Absolutely beautiful, and the best part is the detail. Compare this to any generic tamper side by side and you'll notice how exacting the craftsmanship is. The tight tolerances are the difference...everything fits together perfectly.
Negative Product Points
Cost. I don't care how you look at it, 70 bucks is a lot of money to spend on a tamper when you could probably get similar results with a 30 dollar tamper and then put 40 more towards a grinder. But if you want the best, and the most beautiful, this is a great choice
Detailed Commentary
It's hard to describe how nice the weight feels...everything fits together and balances perfectly. The thing weighs so much it practically self-rights if you drop it in the basket and that alone takes away a lot of the guesswork. It's nice to be able to customize the logos too--shop around to find exactly what you want. I got a Rancilio logo to match my Dad's Silvia. Whatever you do, get the bubinga handle, because the wood work is fantastic. Perhaps only Thor Tampers can rival the beauty of the wood work.
A good reason to get this tamper over a generic one is the quality of the woodwork. If you just want a 58 mm stainless stell base that is weighted nicely and will produce great results, pick up one of the $30 knock offs. But the woodwork on the Reg is fantastic. It's almost mesmerizing--no picture can really capture how damn professional and serious they look. Consider your buying requirements. If you're kitchen is beautiful, and this is the piece that ties it all together, and you have figured out enough about dosing and grinding, then buy it. If you need something quick to replace your plastic tamper and you want to put money towards other supplies, pick up the knock off versions. But in the end, every time you pick up the RB you'll get a smile on your face, even if you paid through the teeth for it. That's just how these things work. It's a buy it once, buy it for life type of deal.
Buying Experience
Whole Latte Love -- buying this thing was easy, minus parting with 70 bucks. Quick and easy shipping, no frills.
