Coffee Grind Size Guide
The longer coffee and water stay in contact, the coarser the grind should be. Espresso takes seconds and needs a fine grind. French press takes four minutes and needs a coarse one. Use the chart to find your brewer.
The coffee grind size chart
| Brew method | Grind size | Looks like | Brew time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkish coffee | Extra fine | Flour | 2 to 3 minutes |
| Espresso | Fine | Fine table salt | 25 to 30 seconds |
| Moka pot | Fine to medium-fine | Slightly coarser than espresso | 4 to 5 minutes |
| AeroPress | Medium-fine | Table salt | 1 to 2 minutes |
| Pour-over (V60) | Medium-fine | Table salt | 2.5 to 3.5 minutes |
| Drip coffee maker | Medium | Sand | 4 to 6 minutes |
| Reusable Keurig K-Cup | Medium to medium-coarse | Sand to coarse sand | Under a minute |
| Chemex | Medium-coarse | Coarse sand | 4 to 5 minutes |
| French press | Coarse | Sea salt | 4 minutes |
| Cold brew | Extra coarse | Cracked peppercorns | 12 to 18 hours |
Why grind size matters
Grind size controls how fast water pulls flavor out of coffee. Fine grounds have more surface area and give up flavor quickly. Coarse grounds give it up slowly.
- Too fine for your brewer: the coffee over-extracts and tastes bitter and harsh.
- Too coarse: it under-extracts and tastes sour, thin and weak.
Fix your coffee by taste
| Your coffee tastes | The grind is probably | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| Bitter, harsh, drying | Too fine | Grind coarser |
| Sour, sharp, watery | Too coarse | Grind finer |
| Weak but not sour | Fine, but too little coffee | Use more coffee |
| Muddy, with sludge in the cup | Too fine for a French press | Grind coarser |
Change one setting at a time and taste again.
What grind size for a Keurig?
For a reusable K-Cup filter, use a medium to medium-coarse grind, about what you would use for a drip coffee maker or a little coarser. Finer grinds clog the filter and can overflow. Fill the filter to the line without packing it down.
If you would rather skip the grinding, our Kenyan coffee pods are ready to brew in any Keurig K-Cup brewer.
Burr grinder or blade grinder?
A burr grinder crushes beans between two surfaces set a fixed distance apart, so the pieces come out the same size. A blade grinder chops them into a mix of dust and chunks, which brews unevenly.
If you buy one piece of coffee equipment, make it a burr grinder. If you use a blade grinder, grind in short bursts and shake it between them.
Whole bean or pre-ground?
Coffee loses aroma quickly once it is ground, so whole beans ground just before brewing taste best. If you do not own a grinder, buy ground coffee in small amounts and keep it airtight.
Our coffee comes as whole bean or ground. The ground option suits drip coffee makers and pour-over.
Start with good beans
The right grind brings out what is in the bean. Ours is single-origin Kenya Arabica beans, roasted every week in Atlanta.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best grind size for drip coffee?
Medium, about the texture of sand.
What grind size for pour-over?
Medium-fine, like table salt. Go slightly coarser for a Chemex.
What grind size for French press?
Coarse, like sea salt.
What grind size for cold brew?
Extra coarse, like cracked peppercorns.
What grind size for espresso?
Fine, a little finer than table salt.
What grind size for a Keurig reusable pod?
Medium to medium-coarse.
Does grind size affect caffeine?
A little. Finer grounds extract faster, but the amount of coffee you use matters far more.
How long does ground coffee stay fresh?
One to two weeks in an airtight container. See how to store coffee beans.
