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Many people don’t realize all of the work and preparation that goes into brewing espresso that tastes delicious.
Picking out the correct coffee beans, using a consistent grinder, a good espresso machine, and practicing play an important role.
I’ve seen people spend thousands on the best equipment, but in the end, they don’t take five minutes to learn the fundamentals to use it properly.
As coffee enthusiasts, we know just how seriously you take your coffee, and in this article, we’ll explain one of the most critical steps that is often overlooked. What is the best coffee grinds size for espresso brewing?
What is the right size coffee grind for espresso
Every time you brew coffee for espresso, you want to use a fine to medium-fine coffee grind size.
If your coffee grind is too fine, it will bitter the taste of your coffee, too coarse will brew sour coffee, and an uneven extraction will taste like death worn over.
I know, I’m being dramatic but you know what I’m getting at.
Every coffee grinder comes with factory-set default settings. So, as starters, choose a grinder that’s exclusively designed for espressos and other fine-coffee grounds.
These grinders will often offer various sub-categories in fineness. In fact, Breville offers a 60+ coffee grind size setting and is set on a default fineness.
Brew two to three shots with different espresso grind size settings to decide which fineness works best with your flavors and beans.
How does espresso grind size affect it
The more finely ground your coffee beans are, the more accessible surface area of the grounds is exposed, leading to a faster extraction. Also, coffee for espresso makers needs to be finely ground because the water from an espresso machine passes through the grounds fast and under high pressure.
If your grounds are too coarse, this will cause under extraction and a sour taste.
If they are too fine, this will lead to a burnt flavor due to over-extraction.
How to achieve the perfect grind size for your espresso
If your grinder is new and comes with a default setting for fineness, try and brew with the same setting. This first shot can tell a lot about your grinder and
If the shot brewed is too bitter, increase the coarseness of your grind. If it’s too thin and watery, increase the fineness.
While experimenting with the correct grind size settings, please note the observations:
- Is it too dense and almost completely concentrated? It’s over-extracted.
- Is it too weak and watery? Under-extracted
- Does it taste bitter? Over-extracted.
- Does it taste sour? Under-extracted.
A good rule of thumb is your fine grind should have a similar appearance to talcum powder.
Not only this, the coffee grounds should be uniformly ground.
Uneven coffee grounds (different sized coffee grounds in a coffee puck) will result in uneven extraction. Instead, invest in a quality espresso grinder that’s equipped with conical burrs for consistent grinding.
Coffee grind size chart
This coffee grind chart will give you an idea of where to start so that you can tweak your grind size until you find the sweet spot.
The Various grind Sizes
Extra fine grind
This is the finest grind size possible with a texture that is similar to that of powder or flour.
Extra-fine grind is primarily used to brew Turkish coffee, therefore it is referred to as a Turkish grind in some circles.
Fine grind
Fine grinds have a very smooth texture that is close to a powdered sugar consistency. This sort of grind is also readily available in pre-ground bags, where it is commonly referred to as espresso grind.
When it comes to espresso grinds this is the size you’re aiming for to use in your espresso machines. It also works well in an AeroPress, with a brewing time of one to two minutes for good coffee depending on the model.
This is also one of the best coffee grind sizes for Moka pot coffee makers
Medium fine grind
Medium-fine beans have a texture that is slightly smoother than sand, but not quite as smooth as sand.
This grind is ideal for automatic pour-overs, vacuum brewers, and AeroPress with a brewing period of two to three minutes or less, as well as for espresso machines.
Medium grind
When it comes to pre-ground beans, medium grind size is the most frequent grind size, and it has a texture similar to smooth sand.
This grind is excellent for use in drip coffee makers and cold brews alike. Alternatively, if you let it steep for more than three minutes in an AeroPress, it will also work.
Medium coarse grind
Medium-coarse beans have a size similar to that of rough sand, and they are in the middle of the medium and coarse grind levels.
It is recommended to use this grind in specialty brewers like the Chemex.
Coarse grind
Kosher or sea salt-like in texture, coarse beans are distinguished by large, even pieces of meat.
French press and percolators are the finest applications for this grind.
Extra coarse grind
It is common practice to only lightly grind very coarse beans, which is accomplished by utilizing the biggest setting on a burr grinder. They have an extremely rough texture, and the outline of the actual beans can still be seen.
Coffees made with this grind are great for a cold brew and Turkish coffee (coffee boiled in a pan with grounds and eggs). Don’t knock it until you try it.
Grind Size For Different Brewing Methods
| BREW METHODS | Baratza Encore | Baratza Virtuoso | OXO Brew Grinder | Cuisinart Supreme Grind | Bodum Bistro | Mr. Coffee Burr Grinder |
| Aeropress | #5 – 20 | #5 – 20 | Fine #1 – Medium #4 | #3 – 15 | Anywhere from espresso to drip | #1 – 13 |
| Bee House | #14 | #13 | Fine #4 – Medium #1 | #4 – 6 | Drip icon – 2.5 | #3 |
| Chemex | #21 | #20 | Medium #2- Coarse #1 | #8 – 10 | Chemex icon + 1 | #5 – 10 |
| Clever Dripper | #14 | #14 | Fine #4 – Medium #1 | #4 – 6 | Drip icon – 2.5 | #3 |
| Cold Brew | #22 – 40 | #22 – 40 | Coarse #1 – #4 | #18 | Not ideal for cold brew, but you can try use french press coffee | Not ideal for cold brew, but you can try for french press coffee |
| Drip Coffee | #15 | #15 – 30 | Medium #1 – Medium Coarse #1 | #10 – 15 | Chemex icon + 1 | #8 – 10 |
| Espresso | #5 | #5 | #5 – 7 | #1 | Espresso Icon (far left) | #1 – for better results, adjust your grinder |
| Flat filter drip machines | #20 – 25 | #20 – 25 | Medium #2 | #10 – 13 | Chemex Cold Brew icon – 1 | #10 – 12 |
| French Press | #30 | #30 | Coarse #1 | #16 | French press icon (far right) | #18 |
| Hario V60 | #14 | #13 | Fine #4 – Medium #1 | #4 – 6 | Drip icon – 2.5 | #3 |
| Kalita Wave | #14 | #13 | Fine #4 – Medium #1 | #4 – 6 | Drip icon – 2.5 | #3 |
| Stovetop Espresso Maker | #12 | #12 | Fine #2 – Medium #1 | #2 – 5 | Espresso icon + 1 | #2 – 4 |
| Siphon | #13 | #13 | Fine #3 – Medium #1 | #4 – 10 | Drip icon – 2 | #5 |
| Soft Brew | #15 – 30 | #15 – 30 | Medium #1 – Coarse #1 | #12 – 16 | Drip icon – 1 | #4 – 6 |
| Extra Fine Turkish Coffee | #1 | #1 | Extra Fine #1 | Not ideal for Turkish coffee | Not ideal for Turkish | Not ideal for Turkish coffee |
| Vietnamese Phin | #30 – 40 | #30 – 40 | Coarse #1 – #4 | #17 | French press icon (far right) | #18 |
| Walkure | #20 – 30 | #20 – 30 | Coarse #1 – #4 | #17 | Drip icon + 2.5 | #12 – 14 |
| Woodneck | #14 | #14 | Fine #4 – medium #1 | #4 – 6 | Drip icon + 2.5 | #3 |
Can you grind any coffee for espresso
Before you buy any type of coffee, make sure it is a dark roast. Espresso coffee beans must be roasted to a dark color. You will appreciate all of the silky finishes and acidic taste that the darker roast provides in your espresso.
Lighter roasts are milder and don’t produce the same quality crema as a dark roast. If you grind lighter roasts for espresso coffee, they will have a sour taste to them.
Can I use pre-ground coffee to make espresso?
Yes, but you will permanently destroy your relationship with the coffee gods and will never enjoy a delicious shot of espresso again!
I’m kidding, but not really.
Pre-ground beans lose most of their essential oils, freshness, and flavors.
Why?
The Coffee bean envelops most of these oils and flavors inside the hard shell to protect the inner content from being oxidized. Oxidation occurs when the content inside the bean comes in contact with oxygen.
Pre-ground coffee has its contents completely outside, thus leading to unintentional dispersal of flavors and oils. Even when it’s completely sealed, it will start to oxidize.
Pre-ground delivers a stale-tasting coffee and has a minimal amount of the natural essential oils left. On the other hand, whole coffee beans preserve the content inside for a more extended period, and when freshly ground, all of these oils are present to give you the flavor, crema, and body you expect.
A better option would be investing in Nespresso espresso machines or ESE pods. This pre-ground coffee comes in packaged aluminum containers or paper pods that stay fresh longer than pre-ground options.
Nespresso pods come in aluminum-sealed cups. You can insert it directly into the espresso machine’s outlet, and the device will unseal it for you. Please note: you will have to purchase a separate Nespresso espresso machine to brew with Nespresso pods.
On the other hand, ESE pods (Easy-serving espresso) are flat disc-like paper coffee bags inserted in the portafilter with a pod basket. Pods basket is compulsory to brew ESE pods, but most of the machines offer them.
Please note: Every machine will have a differently-sized ESE pod and baskets. So, you probably cannot brew different company ESE pods with a different company’s machine.
Reasons why grind size matters
Have you ever brewed an espresso thinking you followed every guideline possible and still ended up with a dull, bitter, watery, too thick drink?
It could be the wrong grind size or the following steps that you failed to master.
The accurate grind size can make or break your espresso shots or milk-based beverages. Unfortunately, it also might be the sole reason your beverage doesn’t taste as good as the ones sold in cafes.
Contrarily, it simply isn’t the only mistake that can go wrong. To brew espresso shots, you must have a strong base of quality coffee beans and a precise grinder to grind uniformly and finely for espressos.
When you grind coffee beans in a cheap grinder, the result will be terrible-tasting coffee. So, before you go ahead and blame the grind size, invest in quality coffee beans and a high-end grinder.
After grinding, you must tamp the ground beans to ensure that your coffee puck is tight to allow the correct extraction. Your fine grind will provide a bigger surface area for flavor extraction, crema production, and wilder flavors.
Flavor
Espresso’s taste is almost foreign compared to other filtered beverages —it’s dark, dense, robust, and mouthful.
The brewing method espresso uses ensures a unique flavor; its credit goes to the finely ground beans that provide total exposure for complete extractions.
The wide variety of these flavors include—caramel, fruity undertones, tangy syrups, intoxicating spices, chocolate, slight bitterness, classic maple syrup, toffee, coffee, earthy tones, etc.
Finely ground coffee gives you the surface area needed inside the portafilter for proper pressurization and uniform extraction.
Other coffee brewing methods cannot come close to the flavors and oils of espresso because they use coarser coffee ground that resists complete extraction.
Texture
Do you always drink espresso with milk?
For a change, pull your espresso shot in a transparent espresso cup and witness the beautiful silky fluid with its golden brown + dark brown stripes coupled with the airy caramel-like crema on top.
In fact, if you observe this through a naked portafilter, the dense fluid and golden-brown+dark brown stripes will hypnotize you as it pours into your shot glass.
The small espresso glass will first be filled with dark-brown to dense black espresso; the center layer is an intermediate between brown and the caramel color of the crema.
The top layer—crema—has a rich golden-caramel color tone and creamy body, accompanied by tiny bubbles trapped in the fluid.
The fine grind easily dissolves most of their content in the water when under pressure and create a dense fluid.
This interaction between coffee grounds and water makes it possible to create a rich textured coffee with more crema.
Finely ground coffee beans also expose and offer most of the creamy-oily content while brewing, giving your coffee’s body a creamy, oily taste and appearance.
Extraction period
Espresso has a unique brewing process and takes about 25 seconds; that’s a short period compared to other brewing techniques.
It takes longer to extract most of the flavors with coarser grounds since they are still trapped inside the bigger pieces of coffee.
For instance, the french press takes 5 minutes to extract out flavors from coarse-grind coffee beans. This is because water takes time to reach the larger French press grind, penetrate inside, soak the content, and extract the flavor out.
Too fine of ground will result in less coffee (denser than you can imagine) and an increased extraction period (30-35 seconds.) Too coarse coffee will result in more water coffee and will extract out in less than 20 seconds.
Extra fine grind (like flour) doesn’t leave much space for extraction and allows too much collision, making it taste almost muddy.
Coarser grind doesn’t allow enough time for extraction with water and exposes flavors in such a short period; it is more water than coffee.
Crema production
Crema is the top layer that rests above the espresso shot and consumes 1/10 spacing in the shot glass.
Rich crema gives you the silky espresso lovers enjoy so much. Without the crema, you would experience a completely different flavor profile and mouthfeel.
Crema is dense and a mix between air bubbles and insoluble oils of the beans’ content. These insoluble oils separate from the fluid and trap air bubbles, giving it a bubbly yet creamy appearance.
Crema is only possible when all the oils present inside the coffee beans are exposed for saturation. The only way to expose these oils is through grinding the coffee beans fine.
Fine grind size allows the water and air bubbles to collide with the oils present inside. In short, when you fine grind your coffee beans, you expose the entire content of the bean, including oils which results in cream production.
What is over-extraction?
It’s normal for espressos to be slightly bitter with chocolate and woody undertones; unless it’s extremely bitter and is unbearable to drink.
Have you ever experienced an overly bitter shot and started to question your barista skills? Most of the time, over-extraction is the cause of this.
Unlike naturally bitter coffee that adds to the overall texture and taste of your espresso shots, overly bitter coffee overrides and suppresses the real taste of your beverage.
Coffees are made by colliding water with grounds. When water is pressurized or poured over coffee, it extracts flavors out to create the beverage. There’s a hierarchy as to how water absorbs these flavors and chemicals present inside the coffee.
The sweet and tangy chemicals that sum up coffee’s overall taste and content are absorbed readily faster than any other content present inside the ground.
Next, the water absorbs most of the insoluble chemicals and oils, adding to coffee’s crema and creamy taste. Finally, the least favorable taste—bitter tannins (a chemical present inside the coffee grounds)—is absorbed last.
To avoid that from happening, you must stop the extraction process once all the oils are readily absorbed. This is why 25 seconds is the average extraction period recommended to avoid the extraction of tannins.
What causes over-extraction?
- Over extraction can be caused by pulling the shot for too long. When you brew your espresso shots for more than 25 seconds, you allow tannins to get absorbed.
- When you grind your coffee beans too fine: Too fine coffee beans will allow a higher and faster rate of absorption. All the content gets absorbed fast and allows additional time for tannins to get involved.
What is under-extraction?
Just like over-extraction, under extraction can also ruin your beverage’s taste and texture.
An under-extracted espresso shot tastes sour, with sharp after-tastes, and has a thin texture. Under-extraction happens when you don’t allow water to extract a balanced taste and flavors from the coffee.
Brewing a shot too quickly will burn your insides out and will have you question your existence (just kidding, but not really).
Fortunately, under-extraction can be easily monitored and resolved.
We often consider acidity the real culprit behind sourness, but there’s little truth and years of misconception behind that notion.
Acidity is coffee’s main characteristic. Acidic content inside coffee beans gives you those tangy, fruitful undernotes that you experience in high-quality cafes. The taste is highly complimentary.
What causes under-extraction?
- Under-extraction can be caused when you pull the shots too quickly and don’t allow water to extract most of the balanced flavors from the coffee. Don’t fear over-extraction; choose a fine grind and allow it to completely run for 25 seconds.
- Too coarse of grind will not allow water to extract most of the flavors in the given time. To enhance the flavor, try out a finer grind size for better and faster extraction.
Blade vs Burr Grinders
Discussions and debates over grind size setting and their importance while brewing is very accurate. Without a consistent grind size, you cannot brew delicious espressos.
There’s a wide variety of grinders on the market, and it’s difficult to choose the product that will suit your demands the best.
However, we have discussed the multiple types, their qualities, and cons to give you the facts you need to buy the best one to fit your needs.
However, the most critical factor is whether or not you buy a blade or a burr grinder.
Burr grinder
Burr grinders are the more popular option in the coffee world but are often under-appreciated.
Before burr grinders, people would use blade grinders.
However, the inconsistency of blade grinders to produce uniform coffee grounds led to the invention of burr grinders.
Unlike blade grinders that are usually supported with two slicing blades, burrs are two gears that crush the beans thoroughly, resulting in a finer grind. There are specifically two widely used burrs—conical burrs and flat burrs.
Flat burrs grinders:
Flat burr grinders are often used for commercial purposes and finer grind sizes because they are faster, quicker, and finer.
Flat burrs are not curved and coned like conical burrs and have a relatively shorter distance between them.
From the outside, these two separate burrs might seem the same, but the insides of the burrs have spacing to allow beans to enter and get crushed. In addition, the interiors of flat burrs are hastened with multiple diagonal sharp cuts to allow perfect grinding.
Flat burr grinders produce finer grounds due to the spacing between their mechanism and their high speed.
- Flat grinders need higher speed to rotate and grind. Thus, they need bigger motors than conical grinders. Bigger motors will increase the overall cost of your machine.
- Due to bigger motors, the machine will be louder than its counterparts.
- Also, higher friction, big motors, and speed will result in a lot of heat emission compared to conical burrs. .
If your ideal choice is cheaper, finer (not too fine), and quieter—conical burrs would be the correct choice.
Conical Burr grinder
Conical burr grinders are quieter, use smaller motors, and grind more uniformly. Although conical burrs don’t grind as finely as flat burrs, they have no problem producing an extra-fine grind for your espresso needs.
They have a different geometry than flat burrs and larger spacing than their counterpart.
The upper burr covers the lower burr. The lower burr rotates to crush the beans inside. Unlike flat burrs that only allow the coffee ground to exit through horizontal edges, conical burrs allow the complete open base for the grounds to exit.
Conical burrs are slower but more consistent. Once the grinder initiates, the beans are thrown inside them. The upper burr has a hole that allows coffee beans to enter inside. Next, the lower burr rotates closer to the upper burr and crushes the beans.
There’s a higher margin between both the burrs that allow various ground sizes from fineness and coarseness. It can be challenging for flat grinders to allow a more significant difference between the grind size.
- Conical burr grinders are less expensive than flat burrs.
- They produce moderately fine coffee grounds, perfect for espressos.
- They use smaller motors and are quieter.
- Conical burr grinders are ideal for home-barista espresso machines.
Blade grinder
Blade grinders were highly used before the invention of burr grinders. They are the cheapest versions and are readily available. A blade grinder is purposely used to grind fruits and vegetables for shakes and juices.
However, none of those mentioned above items require uniform distribution of the content, but coffee does!
Thus, most of these blade grinders aren’t ideal for grinding coffee. Nonetheless, if blade grinders are the only item you can afford at the moment, it would still be better than pre-ground coffee.
Blade grinders don’t have a complex mechanism. Instead, these usually have a combination of two blades that rotates very fast to blend the content.
There’s no accuracy in such systems. Some beans are ground too fine, and others are left too coarse.
Blade grinders result in the uneven ground that results in uneven extraction. Uneven extraction lacks flavors and consistency throughout. As a result, some parts of the coffee will taste dull; others will taste overly concentrated, some bitter, and others sour.
Can the Coffee Grounds From A manual Grinder Be Used In An Espresso Machine
The next best option for any coffee enthusiast would be manual grinders as long as you wish to grind smaller batches. They don’t use electricity but rather manual hand operation for grinding.
Despite the rumors, these grinders can grind fine enough for espressos and coarse enough for the french press.
High-quality manual grinders not only look lavish and a piece of compliment for your kitchen, but they are also equipped with real burrs for enhanced performance.
These manual grinders have a cylindrical or hourglass body and a large handle for manual action. Unfortunately, these manual grinders can only grind for 2-3 shots of espressos and 5-6 filtered coffees.
They have small bean hoppers and ground containers that can hold 25-30 ml of coffee beans and ground coffee. These grinders have high-quality installments, including burrs, metallic frames, and multiple grind size options.
Manual coffee grinders are highly customary and will grind for one or two brewing methods only. You can either purchase a manual grinder for espressos or french press. The highest count of these grind size settings is 9-10 (sometimes more).
- Manual coffee grinders have a stylish body and stainless steel framing (mostly).
- These grinders are cheaper and still have outshining features and quality.
- You can travel with these grinders without having to worry about electricity.
- Small frame for easy storage.
Ceramic vs stainless steel coffee grinder
Stainless steel and ceramic are both equally excellent materials. However, there’s a slight benefit for ceramic burrs, but it’s minor.
Stainless steel burr grinder
There’s a widespread misconception about stainless steel burrs and thermal conductivity. The myth is popular amongst many coffee lovers who are still convinced to this day, but there’s no truth behind it, only baseless arguments.
Kylie Anderson, the owner of the famous Baratza company that produces some of the best home-barista grinders, said, “The sharper the stainless steel burrs, the less heat is created in the cutting of the bean.”
Furthermore, she explains, “the higher thermal conductivity of steel burrs can actually decrease the heat of the ground coffee in small batches. This is because the heat is created IN the bean and is then transferred to the burrs.”
So, stainless steel doesn’t conduct thermal electricity towards the beans but rather away from it! Moving ahead, stainless steel creates some of the best burr grinders as long as it’s being built with high-quality technicians and skilled engineers. Unfortunately, it’s the low-quality grinders that conduct heat and result in burnt coffee.
Ceramic burr grinders
Another authentic addition to your coffee cabinet would be a high-quality commercial-level ceramic grinder. Compared to stainless steel, ceramic burrs are now being used more boastfully than their counterparts.
The reasons could be many, but please know ceramic burr grinders are rarer to find than stainless steel.
Ceramic burrs are non-metallic and probably more sustainable and long-lasting if not ruined by a stone or a bad fall. In addition, ceramic burrs are meant to keep the machine cooler for a longer grind without hurting the taste of your coffee and neither the state of your grinder.
For starters, ceramic burrs are rarer because they need an exclusive mold to build them. Not every company will offer you ceramics because those custom molds are an expensive addition to the company.
It’s the taste and life expectancy that made ceramic burrs so famous. Ceramic heightens the different authentic flavors of the coffee.
Unlike stainless steel that sometimes gives off a metallic or rustic taste, ceramics don’t disturb the original taste of coffee and instead enhance it with the earthy nature it possesses.
Furthermore, ceramic ages like wine. Unlike stainless steel that turns blunt after prolonged use, ceramic burrs sharpen with their aging time making them last longer and provide better results even after several years of usage.
Recommended coffee grinders for espressos
These high-quality yet affordable grinders are top-notch for your barista skills. In this detailed section, we’ll review the three best espresso coffee grinders, their pros, cons, and their overall impression to help you choose the best for yourself.
Baratza Encore coffee grinder
As a novice brewing coffee, especially espressos, it’s best to invest in an entry-level coffee grinder that still allows quality coffee ground. Baratza encore is one such entry-level coffee grinder that will grind fine enough for espresso and course for french press.
Baratza encore comes in two finishes now—black model and matte-white finish model. It has a relatively simple yet elegant geometry and overall structure. A conical bean hopper rests at the top, sealed with a dark lid to keep UVs away from the coffee beans.
The rest of the body is a long-elongated, curvaceous cuboid that holds the motors, the wiring, the conical burrs, and the ground container. Its ground container is quite massive and has a transparent framing to show quantity.
Baratza encore grinds very uniformly, and the coffee puck is consistent thoroughly. However, is it the best product for espresso machines? Yes, as long as you are using pressurized baskets to brew these shots. Baratza encore does a fine job for entry-level pressurized machines.
What are pressurized baskets? These baskets increase the additional pressure while extracting. This mechanism allows you to get away with a bad or not-to-fine ground and still brew delicious beverages.
Pros
- Baratza is equipped with 40mm stainless steel conical burrs.
- Two simple switches on/off allow you to grind for whatever amount you’d want.
- Another button present at the center allows you to clear out the chute from coffee grounds.
- It has a simple body and lavish look.
- It comes in two colors—black and white.
- The machine has 40 grind size settings, and you can rotate the bean hopper to change these settings for coarseness or fineness.
- The machine is affordable.
- 12 ounces bean hopper.
Cons
- The material used to build the coffee grinder is plastic.
- It makes significant noise. So, keep away from kids and sensitive ears.
- There are not many options to program the volume or time in this machine.
- It’s basic.
OXO
OXO company is known for creating some of the best coffee grinders, and OXO brew conical grinder is one such specialty. The machine costs somewhere below $100 and still offers volume/time programmability, multiple grind size settings, stainless steel accents, conical burrs, and whatnot.
The 12-ounce hopper has a cylindrical shape and sits at the top tightly with a plastic seal. The hopper has a lock to trap the beans inside when removing them. OXO has a long frame for the motors to adjust appropriately and a stainless steel ground container at the bottom.
The machine offers over 15 macro settings and includes micro settings for espresso and french press.
This machine is equipped with 40mm conical burrs that produce the most uniform grinds. Please note: the upper burr of this conical grinder is removable for easy cleaning.
It has a relatively simple interface with black plastic and silver-brushed metal. The center buttons inside the time dialer allow you to turn on and off the grinding easily.
Pros
- OXO has a moderate footprint.
- One-touch start and easy interface.
- Big bean hopper and ground container. The ground container is made of stainless steel. You can use the container to preserve the coffee beans.
- 40mm conical burrs for faster grinding.
- It has a max of 30 seconds timer.
- It comes with a complimentary scoop and cleaning brush.
Cons
- The machine has many plastic wares, and the complete structure is quite long.
- Not many programmable options either.
Timemore Chestnut C2 manual coffee grinder
Timemore has created some of the best and lavish-looking manual grinders with substantial handles for easy brewing. Chestnut C2 is no less and equally serves many features. It’s a small hand grinder made of aluminum, stainless steel, and bits of plastic.
Read our timemore review here.
The outer body of this coffee grinder has grids for easy gripping while grinding. Furthermore, the device has a horizontal handle with a plastic joystick for more effortless motion while grinding, a bean hopper that can hold 25 grams of coffee beans, a 25g ground container, and high-quality conical burrs.
These conical burrs are stainless steel, have 5-axis CNC machines, and 36 grind size clicks for fine to coarse grinds. The Z-model of the handle allows more flexible grinds than the rest of the counterparts.
This chestnut C2 is very small and easily portable. Perfect for camping.
It doesn’t need electricity or batteries to run. Timemore chestnut C2 is built to serve single shots for 1 or 2 people.
Please note: It will be harder to grind by manually rotating the handle and will take more time (5-10 minutes) to grind the content inside fine enough for espressos.
Pros
- 38mm conical stainless steel burrs.
- Aluminum ground containers can be used as small storage for coffee beans or ground coffee. It preserves your coffee longer.
- Grid pattern for gripping.
- It’s a great antic for your coffee machine collection.
- It doesn’t consume any space at all on your kitchen counter.
- You can use it when out of electricity or while traveling.
- The ground container is screwable.
Cons
- It’s small and doesn’t grind large amounts at a time.
Conclusion
Espresso has a deep learning curve, but with a bit of practice, quality equipment, and the correct knowledge, you can pull identical shots like your favorite cafes.
If you have finally decided to rid yourself of the expense at cafes, it’s time you save money and serve yourself delicious coffee with healthy investments.
These coffee grinders might seem expensive at the start, but trust me, it’s a way better deal when compared to the higher-level models.
It would help if you kept in mind the essential factors while brewing tasteful espressos—the grind size, extraction time, quality grinder and quality machine, over-extraction, under-extraction, and the value of balanced extraction.
How was your initial experience while brewing your first shot at home? Did you exceed your expectations, or was your mind blown at how bitter your coffee was? Tell us about your first personal espresso experience in the comment section down below.
