Grind Sizes

Visibly chunky, like cracked peppercorns or coarse sea salt. Almost no resistance when you rub it between your fingers. Used exclusively for cold brew - the 12-24 hour steep compensates for the open grind, and going finer would make the concentrate bitter and astringent.

Like rough kosher salt - distinct, irregular particles with plenty of space between them. Ideal for French Press because the full-immersion brew method needs a coarse grind to avoid over-extraction during the 4-minute steep. Also works well for cold brew concentrate.

Slightly finer than French Press but still quite open - closer to coarse beach sand. The Chemex uses a much thicker paper filter than a V60, which dramatically slows the flow rate. A coarser grind compensates for this, keeping brew time in range and preventing a bitter, over-extracted cup.

The workhorse grind - consistent, uniform particles about the size of fine breadcrumbs. Drip machines are designed around this grind size, and it's the safest starting point for any new brew method. Not too fast, not too slow, extracts evenly with moderate heat and contact time.

Finer than drip but not as dense as espresso - smooth to the touch with just a hint of texture. This is the sweet spot for pour over and AeroPress, where you want enough resistance to slow the flow and extend contact time, but not so much that it chokes the drawdown or over-extracts.

Dense and powdery-smooth, like fine table salt or granulated sugar. At this size, water has to work hard to push through the bed of grounds, which is exactly what espresso machines and Moka Pots need. That resistance is what creates pressure and forces fast, concentrated extraction in under 30 seconds.

Almost a powder - finer than espresso, closer to flour or powdered sugar. The only common use is Turkish coffee, where grounds are simmered directly in water in a cezve and never filtered out. The ultra-fine grind is intentional: it settles to the bottom of the cup and becomes part of the drinking experience.