Studies have shown that many of the repetitive tasks common to a routine shift behind a coffee bar – tamping in particular – put baristas in serious risk of injury. Awkward wrist angles and unnatural postures during application of force (aka tamping) can lead to long-term wrist, shoulder, and lower back pain. One possible solution to this problem is automation, and that’s exactly what the Australian-designed Puqpress provides (along with a few other pretty cool features).
First spotted stateside at the UNIC booth at this year’s SCAA Expo in Atlanta, the Puqpress touts consistency and customization when it comes to compressing small particles of coffee. The automated tamping system has adjustable pressure, allowing the user to choose exactly how many pounds of force get applied to the coffee bed in a “constant” and “perfectly level” way, according to their website.
