Grind Size Explained: A Practical Chart for Every Brewer
Every brewer has a contact time, and grind size is how you match the coffee to it. Long contact wants coarse particles; short contact wants fine ones.
The chart
Cold brew: extra coarse, like cracked peppercorns. Contact time 12 to 24 hours.
French press: coarse, like sea salt. Four minutes.
Chemex and V60: medium to medium-fine, like table salt or slightly finer. Three to four minutes.
AeroPress: medium-fine to fine depending on your recipe. One to two minutes.
Moka pot: fine, like caster sugar. Espresso: very fine, like powdered sugar that clumps when pinched.
Reading the cup instead of the dial
Sour, thin, and finishing quickly means under-extraction: grind finer. Bitter, drying and lingering means over-extraction: grind coarser.
Adjust in small steps and brew again. Two clicks on most hand grinders is a meaningful change.
Why burr grinders matter
Blade grinders chop randomly, producing boulders and dust in the same batch. The dust over-extracts while the boulders under-extract, and you taste both at once.
A modest conical burr grinder will improve your coffee more than any other upgrade under a hundred dollars.
Frequently asked questions
Daniel Ferro
Gear Editor
Has taken apart more grinders than he'd like to admit. Reviews equipment with a stopwatch, a scale and zero brand loyalty.
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