Grind Size Finder
Start in the right grind zone. Then let the cup decide.
Choose your brew method and what happened in the cup. Measured Bloom will give you a practical grind range and one small next move — without pretending every grinder uses the same numbers.
Medium-fine
Next move
Start here, brew once, then adjust by taste.
Start around medium-fine to medium, then use drawdown and taste to move one small step at a time.
A practical grind-size map
Breville's general brewing guide places espresso in the fine range, pour over around medium-fine, most drip coffee around medium, and French press or cold brew around coarse. AeroPress recommends medium-fine as its general starting point. Those labels are useful zones, but the best setting still depends on the grinder, coffee, dose, brewer, filter, and recipe.
Why this finder does not give universal grinder numbers
Grinder dial markings are not standardized. Two grinders can display the same number while producing very different particle distributions. A low-maintenance, trustworthy tool should therefore tell you where to start and which direction to move, rather than inventing precision that does not transfer between machines.
Use taste first, flow second
For pour over, drip, Chemex, espresso, and other percolation methods, an unusually fast brew can support a move finer and an unusually slow brew can support a move coarser. But time is not the goal by itself. If the cup already tastes balanced, keep the recipe. For French press and cold brew, filtration speed is even less useful as an extraction target, so taste and steep time should carry more weight.
Grind size FAQ
Is there one universal grind setting for every coffee grinder?
No. Grinder numbers are specific to the grinder design and calibration. Use the brew-method range as a starting zone, then move finer or coarser based on the cup and the way water moves through the coffee.
What grind size should I use for pour over?
Start around medium-fine to medium. If the brew tastes sour or weak or runs unusually fast, move slightly finer. If it tastes bitter or dry or stalls, move slightly coarser.
What grind size should I use for AeroPress?
AeroPress recommends medium-fine as its general starting point. Recipe style and press resistance can move the best setting finer or coarser.
Should French press and cold brew always be very coarse?
Coarse is a useful starting point, but taste still decides. Immersion brews should not be dialed in by filter speed alone.
Why does a larger pour-over batch often need a coarser grind?
A larger coffee bed usually creates more resistance to flow. Starting a little coarser can help keep drawdown reasonable while you taste and refine the recipe.
References:Breville — Selecting grind size by brew method·AeroPress — Medium-fine grind guidance