Apexstone58mm Coffee Distributor, Espresso Distribution Tool, Espresso Distributor Tool, Coffee Leveler 58mm

Beware negative reviews. The first one listed for me was from early 2019. I'm not disputing the reviewer's experience at all, but what matters is what the product is now, not what it was then. This espresso distributor is PERFECT! We bought a new espresso machine last Christmas and have been steadily upping our game in search of perfection (read consistency). We use a digital scale and measure our espresso load to the tenth of a gram. Our grinder costs more than our espresso machine. I absolutely know we're "perfect" in our grind and the load. The espresso machine does an excellent job. The one variable we were inconsistent with was the tamp. Our machine has a manometer (pressure gauge) and we'd be all over the map from 7 bars to 14 bars. It usually wasn't that bad, but sometimes it was. I want to get 9-10 bars every time, and we just weren't achieving that. In fairness, my wife comes closer than I do, but it varies for her as well. We put a digital bathroom scale on our kitchen counter (its actually cool looking and it stays there!). That helped us with our tamping, and we consistently tamp at 30 pounds. But after 8 months of this, we concluded that we just weren't getting the espresso powder consistently distributed, so sometimes we'd get channeling, sometimes not.I don't know why I waited so long to buy this. As soon as it arrived, I was blown away at how well made it is. You'd never know I price-shopped! This is worthy of sitting next to a $3,000 espresso machine (not that I'll ever experience that). The workmanship is first class. It's heavy and does its job extremely well. We tap the portafilter a little and use our finger to somewhat level out the coffee, then use the distributor. You'll have to play around a few days with the adjustment of the distributor; it lets you loosen the top, then screw out the distributor section to extend or retract it to the right depth. Only a little experimenting will let you find the right height. And you HAVE to be completely consistent on the grind and quantity of espresso you load into the portafilter; otherwise there will be no way for the distributor to be consistent!I could tell the first day this was a big improvement, and it got better the next couple days as I got the correct depth set on the distributor. Now I'm seeing much more consistency in our pressure, and therefore in the quality of the espresso we're pulling.Just make sure you're loading a consistent amount of espresso in the portafilter before you distribute and tamp or you'll never achieve consistency.Oh, and this should be obvious, but make sure you order the correct diameter distributor; they come in three sizes. My Solis Barista Perfetta Plus uses a standard 54mm portafilter, so the 53 mm Apexstone distributor was perfect (well, I suppose a 53.9 mm might be even more perfect, but you really don't want to cut it that close! My tamper is also 53mm.)In short, if you're making espresso, this will be the best $15 you will ever spend. I buy a lot from Amazon and most of the time I don't bother to post a review, but this distributor blows me away so much, ESPECIALLY for the low price, that I had to give it its due and recommend it to you.

I'm always striving for that perfect shot and a big part of getting that right is getting the coffee properly distributed. This item quickly and easily distributes it. I use it in combination with my WDT tool, but even as a stand alone item, it will serve you well. The quality is good. The threads are smooth and the depth is more than enough for any puck type.

I've been making espresso for 35+ years and thought I'd gotten my "system" down so well there was no room for improvement. This tool is so easy to use and makes such a difference. No more micro-channeling, ever. Each pack is perfect every time.As other's have noted, this does NOT replace a tamper. You still need that. But this makes filling the portafilter quick and perfect. Dump in you coffee, twist a full turn, and tamp. I've found I can now be pretty sloppy filling the portafilter, which is good as I'm often in a hurry in the morning.I don't know why the branded products cost so much more than this one. I could honestly not improve on it at all. The construction is solid stainless steel, wiht a high-level finish. The plunge depth is adjustable.Highly recommended. Just so you know, I am in no way affiliated with this product or the seller - just leaving an honest review for a great value item.

Hefty with easy adjustment. Should have a better scale.

Affordable option as a home-use coffee distributor. Since tossing out my pressurized filter basket, I had been having trouble making decent coffee. In the few days of using this, I have noticed a massive improvement in my shots.This tool comes in three parts and is easy to adjust. It additionally has approximately 1mm depth markings scored in to help with its calibration. After a few trial runs, I've set it to sink in quite deep and it has helped me make very consistent espresso. It is substantially hefty and has replaced my tamper altogether. While I do not have a naked mesh portafilter, I have not seen any pitting/other evidence of channelling. I have been getting better crema and a repeatable flavour profile from each shot. Overall, it has eliminated a few of the variables involved in making great coffee and is allowing me to focus more on beans and grind.(On a lesser note, it has shaved away from the time I used to spend trying to manually distribute each shot!)In terms of build quality, it has a well-polished machined steel distributor side, the casing/handle appears to be anodized aluminium with knurled sides that make it easy to grip and tighten/untighten. The inner screw is a bit sharp but is not exposed outside of cleaning. It feels durable and I have not had any issues yet, though I have only been using it for less than a week. My only suggestion to the maker would be to provide a stand or a holder for when it is not in use, otherwise thank you for the excellent product.

Don’t let the price fool you, this is well made, heavy and works amazing.It acts as a distributer, but due to its weight it works as a tamper as well.Been extracting great espresso and making great drinks!