Check out the ECM Tamper Station, an espresso accessory I had no idea I needed until I saw it (on IG Reels, FWIW). It is my second favorite espresso accessory after the Asso Dosing Funnel I reviewed last week because it makes every tamped puck easier and faster to do. I’ll tell you why!
The ECM Tamper Station with a 3/4 view
I Love my ECM Tamper Station
This device, made in Germany, is an aluminum cylinder with a notch for your portafilter handle. It’s designed to hold your portafilter, giving you a stable and level platform on which to level and tamp your puck. And, it’s the same “stable and level” every time, which means less variance in my tamping. That, in turn, means more consistent pull quality and the same, great shot every time. I value that. You might, too.
The ECM Tamper Station is especially useful if you’re using a bottomless portafilter, which I have personally found awkward to make level on a counter. If you have a lip on your counter, forget it. But I also found it useful when I was using a portafilter with spouts, as those spouts were leaving marks on my counter when I tamped. The rubber mat you see in the photo above would have also solved that, but if your spouts are detachable, they probably come off when you’re tamping. That is, at least, what I experienced when I tried tamping on the counter with removable spouts, and the ECM Tamper Station will solve that, too.
