Brew method
Espresso grind size & ratio
Roughly nine bars of pressure through a compacted puck of very finely ground coffee. The least forgiving method and the one where grinder quality matters most.
Espresso grind setting on popular grinders
“Very fine” is a different number on every grinder. These are worked out from each model’s own dial curve rather than a generic chart.
| Grinder | Espresso setting |
|---|---|
| 1Zpresso JX-Pro | 68 clicks |
| 1Zpresso X-Ultra | 62 clicks |
| 1Zpresso ZP6 Special | 23 clicks |
| Baratza Encore | 6.6 |
| Comandante C40 MK4 | 10 clicks |
| Eureka Mignon Specialita | 2.3 rotations |
| Fellow Ode Gen 2 | 1.7 |
| KINGrinder K6 | 20 clicks |
| Mahlkönig EK43 | 2 |
| Niche Zero | 10.3 |
| Timemore C3 | 9 clicks |
| Timemore Sculptor 078 | 7 |
How espresso works
A tight bed of fine coffee resists water; pressure forces it through in under half a minute. Small changes in grind produce large changes in flow rate, which is why espresso needs a grinder with real resolution at the fine end.
The working ratio is by weight of output, not volume: 18g in, about 36g out, is a normal starting point. Time is a symptom rather than a target — chase the ratio and let the time tell you whether the grind is right.
If the shot runs in 15 seconds the grind is too coarse. If it takes 45 and chokes, too fine. Adjust one variable at a time and pull again.
When it tastes wrong
Grind finer so the shot runs slower, or raise the brew temperature.
Grind coarser, shorten the shot, or reduce the dose slightly.
The common mistake
Adjusting grind and dose together, then not knowing which one changed the shot. Change one, pull, taste, repeat.
Espresso recipes worth knowing
Your grinder, your number
Convert this grind to your grinder
Espresso sits at grind index 5 on BrewMark’s 0–100 scale. The converter turns that into the real number or click count on any of 78 models.
Open the grind converter →Dial-in charts by grinder
Every brew method's setting for one specific model, espresso through cold brew.
- EurekaAtom 75 grind settings
- EurekaOro Mignon XL grind settings
- FiorenzatoAllGround grind settings
- KINGrinderK6 grind settings
- MahlkönigEK43 grind settings
- NicheDuo grind settings
- Option-OLagom P100 grind settings
- RocketFaustino grind settings
- TimemoreChestnut S3 grind settings
- TurinDF83 V2 grind settings
- WilfaSvart Aroma grind settings
- 1ZpressoK-Max grind settings