Great coffee starts with great beans, but how you grind them makes a big difference to what ends up in your cup. Whether you’re making an espresso, brewing a plunger or preparing filter coffee, choosing the right grind helps you get the best from your beans.
With a few simple guidelines - and our photos for visual reference - you can find the right starting point and fine-tune your grind for a coffee you enjoy.
Why does grind size matter?
Grind size describes how fine or coarse your coffee is once it has been ground. It affects how easily water moves through the coffee and how quickly it extracts flavour.
Finer grounds expose more surface area to the water, helping flavour extract more quickly. Coarser grounds extract more slowly. In methods such as espresso and filter brewing, finer grounds also tend to slow the flow of water.
Finding the right balance helps bring out your coffee’s sweetness, body and flavour. A grind that doesn’t suit your brewing method can leave your cup tasting sour, thin, bitter or harsh.
A visual guide to our grind options
Not sure what fine, medium or coarse coffee looks like? We’ve photographed some of our grind options to help you see the difference and choose the right one for your brew method.
Espresso - Fine
Our finest grind option, suited to espresso machines. The small particles create resistance as pressurised water moves through the coffee, allowing flavour to extract within a short brewing time.
Stovetop - Medium-fine
Slightly coarser than espresso, this grind suits stovetop coffee makers, also known as moka pots. Avoid a powdery grind, and don’t tamp the coffee into the basket.
Filter - Medium
An even, sand-like texture suited to most drip and filter brewers. For pour-over methods, you may need to adjust slightly finer or coarser depending on your brewer, filter and recipe.
Plunger - Coarse
Larger, more distinct particles suited to plunger or French press brewing. The coffee steeps in water for several minutes, and the coarse grind helps reduce the amount of sediment passing through the mesh filter.
Cold brew - Coarse
A coarse grind suited to steeping coffee in cold water over several hours. Plunger and cold brew grinds may look similar, so your brewing recipe and steeping time will help guide any adjustments.
The image above is a visual starting point. Your ideal grind may vary slightly depending on your equipment, recipe and the coffee you’re brewing.
Understanding the numbers on your grinder
If you grind your beans at home, the numbers on your grinder help you adjust the size of the coffee particles.
On many home grinders, the settings follow this pattern:
Lower number = finer grind
Higher number = coarser grind
For example, moving from setting 10 to setting 8 makes the grind finer on a grinder that uses this numbering system. Moving from 10 to 12 makes it coarser.
A finer setting brings the grinding burrs closer together, producing smaller particles. A coarser setting moves them further apart, producing larger particles.
Check your grinder’s instructions or its “fine” and “coarse” markings, as numbering and adjustment direction can vary. Settings also differ between grinders - a setting of 5 on one model won’t necessarily produce the same grind as setting 5 on another.
Remember, grind size and grind amount are different settings. Grind size controls how fine or coarse your coffee is. The amount or timer setting controls how much coffee you grind.
How to fine-tune your grind
Start with your grinder’s recommended setting for your brew method, make a coffee and assess the result.
Adjust in small steps, keeping your coffee dose, water quantity and brewing technique consistent. Changing one thing at a time makes it easier to understand what’s improving your cup.
For espresso
If your espresso flows through very quickly and tastes thin or sour, try a slightly finer grind - usually by moving to a lower number.
If it drips very slowly, struggles to flow or tastes harsh and bitter, try a slightly coarser grind - usually by moving to a higher number.
Your coffee dose, tamping and the amount of espresso you extract also affect the result, so keep these consistent while adjusting your grind.
For filter, plunger and cold brew
If your coffee tastes sour, thin or lacks sweetness, try a slightly finer grind to help extract more flavour.
If it tastes overly bitter, dry or harsh, try a slightly coarser grind.
For filter brewing, watch the water flow as well as the flavour. Water draining unusually quickly may suggest the grind is too coarse, while a brew that stalls may need a coarser setting.
These are useful clues rather than fixed rules. Brewing time, water temperature and your coffee-to-water ratio also influence the flavour.
Simple tips for grinding at home
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Grind just before brewing to enjoy your coffee at its freshest.
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Make small adjustments, especially when preparing espresso.
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Follow your grinder’s instructions when changing settings. Some grinders need to be running when adjusting finer with beans inside.
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Allow for retained grounds. A little coffee from the previous setting may remain inside the grinder, so the next dose may contain a mixture of grind sizes.
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Recheck your setting when changing beans. Different coffees - and beans as they age - can need a slightly different grind.
Choosing pre-ground coffee
When ordering pre-ground coffee, select the option that matches the equipment you use at home: espresso, stovetop, filter, plunger or cold brew.
We take care to grind your coffee as accurately as possible for your selected method. However, equipment varies between brands and models, so one grind size may not suit every setup. This is particularly relevant to espresso machines, where the basket type, coffee dose and machine design can influence the grind required for a balanced extraction.
Our pre-ground options offer a practical starting point, but we can’t guarantee they will be the ideal match for every model of brewing equipment. Grinding whole beans at home gives you the flexibility to make small adjustments to suit your equipment and taste.
If you’re unsure which option to choose, let our team know how you brew and we’ll help guide you.
Ready to brew?
Shop our range of freshly roasted coffee and choose the grind that suits the way you brew at home. Or, if you have a grinder, go for whole beans and use the tips above to fine-tune your grind for the perfect cup.
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