Pergtamp Review

I’m always on the lookout for a new coffee related tool and when I first saw the Pergtamp I was immediately drawn to it’s beautiful lines. I took the time out to read up on the excellent info provided by Mr Perger about the tamp and theories behind its inception. After taking the information on board I decided to check out my current tamp which was a 58.4mm flat base. Although it was a reasonable fit in the basket it did have significantly curved edges which lowered the total surface area significantly. My shots were channelling more than I believed they should and I’d worked hard on my distribution and technique so I was really interested in what, if any, difference a Pergtamp could make to my coffee at home.

I purchased my Pergtamp from Has Bean as soon as they arrived in the UK. I was suitably impressed with the look and feel when it arrived, a real thing of beauty!

As much as I enjoy reading about products and their benefits I enjoy putting them through their paces even more so I set about it!

I pulled a series of shots switching between my current tamp and the Pergtamp. The shots pulled with the Pergtamp consistently looked more controlled and certainly seemed to exhibit less channelling. With a bit more practice and adjustment of tamp pressure I was able to pull very consistent shots without much messing about. Shots were also consistently better tasting when the Pergtamp was used (presumably due to the lack of channelling).

As well as the improvement in channelling and taste the Pergtamp meant less faff when preping a shot due to it’s snug fit in the basket. A simple tamp and twist was all that was required to get a perfect looking puck every time!

So, it improved my coffee, looks fantastic and improves workflow, what are the downsides I hear you ask.

One problem I encountered when I first started using the Pergtamp was due to it’s snug fit to the VST basket, the issue was that when you removed the tamp it sometimes created a vacuum and broke the seal on the puck. This is not a biggie, a simple tweak to my technique and all was all sorted!

The second issue is that I’m so scared of damaging/blunting the bloody thing but as Matt says, it’s a tool not a toy and I’ve now owned it nearly 6 months and it still looks as good as the day I got it.

Lastly there is the price, this thing isn’t cheap that’s for sure but when you look at the improved results in the cup combined with the gorgeous looks I think it’s well worth it! I suppose in the end it all depends on what you are upgrading from and the rest of your kit, but I am thoroughly happy with my decision to pick one up.

For more info then head over to the Sensory Lab Pro Shop!