Coffee grind size chart
Find a starting point for your brewer. Compare grind sizes from extra fine to extra coarse, then adjust with what’s in your cup.
8 brewing methods · Free to use · No account needed
Start with your grinder’s guide. These recommendations help you choose a direction, then dial in by brewing.
Pour-over / V60 · starting grind
Medium-fine to medium
Between fine sand and granulated sugar
Relative-size illustration, not a life-size measurement.
Start around medium and watch the drawdown. Your filter, dose, pouring pattern and coffee all affect flow.
Brew once, then adjust
Use this as a starting point. Keep your dose, water and brew technique consistent, then change one thing at a time.
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Coffee grind size chart by brewing method
Read from fine to coarse. These are practical starting points, not fixed standards. The same method can use different grinds with different recipes.
| Brew method | Starting grind | Fine → coarse |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish coffee | Extra fine | |
| Espresso | Fine | |
| AeroPress | Medium-fine | |
| Pour-over / V60 | Medium-fine to medium | |
| Drip coffee maker | Medium | |
| Moka pot | Medium / moka-specific | |
| French press | Coarse | |
| Cold brew | Coarse to extra coarse |
“Fine”, “medium” and “coarse” are relative descriptions. Screen illustrations and household texture comparisons cannot calibrate a grinder.
How to choose and adjust your grind
Choose a grind for the way water meets your coffee. Espresso needs resistance in the coffee bed. Filter brewers need a balance between extraction and flow. Immersion brewers give you another variable to work with: how long the grounds stay in the water.
- Start with the recommended grind for your brewer and your grinder’s own guide.
- Keep the coffee dose, water amount and technique consistent. Note the taste and, for filter or espresso, the flow.
- Make a small adjustment for the next brew. A finer grind may help a thin, under-extracted cup; a coarser grind may help a clogged brew. Taste again before changing something else.
Grind is one part of the recipe. Roast level, water, temperature, filter and agitation also matter. A long drawdown or bitter cup does not identify one cause on its own.
To keep your dose and water consistent, use the coffee ratio calculator. To find words for what you taste, explore the coffee flavor wheel.
Coffee grind size in microns
Microns describe physical particle size: 1,000 µm equals 1 mm. A batch of ground coffee contains both smaller and larger pieces, so a single number cannot describe it completely. Two grinders can produce different particle distributions at a similar nominal setting.
This chart uses relative grind descriptions rather than assigning a universal micron target to each brewer. For a physical particle reference, see KRUVE’s brew guide and grind-size chart. Its ranges are starting points to experiment with, not a guarantee of the right extraction for your recipe.
Coffee grind size questions
What grind size should I use for pour-over or V60?
Start medium-fine to medium, then adjust with your recipe. If the bed clogs or drawdown takes much longer than expected, check the filter, dose and pouring before trying slightly coarser. If a fast brew tastes thin and sour, a little finer may help. There is no one setting that fits every dripper and coffee.
What grind size is best for French press?
Coarse is a useful starting point for a mesh-filter French press. It helps limit sediment, but it is not the only workable approach. Some recipes use medium grinds and a longer settling step. Keep the steep time consistent while comparing settings, and plunge gently.
Is espresso grind the same as moka pot grind?
Usually not. Traditional espresso needs a fine grind to create resistance in an unpressurized basket. Bialetti recommends a medium, moka-specific grind that is coarser than espresso. Follow your moka pot instructions and do not tamp the grounds.
How do I read coffee grind size in microns?
A micron (µm) is one thousandth of a millimeter. Ground coffee contains a distribution of particle sizes, not one exact size. A physical reference or sieve can help compare particles. A grinder’s stated microns per click can describe burr movement; it does not automatically give the diameter of the grounds.
Can I convert grinder clicks between brands?
Not reliably from a general chart. Burr geometry, the zero point and calibration differ between grinders, including individual units of the same model. Start with your manufacturer’s recommended setting, then adjust using the cup and flow. This tool does not convert grinder clicks.
Does sour coffee always mean my grind is too coarse?
No. Under-extraction is one possible cause, but a coffee’s natural acidity, roast, water, temperature and uneven extraction can also affect the cup. Change one variable at a time. The suggestions above are experiments for your next brew, not a diagnosis.
Are the particle drawings shown at actual size?
No. They illustrate relative coarseness. Screen size, zoom and pixel density vary, so comparing your grounds with the drawing cannot measure their size. Household texture comparisons are also approximate.
Is this coffee grind chart free to use?
Yes. No account or payment is needed. The complete reference chart, guide and questions are readable without JavaScript. Enable JavaScript to change methods and get suggestions for your last brew.
Sources and scope
Reviewed October 17, 2026. This is an independent Beanloom reference, not an official manufacturer chart. The recommendations combine manufacturer guidance with recipe-dependent starting points. They do not measure your grounds or replace your brewer’s instructions.
- AeroPress: grind-size starting points — medium-fine for AeroPress, with relative comparisons to espresso, drip and French press.
- Hario: V60 brew guide — a medium-to-fine starting point for its pour-over recipe.
- KRUVE: particle-size reference and brew guide — method ranges presented as starting points.
- Baratza: dialing in espresso — adjusting grind with taste and flow.
- Bialetti: choosing ground coffee for moka — a moka-specific medium grind, without tamping.
- Toddy: cold-brew instructions — a coarse-grind starting point for immersion cold brew.