<p>When grounds sit in clumps in the portafilter, water finds the loose side first and one part of the shot runs ahead of the rest. Tamping straight onto an uneven bed seals in the problem.</p><p>This palm distributor rests on the basket and twists across the grounds. Three angled slopes underneath push coffee into the gaps and level the surface, so your tamp starts on an even bed and the shot pulls more steadily.</p><p>Choose 51, 53 or 58 mm to match your basket. Set the depth so the base just touches the coffee, give it a few turns, then tamp as usual.</p>