Coffee Grind Size Calculator
Grind microns, time, and ratio by brew method.
What it does
Grind size sets how fast water pulls flavor from coffee. Espresso needs powder near 200-400 microns for a 25-second shot while cold brew needs boulders past 1000 microns for a 12-hour steep; swapping them brews bitterness or sour water. Method chooses grind before anything else.
The tool above maps five methods to grind bands, contact times, and ratios. Espresso reads 200-400 microns at 20-30 seconds and 1:2; pour-over reads 400-800 at 2-4 minutes and 1:13-1:16; French press reads coarse at 4 minutes; cold brew reads extra coarse at 12 hours.
Coffee authorities supply the words and numbers. NCA method pages state fine like table salt for espresso, medium for pour-over and drip, coarse like rock salt for press, with times and ratios per method. An SCA survey pins heritage espresso near 18-20 g doses at 1:2, and UC Davis grind tests center drip work near 800-1200 microns.
Microns stay typical ranges, not gospel. Grinders, burrs, and beans shift real distributions, so treat bands as starting points and adjust by taste: sour means finer or longer, bitter means coarser or shorter. Change one variable per brew.
How to use
- Pick the brew method.
- Read the grind band first.
- Read the contact time.
- Read the coffee to water ratio.
- Grind fresh to the band.
- Adjust one variable at a time.
Formula
- method
- Espresso, pour-over, drip, press, or cold brew.
NCA gives grind words, times, and ratios per method; micron bands are conventional ranges consistent with SCA/UC Davis test grinds.
Worked example
Example: espresso grind
Defaults: espresso method.
- Input: espresso method.
- Grind: 200 to 400 microns, fine like table salt.
- Time: 20 to 30 seconds contact.
- Ratio: 1 g coffee to 2 g espresso.
- Tool shows 200 to 400 µm, 20 to 30 sec, 1:2.
Reference table
| Method | Grind | Time / Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | 200-400 µm | 20-30 sec, 1:2 |
| Pour-over | 400-800 µm | 2-4 min, 1:13-16 |
| Drip | 500-800 µm | ~5 min, golden ratio |
| French press | 800-1000+ µm | ~4 min, 1:10-16 |
| Cold brew | 1000+ µm | ~12 h, 1:4-5 |
Limits
- Typical ranges only. Grinders and beans vary.
- Taste adjusts beyond any chart.
- Ratios are starting points, not rules.
- Water chemistry unmanaged here.
Common mistakes
- One grind for every method.
- Chasing microns without tasting.
- Changing grind and dose together.
- Stale pre-ground for slow methods.
- Ignoring contact time with grind.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Pour-over setup?
Grind 400-800 µm, time 2-4 min, ratio 1:13 to 1:16. Thirty grams needs 480 g water at 1:16.
French press setup?
Grind 800-1000+ µm, about 4 min, ratio 1:10 to 1:16.
Questions
What microns per method?
Espresso 200-400, pour-over 400-800, drip 500-800, press 800-1000+, cold brew 1000+ microns, as typical ranges.
What contact time per method?
Espresso 20-30 sec, pour-over 2-4 min, drip ~5 min, press ~4 min, cold brew ~12 h.
What ratio per method?
Espresso 1:2, pour-over 1:13-1:16, press 1:10-1:16, cold brew 1:4-1:5 concentrate.
Words or microns: which is official?
NCA states words (table salt, kosher salt, rock salt); microns are conventional grinder-chart ranges consistent with SCA test data.
Does grind change taste?
Yes. Finer grinds over-extract bitter; coarser under-extracts sour. Match grind to time.
Is drip really near 1000 microns?
Yes. Drip medians near 800-1200 microns appear in SCA/UC Davis test data behind grinder charts.
Sources
- NCA: Espresso (fine, 1:2, 20-30 sec)
- NCA: French Press (coarse, 1:10-1:16, 4 min)
- NCA: Pour-Over (medium, 1:13-1:16, 2-4 min)