OK. People are continuously misunderstanding the point of this video. So, please read this comment in its entirety if you watched this video and feel offended or upset: 1) this video was not meant to prove via visual observations that WDT is superior. That would be silly. A non starter. Unintelligible. The antithesis of scientific procedure. Please give me even the slightest benefit of the doubt. 2) never once did I say NOR imply that higher extraction equals better espresso. I certainly didn't say higher TDS, as some of you have accused. Both of those claims would be based wholly in subjectivity, which isn't helpful. Instead, I argue that one EVEN extractions produces better espresso, and I will die on that hill. 3) while my video does not intend to prove the efficacy of wdt through any methods, it is to provoke those at home to attempt something similar. Of course you can get an even looking pull with a leveler. This does not mean you are getting an even extraction. This, too, is a silly conclusion but one I'll admit I likely fostered with the format and lack of explanation for my approach. I wanted to visually captivate those who otherwise would've written this technique off. (Spoiler- it worked because this is one if my best performing videos, so people are getting exposed to this method, which was the sole goal). 4) I have in the caption studies that prove objectively that levelers yield lower extraction yields. With the same coffee, grind size, ratio, etc, if you do 20 shots in a strict range with a leveler vs 20 of the same with wdt, the latter wins in an overwhelming landslide, meaning there is a higher extraction. Concluding this means higher extractions equals better espresso would be an inaccurate reading of the data; instead, the proper way to read the data is to see that wdt is extracting more evenly, therefore obtaining more solubles, which reveals more evenness in the extraction. This video was not an attempt at being scientific. That's why I allude to the articles and pull a measly three shots This video was an attempt to provoke And it worked But it looks like it worked a little too well, which calls for this comment Thanks.
Hahahaha! Not trying to validate it. In fact, pika is pretty crap. Moreso saying if one chooses yellow version, they're weak sauce if they don't keep pika in their lineup. I breezed through with mine. And don't bring up thunder tm at the power plant. Not even accessible without surf. Level 41 and done. Haha! Obviously I don't really care. I just never saw the point jn not having pika if choosing yellow
When I first put this design out, I was asking for at least $1 for the WDT. That $1 covers the plastic, needles, stamp and envelope, but it does not cover my labor or pain in producing, packaging and mailing these. After printing and selling 40, it became really clear that $1 was not enough to motivate me to continue printing these. Honestly, I’d rather pay $1 to not mail a WDT for $1. I settled on at least $7 because I thought that was still very affordable and was cheaper than the next cheapest 9 prong WDT (the people’s WDT that I helped designed and price capped at $10 for commercial sale). A lot of the videos on this were filmed before I upped asking price. Please don’t blame the content producers for them price bump as the pricing as accurate at the time. I’m also aware that not everyone can afford $7 just because I feel like it’s affordable. If you fall into that category, maybe you’ve lost your job or you’re a college student or a single parent struggling to get by. I’ve decided to allocate a dozen WDTs for you. If you really can’t afford it and this is something that could make you day, let me know and we can work something out.
Unfortunately i fall under this category.. i lost my ability to work because i had previous health issues so when covid hit, i had to stop working because of exposure.
In the end sustainable product (meaning it pays decently enough to cover cost and time to make) will be more useful to the community as a whole. So don't worry at all for the price. I happen to have a 3dprinter, so i only need to buy the needles, which is dirt cheap, thanks to your free 3d files.
Thanks for the video! One more point though: not only the level of the tamper matters: the more horizontal your basket is during wdt the better. Small angle to one side and all these little circles will slowly but steadily move the coffee to this very side...so that it even cannot be seen other than if pick the holder to the eye level as the puck has perfectly smooth and what seems to be leveled surface. Cheers!
Really good video! I have an engineering background and totally agree with your view that rotary distribution tools don’t affect the bed more than a millimeter or two below the tool. There just isn’t enough drag to transmit the motion across a body that has near zero ability to transfer shear stresses. You can do a demo with a clear shot glass of the right diameter ( or tapering glass ). Put in a vertical playing card and put coffee on one side and wheat flour on the other side and then carefully slide the separator out so that you have a white side and brown side. You’ll see there’s barely any mixing below the level of the distributor. Your WDT technique is the only way you can ensure that all clumps and interfaces are broken. There’s probably some optimal combination of needle size, number and spacing compared to the grind size, and we can let some espresso junkie earn his Master’s figuring that one out :-)
I have been brewing coffee for like 8 years now and i have just found out how to adjust taste of the coffee by adjusting temp or output. Just got my flair signature and his explanation on espresso and pour over are just so easy to understand. Thank you lance for sharing your knowledge. ☺️
I love no bs "sort of scientific" videos like this. You show the results and its really up to the viewers to test it if they like what they see. When it comes to this level of nerdiness thou, its a bit like hi-fi. ALOT of people cant stand being wrong and they get very angry when they are told "that expensive cable does not do any difference". I loved it ! I dont live in the US, but will try to build myself something similar, maybe with a champagne cork and some needles stuck into it.
WDT is a great tool but in my experience people get bad tasting coffee because they're using stale beans more often than not. Buying a new bag from the super market doesn't guarantee that the coffee is fresh. Most don't mention the roasting date and are usually 8-10 months old already. Always buy coffee from your local roaster and make sure it's at most 2-3 weeks old. No tool will help stale coffee.
I was literally examining my shots yesterday and concluded that I needed a WDT tool to replace my rotary 'distributor'. This video could not have been better timed!! Thanks Lance!
Very cool minimalist wdt tool. I have several of the others designed by the community and should probably support him on this endeavor but after hitting the IG page there are already hundreds of requests, so....I might give him a breather. The thing I love about the community wdt tool is that I printed the hanger for the side of my espresso machine and it has become part of my workflow... All in all, I agree, shots pulled with the wdt and a tamp are always better than without. There is no comparison. WDT. Just Do It!
I have a decently fluffy grinder. My leveller flattens the bed to only 1/3rd of tamping depth. The tamper then goes the full 2/3rd of the tamping depth. Perfect blooms every time on a bottomless portafilter :)
No longer $1, no problem. I’m still sold! Just ordered mine on his Etsy shop, pre assembled! Costs more but I’m afraid I’ll mess it up doing it for myself for $7.99, so 11.99 it is! Beats the heck out of those cheapo ones on Amazon from questionable locations! Thank you Lance!
I made one from a wine cork and five acupuncture needles. I put the pointy end into the cork, and cut off the handles with wire cutters. This avoids the dangerous and useless sharp ends. It really works! Regarding levellers, the ECM leveller is different, and also helps. It has a sharp wedge profile. Still mostly levels the top, but it does help as well. WDT does most, the ECM leveller probably the last 10-15%
Coffee has been a rabbit hole for me, and it looks like it gets harder compared to when I just started 😂. The WDT is a very handy tool indeed. I’ve made mine myself from 3D printer needles 0,35 mm, and a wooden handle with a magnet on top, I clip it to the bottom of a shelf above my coffee machine to keep it from the kids 👍🏼 Top tip for people with crafty kids around the house! Thanks again Lancelot!
Just watched your video, and you are spot on regarding the use of the distribution tool. I have used it since the beginning of my espresso journey mostly has a habit. I guarantee you that I will try your process and delete the use of it starting immediately. Everything you say and demonstrate seems accurate and doable. Thanks for your time/effort in this regard. I have watched a considerable number of your videos and consider you one of the best out there along with James Hoffman!!!
Don't forget to hit the like button if you enjoyed the video! And to reiterate, if you want this tool, you can order directly from Jkim through his IG I have in the caption if you are in the USA. If you are outside of the states, he has the 3d file on public domain, so go to a library or ask a friend with one to print it for you! Then grab some acupuncture needles from alibaba or elsewhere. Cheers!
I like the geekiness of the videos as it is all about making better coffee and improving technique, plain and simple and very informative. Have watched 2 videos and already learned more than watching more highly polished presentations. Great work and would recommend for anyone wanting to go further with coffee.
This isn't my job lol. I have a 60 hour per week job. It'd be cool if I made money on this. I ended up losing f $4k personal funds last year. And the creator said he'd honor $1 wdt tools for those who mention the video since they were initially $1 until this video made his life miserable with orders. I'd appreciate you not coming here with baseless accusations
I needed this video. I tried WDT a few months ago with a paper clip and didn’t realize how much needle size played a factor. Also this was the final nudge I needed to throw out the “distribution” tool.
That's the way I've been using the WDT and seeing other videos where people were faster, I thought I was doing it wrong so I'm happy to see this video!
I’m feeeeeeeling this. I hate the tumultuous bed I’ve been making every day. My shot times are around 25-30 seconds. Smooth silky perfect on the first 5-10 seconds. Horrible watery thin at 20-30 seconds. I think the culprit is my distribution level. Can’t wait to order one of these tools!
You are totally right about levelers vs WDT... Ever since I got my WDT, it's the only thing I use for puck prep and my leveler is now just an expensive paper weight collecting dust! My extractions have never been so constant!
heck yeah! Love to hear it. There are many people who refuse to accept this, but I think it is because so many invested in a nice leveler and don't want it to become what your's has- a paper weight lol. Thanks for watching!
On top of an awesome video, I appreciated your little pokemon tangent more than you think. Lovely to watch, always. Even though I already have like 4 different wdt tools with various needles, I still enjoyed watching every second of it. As usual, well done.
Great vid, thx Lance. I found the combination of precision basket, right grind and WDT to be the most important for me, in that order. After getting a decent basket, everything got WAY easier, including a grind setting that hadn't worked well now working fine (like at 10:35 here). I especially think WDTs are a good idea for people using hand grinders tbh. It kinda sorts out any issues compared with electric grinders. Still totally a newb at this tho.
Hello! Lance, thank you for all the great information! I just bought my first espresso machine and your videos have taught me a lot. I feel bad that some comments were attacking you for giving us great information. I see it as educational for us newbies and I know that there are other opinions out there. I like yours as some of the best. That being said - if you had to recommend a WDT for someone on a budget, just learning how to make espresso in an inexpensive home machine - would you recommend that I get one? Which ones would you recommend? I saw the one recommended by JKim Makes, but since I am seeing this months after you posted it, I wasn’t sure they were still available. Suggestions? Victoria
Mate, I'm new to making espresso properly but I couldn't work out why the "distributors" seemed so popular when buying the kit. Any kids brain can work out they don't actually distribute and just flatten the top. Well done for calling them out!
I have started using a poor mans wdt, A paperclip. It isn't Ideal, but I have noticed an improvement in consistency with no more issues with channeling.
I was wondering why I was getting so much splatter after buying one of those leveler/tamper combos, thanks for including all of that info about their drawbacks. Will definitely look into getting one of those distribution tools!
Thanks for the video. I had seen you mention the WDT tool in a video but didn't realise the impact it could have! Looks like I need one 👍🏼 Just a suggestion but would have been handy to have a section where the 3 extractions were shown side by side to compare the differences. BTW I've had zero video editing experience and no idea on the effort required to achieve this result! Still a great informative video! Thanks Lance.
Nice video! I'm thinking about doing an update video on "levellers" recently as well, and since using my wine cork WDT I've gotten much better extractions (didn't notice my distributor causing problems though). The main thing was seeing an article that showed Dist tools had consistently lower extraction yields. Definitely worth revisiting, always learning new things.
@@LanceHedrick always appreciated when someone is trying to help everyone to be closer to affordable great cup of coffee 🙏 P.S. I am on my third but here it's already evening 😌 Cheers
Thanks! And, now not so much, but in 2018 when I started to be a big proponent of WDT I received a hell of a lot of pushback; some pretty nasty, and a lot of insulting scoffing, and, at the time it was clear that there is a learning curve to do WDT properly, and, as you noted, the thickness of the needles is big (pun intended!) and, not to be unkind, but back then really so many people were standing by pretty inferior grinders. It's amazing how much we've learned in the last four years! Question: with a careful preinfusion (or prewetting or presoaking as I comprehend it) where, perhaps there is less top, middle, and bottom of the puck dissolving at different rates have you done any empirical work determine if along with close to perfect prep if the shot will be longer or shorter a time, as regards to this video? I only have anecdotal evidence, but going by lessening of visual evidence of puck disintegration during longer profiles I'm pretty confident that puck prep and preinfusion techniques are the key to the most even extraction (and that's without even talking about adding temperature profiling, which, for me is limited to the DE1)
Great video Lance, I truly value when good solid espresso lessons are placed on TH-cam. The distribution method was well stated on Barista Hustle. Hoping all your extractions are God Shots
I can confirm your contention re WDT. I made one from a wine cork and some thin needles about six months ago and haven't had a problem shot since. This is indeed the key, as you say.
Excellent! I have been using a needle, will look for something finer. Guitar string? Love to see a vid on puck screens. I have been using one and deffo helps to reduce channelling which is also allowing better results when my coffee has aged. Keep up the good work.
If a person really loves espresso, spends the cash on a machine, beans, grinder, etc, spending a little extra time for a better extraction is worth it!
Just tried it and oh boy I didn't expect what would follow. First shot 18 in, 37 out in 30s with WDT, light distributor (was touching only the very top of the puck) and calibrated tamper. Second shot: everything stayed the same except for eliminating the distributor and got 50g out in 25s with massive channeling. Not really sure what to think here.. EDIT Nevermind, my Specialita sabotaged me, will try again later
I started watching you recently and I love your deep dives and tangents about how you can bench the GOAT Pikachu but I think it would be helpful to add closeups in post or maybe another closer angle to some of the things you’re demonstrating
I understand what you mean with levelers, pushing them down onto a mound of grounds straight off the grinder THEN spinning it would be bad but I tap the grounds level, then spin the leveler as I lower it.
I like to make my women squirt, not my espresso shots - that's why I'm using a selfmade WDT tool made of 0.35 mm acupuncture needles and a wine cork for years - cheap and super reliable
I appreciate the reasoning given for using 0.4mm, or thiner, wires for the WDT. However, I'd like to know why WDT tools with hoops are not a good idea? Love the videos, I'm learning a lot.
Well think about what your trying to do break up the grounds and evenly distribute the bed while removing any clumps. Do you think something with a loop on the end that has more surface area is going to break or cut through those clumps as easy. The only reason I would ever suggest one of them would be safety if you have kids don’t have a place to put it where they may poke themselves. If anyone has blood borne illnesses that can be contracted. But that’s not much of a reason we are all adults here
To use a spin leveler, you just have to use a dosing cup, flip, shake while on top of portafilter to evenly distribute grounds, and to evenly distribute the top part of the puck, now the spin leveler can be used with a more even bottom of puck going on. You can do the shake and tap with the dosing cup on the portafilter too. Im trying to do everything i can to avoid using a wdt tool or whaterver its called. I just dont want to use one.
hey lance, thanks for this great video. the cuts where the music starts simultaneously with the extractions were super cool lol i really enjoy the way you narrate these vids, you make it very relaxed and humorous, so it's something i watch for fun everytime, not just the information :) also, as a broke college student i'm using an old rubber with straightened out paperclips as wdt, but hey, whatever works, i guess haha, right
@@JimNortonsAlcoholism listen to this video, secondly. You don't need levellers do this. WDT tool can distribute the grounds perfectly fine, then you give it a tamp and done. Hence, levellers are useless.
@@Cenot4ph Nope. He's wrong. The puck is much harder to get consistently level without the leveler tool. Plus WDT technique and the needle size makes it a very inconsistent tool. Most people don't use it correctly and it makes things worse.
Had trouble raking the top level with needles flared out, then I removed the bottom large disc, and just use straight needles. I really like doing just a surface level wdt/rake this way, then tamp.
Hi Lance, I must I'm rather saddened. Happened to see your espresso puck prep part 1 and 2 from 2 years ago. Loved it! Saw you using a leveler and purchased one. I have been using the leveler for a bit now and came across this video today with the tool. Does that mean I should be tossing my leveler out?
If you enjoy the leveler, use it! If you watch that video again, I don't recommend getting one- I say if you have one or want one, then the way I showed is the best method (shallow distribution). That being said, if using it has become part of a routine you enjoy, keep it up!
Ugh 😢 I just got my Breville Expresso machine and just now saw this particular video. Am I understanding right, your friend is full up on orders and is no longer taking orders? I followed your link and that’s what I was lead to believe. 😮. If it’s true, good for him. 😊
No doubt WDT is superior but I always wonder if it’s practical in a cafe setting. The perceived benefit of a leveler is that it’s fast, easy, and repeatable so there’s less to mess up for baristas. I don’t hear enough said about how to utilize this into a cafe workflow smoothly and consistently because it’s always enthusiasts and home baristas talking about WDT.
Here is my take- Ditch the OCD and practice horizontal tapping for milk beverages. Use WDT for straight espresso orders. You'll cut down on time with the tapping vs the distributor and achieve higher and more consistent extractions. And then WDT for the infrequent straight espresso. That's what i've been pushing for, at least.
I have a WDT don’t use it the leveler works great if used properly counter clockwise first that moves coffee around then clockwise levels it then tamp. Works great every time
As always thank you for the time, effort and fun on the video Lance! Good to see WDT compared with none. Good to see those shots in practice. Be interested to see what you think of those metal espresso puck screen to even out flow and water distribution over the coffee puck. WDT + screen worth it? Have a good day ahead.
Great video - interesting on levellers which I'll take into account. Thoughts on puck screens? I have the Barista Express with a IMS shower screen and basket but still get channelling
I'm interested to see what your opinion on The Jack Leveler from Asso Coffee or if you've used one before? Marc from Whole Latte Love says he no longer tamps and that that particular leveler acts as a tamper as well. He seems to know what he's talking about, but I know a lot of Espresso topics can be hearsay. I just got one recently and it seems to yield decent extractions without tamping, but I'm still a novice in Espresso and wouldn't claim to know the difference yet, especially without the rigorous testing you do. I already have a WDT device which I use before I tamped, but I'm curious if you've had any experience with this device and stand behind your statement that all levelers are trash. On a side note, this might be a decent topic for a video one day. Thank you for the informative content! Much ❤
haha! I had to. So many people complain about the yellow mouse. I'm like, yo. yellow version is built around the partnership between Pikachu and the main character. You gotta beat down the final four with your yellow dude!
Awesome video! I got a WDT tool that has the rings at the ends of the needles. I was wondering why even do that? I heard you say "no rings" in the video. Thoughts on why the heck they added those? Now I'm looking to get one without rings and also thin needles as you mentioned.
I normally use my saint Anthony leveler and palm tamper but tried just wdt and tamping and it was much more even but in a strange way! Before i had a stratified flavor profile that was very intresting and good, this way i had a very one sided but much more even flavor! Still very good, but totally different. Thanks for the dideas and knowledge. Definitely gonna keep playing with this!
Hey Lance! Just started following you recently! Your videos have been really helpful! I bought a Barista Pro a couple weeks ago and I’m still working on landing that latte art... #oneday LOL but I had a question, in one of your videos you mentioned something about high altitude blends... do you have any videos on tips for blends that come from high altitude? Is there any special things I should take into consideration when preparing for espresso shot? The shot I pulled is not bitter which is good but the flavor is sort of light. Thanks for your help!
Hey Lance, I use your WDT method (including the tap), but after the WDT, I usually level (using one of those combo leveler/tampers you mentioned) and then tamp. I mainly do this to get the top of the bed perfectly flat to try and ensure a nice even tamp. Would the issues you described with a leveler still apply in this case, where the coffee bed has already been pre-distrbuted using a WDT? Thanks!
The leveler, at best, will not harm anything. At worst, it will compact some of the grounds with its fins and reduce evenness. It's really best just to remove it entirely.
But it's so satisfying to use both and that results in a happier morning coffee, all senses experience, time and effort has to count for something, some of the levels have very minimal fins 😉
Sure, there is a minimal chance it won't upset the bed, but in reality, it more than likely will undo the hard work the wdt did. I'd absolutely recommend taking it out of your puck prep routine, unless like a commenter above, it adds to the experience for you so much so that it negates the lessened consistency of extraction. Cheers!
Duuude your friend is a genius! that is such a cool little tool! Can't we get it shipped to Canada??? I already have a WDT tool but I'd buy one to encourage this!
Grrrr I guess I’ll give WDT a try again. You’ve convinced me haha and your quick tutorial seems doable. How come tho you don’t dose from the niche dosing cup straight into the portafilter?
Nice video! I WDT my bed, THEN use a spinner-toy (aka leveler) to help me tamp straight - I've noticed that my tamps tend to be crooked otherwise. Any thoughts about this use case scenario? (I mean ... I guess I could just git gud! ;-) )
OK.
People are continuously misunderstanding the point of this video.
So, please read this comment in its entirety if you watched this video and feel offended or upset:
1) this video was not meant to prove via visual observations that WDT is superior. That would be silly. A non starter. Unintelligible. The antithesis of scientific procedure. Please give me even the slightest benefit of the doubt.
2) never once did I say NOR imply that higher extraction equals better espresso. I certainly didn't say higher TDS, as some of you have accused. Both of those claims would be based wholly in subjectivity, which isn't helpful. Instead, I argue that one EVEN extractions produces better espresso, and I will die on that hill.
3) while my video does not intend to prove the efficacy of wdt through any methods, it is to provoke those at home to attempt something similar. Of course you can get an even looking pull with a leveler. This does not mean you are getting an even extraction. This, too, is a silly conclusion but one I'll admit I likely fostered with the format and lack of explanation for my approach. I wanted to visually captivate those who otherwise would've written this technique off. (Spoiler- it worked because this is one if my best performing videos, so people are getting exposed to this method, which was the sole goal).
4) I have in the caption studies that prove objectively that levelers yield lower extraction yields. With the same coffee, grind size, ratio, etc, if you do 20 shots in a strict range with a leveler vs 20 of the same with wdt, the latter wins in an overwhelming landslide, meaning there is a higher extraction. Concluding this means higher extractions equals better espresso would be an inaccurate reading of the data; instead, the proper way to read the data is to see that wdt is extracting more evenly, therefore obtaining more solubles, which reveals more evenness in the extraction.
This video was not an attempt at being scientific. That's why I allude to the articles and pull a measly three shots
This video was an attempt to provoke
And it worked
But it looks like it worked a little too well, which calls for this comment
Thanks.
I dont know about all that, I'm pretty sure the point of the video was an excuse to validate a small electric mouse.
Hahahaha! Not trying to validate it. In fact, pika is pretty crap. Moreso saying if one chooses yellow version, they're weak sauce if they don't keep pika in their lineup. I breezed through with mine. And don't bring up thunder tm at the power plant. Not even accessible without surf. Level 41 and done. Haha!
Obviously I don't really care. I just never saw the point jn not having pika if choosing yellow
Where can I find the wdt ?? I dont find the link in all those comments xD thanks
100% agree, Mr Hendrick
How thick are the needle lines on your WDT tool thingy?
When I first put this design out, I was asking for at least $1 for the WDT. That $1 covers the plastic, needles, stamp and envelope, but it does not cover my labor or pain in producing, packaging and mailing these.
After printing and selling 40, it became really clear that $1 was not enough to motivate me to continue printing these. Honestly, I’d rather pay $1 to not mail a WDT for $1. I settled on at least $7 because I thought that was still very affordable and was cheaper than the next cheapest 9 prong WDT (the people’s WDT that I helped designed and price capped at $10 for commercial sale).
A lot of the videos on this were filmed before I upped asking price. Please don’t blame the content producers for them price bump as the pricing as accurate at the time.
I’m also aware that not everyone can afford $7 just because I feel like it’s affordable. If you fall into that category, maybe you’ve lost your job or you’re a college student or a single parent struggling to get by. I’ve decided to allocate a dozen WDTs for you. If you really can’t afford it and this is something that could make you day, let me know and we can work something out.
Unfortunately i fall under this category.. i lost my ability to work because i had previous health issues so when covid hit, i had to stop working because of exposure.
Totally understandable! What size needles do you use for your wdt tool?
Where is the link to purchase it??
@@markciano I’m currently not taking anymore orders! I’ll post a highlighted story on Instagram when I have them back in stock.
In the end sustainable product (meaning it pays decently enough to cover cost and time to make) will be more useful to the community as a whole. So don't worry at all for the price. I happen to have a 3dprinter, so i only need to buy the needles, which is dirt cheap, thanks to your free 3d files.
Definitely use fresh roasted coffee. Game changer.
Thanks for the video!
One more point though: not only the level of the tamper matters: the more horizontal your basket is during wdt the better.
Small angle to one side and all these little circles will slowly but steadily move the coffee to this very side...so that it even cannot be seen other than if pick the holder to the eye level as the puck has perfectly smooth and what seems to be leveled surface.
Cheers!
Really good video! I have an engineering background and totally agree with your view that rotary distribution tools don’t affect the bed more than a millimeter or two below the tool. There just isn’t enough drag to transmit the motion across a body that has near zero ability to transfer shear stresses. You can do a demo with a clear shot glass of the right diameter ( or tapering glass ). Put in a vertical playing card and put coffee on one side and wheat flour on the other side and then carefully slide the separator out so that you have a white side and brown side. You’ll see there’s barely any mixing below the level of the distributor. Your WDT technique is the only way you can ensure that all clumps and interfaces are broken. There’s probably some optimal combination of needle size, number and spacing compared to the grind size, and we can let some espresso junkie earn his Master’s figuring that one out :-)
Now do the young's modulus of a WDT needle :)
I have been brewing coffee for like 8 years now and i have just found out how to adjust taste of the coffee by adjusting temp or output. Just got my flair signature and his explanation on espresso and pour over are just so easy to understand. Thank you lance for sharing your knowledge. ☺️
I love no bs "sort of scientific" videos like this. You show the results and its really up to the viewers to test it if they like what they see. When it comes to this level of nerdiness thou, its a bit like hi-fi. ALOT of people cant stand being wrong and they get very angry when they are told "that expensive cable does not do any difference".
I loved it ! I dont live in the US, but will try to build myself something similar, maybe with a champagne cork and some needles stuck into it.
WDT is a great tool but in my experience people get bad tasting coffee because they're using stale beans more often than not. Buying a new bag from the super market doesn't guarantee that the coffee is fresh. Most don't mention the roasting date and are usually 8-10 months old already. Always buy coffee from your local roaster and make sure it's at most 2-3 weeks old. No tool will help stale coffee.
The main reason I roast coffee beans myself 😀
I was literally examining my shots yesterday and concluded that I needed a WDT tool to replace my rotary 'distributor'. This video could not have been better timed!! Thanks Lance!
I love that! the stars aligned. I was going to film a different video yesterday to release today, but my house got covid lol. All fine here!
No, you still do need a distributor tool. Lance is a bozo.
Very cool minimalist wdt tool. I have several of the others designed by the community and should probably support him on this endeavor but after hitting the IG page there are already hundreds of requests, so....I might give him a breather. The thing I love about the community wdt tool is that I printed the hanger for the side of my espresso machine and it has become part of my workflow...
All in all, I agree, shots pulled with the wdt and a tamp are always better than without. There is no comparison. WDT. Just Do It!
Appreciate the demo. Previously, my WDT was making extractions much worse. Working the needles as the tool comes out of the bed is very important.
It is very important, yes. Otherwise you'll leave trails in the bed, which turns into channeling
I have a decently fluffy grinder. My leveller flattens the bed to only 1/3rd of tamping depth. The tamper then goes the full 2/3rd of the tamping depth. Perfect blooms every time on a bottomless portafilter :)
No longer $1, no problem. I’m still sold! Just ordered mine on his Etsy shop, pre assembled! Costs more but I’m afraid I’ll mess it up doing it for myself for $7.99, so 11.99 it is! Beats the heck out of those cheapo ones on Amazon from questionable locations! Thank you Lance!
Ok, this was a fantastic study.. I will try this tomorrow without using the cross distribution tool. I saw the difference. Thank You so much.
I agree about the levelers. I never had a channeling problem until I started using one.
Eye opening! The visual was very effective. Definitely, I'm shelving my distribution tool and going WDT only from now on. thanks Lance.
I made one from a wine cork and five acupuncture needles. I put the pointy end into the cork, and cut off the handles with wire cutters. This avoids the dangerous and useless sharp ends. It really works! Regarding levellers, the ECM leveller is different, and also helps. It has a sharp wedge profile. Still mostly levels the top, but it does help as well. WDT does most, the ECM leveller probably the last 10-15%
Coffee has been a rabbit hole for me, and it looks like it gets harder compared to when I just started 😂. The WDT is a very handy tool indeed. I’ve made mine myself from 3D printer needles 0,35 mm, and a wooden handle with a magnet on top, I clip it to the bottom of a shelf above my coffee machine to keep it from the kids 👍🏼 Top tip for people with crafty kids around the house! Thanks again Lancelot!
Wonderful! I love hearing these awesome ideas. Innovative.
And that's Sir Lancelatte.
Just watched your video, and you are spot on regarding the use of the distribution tool. I have used it since the beginning of my espresso journey mostly has a habit. I guarantee you that I will try your process and delete the use of it starting immediately. Everything you say and demonstrate seems accurate and doable. Thanks for your time/effort in this regard. I have watched a considerable number of your videos and consider you one of the best out there along with James Hoffman!!!
Thank you so much! I really hope you enjoy the switch up! Focus on technique with it, for sure.
Don't forget to hit the like button if you enjoyed the video!
And to reiterate, if you want this tool, you can order directly from Jkim through his IG I have in the caption if you are in the USA. If you are outside of the states, he has the 3d file on public domain, so go to a library or ask a friend with one to print it for you! Then grab some acupuncture needles from alibaba or elsewhere. Cheers!
Does the kit ordered from him include needles?
Liked and subscribed. I enjoy your format, keep it up!
Thanks! Is he selling just the design or the finished product? I didn’t see a link to purchase.
Lance, what espresso machine are you using in the video?
This aged well. Glad there's a quicker/more-straightforward alternative to WDT :D
I like the geekiness of the videos as it is all about making better coffee and improving technique, plain and simple and very informative. Have watched 2 videos and already learned more than watching more highly polished presentations. Great work and would recommend for anyone wanting to go further with coffee.
$1 is within my budget!
heck yeah! For anyone who it isn't in the budget for, i'll venmo that junk
@@LanceHedrick I don’t have Instagram, is there any other way to order this? I’d love one 👍😊
@@izizzlefuhRizzle dang…and I don’t have Instagram so maybe I’ll have to make one.
@@izizzlefuhRizzle IMO It’s worth way more than $7
This isn't my job lol. I have a 60 hour per week job. It'd be cool if I made money on this. I ended up losing f $4k personal funds last year.
And the creator said he'd honor $1 wdt tools for those who mention the video since they were initially $1 until this video made his life miserable with orders.
I'd appreciate you not coming here with baseless accusations
Made my own wdt, and I think it's even improving my pour-overs by using it before pouring. More distribution and surface area 👍🏼
I definitely use it in pourovers when grinding finely!
I needed this video. I tried WDT a few months ago with a paper clip and didn’t realize how much needle size played a factor. Also this was the final nudge I needed to throw out the “distribution” tool.
So glad you enjoyed the video! I hope you luscious espresso in your near future.
That's the way I've been using the WDT and seeing other videos where people were faster, I thought I was doing it wrong so I'm happy to see this video!
Funny timing! Just got one cheap (15$ CAD) WDT tool from amazon. You can clearly see the difference. Best buy ever. Yours looks cool!
I’m feeeeeeeling this. I hate the tumultuous bed I’ve been making every day. My shot times are around 25-30 seconds. Smooth silky perfect on the first 5-10 seconds. Horrible watery thin at 20-30 seconds. I think the culprit is my distribution level. Can’t wait to order one of these tools!
Yesssss. also, don't sweat too much the watery ending if the coffee tastes good! optics only get you so far. And when I say far, I mean nowhere haha!
You are totally right about levelers vs WDT... Ever since I got my WDT, it's the only thing I use for puck prep and my leveler is now just an expensive paper weight collecting dust! My extractions have never been so constant!
heck yeah! Love to hear it. There are many people who refuse to accept this, but I think it is because so many invested in a nice leveler and don't want it to become what your's has- a paper weight lol. Thanks for watching!
@@LanceHedrick Exactly! and leveler looks so much cooler! ;) Keep the great videos coming!
On top of an awesome video, I appreciated your little pokemon tangent more than you think. Lovely to watch, always. Even though I already have like 4 different wdt tools with various needles, I still enjoyed watching every second of it.
As usual, well done.
haha! Thank you! Currently on soul silver. You best believe I took totodile here. 5 gym badges in and having a good ole time.
I’m running a super cheap setup and the WDT I made for $5 with a wine cork (s/o Mondavi) and acupuncture needles literally improved my shots so much
Nice! That is an awesome DIY!
Great vid, thx Lance. I found the combination of precision basket, right grind and WDT to be the most important for me, in that order. After getting a decent basket, everything got WAY easier, including a grind setting that hadn't worked well now working fine (like at 10:35 here). I especially think WDTs are a good idea for people using hand grinders tbh. It kinda sorts out any issues compared with electric grinders. Still totally a newb at this tho.
Good to know I don't need my distribution tool anymore. Thanks for the awesome video as always.
Hello! Lance, thank you for all the great information! I just bought my first espresso machine and your videos have taught me a lot. I feel bad that some comments were attacking you for giving us great information. I see it as educational for us newbies and I know that there are other opinions out there. I like yours as some of the best. That being said - if you had to recommend a WDT for someone on a budget, just learning how to make espresso in an inexpensive home machine - would you recommend that I get one? Which ones would you recommend? I saw the one recommended by JKim Makes, but since I am seeing this months after you posted it, I wasn’t sure they were still available. Suggestions?
Victoria
Mate, I'm new to making espresso properly but I couldn't work out why the "distributors" seemed so popular when buying the kit. Any kids brain can work out they don't actually distribute and just flatten the top. Well done for calling them out!
Heck yeah! I have some haters coming at me for that one lol
I have started using a poor mans wdt, A paperclip. It isn't Ideal, but I have noticed an improvement in consistency with no more issues with channeling.
I was wondering why I was getting so much splatter after buying one of those leveler/tamper combos, thanks for including all of that info about their drawbacks. Will definitely look into getting one of those distribution tools!
awesome! hope you find it as helpful as I preached it to be haha!
Thanks Lance. That enveloped contraption is brilliant!
The only espresso channel I need
Thanks for the video. I had seen you mention the WDT tool in a video but didn't realise the impact it could have! Looks like I need one 👍🏼
Just a suggestion but would have been handy to have a section where the 3 extractions were shown side by side to compare the differences. BTW I've had zero video editing experience and no idea on the effort required to achieve this result!
Still a great informative video! Thanks Lance.
Nice video! I'm thinking about doing an update video on "levellers" recently as well, and since using my wine cork WDT I've gotten much better extractions (didn't notice my distributor causing problems though). The main thing was seeing an article that showed Dist tools had consistently lower extraction yields. Definitely worth revisiting, always learning new things.
yep! I have included those articles in the caption. Thanks for watching, friend!
Hi Lance, your video was a real eye opener. Thanks heaps.
Friday, Lance video and coffee. Can't have better start of the weekend 😌
thanks, Blagoj! Stoked you enjoy the content. Brewing my first cup of the day now!
@@LanceHedrick always appreciated when someone is trying to help everyone to be closer to affordable great cup of coffee 🙏
P.S. I am on my third but here it's already evening 😌 Cheers
Thanks! And, now not so much, but in 2018 when I started to be a big proponent of WDT I received a hell of a lot of pushback; some pretty nasty, and a lot of insulting scoffing, and, at the time it was clear that there is a learning curve to do WDT properly, and, as you noted, the thickness of the needles is big (pun intended!) and, not to be unkind, but back then really so many people were standing by pretty inferior grinders. It's amazing how much we've learned in the last four years! Question: with a careful preinfusion (or prewetting or presoaking as I comprehend it) where, perhaps there is less top, middle, and bottom of the puck dissolving at different rates have you done any empirical work determine if along with close to perfect prep if the shot will be longer or shorter a time, as regards to this video? I only have anecdotal evidence, but going by lessening of visual evidence of puck disintegration during longer profiles I'm pretty confident that puck prep and preinfusion techniques are the key to the most even extraction (and that's without even talking about adding temperature profiling, which, for me is limited to the DE1)
Lance, thanks for the great video! I was just going to do some research on good WDT technique and boom! This appeared in my feed. Perfect
Fantastic! Now, can we talk about changing the "arl" in your last name to "edr"?
Thanks! I will get one (I am learning a lot from your channel) Cheers fro Canada
Great video Lance, I truly value when good solid espresso lessons are placed on TH-cam. The distribution method was well stated on Barista Hustle. Hoping all your extractions are God Shots
Thank you!
Thank you for speaking the truth about LEVELERS 😂👍🏼!
I can confirm your contention re WDT. I made one from a wine cork and some thin needles about six months ago and haven't had a problem shot since. This is indeed the key, as you say.
lovely! So glad you have been experiencing improved consistency. SO many fewer wasted shots.
I love everything about you and what you do. Don’t go changin’ 👊
Thank you! And I wasn't planning on it haha! Thanks for the support, friend
Blind shaker baby
Excellent! I have been using a needle, will look for something finer. Guitar string? Love to see a vid on puck screens. I have been using one and deffo helps to reduce channelling which is also allowing better results when my coffee has aged. Keep up the good work.
you are one of the only people I've watched that says levelers are garbage.
Been using one for a while now and it does make for a pretty, fluffy bed of espresso.
love it! Glad you have been having good experiences with it!
If a person really loves espresso, spends the cash on a machine, beans, grinder, etc, spending a little extra time for a better extraction is worth it!
Just tried it and oh boy I didn't expect what would follow. First shot 18 in, 37 out in 30s with WDT, light distributor (was touching only the very top of the puck) and calibrated tamper. Second shot: everything stayed the same except for eliminating the distributor and got 50g out in 25s with massive channeling. Not really sure what to think here..
EDIT
Nevermind, my Specialita sabotaged me, will try again later
"And thunder at level 41 is pretty baller"... Another non-sequitur brought to you by Lance Hedrick. God I love your content! 🤣
I have a big package of unopened acupuncture needles. Should I just try sticking those in the next cork I get from a wine bottle?
I started watching you recently and I love your deep dives and tangents about how you can bench the GOAT Pikachu but I think it would be helpful to add closeups in post or maybe another closer angle to some of the things you’re demonstrating
For sure. That is a good point. We have two fixed cameras, so sometimes it is hard to get up close, but I need to work on that.
@@LanceHedrick Everything else is great though, can't wait to see what's next 😁👍
I understand what you mean with levelers, pushing them down onto a mound of grounds straight off the grinder THEN spinning it would be bad but I tap the grounds level, then spin the leveler as I lower it.
You still touch and imprint the grounds with it.
I like to make my women squirt, not my espresso shots - that's why I'm using a selfmade WDT tool made of 0.35 mm acupuncture needles and a wine cork for years - cheap and super reliable
I appreciate the reasoning given for using 0.4mm, or thiner, wires for the WDT. However, I'd like to know why WDT tools with hoops are not a good idea?
Love the videos, I'm learning a lot.
Well think about what your trying to do break up the grounds and evenly distribute the bed while removing any clumps. Do you think something with a loop on the end that has more surface area is going to break or cut through those clumps as easy.
The only reason I would ever suggest one of them would be safety if you have kids don’t have a place to put it where they may poke themselves. If anyone has blood borne illnesses that can be contracted. But that’s not much of a reason we are all adults here
To use a spin leveler, you just have to use a dosing cup, flip, shake while on top of portafilter to evenly distribute grounds, and to evenly distribute the top part of the puck, now the spin leveler can be used with a more even bottom of puck going on. You can do the shake and tap with the dosing cup on the portafilter too. Im trying to do everything i can to avoid using a wdt tool or whaterver its called. I just dont want to use one.
hey lance, thanks for this great video. the cuts where the music starts simultaneously with the extractions were super cool lol
i really enjoy the way you narrate these vids, you make it very relaxed and humorous, so it's something i watch for fun everytime, not just the information :)
also, as a broke college student i'm using an old rubber with straightened out paperclips as wdt, but hey, whatever works, i guess haha, right
Reach out to my friend from the video! $1 and he will ship the tool. Including postage. It is far better than paperclips!
WDT instantly improved the shots on my Cafelat Robot. Don’t know why it isn’t considered standard practice, just like tamping.
I was literally about to buy acupuncture needles and do this myself. This is very helpful lol
Lance finally someone that agrees on how useless the levellers are. I always found them to be a waste of money.
WDT and a somewhat level tamp, done.
They're not useless. They level the puck, which you want.
@@JimNortonsAlcoholism listen to this video, secondly. You don't need levellers do this. WDT tool can distribute the grounds perfectly fine, then you give it a tamp and done. Hence, levellers are useless.
@@Cenot4ph Nope. He's wrong. The puck is much harder to get consistently level without the leveler tool.
Plus WDT technique and the needle size makes it a very inconsistent tool. Most people don't use it correctly and it makes things worse.
@@JimNortonsAlcoholism we don't agree, I feel the tool is useless and I think the results for me are clear.
Lets put it as a personal preference
@@Cenot4ph Not a personal preference. I've seen the results
Loooving the pokémon sidetrack right there 😂😂
Had trouble raking the top level with needles flared out, then I removed the bottom large disc, and just use straight needles. I really like doing just a surface level wdt/rake this way, then tamp.
Level 41 THUNDER!!!! Gotta love it.
Great! I have been saying to My friends to stop using levelers. Now i have fact behind My feeling
YES! I love it. Fight the good fight, soldier
Watching this video makes me want to mount a camera under my espresso machine and video the coffee dropping out of my filter basket.
Hi Lance, I must I'm rather saddened. Happened to see your espresso puck prep part 1 and 2 from 2 years ago. Loved it! Saw you using a leveler and purchased one. I have been using the leveler for a bit now and came across this video today with the tool. Does that mean I should be tossing my leveler out?
If you enjoy the leveler, use it! If you watch that video again, I don't recommend getting one- I say if you have one or want one, then the way I showed is the best method (shallow distribution). That being said, if using it has become part of a routine you enjoy, keep it up!
@@LanceHedrick thanks for the quick reply! Much appreciated!
The pokemon part convinced me to leave a like! :D
Haha! Let's go!
I just don't understand people who bench Pikachu in yellow. Can't take the elite 4 with an unevolved Pokémon? Ameteur trainer.
To be honest - my mazzer grinder doesn’t clump at all and there is no noticeable difference with WDT or not. Just a little rake to level the top.
Ugh 😢 I just got my Breville Expresso machine and just now saw this particular video. Am I understanding right, your friend is full up on orders and is no longer taking orders? I followed your link and that’s what I was lead to believe. 😮. If it’s true, good for him. 😊
No doubt WDT is superior but I always wonder if it’s practical in a cafe setting.
The perceived benefit of a leveler is that it’s fast, easy, and repeatable so there’s less to mess up for baristas. I don’t hear enough said about how to utilize this into a cafe workflow smoothly and consistently because it’s always enthusiasts and home baristas talking about WDT.
Here is my take-
Ditch the OCD and practice horizontal tapping for milk beverages. Use WDT for straight espresso orders. You'll cut down on time with the tapping vs the distributor and achieve higher and more consistent extractions. And then WDT for the infrequent straight espresso. That's what i've been pushing for, at least.
Super cool. Love that idea .
Hi Lance, why not the One with hoops at the end? :)
I'm wondering about the same question.
Who would have thought I would be hearing strong Pokemon opinions in a coffee video.
I have a WDT don’t use it the leveler works great if used properly counter clockwise first that moves coffee around then clockwise levels it then tamp. Works great every time
Great video Lance! Curious, do you have strong preference on the number of needles and/or their configuration?
As always thank you for the time, effort and fun on the video Lance! Good to see WDT compared with none. Good to see those shots in practice. Be interested to see what you think of those metal espresso puck screen to even out flow and water distribution over the coffee puck. WDT + screen worth it? Have a good day ahead.
Great video - interesting on levellers which I'll take into account. Thoughts on puck screens? I have the Barista Express with a IMS shower screen and basket but still get channelling
I'm interested to see what your opinion on The Jack Leveler from Asso Coffee or if you've used one before? Marc from Whole Latte Love says he no longer tamps and that that particular leveler acts as a tamper as well. He seems to know what he's talking about, but I know a lot of Espresso topics can be hearsay. I just got one recently and it seems to yield decent extractions without tamping, but I'm still a novice in Espresso and wouldn't claim to know the difference yet, especially without the rigorous testing you do. I already have a WDT device which I use before I tamped, but I'm curious if you've had any experience with this device and stand behind your statement that all levelers are trash. On a side note, this might be a decent topic for a video one day. Thank you for the informative content! Much ❤
Ha ha ha loved the Pickacheu divergence 😂❤️
Epic video as always ☕️☕️☕️
haha! I had to. So many people complain about the yellow mouse. I'm like, yo. yellow version is built around the partnership between Pikachu and the main character. You gotta beat down the final four with your yellow dude!
@@LanceHedrick Yesssssss!!! He's always been my favorite little dude too! Just so much charm with him :)
Awesome video! I got a WDT tool that has the rings at the ends of the needles. I was wondering why even do that? I heard you say "no rings" in the video. Thoughts on why the heck they added those? Now I'm looking to get one without rings and also thin needles as you mentioned.
I normally use my saint Anthony leveler and palm tamper but tried just wdt and tamping and it was much more even but in a strange way! Before i had a stratified flavor profile that was very intresting and good, this way i had a very one sided but much more even flavor! Still very good, but totally different. Thanks for the dideas and knowledge. Definitely gonna keep playing with this!
Hey Lance! Just started following you recently! Your videos have been really helpful! I bought a Barista Pro a couple weeks ago and I’m still working on landing that latte art... #oneday LOL but I had a question, in one of your videos you mentioned something about high altitude blends... do you have any videos on tips for blends that come from high altitude? Is there any special things I should take into consideration when preparing for espresso shot? The shot I pulled is not bitter which is good but the flavor is sort of light. Thanks for your help!
Legend… awesome work Lance. No beatboxing this time, I’m sad Lol
Hey Lance, I use your WDT method (including the tap), but after the WDT, I usually level (using one of those combo leveler/tampers you mentioned) and then tamp. I mainly do this to get the top of the bed perfectly flat to try and ensure a nice even tamp. Would the issues you described with a leveler still apply in this case, where the coffee bed has already been pre-distrbuted using a WDT?
Thanks!
The leveler, at best, will not harm anything. At worst, it will compact some of the grounds with its fins and reduce evenness. It's really best just to remove it entirely.
But it's so satisfying to use both and that results in a happier morning coffee, all senses experience, time and effort has to count for something, some of the levels have very minimal fins 😉
would also be interest in this, especially if the leveler after the wdt is useful for the tamp or anything else (and not just not harmful)
Sure, there is a minimal chance it won't upset the bed, but in reality, it more than likely will undo the hard work the wdt did. I'd absolutely recommend taking it out of your puck prep routine, unless like a commenter above, it adds to the experience for you so much so that it negates the lessened consistency of extraction. Cheers!
@@LanceHedrick thanks for the reply :) agree 👍
Duuude your friend is a genius! that is such a cool little tool! Can't we get it shipped to Canada??? I already have a WDT tool but I'd buy one to encourage this!
I'm sure he'd entertain the idea. Shoot him a message! I have his IG info in the caption
Grrrr I guess I’ll give WDT a try again. You’ve convinced me haha and your quick tutorial seems doable. How come tho you don’t dose from the niche dosing cup straight into the portafilter?
Because i'm a different level of lazy and don't want to hold my portafilter there haha!
That black Niche: 🔥
First time I have subscribed to a channel after one video. You fucking rock dude. Thanks for the explanations and great shooting. 🤙
Interesting. Any thoughts for us La Pavoni users (49mm portafilter)?
BTW, the price is right.
Nice one. Thanks. Shame we didn’t see the top of the 3rd puck!
Yeah. Apologies for that. I sometimes get so into my workflow that I forget to think. I dumped the puck and my camera guy was like... huh? Lol
Heck yeah - great video - appreciate the tip!
thank you so much! Hope it was helpful
Nice video! I WDT my bed, THEN use a spinner-toy (aka leveler) to help me tamp straight - I've noticed that my tamps tend to be crooked otherwise. Any thoughts about this use case scenario? (I mean ... I guess I could just git gud! ;-) )
bro i 3d printed my own before seeing this vid thats so cool. i use .4mm needles. .12 cents of cost for mine.