Lelit red tamper 57.35 mm – stainless steel tamper with red wooden handle for LELIT57
A red wooden handle on a light worktop, warm in the hand, and beneath it a stainless steel surface that levels the coffee bed in one movement.
The diameter is what matters. 57.35 millimetres are matched to the LELIT57 group, meaning the Lelit Anna and the Lelit Anita. A tamper that's too small leaves a ring of loose grounds at the edge of the basket, and the water runs through there faster than through the middle. Water always takes the path of least resistance – one millimetre too little is enough for part of the puck to be extracted more heavily than the rest.
That's why fit matters more than force. How hard you press plays a smaller role as long as it's similar every time; what counts is that the surface ends up level and no edge is left open. Anything you want to change after that is better changed at the grind setting. No espresso laws, no espresso police – the coffee has to taste good, and our opinion is one of many.
The handle is wood, dyed red all the way through, and feels noticeably different in the hand from metal: warmer, a little grippier, and it takes on the temperature of your hand. That sounds like a side issue, but it's part of the point. Design and feel influence enjoyment before the first sip, and the espresso ritual only takes around five minutes in the morning anyway. The base below is stainless steel, polished and durable.
Important for telling them apart: the same tamper with a red wooden handle also exists in 58.55 millimetres for the LELIT58 group of the MaraX, Bianca, Elizabeth, Victoria and Kate. The two formats aren't interchangeable – the 57 doesn't fit a 58 basket, and the other way round there's too much air.
At a glance
| Diameter |
57.35 mm |
| Base |
Stainless steel |
| Handle |
Wood, red |
| Group head |
LELIT57 |
| Compatible machines |
Lelit Anna PL41EM, Anna PL41TEM, Anita PL042EM, Anita PL042TEMD |
| Item number |
PLA471R |
| Origin |
Lelit, Italy |
Who it's made for
For anyone with a Lelit Anna or Anita who'd like to replace the plastic tamper that came with it. A stainless steel tamper with the exact diameter makes the surface more even, and evenness is what creates consistency from day to day.
And for anyone who simply wants something red on the counter. That's a valid reason too – nobody needs this tamper, you want it. Other diameters and handle materials are in the Tamper collection, and the matching machines under Lelit espresso machines.
What goes with it
A tamper presses, it doesn't distribute. Clumps in the grounds are broken up by a WDT tool: affordable and precise with the Normcore WDT tool, with higher demands on materials with the Moonraker from Weber Workshops, both in the WDT tools collection.
Before that comes the grinder, and that's where evenness is created in the first place. Affordable and precise with the Varia VS3, or the Comandante C40 as a hand grinder; more with the Varia VS6, the Weber Workshops EG-1 or the Option-O Lagom – all in the coffee grinders collection. And because we work by brew ratio, 1:2 as a starting point, a scale belongs with it: Normcore for the affordable and precise route, Acaia for app, flow-rate display and Bluetooth, to be found under coffee scales.
Frequently asked questions
Does this tamper fit my Lelit?
57.35 millimetres fit the LELIT57 group: Anna PL41EM, Anna PL41TEM, Anita PL042EM and Anita PL042TEMD. Machines with the LELIT58 group, such as MaraX, MaraX3, Bianca, Elizabeth, Victoria or Kate, need the 58.55 version. The two groups aren't compatible with each other.
How does it differ from the red tamper in 58.55 mm?
Only in diameter. Handle and stainless steel base are the same. Which one is right is decided solely by the group head of your machine.
How hard should I tamp?
Even matters more than hard. As soon as the surface is level and nothing stays loose at the edge, the tamper has done its job.
How do I care for the wooden handle?
Wipe it dry and don't leave it standing in water. The stainless steel base can be cleaned damp; wood prefers a quick clean and air to washing-up water.
Can I see the product before buying?
Yes. You can see it in person in Bern at Gerberngasse 44 and in Zurich at Hagenholzstrasse 50b. Delivery to Switzerland and Liechtenstein takes 2 to 4 working days.
From the roastery
An evenly tamped bed pays off most clearly with dense roasts, because body and sweetness set the tone there. Cozy Chocolate and Nutty Delight run calmly and are very forgiving. If you're after maximum body without any acidity, take Very Nutty, and if you'd like to discover something fruity, Wild Peach. That's our recommendation, one of many.
