Setting up your grinder for espresso and filter

The grind setting is what you adjust most often. The right grind depends on the beans, roast level and freshness, so the numbers on the scale are only a starting point.

Grind settings for espresso and filter

Espresso requires a fine grind, filter coffee a much coarser one. Starting points from the manufacturers:

• Baratza Encore (1-40): espresso 8, V60 15, Chemex 20, French press 28.
• Baratza Sette 30 (1-31): espresso 10, manual brewing 25.
• Baratza Sette 270Wi: espresso 9E, brewed coffee 20E.
• Mahlkönig X54 (01-35): espresso 01-05, filter 15-25, French press above 25.
• Sage Dose Control Pro: espresso 1-25, percolator 26-34, drip brewer 35-45, French press 46-55.
• Fellow Opus: espresso 1-3, filter 4-8.

If you switch between espresso and filter on the same grinder, note your settings so that you can find your way back.

Zero point and calibration

The zero point is the position where the burrs just touch each other. The scale is counted from there. Never run the grinder with the burrs in contact.

• Varia VS3 and VS6: turn the bean hopper clockwise to the stop, then anticlockwise back to 0. Do not start the grinder in the tightest position.
• Profitec Twist SD54: screw in the upper carrier until the lower burr just starts to rotate and set the scale to 0.
• Baratza Forte: calibrated with a calibration tool and an adjustment screw. From the factory, the burrs touch at around 2K.

After cleaning or replacing the burrs, the zero point should be checked again.

Stepless or stepped adjustment

A stepped grinder has fixed positions that click. It makes it easy to return to a setting, but the steps can be too large for espresso. That is why the Sette 270Wi, for example, has both coarse steps and a stepless fine adjustment, and the Opus an inner ring for fine adjustment. A stepless grinder, such as the Eureka Mignon and Varia VS3, can be set to any position. Mark your espresso setting with a pen or a photo of the scale.

Adjusting with the motor running

• Go to a finer grind with the motor running when there is coffee between the burrs. Mahlkönig and Baratza state this explicitly. Otherwise beans can get jammed and the grinder can stop.
• Change a little at a time. Eureka specifies no more than 1-2 steps before you grind a little coffee and test.
• Single dose grinder: adjust with the chamber empty or with the motor running.
• Macap with stepped adjustment: adjust with the motor off and no coffee between the burrs. With micrometric adjustment, it can be done with the motor running.

Dose and time

A common starting point for a double espresso is 18 g of coffee in and about 36 g of espresso out in 25-30 seconds. Always weigh the dose so that you change one thing at a time.

• If it runs too fast and tastes sour: grind finer.
• If it runs too slowly and tastes bitter: grind coarser.
• If the grinder has a timer, set the time so that it gives the right weight and check with a scale when you have changed the grind setting, as the grind time changes with the grind setting. The Eureka Mignon and Atom are adjusted in hundredths of a second.

With a grind-by-weight grinder, the scale takes care of the dose for you.