This is a very nice unique looking tamper from Ikape, I do like the fact that they've strayed off the beaten track a little bit where the design is concerned.
Features and Benefits:
• Walnut-wooden handle
• Ergonomic design
• Self levelling ring
• Rippled base
• Available for portafilter sizes of 49mm, 51mm, 54mm & 58mm
So this is a calibrated tamper, I don't actually know what it's calibrated to as it doesn't say, but it feels about right to me, I wouldn't want to tamp much heavier, simply because I don't believe the extra effort (and extra wear on your joints) is worth it.
What I like about this tamper, along with the fact that the design is quite unique, and the price is fairly low (you can pay a lot more for a calibrated tamper if you like) is that it has a spring loaded self leveller.
The leveller automatically grips the top of the portafilter, meaning that the tamp is always level.
This isn't unique to Ikape, some of the other calibrated tampers do this, not all, though, and I think it's a great feature, simply because not having a level surface I think is just as much of a problem as not having a consistent tamp pressure.
The only thing I would say is I do think they could benefit from would be adding a blob of grease to the spring, the action isn't as smooth as some sprint loaded tampers.
This is a rippled base tamper, which is really, really important, because it adds a rippled pattern to the puck of coffee, which looks pretty.
Obviously, I'm being just slightly sarcastic there ;-), I don't think a rippled surface actually makes any difference.
The only real difference is simply that the rippled bottomed tampers like this can remove just a very small amount of coffee from the puck, and while it's such a small amount that I wouldn't expect it to be much of a difference.
It does mean a very slight loss in consistency from one basket of coffee to the next, so all things being equal flat is probably better than rippled, but it's not really going to make a big difference in reality.