Chris King Coffee Tampers: Love it or Hate it?

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Usually the argument for buying something as high end as a Chris King component goes something like ‘it’ll last much longer than anything else’ – but when was the last time you wore out a coffee tamper? On receiving this press release, Singletrack Towers erupted into a simultaneous chorus of ‘How Much?!’, ‘Ooh, I want it’ and ‘Where’s the cost of living crisis?’.

With that in mind, we bring you key product information along with a selection of pre prepared responses to suit all pockets, socio-political leanings, and levels of lust.

Chris King Precision Components has a rich history of celebrating the union between bicycles and coffee. This is showcased in passion projects like the highly sought-after King espresso drinkware sets and the revered King espresso tamper. The tamper, known for its comfort, balance, and weight, has gained a reputation among professional baristas.

Chris King PR

We had a run of un-anodized handles from the last time we offered tampers, and since we had a little capacity in production, we decided to make bases to match them. It’s a busy summer here, and that requires keeping the team well-caffeinated.

King’s Chief Caffeine Officer Jay Sycip

Chris King Espresso Tampers are available in all colours, though supplies are limited. Available only from chrisking.com at $150.

While you’re here…

Author Profile Picture
Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

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  • This topic has 62 replies, 48 voices, and was last updated 9 months ago by Sam.
Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 62 total)
  • Chris King Coffee Tampers: Love it or Hate it?
  • nickc
    Full Member

    I both hate and lust after Chris King stuff at the same time. I very nearly bought a headset for my last build and it sat on the build spreadsheet (that’s not weird, right? We all have one of those don’t we?) like a £200.00 malevolent toad taking up waaay too much of my time and effort. Eventually in a fit of pique at myself I just went ahead and ordered it, and it was out of stock. I’ve never been so relived.

    Weird, I know but there you go.

    kimura54321
    Full Member

    I think they are well over priced and whilst I’m sure it’s a nice tamper it’s not the size most people go for when buying them!

    I am a coffee snob though, slightly disappointed their chief caffeine officer do not know all the cool kids have 58.5mm diameter tampers for better edges/reducing channeling.

    Admittedly this did make me giggle and thing of the varying bike headset/bb/hub standard wars… 🤔

    ads678
    Full Member

    I can sympathies with that @nickc I’ve been relieved a few times when something has been out of stock!

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    They really let the marketing w@nketeer go freestyle with this one!

    chewkw
    Free Member

    Buy one if you can afford it. Life is too short.

    ossify
    Full Member

    the build spreadsheet (that’s not weird, right?

    No, I had one 🙂

    Or wait, maybe it is and I’m just weird too…

    NYC101009
    Full Member

    Anodized Red looking 👌

    IHN
    Full Member

    If I could insert a Venn diagram with Bike **** in one set, Coffee **** in the other, and Chris King Coffee Tampers at the intersect, I would

    stumpy01
    Full Member

    I tried one but it didn’t work with my Nespresso pods, so had to return it.

    lovewookie
    Full Member

    perfect thing to go with the CK salt and pepper shakers.

    ped
    Full Member

    Nah, but I’d buy a purple anodised Hope teaspoon for my Nescafé …

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    People who buy this shit* are utter fools. What possible reason could you have for wanting such a thing?!?!

    *by which I mean anything involved with the production or consumption of coffee. Vile stuff. 😉

    chakaping
    Free Member

    I’d buy a purple anodised Hope teaspoon for my Nescafé …

    I was just gonna say, no interest whatsoever in this wankery. But maybe if Hope made a teapot…

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    But maybe if Hope made a teapot…

    Something something Orange something something biscuit tin.

    DickBarton
    Full Member

    Had one and it never stayed right, was constantly working loose. Several shops couldn’t work out the issue and it got replaced with a Hope headset which was truly fit and forget for 3 years (although it was checked every 9 months to see if the bearings needed replacing and they didn’t).

    Chris King stuff seems to be massively overpriced in my opinion, based on my own experience of a single headset. Their rear hubs sounds very nice if you like that high pitched buzz, but I’m not sure the price is justified.

    LAT
    Full Member

    JAY SYCIP

    is that Jay Sycip of sycip bikes?

    lister
    Full Member

    if Hope made a teapot

    I WANT A HOPE TEAPOT NOW! (a proper one for loose leaves obvs)

    bigblackshed
    Full Member

    I lusted after a Chris King tamper for a while. Couldn’t justify the price, so had a go at making my own.

    Campagnolo rear hub, a lump of stainless steel, headset top cap, and some sketchy lathe work =

    F2-A3-AA65-4725-4-D45-B4-A0-CD6-EDE288-A48

    The base is way over sized, but the lathe was walking across the workshop, so I called it a day before I buggered it up.

    robertajobb
    Full Member

    Confirms why they’re known as Chris-wan-King

    charliedontsurf
    Full Member

    I would but I aeropress at home… so please can I have either…

    A. An aeropress stirrer made from leftover bits of aluminium at $200

    B. A titanium aeropress with a ti mesh filter, and you may as well package it in a carbon fibre box, padded out with the finest virgin golden goose feathers  and charge me $1,899

    winston
    Free Member

    I have no idea about coffee but I do know about beer and the Wolf Tooth bottle opener the best one I’ve used.

     

    I may also have  a campag corkscrew but we won’t talk about that

    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    Singletrack should do one and charge a sensible price. They’d fly off the shelves! Charge too much though and they will be Thread of The Week prizes until the box is empty.

    leffeboy
    Full Member

    This is showcased in passion projects like the highly sought-after King espresso drinkware sets and the revered King espresso tamper. The tamper, known for its comfort, balance, and weight, has gained a reputation among professional baristas

    I have read these words and now I feel….

    X – someone needs a damn good slapping for writing that

    tthew
    Full Member

    Charge too much though and they will be Thread of The Week prizes until the box is empty.

    … and you’ll have half a dozen in your kitchen cupboard. 😁

    mlltt
    Full Member

    August cycles will turn Hub’s into tampers, recycling at its best!

    https://www.augustbicycles.cc/product-page/commission-a-custom-coffe-tamper

    petefromearth
    Full Member

    A few years ago Chris King the man himself attended Bespoked in Bristol. That weekend he wandered into my friend’s coffee shop (Full Court Press), knocked back a coffee and bestowed him with one of these tampers as a gift. It’s still there proudly displayed on a shelf, possibly unused for the reasons above!

    molgrips
    Free Member

    The build your own forum response polls are genius, made me laugh 🙂 well done.

    Oh, and I have broken a coffee tamper. The plastic one that came with my Gaggia, after a decade or so of daily use.

    molgrips
    Free Member

    @petefromearth how did he know it was Chris King? Did he introduce himself?

    ads678
    Full Member

    Probably came in with a breifcase full of coffee tampers to sell!

    nickc
    Full Member

    See, I don’t mind bike parts being turned into “Objets” I think @bigblackshed tamper is really cool. I’m just not sure that turning them out commercially isn’t just, well, a wee bit cynical.

    “We know our fans will just buy one of these “because”. So lets make ’em”

    petefromearth
    Full Member

    @molgrips

    Yes I think he introduced himself. I remember him being at the bike show, I wouldn’t have known it was him if it wasn’t for the crowd of bearded groupies whispering his name and fawning over him!

    I think a few tampers might have been given away as prizes maybe

    nickc
    Full Member

    Probably came in with a breifcase full of coffee tampers to sell!

    You know the scene at the end of Pulp Fiction?

    Daffy
    Full Member

    As my many builds over the years will attest to, I’m a big Chris King fan. This extends to kitchen equipment:

    Peak STW:

    Daffy
    Full Member

    All of mine were bought from eBay.  I’m still a Northerner. 🙂

    Blackflag
    Free Member

    You have TWO tampers Daffy?

    Peak STW indeed

    Daffy
    Full Member

    I couldn’t resist the purple one when it came up on ebay.  £45!

    desperatebicycle
    Full Member

    Love it? Nope. Hate it? Nope. There’s like a shield in my brain where I try to have an opinion about stuff like this and it just gets deflected.

    nt80085
    Full Member

    I don’t even drink coffee but I want one. Goddamit!

    molgrips
    Free Member

    There’s always the Park pizza cutter.

    johnnystorm
    Full Member

    Right up there with penny farthing pizza cutters. 🤣

    No ta.

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