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Espresso coffee tamper, any difference among them?

It might at first seem to be quite arbitrary whether or not the face of a espresso coffee tamper has a particular profile or even a particular shape.

For heavens sake; we are talking about a coffee tamper, the thing that is used to flatten the espresso coffee in the espresso coffee filter holder before being locked into the espresso coffee machine.

What difference does it make what diameter such a espresso coffee tamper has or what the profile of a coffee tamper is.

Surely the purpose of such espresso amperes is to prevent unnecessary splashing of the expensive Delonghi coffee you have put into the espresso machine which would result in a loss of flavour and taste?

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It seems, the espresso coffee tamper has a more important role to play and has a greater influence on the quality of the end product espresso than one might initially think.

The issue at stake is the quality of the fit of the tamper into the filter basket as well the profile of the impression that the tamper makes in the surface of the tamped coffee.

If the espresso coffee tamper leaves a small rim of un-tamped coffee after use, you most probably do not have the correct seized tamper. An espresso coffee grounds holder with a diameter of 58mm will ideally require a 58mm tamper.

This means that the coffee will be uniformly tamped into placed and will all be subject to the espresso making process.

The other source of much debate is issue of the profile of the tamper itself, the face so to speak of the tamper. In essence there appear to be three options; the tamper with a flat face, the tamper with a convex profile and the espresso tamper with a concave profile.

The latter appears to be gaining in favour as the profile that will allow for the most effective passage of hot water steam through the grounds.

The other two profiles apparently tend to create or exacerbate a hollow in the centre of the basket which means that the grounds along the perimeter do not really add to the espresso being made.

A concave profile, with a raised centre will encourage the movement of the water steam to the edges of the basket and all of the coffee grounds are incorporated into the espresso making process.