Your grinder is the most critical piece of coffee equipment. A high-quality burr grinder will outperform an expensive coffee maker paired with a cheap grinder.
At minimum, invest in an entry-level burr grinder from brands like Baratza, Breville, or Oxo. Higher-end grinders are quieter, more consistent, less messy, and repairable.
Choosing the Right Grind Size
There is no universal standard for grind sizes across different grinders, so use these general guidelines and adjust based on taste.
|
Grind size |
Looks Like |
Suitable For |
|
Espresso |
Powdered sugar |
Espresso |
|
Fine drip |
White sugar or table salt |
Conical drip with low doses (V-60) |
|
Medium drip |
Diamond crystal kosher salt |
Flat bottom drippers, auto-drip coffee makers |
|
Coarse drip |
Morton's kosher salt or coarse ground black pepper |
Auto-drip coffee makers |
Troubleshooting Grind Size Issues:
|
Symptom |
Solution |
What Else To Look For |
|
Brew tastes bitter |
Grind coarser |
Lots of fine dust settles on grounds bed when drip brewing |
|
Grounds bed takes a long time to drain |
||
|
Brew tastes thin, watery |
Grind finer |
Coffee beans still look like beans after brewing, big boulders |
|
Coffee drains really quickly |
Grind size has major effects on flavor, so experiment by adjusting it slightly and tasting the results.