K COOL Espresso Hand Tamper, Premium Barista Coffee Tamper with Calibrated Spring, Stainless Steel Base Tamper Compatible with Espresso Machine Rancilio, Gaggia Bottomless Portafilter (58mm, Black)

Great material sturdy and durable

This was much nicer quality than I expected, especially since it was the least expensive option with a spring. It works perfectly. I like the way it keeps the surface level because of the piece above the plunger.

TL;DR This isn't actually a sprung tamper where the spring is providing the constant pressure. Avoid this and get a different $17 sprung tamper that is actually a sprung TAMPER, not a sprung LEVELING COLLAR.With a properly designed sprung tamper, you are pushing on the handle, which is pushing on the spring, which is pushing on the tamping disc, which is pushing on the puck.This means that you will always be applying the spring's pressure to the puck, no more, no less (unless you're bottoming out the spring to where the handle is pushing directly on the tamping disc). That means you get repeatable, identical pressure from tamp to tamp, isolating a variable.THIS POS has the spring between the handle and the leveling collar, NOT BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND THE TAMPING DISC. The handle is connected directly to the tamping disc. That means that you are pushing DIRECTLY on the coffee puck. YOU are providing the force, which is INCONSISTENT. All the spring does here is make the tamper feel nicer to use, since the leveling collar isn't freely flopping up and down the shaft.I don't know why this is like this. I guess cost savings. "sprung tamper" here is misleading.It's a shame that this tamper is useless, because other than the spring being implemented incorrectly, it feels nice. The handle is a little small, and the tamping disc is a little thin/light, but it feels well made and the handle is comfortable. It would be an awesome value at the current $17 list price.Besides the spring changing, I would like to see the shaft lengthened and the leveling collar being wider, so you can rest the collar on top of your dosing funnel. As it is, you have to pre-compact the coffee enough for the tamper to be able to be inside the basket from the beginning, or else you will make a mess. I have seen no tampers designed as I just described, which is a tremendous shame.

Maybe this one was faulty. I have been a coffee shop owner for 24 yrs. 1st time I have ever pushed down a temper & the Spring broke. Gonna return and just in case it's normal, buy another brand.