What Is The Ideal Tamping Pressure For Consistency Across Shots?

Have you ever wondered if you're pressing too hard or not hard enough when you tamp your coffee?

It’s a question I used to overthink. I’d watched videos, read forums, even pressed my tamper onto a bathroom scale like people suggested but still couldn’t tell if I was doing it right. The answer? It’s not just about pressure it’s about consistency.

What actually is tamping pressure?

Tamping pressure is the amount of force you apply to compress the coffee grounds into a compact puck inside your portafilter. The idea is to create a tight, even bed of coffee that resists water just enough to allow proper extraction not too fast, not too slow.

I used to aim for that 30-pound sweet spot that gets thrown around, but after some trial and error, I found that even if I was off by a few kilos either way, it didn’t matter much as long as I was consistent from shot to shot.

That’s why having something like a self-leveling tamper helped me more than any scale or timer. It took out the guesswork and kept things consistent every single time.

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So what is the ideal pressure?

From what I’ve tested, read, and tasted the ideal tamping pressure falls somewhere around 20 to 30 pounds. Once you go under 15, you start to notice shots speeding up, which usually means under-extraction. Anything much higher doesn’t improve taste, but it might give your wrist something to complain about.

There’s a helpful breakdown here that walks through how too-soft or too-hard tamps affect the shot. It really comes down to this: once you’re above 20 pounds and your puck is level, more force doesn’t equal better coffee.

Is consistent pressure more important than ideal pressure?

Absolutely. This is the part that changed everything for me. I found that even if my tamp wasn’t perfect, the results were pretty reliable as long as I tamped the same way every time.

That’s where things like puck prep and surface stability become way more important than hitting some invisible number. If you’re trying to make things easier, consider using a tamping station or setting your portafilter flat on the bench before pressing.

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Do you even need to measure pressure?

I tried doing the bathroom scale method early on. While it was a fun test, it didn’t really help much in the long term. What helped more was building up the muscle memory to press firmly and level every single time no bouncing, no wiggling, no polishing.

If you’re new, doing the scale trick once or twice gives you a feel for what 30 pounds is. But once you’ve got it, your hand and wrist learn the motion quickly. From there, it’s just about staying consistent and having the right setup makes that part easier.

What happens if you tamp too hard or too soft?

If you go too soft, the water flows through the puck too quickly and doesn’t have enough resistance. That usually leads to sour, weak-tasting shots. Go too hard, and you risk choking the machine or just making it more difficult for the espresso to flow evenly.

There's another article that goes through this with examples, and it matches what I’ve experienced. In both cases, the coffee suffers. But here’s the kicker: it’s less about the number and more about how flat, even, and repeatable your tamp is.

Don't forget about the basket and grind

You could have the perfect tamp, but if your grind is off or you’re using a low-quality basket, it won’t matter much. Switching to precision baskets helped me improve consistency way more than tweaking pressure ever did.

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Same with grind. If your grinder isn’t giving you uniform particle sizes, tamping pressure won’t save the shot. And if your dose is inconsistent, you’re chasing your tail. That’s where coffee scales come in handy.

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The real pressure test

What I’ve found is that you don’t need to overthink pressure if the rest of your workflow is solid. If your distribution is even, your tamper is flat, and your dose is measured, your pressure is probably fine.

Using a dosing tool also helped me stop overfilling and spilling, which made my tamping surface more reliable. It’s those small steps that really change things.

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What’s the verdict?

If I had to give you a number, I’d say press down with about 20–30 pounds of force. But more importantly? Press the same way every time. Level. Controlled. No need to twist. No need to jump on the portafilter. Just keep it steady.

That consistency is where you’ll see improvements. Less variation between shots. More balanced flavours. And if something still feels off, it’s probably not the pressure it’s everything else.

If you’re still troubleshooting your tamping or setup, check out our barista tools and best sellers. Or if you just want to talk through your routine, reach out. We’re happy to help.

Consistency in tamping pressure is what makes your shot repeatable and repeatable shots are what make good coffee.

Written By Laurie Nance

I'm the founder of Brewedco Coffee™, passionate about coffee, coffee tools, and helping others better understand how to utilize them. With years of experience in the coffee industry, I love sharing insights on brewing techniques, choosing the right equipment, and the science behind making the perfect cup.