Coffee Grind Size Calculator

Grind size controls extraction rate — how fast water can pull soluble compounds out of the coffee. Finer grinds expose more surface area, so they extract faster. Coarser grinds extract slower.

You match grind to brew time: shorter contact (espresso, 25 seconds) needs fine grind, longer contact (cold brew, 12+ hours) needs extra coarse.

If the grind doesn't match the contact time, you get either:

Under-extraction (grind too coarse for brew time) — sour, weak, thin. The water didn't have time to pull enough out.

Over-extraction (grind too fine for brew time) — bitter, harsh, astringent. The water pulled out too much, including bitter compounds that come out late.

The settings shown here are starting points based on Baratza's published ranges and aggregated user reports from coffee forums. Your sweet spot will land somewhere in the range, depending on:

Bean roast level: Darker roasts are more brittle and grind finer at the same setting. Drop 1–2 clicks finer for light roasts.

Filter type: Thicker filters (Chemex) need slightly coarser grinds to maintain flow. Metal filters (French press, AeroPress with metal disk) tolerate finer.

Grinder calibration: Burr grinders drift over time. Two Baratza Encores from different years can grind differently at the same number.

Recipe length: Brewing 30g uses different timing than 15g. Longer brews tolerate slightly coarser grind.

Always start at the recommended click and adjust by one click at a time. Change one variable, brew, taste, decide which direction to go.

This is the most useful skill in coffee. Tasting tells you which direction to adjust.

Under-extracted (grind coarser than ideal):

• Sour, sharp, lemony
• Thin body, watery mouthfeel
• Astringent (drying) — but in a sour way
• Tastes "raw" or unfinished
→ Fix: grind finer

Over-extracted (grind finer than ideal):

• Bitter, harsh
• Heavy or syrupy body
• Drying / chalky
• Tastes "burnt" or hollow
→ Fix: grind coarser

Properly extracted: sweet, balanced, with clear flavor notes you can identify (citrus, chocolate, berry, etc.). Body matches the brew method (clean for pour-over, fuller for French press).

If you're using a blade grinder (the spinning-blade kind), grind size click numbers won't help you — blade grinders chop unevenly and can't produce a consistent particle size.

Burr grinders crush beans between two abrasive surfaces at a fixed distance, producing uniform particles. Every brew method benefits from a burr grinder more than from any other coffee equipment upgrade.

If you're using pre-ground coffee, the grind was set for "auto-drip medium" by default — fine for that one method, suboptimal for everything else, and stale within days of opening.