Breville Smart Grinder Pro Settings Chart

The four bands come from Breville's own grind size guide. The starting numbers follow the sizes in our coffee grind size chart. Your beans, roast date and brewer will move the ideal number a few steps, so adjust by taste and brew time.

The grinder uses stainless steel conical burrs. Turning the grind size dial on the side moves the burrs closer (lower numbers, finer) or further apart (higher numbers, coarser), and the current setting shows on the display. There are 60 steps, and half of them, 1–30, sit in the espresso band, because espresso needs the finest control.

Inside the hopper sits a second adjustment: the removable upper burr, which has 10 positions. In CoffeeGeek's full review it shipped at position 5. Moving it shifts the whole 1–60 scale finer or coarser, so the same dial number produces a different grind afterwards.

1. 1

   Fill the hopper (or weigh 18g if single dosing) and set the dial to 16 for a medium roast.

2. 2

   Use the 54mm or 58mm cradle so the portafilter triggers grinding hands-free.

3. 3

   Weigh the dose in the basket and adjust grind time with the GRIND AMOUNT dial (0.2-second steps) until it lands on 18g; expect around 10–11 seconds at setting 16.10–11 seconds

4. 4

   Distribute, tamp level and pull a shot into a cup on a scale.

5. 5

   Aim for about 36g of espresso in 25–30 seconds.25–30 seconds

6. 6

   Fast or sour: go 1–2 settings finer. Slow or bitter: go 1–2 settings coarser.

7. 7

   Changing the grind changes the dose slightly, so re-weigh after every big move.

Our dial-in guide covers taste cues in detail, and shot running too fast or too slow lists every fix.

• V60: 34. A cone with one large hole drains fast, so it needs the finer end of the filter band; our review found balanced cups between 32 and 40.
• Kalita Wave or flat-bottom: 38. Three small holes slow the flow, so go a little coarser.
• Chemex: 42. The thick bonded filter slows drawdown. If it stalls past 6 minutes, go coarser.

Use water around 92–96°C (198–205°F) and a 30–45 second bloom. Drawdown time is the best clue: much faster than target means a few steps finer; water still sitting on the bed long after your last pour means coarser. Conical burrs make more fine particles at coarser settings, so a Chemex can drain slowly even at a correct number; going 2–3 steps coarser usually fixes it. New to the method? Start with what pour-over coffee is and why the bloom matters.

• AeroPress: 28. Go finer (22–24) for short, concentrated brews and coarser (32) for longer steeps.
• Moka pot: 24. Finer than filter, coarser than espresso. Sputtering and burnt flavour mean too fine. See how to use a moka pot.
• Drip coffee maker: 40. Use the CUPS setting so Dosing IQ grinds for the number of cups you brew. Cone-basket machines may prefer 36.
• French press: 57. Coarse grounds keep silt out of the cup. See how to use a French press.
• Cold brew: 60. The coarsest setting suits a long steep. See how to make cold brew.

Still unsure? Why espresso tastes sour and how to fix bitter espresso cover the other causes. For a starting point on any grinder, try the coffee grind size calculator.

Breville machines with built-in grinders, like the Barista Express, use their own grind scale, so setting 16 on one is not setting 16 on the other. If you own an all-in-one, use our Breville Barista Express grind settings guide instead.

• Weigh doses rather than trusting the timer alone; bean density changes from bag to bag.
• Season new burrs by grinding and discarding 30–50g of beans.
• Don't grind with an empty hopper if you rely on the timer; fewer beans on the burrs changes the dose.
• Brush the burrs weekly and use grinder cleaning tablets every few months. Never use rice or water inside the grinder.
• Keep a log: bean, roast date, method, setting, upper burr position and taste.
• Store beans well. Stale coffee needs a finer grind. See how to store coffee beans.

Thinking about an upgrade? Compare options in best espresso grinders under $300, see the Baratza Encore ESP, or read how to choose a burr grinder.

The grinder this chart covers

Breville Smart Grinder Pro

60-step conical burr grinder with timed dosing and portafilter cradles, for espresso and filter coffee.

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