flat burrs. I home roast, so my coffee is very unpredictable, I do only one or two coffees a day and still works great…
Why not just adust the Mii tamper to push as far as it goes, and let the coffee stop the puck? Over tamping isn't a thing, anyway. I'd be interested in it if available with a flat base. The clicking of the force tamper is gimmick, and I have to say, I not overly impressed with my Normcore, I managed to make one really unlevel tamp with it, and the base isn't quite wide enough for my basket.
I believe the Normcore V4 tamper can done the task perfectly in a reasonable price. Besides princely, The Force Tamper has its flaws. I don’t think it worth the money.
You are absolutely right. Normcore is a great value for money. I could only afford Force Tamper because of discount from Amazon. And I like it but as you said- it is not perfect.
@@mycoffeeshow111 I like it a lot, great build quality, but it’s still reliant on feeling vs a clicking stop. Can’t get a level tamp wrong though. I get enticed by that click yet but also wonder if those are worth the premium beyond the high price I already paid.
The non calibrated tampers are better than the silly calibrated tampers. Calibrated tampers are a gimmick, and there is no such thing as overtamping. Tamping force should be a minimum, and calibrated tampers treat it as a maximum 😅
I used to just use a regular tamper but not that long ago I upgraded to the force tamper. Without a doubt it brings me enjoyment every time I used it and as long as it doesn’t break I will never buy another tamper. Yes, it’s kind of expensive but so is the hobby.
Thx for sharing. You are right, it seems robust and should last you forever.
Thanks for the video and really liked it. I have the Normcore tamper and love it. Thought about getting the Force Tamper but think I will wait and see if the price drops - esp. if it works about the same as the Normcore (which is what I wanted to know for its price).
Thx for watching. The only reason I bought Force tamper is that I got £50 voucher from Amazon. It is nicely made for sure but not worth the full price.
What a useful video. Thank you Jack!
@@mikegurv1818 thank you for watching!
Thank you Jack ("Not you we named the money jack"-Pirates of Caribbean)
After your review i know that me still using Pullmen Big Step is the right choice.
I dont have any of the issues that you mentioned with all 3 of the tamper.
Always a perfect tamp, no coffee all over the parts or place.
Personaly i think tampers with a lip takes away from the art and skill. And the spring is just a gimic. The idea of tamping has always been consistancy. If you tamp with the same amount of presure every time that is all that matters. Thats just my opinion, and with lack of experience with any of these tampers at that. Thus this video confirms my suspitions. Thanks 👍
Thx for watching. I always wanted Pullman as well- looks soo good. Few times I almost got it but for me self levelling is the way to go.
@@mycoffeeshow111 your fingers will level it for you
Thanks Jack, your videos are always a treat! I absolutely love my Normcore V4 tamper, but I’ve got a minor issue with the classic base. After every tamp, grounds seem to cling to it like a magnet. I’ve been debating upgrading to the titanium PVD coated base. While it doesn't drastically affect extraction, my OCD is driving me crazy 🥲
@@kent7575 Thx for watching. I have another tamper video coming, hopefully this week. So far all I tried can be messy
I use the Normcore tamper and it works....I'm not concerned too much about aesthetics,but it does work no question,especially if used in conjuction with the Normcore self leveller.
Great show as always Jack thank you.
Thank you very much for watching and sharing your experience. Have you seen new version of Normcore with wooden handle? Looks much better, at least on pictures.
Apparently levellers don’t help at all.
I picked up last month and have been using the MHW-3BOMBER 58.35mm Flash Coffee Tamper from HK at 1/4 of the price of Force Tamper. It is available in Amazon UK at £45.99 and does similar clicking when 30lb pressure is applied and reached. Build quality and finish is good. My last tamper for many years has been a Decent level tamper.
Again a very nice review, Jack. Thank you!
Yes, I have seen that as well. Looks great.
Thx for watching!
Thanks for the comparative review. The issue with all single-spring tampers, incl. the miicoffee one, is that the only thing they do with the spring is to provide a resistance to your hand. So, if you apply 15kg of force, then the puck will feel 15 - X kg, where X is the resistance of the spring. Some tampers of this type have a really strong spring, so you need to press with quite a lot of strength in order for the puck to feel 10kg of pressure. Doing that many times per day can guarantee a trip to the orthopedist.
Thx for watching. 100% agree with what you said.
You have obviously never used the force tamper. With one of those, one is not blind anymore on the amount of force to apply, and as a result the calibrated force is incredibly effortless, painless, soft and right.
@@jean-michellae9041 there are some issues with Force Tamper as well but overall I enjoy it.
@@jean-michellae9041 right, I have used the force tamper and it is, indeed, effortless. If you respond to my comment, I am talking about single-spring tampers (the force tamper is double-springed), which only provide a resistance to your hand and nothing else. The Decent tamper is single-springed, but its spring resistance is quite low, so this is not so much of an issue. Many other single-springed tampers have springs with high resistance, needing more than 5-6 kg of force just for the tamper surface to reach the puck, and then you need to add 10kg of force for actually tampering, bringing the overall force you need to apply at >15kg.
@@sotirisdiamantopoulos231 thank you to enlighten me on single to double springs tamper !
The force tamper retails 280 dollars Canadian in my country! With tax will be 322! I can’t justify the cost! So I opted for the MHW3bomber impact tamper at 85 dollars with discount code during discount event! Comes with a puck screen as free gift!
@@3rd-Wave_Rebel I agree. In fact, I should be recording a video tomorrow comparing both.
Not convinced with any fancy expensive tampers yet. I learnt how to tamp at an accurate level by spending a few extra seconds inspecting how the tamper is sitting in the basket + running my fingers around the edges. I think, having more volume of coffee on one side would defeat the purpose of having an even tamp. Having even coffee throughout the puck, in my opinion, as far more difficult to accomplish than tamping evenly. For the time being I'm sticking with my cheap tamper from amazon that is "calibrated", although nothing stops me from tamping harder. Also if I remember correctly, tamping harder won't necessarily have any affect on the extraction as the puck will still be compressed by the machine in any case.
Agree with everything you said. For me it is about consistency- when I compare grinders ect I want to control as many variables as possible to get fair results.
I got the Normcore V4 and it works OK. Its sucks puck sometimes when the coffee is really "wet", but overall its a good choice.
Thx for sharing. Try to twist it b4 moving up- it helps.
What tempted me to try the Miicoffee was the 58.5 mm plate. 58.35 leaves a little bit too much room.
Yeah, we all want precision tamping, and for the price it is not bad
Still on an old school heavy tamper after quite a few years. But interesting to compare a self leveling. Not keen on anything with a click or an internal adjustment because that can upset the puck.
Is the Decent tamper a good alternative?
Thx for sharing. Never tried Decent tamper- seems like something between Normcore and MiiCoffee. As long as you don’t move force tamper up immediately, the puck should be ok.
@@mycoffeeshow111 I think what Graham is argueing about is the shock impact of the piston firing down (not when it's released). The same shock that always stirs up some grains that will land in the mechanism.
This consideration is according to Lance Heddricks statement, that he saw a little bit more variability in shot times with the Force Tamper than with other self leveling tampers.
I can't contribute any own experience here, only thoughts.
@@Martin-i8o8n thank you for the info. I would never dare to argue with Lance.
I like it as it is, but I do realise it is not 100% perfect. That gives me a perfect excuse to get something new in the future 😁
Normcore - I have been using it for 3 years and I recommend it.
I do agree. Good value for money.
Did you not get the decent tamper with your machine? Would have been good to see how that compared but i suspect it is basically the same as the normcore
You have to buy it separately. I think I will stick with Force tamper for now.
I use the Decent one and am very pleased with it
my Normcore has a floppy base, that‘s why I don’t like it. The springs give it stiffness when not in use, that’s why it might be overlooked. I went back to my regular tamper which is more than 20 years old now. It is easy to get flat, as it has a curved top grip and by holding it loosely it will level. If I tiered in the morning I additionally use the level tamper my son gave me as a present. It levels no questions asked and the rest ist tamped by hand. More success than the Normcore
I liked your basket reviews, have you tried the BEP (Butterfly Effect Portafilter) from m3 bomber? Very easy basket for barely awake mornings with my setup, even with the Timemore 78mm flat burrs. I home roast, so my coffee is very unpredictable, I do only one or two coffees a day and still works great…
Thx for sharing. Old school tampers can be very good.
Funny you mention BEP basket- it arrived today 😁
Thanks!
Thx for watching!
Normcore is Good to go
Very good indeed
Great video 👍
Thx for watching!
Great video ☕️👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽😎
Thx for watching.
Why not just adust the Mii tamper to push as far as it goes, and let the coffee stop the puck? Over tamping isn't a thing, anyway. I'd be interested in it if available with a flat base. The clicking of the force tamper is gimmick, and I have to say, I not overly impressed with my Normcore, I managed to make one really unlevel tamp with it, and the base isn't quite wide enough for my basket.
I see your point. I guess it would work almost like a normal tamper this way.
I believe the Normcore V4 tamper can done the task perfectly in a reasonable price.
Besides princely, The Force Tamper has its flaws. I don’t think it worth the money.
You are absolutely right. Normcore is a great value for money. I could only afford Force Tamper because of discount from Amazon. And I like it but as you said- it is not perfect.
I went with the decent tamper
@@ThatHz- How do you like it? Some say it’s the best. I now use Impact Tamper from MHW
@@mycoffeeshow111 I like it a lot, great build quality, but it’s still reliant on feeling vs a clicking stop. Can’t get a level tamp wrong though.
I get enticed by that click yet but also wonder if those are worth the premium beyond the high price I already paid.
bravo tamper
Never tried it but seems solid
The non calibrated tampers are better than the silly calibrated tampers. Calibrated tampers are a gimmick, and there is no such thing as overtamping. Tamping force should be a minimum, and calibrated tampers treat it as a maximum 😅
Interesting point of view but what would be the life without new must have gadgets?
@@mycoffeeshow111 Fine, I'll make a new gadget and send it to you for review. 😁
So so expensive for that force tamper😂
You are right. And plenty cheaper alternatives around.
(what happened to my comment?)
I have never removed any comments, even nasty ones. Maybe it triggered YT algorithm?
@@mycoffeeshow111 OK, I try to rephrase it. Maybe YT thought I was selling something.
Have you ever tried a Puqpress Mini?
Weird, must be the name of the automatic electric tamper because my second comment also didn't make it.
@@paulpleijs Are we thinking about Bose tamper?
@@mycoffeeshow111 haha scrambling didn't work either. No not the Bose. It's a Dutch product and all the barista's in Australia use it.