Rhino Classic Tamper Mat Bench – protection for your counter and portafilter
The portafilter comes off the grinder freshly filled, you set it down – and instead of the hard clack on the worktop you hear nothing but a muffled landing. Your hand settles on the tamper, you press, and nothing slips away.
The mat sits between portafilter and counter. It takes up the pressure while you tamp, holds the portafilter in place and protects both sides: the surface of your worktop and the rim of the portafilter. It is made from food-safe silicone rubber.
202 × 151 mm – compact enough for tight counters
Rhino gives the mat as 202 mm long and 151 mm wide. That is enough surface to set the portafilter down safely and still park the distributor or WDT tool next to it – and narrow enough to find room between grinder and machine. According to the manufacturer it is deliberately made extra thick, so the pressure from tamping does not reach the work surface.
Food-safe silicone rubber
The material is a food-safe silicone rubber. Coffee grounds that fall beside the basket while you tamp stay on the dark surface instead of spreading across the counter – you see them, and you wipe them away in one go.
Care
In our experience from the bar in Bern, a damp cloth after every shift is enough; if the mat sees heavier use, we rinse it by hand with warm water and a little washing-up liquid and let it dry flat. Rhino makes no dishwasher statement for this model – which is why you will not find one here either.
At a glance
| Function |
Tamping mat for the work surface, protects counter and portafilter |
| Dimensions |
202 mm (L) × 151 mm (W) |
| Material |
food-safe silicone rubber, extra thick |
| Colour |
Black |
| In the box |
1 tamping mat |
| Manufacturer item number |
RWSTMB |
| Brand |
Rhino Coffee Gear |
Who it is for
For everyone who tamps at home on a stone worktop, a wooden board or a lacquered kitchen unit and does not want pressure marks there. For cafés and offices where tamping happens several times a day and the corner next to the grinder should still stay clean. And for everyone working with a lever or travel machine who needs a firm, non-slip surface when the portafilter has no place of its own.
Tip from our café
We do not put the mat right up against the machine, but a hand's width away – that way the path grind, distribute, tamp, lock in stays a straight line, and you are not constantly rearranging. If you pull bottomless, keep the mat ready for setting the portafilter down after the shot as well: the basket is hot then, and silicone takes that better than a stone slab. That is our experience from the bar in Bern, not a manufacturer statement.
What goes with it
You will find the matching tools in the collections Tamper and Tamping Stations, the full range of the brand in the Rhino Coffee Gear collection and everything else for the bar in Barista Equipment. For knocking out the spent puck, the Rhino Knock Box fits, and for wiping up the Rhino Barista Cloth Set. If you would rather have a complete set with mat, tamper base and brush, take a look at the Eureka Mignon Mat Kit.
And because a mat is only worth as much as the espresso that runs into the cup afterwards: you will find our beans from our own roastery in the collection Coffee Beans. For the daily espresso with plenty of body we are especially fond of Cozy Nut and Cozy Chocolate; if you like it warmer and nuttier, reach for Chestnut Delight.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rhino Classic Tamper Mat Bench?
Rhino gives 202 mm length and 151 mm width. That way the portafilter stands safely on the mat, and there is room next to it for tamper or distributor.
What material is the mat made of?
Food-safe silicone rubber. The manufacturer deliberately makes it extra thick, so the pressure from tamping does not reach the work surface.
Does the mat fit every portafilter?
Yes. It is a flat mat with no seat for a particular diameter and therefore works no matter which portafilter you have in use.
How do I clean the tamping mat?
In our café a damp cloth is usually enough; with heavier use we rinse it by hand with warm water and let it dry flat. Rhino makes no dishwasher statement for this model.
Do I even need a tamping mat?
You do not have to have one, but it solves two things at once: the worktop gets no pressure marks, and the portafilter does not slip while you tamp. Whether that is worth it depends on what you tamp on – that is our take, one of many.
Can I see the mat before buying?
Yes, in our showrooms in Bern (Gerberngasse 44) and Zurich Oerlikon (Hagenholzstrasse 50b). Ordered online, it is delivered across Switzerland and to Liechtenstein in 2–4 working days.
