Interactive guide
Coffee Grind Size Guide
Grind size is the fastest way to change how your coffee tastes. Here is the whole scale.
Interactive guide
Grind Size Guide
Grind size controls how fast water pulls flavour from coffee. Finer grinds extract faster, so they need shorter brews. Slide through the scale to see what each setting suits.
Medium-Fine
Texture: Fine sand
The sweet spot for three to four minute filter brews.
Too bitter?
You are over-extracting. Move one step coarser.
Too sour?
You are under-extracting. Move one step finer.
How grind size affects extraction
Water dissolves flavour from the surface of each coffee particle. Smaller particles have far more surface area for the same weight of coffee, so they give up their flavour faster.
That is why espresso finishes in thirty seconds while cold brew needs sixteen hours. When the grind and the contact time do not match, you get the familiar failures: bitter and drying when extraction runs too far, sharp and sour when it stops too soon.
Recommended grind by method
| Method | Grind | Brew time |
|---|---|---|
| French Press | Coarse | 4–5 minutes |
| Pour Over | Medium-fine | 3–4 minutes |
| Drip Coffee | Medium | 5–6 minutes |
| AeroPress | Medium-fine | 2 minutes |
| Moka Pot | Fine (coarser than espresso) | 5 minutes |
| Espresso | Fine | 25–30 seconds |
| Cold Brew | Extra coarse | 12–18 hours |
| Flash-Brewed Iced Coffee | Medium-fine | 4 minutes |
| Chemex | Medium-coarse | 4–5 minutes |
| Turkish Coffee | Extra fine (powder) | 3–4 minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a burr grinder?+
For consistent results, yes. Blade grinders produce dust and boulders at once, which over- and under-extract in the same cup.
What grind size is best for drip coffee?+
Medium — roughly the texture of coarse sand.