Grinder5 min read
Coffee Grind Size Chart for Every Brew Method
Coffee grind size chart with micron ranges for espresso, moka pot, AeroPress, pour over, French press and cold brew, plus how to adjust.
Read the guideFree Coffee Tool
Coffee Grind Size Calculator
Pick your brew method and get the right grind size, texture, and grinder setting to start from.
FreeNo sign-upWorks on phone
Pick your brew method
The logic behind the calculator
This tool isn't a numeric formula — it's a lookup table matched to each brew method's typical contact time. Espresso (seconds of contact) needs particles in the 300–400 micron range; French press (minutes of contact) needs 800–1000+ microns. The shorter the contact time, the finer the grind needs to be to extract enough flavor in that window.
Grinder dial numbers aren't standardized across brands, so the calculator reports particle size and texture (like "coarse sand") rather than a specific click number — that's the only description that transfers reliably between different grinders.
Grind size
Drip / Pour-OverMedium
Particle size
600 – 800 microns
Feels like
Like coarse sand
Where it sits, finest to coarsest
FinestMediumCoarsest
Next: Start at medium. Sour or draining too fast? Grind finer. Bitter or draining too slowly? Grind coarser. Dial numbers differ between grinders, so treat this as a starting point.
The logic behind the calculator
This tool isn't a numeric formula — it's a lookup table matched to each brew method's typical contact time. Espresso (seconds of contact) needs particles in the 300–400 micron range; French press (minutes of contact) needs 800–1000+ microns. The shorter the contact time, the finer the grind needs to be to extract enough flavor in that window.
Grinder dial numbers aren't standardized across brands, so the calculator reports particle size and texture (like "coarse sand") rather than a specific click number — that's the only description that transfers reliably between different grinders.
How to use the result
- 1Pick your brew method.
- 2Set your grinder near the suggested setting.
- 3Brew, taste, and move one step finer or coarser.
Common mistakes
- Changing several variables at once.
- Expecting dial numbers to match another grinder.
- Using a blade grinder, which makes uneven particles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy.
Grind size controls how much surface area of the coffee is exposed to water, which controls how fast extraction happens.
Too fine for your brew time over-extracts (bitter, harsh); too coarse under-extracts (sour, weak) — matching grind to method and time is the single biggest lever for flavor.
No — each method needs a different grind because contact time and filtration differ so much.
Espresso needs a fine grind because water passes through in seconds; French press needs coarse because grounds steep for minutes in a metal filter.
No — grinder click or dial numbers aren't standardized.
A setting of "20" on one grinder can be finer or coarser than "20" on another.
Use the texture and particle-size descriptions as your real reference, and treat your specific grinder's numbers as relative to itself.
Bitterness from over-extraction is the most common cause and is usually fixed with a coarser grind, but water that's too hot, brewing too long, or too much coffee for the water can also cause it.
Change one variable at a time so you know what actually fixed it.
Medium to medium-fine, similar to sand.
Go finer if the brew tastes sour or runs too fast, and coarser if it tastes bitter or drains slowly.
Adjust one step at a time.
Coarse, like French press.
Cold brew steeps for many hours, so a coarse grind avoids over-extraction and makes the grounds easier to filter.
Often only roughly.
Pre-ground bags are usually sized for drip machines and go stale faster than whole beans.
For espresso, moka pot or French press, grinding fresh gives you control.
A burr grinder gives far more even particles than a blade grinder, and even particles extract more evenly.
See our burr vs blade grinder guide before buying.
Taste decides. Sour, thin or weak points to grinding finer.
Bitter, harsh or dry points to grinding coarser. Change one step, brew again and compare.
By Michael Anderson · Updated October 7, 2026