What Grind Size Should I Use?
Quick Answer: Use Medium-Fine Grind
For best results, use a medium-fine grind – finer than drip coffee but coarser than espresso. Shake to level the coffee bed and pour water slowly to prevent excessive drip-through. Even with optimal grind, 2-3% pre-drip is normal.
The Grind Scale
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French Press (coarse)
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Chemex (medium-coarse)
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Drip Coffee (medium) - most pre-ground coffee
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AeroPress (medium-fine) ← start here
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True Espresso (fine)
Cheat Sheet Diagram
Use this cheat sheet to fine tune your cup and adjust for your brew being too sour, bitter, weak or strong:
Grinder Setting Starting Points
Burr grinders beat blade grinders every time: they produce a uniform grind and minimize powdery fines that end up in your cup.
Below are suggested starting points for a medium-fine grind. All settings are starting points, adjust based on your beans and taste preferences.
Electric Grinders
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Baratza Encore: 12
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Baratza Virtuoso(+): 12
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Baratza Sette 270: 13/E
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Fellow Ode Gen 2: 4 (Gen 1: 3)
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Fellow Opus: Middle of pour-over range
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Niche Zero: 30-35
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Mahlkönig X54: 15-25
Hand Grinders
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Comandante C40: 18-20 clicks from zero
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1Zpresso J-series (JX/JX-Pro): 50-55 clicks from zero
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Timemore C2/C3: 14-20 clicks from zero
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Hario Skerton family (Classic/Plus/Pro/N): 4-9 clicks from zero
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Hario Mini-Slim family (Mini-Slim/Plus/Pro): 5-8 clicks from zero
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Porlex Mini/Tall: 4-7 clicks from zero
Blade Grinders
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30 seconds of continuous grinding to achieve a medium-fine grind size
Espresso-Like Brewing
Want concentrated shots? Use a near-espresso grind (between medium-fine and true espresso grind). This will be fine enough for a syrupy body but not so fine that you can't press.
Flow Control Filter Cap
The Flow Control Filter Cap eliminates pre-drip with its pressure-actuated valve and makes espresso-style brewing seamless.
To make espresso-like AeroPress brews using the Flow Control Filter Cap, grind between fine and medium-fine, just below the grind true espresso. For regular brews, the Flow Control Filter Cap can also be used. Try experimenting with coarser grinds.
Why Grind Matters
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Why does grind size matter? Size controls extraction and flow: finer means more surface area, faster extraction, higher resistance; coarser means less surface, slower extraction, lower resistance.
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Why invest in a quality grinder? A good grinder produces consistent grind size, meaning that every piece of ground coffee is uniform in size. When grinds vary, extraction becomes uneven: small (powder-like) grinds create bitterness and block water flow, while large chunks create sourness.
In Summary
Start with medium-fine and adjust from there. The perfect grind balances extraction (finer = stronger) with pressability (coarser = easier). Your sweet spot is likely between medium and near-espresso grind.
