How To Grind Coffee Beans? (With Real Grind Size Images)

If you’ve just started out on your coffee brewing journey, one of the first hurdles you’ll likely stumble across is perfecting the grind size for your particular coffee brewer. 

This can seem complicated, especially if you’ve become accustomed to buying pre-ground coffee.  

Many factors influence the resulting cup, but nailing the perfect coffee grind size is a skill you need to master if you want to get the most out of your whole-bean coffee. 

You can have the best single-origin coffee money can buy, but if you don’t grind those beans correctly, you’re better off sticking with the store-bought pre-ground coffee. Yuk! 

But don’t worry. We’ve got your back. With our coffee grind size guide, you’ll be armed with all the information you’ll need to become an expert coffee grinder. 

We’ll show you which grind sizes work best for most of the popular coffee brewing methods – from extra-fine through to an extra-coarse grind and everything in between.

Why Does Coffee Grind Size Matter?

Ground coffee is one of the main factors that will determine the outcome of your brewed coffee; you can think of it as the foundation that pulls everything together. 

Correct coffee-to-water ratios, the correct temperature (195-205℉), and the right brew time all play an essential role, but a precise and uniform coffee grind can make or break a good cup of brewed coffee. 

The goal when brewing coffee is to extract the right amount of oils, sugars, and acids from the coffee beans so you end up with a balanced coffee full of exciting flavors and sweetness.

So what happens if you use the wrong coffee grind size? If you don’t realign other brewing variables, you will find that your brewed coffee will either be over-extracted or under-extracted. 

What’s under-extraction?

This happens when you grind coffee beans too coarse, producing a weak, acidic, salty cup that often tastes sour. 

This is due to the water passing through the ground far too quickly and hasn’t had enough time to collect enough flavor compounds and oils as it passes through.

The wrong water temperature or incorrect coffee filter can cause similar symptoms. Still, in most cases, incorrect grind size is the root of the problem. 

By adjusting your coffee grind size next time to a slightly finer grind, you’ll be able to balance out the flavors and brew a cup as the coffee roaster intended. 

What’s over-extraction?

If you haven’t guessed already, over-extraction is the opposite, caused when you grind your coffee too fine. 

Due to the compacted finely ground coffee, the water tends to sit around for a more extended amount of time. As it does, it absorbs a lot more of the oils and flavors locked inside the grounds. 

Over-extracted coffee tends to be bitter and very strong tasting. You won’t be able to identify any of the subtle origin characteristics of the coffee bean.

So taking the above into account, there is no “one-size” coffee grind that works with all brewing methods. And this is the reason why we always recommend not buying pre-ground coffee and instead buying whole coffee beans and grinding to a size that works for your particular coffee maker. 

That’s all well and good, but without the correct coffee grinder, you’ll never be able to achieve a uniform and even grind needed for proper extraction. 

Types Of Coffee Grinders 

A warning: not all coffee grinders are created equally. If you choose the incorrect type of grinder, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure from the get-go. 

You will be fighting a losing battle, and no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to produce an even and uniform grind.

As easy as it would be to aimlessly pulverize coffee beans and throw them into your coffee maker, add some hot water, and call it a day – that’s not going to produce a rich, smooth coffee.

There are no two ways about it. You need to invest in a good coffee grinder. When shopping for a grinder, you will notice that they fall into a few distinct categories: Blade, Burr, Electric, and Manual. 

Let’s take a closer look.

Blade Grinders

Blade grinders (like the KRUPS F203) are the cheapest of the bunch and the most common type of grinder you’ll come across at Home Depot stores. The design is simple, and they feature a spinning propeller-like blade, similar to a blender, and they often come with one or two-speed settings. 

Although the price may look attractive, you will struggle to get consistent results using this type of grinder. More often than not, they are best used for grinding spices rather than coffee. 

Grinding coffee beans at home in a blade grinder is a game of luck due to the limited speed settings and single blade. The blade tends to pulverize the coffee beans into shards; it’s near impossible to grind two identical batches of coffee to the same consistency. 

However, if you’re on a tight budget, the blade grinder does make a reasonably decent coarse grind perfect for the French press or cold brew. Still, if possible, we suggest that you invest slightly more and buy a burr grinder instead.  

Burr Grinders

Burr coffee grinders are where it’s at – this type of grinder is what any at-home coffee enthusiast needs in their brewing kit. 

Unlike the single-blade grinder, the burr system relies on two burrs that rotate in opposite directions, pulling the coffee beans down where they are ground to a consistent uniform grind. 

The burrs allow you to fine-tune your grind size for any type of brewer, and it’s amazing how much control you have compared to a blade grinder. The closer the burrs are together, the finer the grind size, and vice versa. 

Most of the best burr coffee grinders are made from stainless steel or ceramic. Very little heat is produced during the grinding process, which helps preserve the flavor oils and compounds as the beans are ground.  

This consistency does come with a slightly higher price tag than your budget blade grinder, but if you’re serious about brewing the best-tasting coffee you can at home, the one-time investment is going to be worth it in the long run. 

Remember, the coffee grind size is the foundation for any brewing method; you need to get this part right. 

Conical Burr Grinders

Although conical burr grinders are readily available for home use, the price and size of most units are best suited for commercial environments.

These are the professional-grade coffee grinders you’ll find at your local cafe. This type of burr grinder uses a cone-shaped center burr with an outer serrated burr. 

▶ Want to know more about this type of coffee grinder? Read our post: Conical vs. Flat Burr Grinder What’s The Difference?

Their conical shape and multiple speed settings allow for large batches of coffee to be ground with accurate, uniform size – but, most importantly, the results are consistent. 

Blade vs. Burr Grinders

Below, you will see close-up images of different coffee grind sizes. None of these will be possible if you’re using a blade grinder. You might be able to pull off a very coarse grind, but you can forget about grinding a fine or even uniform medium grind. 

While a budget blade grinder will slightly improve your coffee brewing game, if you’re transitioning away from pre-ground store-bought coffee, it is a burr grinder that will elevate your coffee with flavor and opportunity. 

If you’re serious about coffee, it has to be a burr grinder. A lousy grinder will turn delicious coffee beans into a watery, sad cup of coffee.

▶ Fun Trivia: In the 1400s in Persia (Iran) and Turkey, small batches of coffee beans were roasted in spherical perforated metal bowls. Once roasted, the coffee was then manually ground in cylinder-shaped mills. In the same period, a four-legged hand-crank spice grinder was developed and then adapted for grinding roasted coffee beans above a bowl.

Manual Or Electric?

There is no wrong or right answer when purchasing a manual or electric coffee grinder. Sure, some coffee traditionalists say that you should use only a manual hand grinder to truly appreciate the art of brewing coffee. 

But the truth is that electric burr grinders are very capable of producing a uniform, consistent grind in a fraction of the time.  

Which route you decide to take depends on your personal preference and lifestyle. 

If you typically use an AeroPress while out in the wilderness or trekking up the side of a mountain, a good manual hand grinder will be a perfect choice. And it’s worth noting that most are pocket-sized, and many will even fit inside the AeroPress tube, saving more valuable space. 

However, if you are at home and brew large amounts of coffee, a larger countertop electric coffee grinder is going to make your life easier. 

Once dialed in, they can produce a powder-like grind for espresso machines, and with a quick twist of a knob, you have the perfect grind for pour-over. 

The downside is that electric coffee grinders typically cost 4 to 6 times more than a small hand crank grinder. Still, for any home coffee enthusiast, the investment is going to be worth it. 

Coffee Grind Size Guide For All Brewing Styles 

And that brings us to coffee grind sizes. Below, we have listed seven of the most popular ground coffee sizes that are perfect for a range of coffee brewing methods. We’ve taken close-up photos of each so you can easily dial in your grinder to match the corresponding grind.

Some brewing methods will fall into more than one grind size. This is because you can adjust other variables to create different testing cups of coffee. 

Extra Coarse Grind

The largest setting on most burr grinders produces extra coarse ground coffee. The grounds are rough in texture and resemble ground peppercorns. It is easy to see the round edges of the broken beans. 

This type of coffee grind is perfect for cold brew and cowboy-style coffee.

Coarse Grind

A coarse grind setting will have a texture and appearance of sea (rock) salt with large, even grounds.

This coffee grind size is suitable for French press coffee, percolators, Vietnamese coffee, and coffee cupping (professional tasting).

Medium-Coarse Grind

The medium to coarse grind size falls somewhere between sea salt and regular salt. It feels slightly rough to the touch – like rough sand – and is still visibly coarse in appearance.

This particular coffee grind works well in the Chemex, the Clever Dripper, and the Café Solo brewer. 

Medium Grind

The medium grind is a good all-rounder that is the standard size for pre-ground store-bought coffee. It has a texture like fine sand and works well in a wide range of coffee makers. 

Medium grind works well for automatic drip coffee makers, siphon coffee brewers, and cones-shaped pour-over brewers such as the Hario V60 and the Kalita Wave. 

This grind also works well in an AeroPress when used with 3 minutes or more brew time.

Medium-Fine Grind

This grind size is a click-up from a medium grind, and although it looks very similar, once touched, the texture feels much smoother. 

It’s fine, but not as fine as an espresso grind. An excellent option for v-shaped pour-overs, siphon coffee makers, and AeroPress coffee with a 2 to 3-minute recipe.

Fine Grind

A good, fine coffee grind is almost powder-like and easily clumps together. It is possible to find pre-ground bags of finely ground coffee on supermarket shelves labeled as an espresso grind. Still, freshly ground coffee is always the best route to take. 

Few coffee makers use this grind type, and it is usually reserved for espresso machines and Moka pots. 

Although, with a short brew time of around 1 minute, a fine ground works well in an AeroPress. 

Extra Fine Grind

If your coffee grinder is capable, this will be the finest setting available on your grinder. The texture is going to be very similar to flour or powder.  

Most budget burr grinders can’t achieve a good extra fine grind. If it’s a grind size you use often, we suggest investing in a proper “Turkish” coffee grinder. 

Extra-fine ground coffee is mainly used in brewing Turkish coffee (Ibrik). For that reason, it is often referred to as a Turkish grind. 

Which Grind Size Should You Use?

​If you still need clarification on the best coffee grind size for your particular brewing method, I have put together a basic coffee grind chart below to help you quickly find the correct grind.

Conclusion

If you’ve stuck around to the end, you can give yourself a tap on the back – you’re a coffee-grinding expert now. Armed with this new-found knowledge, you can reap the rewards of a great-tasting cup of coffee. 

Remember, to get the most out of your coffee beans, grind them just before you brew. You’ll get the freshest-tasting cup that’s bursting with flavor. 

Also, make sure to bookmark this page and come back and reference our coffee grind size chart to make sure that you are dialing in your grinder to the correct grind size for the coffee brewing method you’re using. 

All that’s left to do is to buy some premium single-origin coffee beans and start experimenting.

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