Mantis WDT Tool Espresso - 9 Needle Distribution Tool with Stand | Needle Espresso Stirrer | .4mm and .3mm needles included | Aluminum Alloy Stand (Matte Black)

Great little WDT tool with some thoughtful features and extra needles. My espresso has been so much more consistent and I’ve experienced less channeling. Thank you for the great product!

I choose this WDT because of its somewhat "normal" sounding brand name. I'm so sick of having to choose products on Amazon based on what the brand name is and where the brand is printed on the product. Sad that I have to shop this way. I hate seeing brand names in bold letters (that make no sense) printed in plain view on the product. So this is why I choose the Mantis WDT.This item functions just as it should. I like that this item came with spare needles (of different size), so you can choose which is best for your needs. I went with the thinner needles, so there is more give when sifting through the grounds. I did find that a doser funnel is needed when using this tool so grounds don't get pushed out of the portafilter.I personally am not a fan of these style WDT in general. I just feel they are fussy to use. More time than I want to spend sifting the grounds. I do feel that by using a WDT tool, that the shots DO pull cleaner. No channeling for me and I do feel that I get better saturation of the grounds this way. My pucks come out evenly "soaked and spent". I do feel that this tool was slightly overpriced, but having a name brand (with cool logo and not ridiculous sounding), was worth the extra cost.

Liked the flat top to keep the thing vertical while I’m doing a wet wdt in my pourovers.

Along my journey as a home barista, I've tried multiple WDT tools, and none has worked its magic, as well as the Mantis. Clump-free coffee has never been easier to achieve!

"Swap needles."The Mantis WDT Tool Espresso Coffee Stirrer - the one with the .4mm 9 prongs (pins/needles) - comes with a full set of nine .3mm replacement pins as well as an extra three .4mm spare pins. The tool works great to reduce clumps from coffee grounds. [New to WDT? A brief description and technique is at the end of the review.] That is, this WDT tool work just as well as other WDT tools with .4mm pins. The pins move the coffee grounds around and break up clumps. I like that I have the option to change to a thinner pin size if the thicker pins are not my preferred size (see WDT guide below).I already have a pair of WDT tools. Well, four, if I count the single pin stirrer that I started out with. I don't need another one, but... I wasn't happy with the way my current WDT tool held on to the pins. It was friction fit and screwing in the cap kept the needles from moving. The problem was that tightening the cap also meant the needles would twist out of position, resulting in skewed needles. Even though it doesn't affect the results, it always bothered me. When I saw the listing for this Mantis WDT tool, I knew I had to try it. Not shown in the product images is the cap, when closed, would push up against the handle of the pins and hold them in position without twisting them. There is also a little dimple in the roof of the cap to keep the center pin in place.This is a pretty good implementation of a WDT tool. The extra set of smaller pins is a nice bonus.And now, a word about WDT:Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) basically is stirring the coffee grounds with fine pins/needles to decrease clumping and increase extraction. It is a way to compensate for clumping in coffee grinders. When you tamp the grounds with clumps in it, the clumps will be more dense than the grounds around it. That leads to water flowing around the clumps, increase channeling, and less even extraction. Stirring the grounds with pins will break up the clumps.If you want a show-and-tell video of WDT, check your favorite tube platform and look for "Lance Hendrick WDT". Essentially, pins should be between .25 to .4 mm. Thicker pins can compress the grounds while stirring, thereby creating denser pockets of grounds and defeating the purpose of doing WDT.I used to WDT with a thick (toothpick sized) pin stirrer and always had issues with channeling no matter what I try. That included different tampers, no WDT, and wedge distributors. When I switched to these type of stirrers, I have reduced channeling in my pucks. [Tip: Use a bottomless portafilter, it'll show all your puck prep mistakes.] I generally follow Mr. Lance Hendrick's method of deep WDT with a .4 mm stirrer and if I have the time, I use a .25 mm needle stirrer to work the top layer. The method being "circle of circles" starting with the stirrer at the bottom of the portafilter basket and work my way up to the top, making sure the top layer is as level as possible. I find that the thinner stirrer does a better job "raking" the top layer. But you don't need to get that fancy. I no longer use the wedge distribution tool and just tamp after WDT.Given the decreased amount of channeling I've encountered using these type of stirrers, I have to say they are useful at breaking up clumps and thus increasing extraction. I like the thicker, between .3 and .4 mm, pins over the thinner .25 mm pins. The thicker pins feel like they're pushing the grounds around while the thinner pins feel like they are cutting through the grounds.

The product arrived in a nicely finished box with the tool nestled in a firm foam insert. The box is nice enough that it would make a nice gift to the espresso lover in your life. The mantis logo on the top of the tool is unobtrusive and not unattractive.This is a well made and well finished nine needle Weiss Distribution Technique (WDT) tool, used to distribute coffee grounds in the portafilter. It's a simple function and it feels nice in my hand when in use. The base is well weighted, so it when the tool is resting in it, it does not feel top heavy. The tool fits securely in the base and yet comes out smoothly.It comes with a full set of nine 0.4mm needles installed, as well as three replacement 0.4mm needles. An extra set of nine 0.3mm needles is included, if you prefer the smaller size. I have found 0.4mm to be ideal for my use. The top of the tool is well machined and unscrews easily to replace bent needles or to install the smaller size. Replacement needles are common and cheap on Amazon.This tool fills a need in the niche world of espresso nerds, and does it well. It is easy to find similar WDT tools at twice the price on Amazon or from specialty espresso companies. Why pay more?

This WDT Tool from Mantis is a well crafted/machined accessory for espresso beginners or experts alike. The holder and the tool itself have a great solid weight and feel to them. A selection of different size needles are included, and swapping them out for the preferred size is simple.

This is a higher end WDT and works very well in control and consistency for espresso pucks. Prior to using this WDT I’d used several others - this provides a more controllable movement and consistency in execution that has significantly improved my espresso prep consistency - Easy to use, Easy to clean, easy to store, works excellent - highly recommend

Cumple con su función y las agujas se mantienen en buen estado por el estuche.Tuve uno de menor calidad que requería de ensamblaje y este no se compara. Definitivamente debió haber sido mi primera opción. Excelente producto, ojalá el costo fuera un poco menor y la oferta de los productos de esta marca incremente.