Espresso Grind Size: Settings for Popular Grinders

Espresso needs the finest grind of any common brew method: Breville describes the starting texture as similar to fine table salt. Then you set the exact grind by the clock and by taste. Breville's target is a shot of about 25 to 30 seconds at a 1:2 ratio of coffee to espresso.

The trouble is that "fine" covers a lot of ground, and the right setting changes with every bag. This post covers what espresso grind looks like, why it needs such small adjustments, how to dial it in, and where to start on the grinder you own.

What espresso grind size is

Espresso grounds are fine enough that hot water under pressure has to push hard to get through the puck. That resistance is what makes a shot take 25 seconds instead of five.

If you want a number, the median particle size for espresso is about 250–400 µm. That range comes from published particle measurements of grinders set up for espresso, which we collect on our microns note. It is a median, not a hard rule: every grinder makes a spread of particle sizes, from fine dust to larger pieces, and two grinders with the same median can still taste different.

In practice nobody sets a grinder by microns. You set it by the dial, and you judge it by the shot. A grinder's "microns per click" tells you how far the burrs move, not how big the grounds are, so don't read it as a particle size.

For comparison, espresso is finer than moka pot grind and much finer than pour-over. See the master grind size chart for every method side by side.

Why espresso needs fine adjustment

With pour-over, moving a grinder one click changes the brew a little. With espresso, one click can change the shot a lot.

Baratza explains why: a tiny movement of the burrs can shift your espresso shot time by several seconds. On a grinder with clicks, the shot you want may sit between two settings, and neither click gets you there.

Grinder makers handle this in two ways:

• Stepless adjustment. There are no clicks. The burrs move smoothly, so you can stop anywhere. Baratza notes that stepless grinders are usually built for espresso alone. The catch is going back: with no fixed positions, it can be hard to return to the setting you used last week, so mark the dial or write the number down.
• Micro steps. The grinder keeps its clicks but makes them very small in the espresso range. The Baratza Encore ESP does this with a ramp that has two slopes: settings 0 to 20, the espresso range, use a much shallower slope than the filter settings above them. Stepped grinders have one advantage, which Baratza puts as "setting 20 is always setting 20": you can always find your way back.

Either approach works. What doesn't work well is a grinder built for filter coffee, where each click jumps too far. You end up with one setting that gushes and the next that chokes the machine. If you're shopping, the grinder finder filtered for espresso shows only grinders that can make these small moves, and how to choose an espresso machine for your grinder explains how baskets and grinders fit together.

How to dial in espresso by time and taste

Dialing in means adjusting the grind until the shot runs at the right speed and tastes right. Here is Breville's starting recipe, from its beginner's dial-in guide:

• Dose: 18 to 22 grams of ground coffee is a safe start.
• Ratio: 1:2, so a 20 g dose gives about 40 g of espresso in the cup. Weigh the output rather than judging by volume.
• Time: 25 to 30 seconds is the usual target, though Breville notes a good shot can land anywhere from 20 to 40 seconds.

Then read the shot and change one thing:

1. Too fast and sour or thin. The water ran through too easily. Grind finer, or add a gram or two to the dose.
2. Too slow and over-extracted. The puck is too tight. Grind coarser, or cut the dose slightly.
3. In the window but not tasting right. Taste decides. Shot time is a guide, not the goal.

Breville's rule is to change one variable at a time, such as grind size, and keep everything else the same. Keep the dose and yield fixed while you move the grind. If you change the dose and the grind together, you won't know which change did what.

Make small moves. On a stepless grinder, a small fraction of a turn; on a stepped grinder, one click at a time. Pull a shot, taste it, adjust again.

If the shot runs at the right time but tastes sour and bitter at once, the grind may not be the problem. That's often channeling, where water finds a weak path through the puck. See how to fix espresso channeling for distribution and tamping fixes before you chase the grind.

Starting settings on popular grinders

These are the espresso rows from each grinder's BrewMark settings page. Start at the setting, then move within the range by taste and shot time.

Starting points from each maker's own chart, collected on BrewMark's settings pages. Every grinder drifts; adjust by taste.

Clicks on hand grinders are counted from zero, with the burrs closed. Two grinders with the same number don't grind the same size; the numbers only mean something on their own dial. To move a setting from one grinder to another, use the grind converter.

For every method on every grinder, see the master grind size chart. If your grinder can't reach espresso, or you're choosing one, the espresso grinder finder lists the ones that can.

Why your setting will change

A setting that worked last week can run fast or slow today. A few common reasons:

• A new bag. Different beans and roasts need different grind settings. See how to adjust grind for a new bag of coffee.
• A different dose. More coffee in the basket makes the puck harder to push through, so the shot slows down even at the same grind.
• A new grinder. No two grinders find their starting point in exactly the same place, even the same model. How to dial in a new grinder walks through finding your starting point.

None of this means something is broken. Espresso is the method where small changes show up most, which is why the grind adjustment matters so much when you choose a grinder.

Next steps

• Find your grinder's full chart in the grinder settings hub, or compare methods on the master grind size chart.
• Fix a shot that's sour and bitter at once with how to fix espresso channeling.
• Setting up a new grinder? Start with how to dial in a new grinder.
• Pairing a machine with your grinder: how to choose an espresso machine for your grinder.
• Shopping for an espresso-capable grinder: the grinder finder.
• Learn the terms: espresso, fines and burr grinder.