Hold up, did they actually fix the root problems or just close tickets without real solutions?

Yeah you might be right, I used to lay it on thick but now I'm thinking two good coats is plenty.

Salt paste scrub sounds legit, would try that with a good rinse after.

Hold up, I gotta push back a little here. I tried the toothpick thing for a week and my shots actually got worse - more channeling, not less. I think people forget that stirring too much or too aggressively can actually break up the coffee too fine and create its own uneven spots. What worked better for me was just tapping the side of the portafilter firmly a few times before tamping, no stirring at all. Have you tried just a simple tap method to settle the grounds instead?

I'd say comment the why not the what. I still comment my code but only when the logic is weird or I know future me is gonna be confused staring at it.