No Tamp Routine: Can it Work?

What exactly happens if you don't tamp? Well, we decided to find out! We're inspired by all of those intrepid espresso enthusiasts who are always looking to simplify their puck prep routine, but how much is too little puck prep?

Tamping is almost like the espresso ur text. Which came first—the espresso machine or the tamper? This may be lost to the sands of time. What's clear is tamping is an indispensable part of puck prep... right? It is part and parcel of the espresso ritual we all know and love: distribute, level, and press with conviction. Every seasoned barista has a preferred tamper, maybe even a favorite story to go with it. It’s been part of the process since espresso’s salad days in Italy. But what if we just skipped it? Will the world end? 

No, really. What happens if you grind your coffee, toss it in the portafilter, and pull the shot without tamping, ceremony, or wrist strain? Is it heresy or a viable shortcut? We decided to find out. I know what you think already: we are so brave. 

The No-Tamp Gauntlet

We ran several quick-fire tests, chasing the dream of a lower-effort routine that might still yield a decent shot. Think of it as lazy barista science: fast and loose, but with a refractometer to keep us honest. Here’s how it went:

Straight In, No Tamp

Going in without tamping and without any distribution was absolute chaos. We got major channeling, uneven extraction, and a cup that tasted like it had something to prove. Spoiler: it didn’t. No tamping gave us a wild ride, the kind you wouldn't survive.

Next, we decided to give the puck more of a fighting chance: distribution followed by a gentle settling of the grounds, yet still no tamp. The extraction did even out a bit, and the shot looked surprisingly okay. Taste-wise, it was not bad; not great by any means, but we're inching toward acceptable.

Adding a Puck Screen

Still no tamping here, but we wanted to see what would happen if we distributed the coffee bed properly and added a puck screen (our tiny metal hero) before locking the portafilter into the group head. The extraction rate climbed, the shot ran smoother, and the shot was, well, drinkable. Was it balanced? Not quite. But way closer than we expected. The key difference maker here was a more even distribution of water across the entire surface area of the puck, and a slightly slower flow rate. 

Lower Pressure (6 Bar)

Finally, we dropped the brew pressure from the standard 9 bars to 6. This was the sweet spot. Slower flow helped compensate for the less-compacted puck, and the shot was the best of the bunch. It had nuance, sweetness, and (shockingly) no channeling. This was as close as we got to a good shot for a no-tamp shot, one that we'd want to drink again. 

Was it Worth it?

Let’s be honest: skipping the tamp doesn’t make your espresso routine easier or faster, it just changes what you have to care about, sometimes a bit too much. You’ll still need to pay attention to grind size, puck prep, pressure, and distribution. And ironically, the more effort we put into improving the no-tamp method, the closer we got to the effort of tamping in the first place.

At Clive, we believe espresso should be approachable, but more importantly, intentional.  But if you ever feel like rebelling (or just experimenting), know that the espresso gods might forgive you, at least if you have a puck screen and flow control handy. 

Want to keep exploring the edges of espresso? Subscribe to the blog, follow us on YouTube, or reach out. We’re always down to push boundaries, even if it means skipping the tamper.

Further Reading: 

• What Does Channeling Look Like?
• What is Flow Profiling?
• Maximalist vs. Minimalist Puck Prep: Easy Workflow For Better Espresso