How do you choose the right grind size for your coffee?
Choose the right grind size
After you purchase a coffee machine, it's important to set the grind size for your coffee beans. There are a few things to keep in mind for this. We'll help you get the answers to the following questions:
- What's the difference between espresso grind and filter grind?
- How do you set the right grind size?
- What's the difference between coffee beans and ground coffee?
Comparison espresso grind and filter grind
| Espresso grind | Filter grind | |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for | Piston machines | Filter coffee machines |
| Grind size | Fine | Normal |
| Coffee intensity | Strong | Normal |
| Extraction time | Fast | Long |
| Crema | Yes | No |
What's the difference between espresso grind and filter grind?
Espresso grind size: for piston machines
You should use espresso grinds for piston machines. The coffee machine prepares an espresso in a short time under high pressure. When making a cup of coffee with a piston machine, the extraction time is short. This creates crema on your coffee. The grind size of your coffee beans is very important for this. You always need a fine grind for an espresso. If the ground coffee beans are too coarse, the water will flow through too quickly and your coffee will be much less tasty. Keep in mind that not every piston machine has a built-in coffee grinder. With some coffee machines, you have to purchase a coffee grinder separately.
Filter grind: for filter coffee machines
The quick filter grind is a lot coarser than the espresso grind. To make coffee with a filter coffee machine, the extraction time has to be longer. In addition, the machine makes the coffee with less pressure. That's why it's important that the water drips through the coffee easily. This makes the taste of filter coffee less intense than that of an espresso, and your filter coffee won't have crema. This only occurs under high pressure.
Set the grind size
Maybe you're not happy about the coffee flavor from your coffee machine. If that's the case, we recommend changing the grind size of your coffee machine. is the coffee too sour? Set the grind size to a finer setting. Is the coffee too bitter? Dial it back to a coarser grind size. Make sure to adjust it in small steps. You'll notice a difference in flavor right after you adjust the grind size. Doesn't this help? Try different coffee beans. Still don't like the flavor of your coffee? Check the water temperature, coffee intensity, or water volume.
What's the difference between coffee beans and ground coffee?
Coffee beans: fresh
You can make the freshest cup of coffee with whole coffee beans. You can grind these yourself in your coffee machine or in a separate coffee grinder. The fresher the coffee beans you use to make coffee, the more intense the coffee flavor. The best way to store coffee beans is in an airtight container for up to 6 months. When the coffee comes into contact with oxygen, the aging process of the coffee bean starts. This makes the coffee you make less tasty over time. The beans stay fresh for a month, then the flavor changes. For the best flavor experience, we recommend using your coffee beans within a month.
Quick filter grind: less fresh
Pre-ground coffee beans lose their flavor faster. It starts going stale very quickly. If you've opened a bag of pre-ground coffee, we recommend consuming the ground coffee within 2 weeks. Do you want to enjoy fresh coffee for longer? Consider a coffee grinder. That way, you can grind coffee yourself for your coffee machine.
