How to Dial In Espresso Grind Size, Step by Step
"Dialing in" means finding the grind setting that makes a good shot with your beans and your machine. It sounds technical, but it's just a loop: pull a shot, taste it, change one thing, repeat.
You'll need
- A scale that reads to a tenth of a gram, ideally one you can put under the cup.
- A timer. Your phone is fine.
- Fresh beans, roasted for espresso or medium-dark.
Step 1: fix the dose
The dose is how much ground coffee goes in the basket. Check your basket. A double basket usually holds around 18 grams. Weigh your dose and keep it the same for every test shot.
Step 2: pick a target
A common starting recipe is a 1:2 ratio: for 18 grams of coffee in, aim for about 36 grams of liquid espresso out. Aim for that to take roughly 25 to 30 seconds from when you start the pump.
This isn't a law. It's a starting point that tastes good with many beans.
Step 3: pull a shot and time it
Start the timer when you start the pump. Stop the shot when the cup reaches your target weight. Note the time.
- Much faster than 25 seconds: the grind is too coarse. Water is rushing through.
- Much slower than 30 seconds: the grind is too fine. Water is struggling to get through.
Step 4: taste it
Time gets you close. Taste tells you if you're there.
- Sour, sharp, thin: under-extracted. Grind finer.
- Bitter, dry, harsh: over-extracted. Grind coarser.
- Sweet, balanced, syrupy: you're done. Write down the setting.
Step 5: change only the grind
Move the grinder a small amount and pull another shot. Keep the dose and target weight the same. If you change two things at once, you won't know which one fixed it.
This is where your grinder matters. On a stepless grinder like the Eureka Mignon Specialita, you can make a very small change. On a grinder with large fixed steps, the perfect shot may sit between two settings.
Tips
- Purge a little after big changes. Some coffee from the old setting stays in the grinder. Grind a gram or two and throw it out.
- Expect to re-dial with each new bag, and as beans age over a couple of weeks.
- Keep your puck prep consistent: level the grounds and tamp evenly every time.
For five grinders compared for espresso, see our espresso grinder comparison.