Espresso Grind Size by Machine and Grinder: Why the Setting Belongs to the Grinder

People searching for an espresso grind size for a specific machine, a Breville Bambino, a Ninja Luxe Cafe, usually want one number: which setting do I turn the dial to? The honest answer is that for most machines there is no such number, because the setting lives on the grinder, not on the espresso machine. A Bambino has no grinder at all. Whatever number worked for someone else on their grinder says almost nothing about yours.

That does not mean the question is unanswerable. Manufacturers and retailers publish real starting points for specific grinders, and the dialing-in logic that takes you from there to a good shot is the same everywhere. This guide collects the sourced starting points we could verify for three grinders, explains why those numbers cannot be swapped between grinders, and walks through a one-variable routine that gets you to a good shot in a handful of attempts.

It is a settings guide, not a product review. We have not tested any of these grinders ourselves, and every number below is attributed to the source that published it.

The short version

• The “setting” is a property of the grinder. The same number on two different grinders produces different particle sizes.
• Breville’s own Smart Grinder Pro manual recommends starting at setting 12 on its 1 to 30 espresso range.
• Seattle Coffee Gear’s Baratza Encore ESP guide lists settings 5 to 10 as the espresso starting zone on the 1 to 20 micro-step range.
• The Ninja Luxe Cafe has a built-in grinder with 25 settings and recommends a grind size for you, so the job is to follow the recommendation and taste.
• Whatever grinder you have, dial in with the dose and the yield fixed at 18g and 36g, and change only the grind.

Why a setting number does not transfer

A grinder’s dial is a label chosen by its manufacturer, not a unit of measurement. The Smart Grinder Pro’s dial runs from 1 to 60, and Honest Coffee Guide maps that range to roughly 200 to 820 microns, with 1 the finest and 60 the coarsest. The Baratza Encore ESP runs from 1 to 40 and splits that into two ranges: 1 to 20 are micro steps built for espresso, and 21 to 40 are larger macro steps for filter brewing. Both grinders call their finest espresso settings “low numbers”, but a “10” on one is not a “10” on the other, and the steps between numbers are different sizes as well.

There is a deeper reason than labeling. In an analysis of 300 particle size distributions from 24 espresso grinders, the Coffee ad Astra author found that grinders dialed in to similar shots still produce very different particle distributions. His summary is that different grinders have “wildly different locations of their coarser nominal peak at dial-in”, mainly because they produce different fractions of fine particles. Grinders that produce fewer fines need a different average grind size to reach the same flow rate. In practical terms: two grinders can both give you a 36g shot in 30 seconds, from settings that have nothing in common and from grounds that look different under a microscope.

This is the same caution our coffee grind size chart gives for every method: micron ranges describe a target, and the dial number that reaches it differs from grinder to grinder. For espresso, that chart places the range at roughly 180 to 400 microns.

Starting points for three grinders

Breville Smart Grinder Pro: start at 12

The Smart Grinder Pro manual is unusually direct. Under “Grinding for Espresso Coffee” it says to use the finer 1 to 30 settings in the espresso range, and that “for espresso, we recommend selecting Grind Size setting 12 as a starting point and moving the Grind Size dial Coarser or Finer to adjust the flow of espresso as required.” It also says to use single wall filter baskets when grinding fresh coffee beans, and it tells you to pull a shot to find out whether a change in grind size or grind amount is needed to get the correct rate of flow.

The manual also gives its own definition of a traditional shot timing: a single shot of 1 oz in 30 seconds and a double of 2 oz in 30 seconds. That is a volume reference, not a weight one, so it will not match the weight-based 18g in, 36g out recipe in our espresso dose ratio guide exactly. Treat it as a ballpark for the time window, not a precise target.

A third party guide, Honest Coffee Guide, lists a narrower recommended espresso band of settings 1 to 18 for this grinder, and describes the full 1 to 60 dial as spanning about 200 to 820 microns. The two sources are not in conflict: the manual gives the full finer half of the dial that the grinder is designed to use for espresso, and the third party guide narrows that to where it says most espresso lands. If you are dialing in a Smart Grinder Pro, a starting point of 12 sits inside both.

Baratza Encore ESP: settings 5 to 10, one or two clicks at a time

Seattle Coffee Gear’s product guide for the Baratza Encore ESP gives “Espresso: settings 5 to 10” as a starting zone, alongside the line “Use these as starting points and adjust to taste.” The same guide notes that “finer grinds increase extraction and strength; coarser grinds decrease them”, and that “changes of 1 to 2 settings at a time are enough to notice a difference in espresso; larger jumps are appropriate for filter methods.”

That last sentence is the useful one. The ESP’s micro-step range is built so that a single click is a small change, which is precisely what espresso needs. If you are used to a grinder where one step is a big jump, resist the urge to turn the dial three or four numbers at a time.

The guide adds one practical note for anyone with a new grinder: new burrs need approximately 1 to 2 pounds of coffee to fully season. In other words, a brand new Encore ESP may not behave the same in its first few bags as it will later, so a setting that works in week one may drift. Expect to nudge it.

Ninja Luxe Cafe: the machine recommends, you taste

The Ninja Luxe Cafe is different in kind. The grinder is built into the machine, with 25 settings running from a fine espresso grind to coarser settings for drip coffee, and the review at Coffee Drinker describes “guided grind recommendations”, with the display advising a grind size based on the filter basket type detected. The same review lists a limitation: the built-in grinder does not offer the same level of precision as a standalone grinder, so users who want very small adjustments may feel boxed in.

For a machine like this, the practical advice is simple. Use the grind size the machine suggests, pull a shot, and taste it. Only when the shot is consistently too fast and sour or too slow and bitter is it worth changing the setting yourself. If you find the 25 steps too coarse to fix a shot, that is when a standalone grinder with finer steps starts to make sense.

What about the machine? Breville Bambino and friends

For machines that do not have a grinder, such as the Breville Bambino family, the right question is not “what setting for the Bambino?” but “what setting for my grinder, with the Bambino?” The machine matters in a few ways. Its basket size sets the dose: Breville lists the Bambino Plus at an 18g dose, which matches the 18g in, 36g out starting recipe in our espresso dose ratio guide. Pressure and pre-infusion behavior affect how forgiving the machine is. But none of that gives you a dial number. A Bambino paired with a Smart Grinder Pro starts at 12, a Bambino paired with an Encore ESP starts at 5 to 10, and a Bambino paired with a grinder not on this page starts wherever that grinder’s maker says.

If your grinder came without any published espresso starting point, the dial-in routine below works anyway. Start in the middle of whatever range the manufacturer designates as “espresso” and use the first shot to see which direction you need to go.

If you do not yet own a grinder, a burr grinder with fine, repeatable steps matters more for espresso than almost anything else in the chain. You can browse espresso grinders at 1st in Coffee or on Amazon, and check the manufacturer’s own espresso range and step size before you buy.

The dial-in routine that works on any grinder

The routine below is the same whichever grinder you own. It borrows its fixed targets from our espresso dose ratio guide: 18g of dry coffee in, 36g of liquid out, and a first time target of about 25 to 30 seconds.

1. Weigh the dose. Put 18g of ground coffee in the basket. A scoop drifts by a gram or more, and at espresso’s scale that is a large error. A gram scale from 1st in Coffee’s barista tools or on Amazon removes that variable.
2. Set the grinder to its published starting point. Setting 12 on a Smart Grinder Pro, somewhere between 5 and 10 on an Encore ESP, the machine’s recommendation on a Ninja Luxe Cafe.
3. Pull a shot and weigh the output. Stop at 36g and note the time from the moment the pump starts.
4. Read the result. Fast and sour means the grind is too coarse. Slow and bitter means too fine. Our espresso extraction speed guide covers the diagnosis in more depth, including the wider 28 to 36 second reference window that guide uses.
5. Change one thing. Move the grinder one or two steps in the indicated direction, keeping dose and yield fixed. Pull again.
6. Repeat until the shot lands in range and tastes balanced. Then stop adjusting.

A worked example

Suppose you are dialing in an Encore ESP and begin at setting 7. This is an illustration of the process, not a measured result.

• Shot 1, setting 7: 18g in, 36g out in 17 seconds. It tastes thin and sour. The grind is too coarse, so move finer by two steps to setting 5.
• Shot 2, setting 5: 18g in, 36g out in 26 seconds. It tastes sweeter and rounder. This is in the 25 to 30 second window and tastes balanced, so stay here.
• Shot 3, as a check: Try setting 4 for one shot. If it runs to 38 seconds and tastes bitter and dry, you have bracketed the right setting between 4 and 6 and can settle on 5.

Three shots is a typical shape for a dial-in with fine steps. It would take longer on a grinder with coarse steps, which is the practical reason the Baratza guide emphasizes micro-step adjustments.

If the shots are inconsistent rather than just fast or slow, the problem may not be the grind at all. Uneven flow points toward distribution and tamping, which our espresso channeling guide covers.

Re-dialing: why a setting that worked last week stops working

A dialed-in setting is not permanent. The Baratza guide’s note that new burrs need 1 to 2 pounds of coffee to season is one reason numbers drift on a new grinder. A fresh bag of beans can also behave differently from the one you finished. Rather than trusting last week’s setting, treat it as a starting point for the new bag: pull a weighed shot at the old setting, and make a one or two step correction if the time is off. On a machine like the Ninja Luxe Cafe, the recommendation shown on the display plays the same role, and you still confirm it with your own taste.

Keep a short note of the setting that worked, the dose, the yield, and the time for each bag. After a few bags you will know your grinder’s typical range, and the dial-in becomes a one or two shot check instead of a long search.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is copying a number from a forum post or a video made on a different grinder and expecting the same shot. As the particle size analysis above shows, the same flow rate can come from very different settings on different grinders, so a copied number is only a rough guide at best.

The second is changing several variables at once: grinder setting, dose, and yield together. If you change all three and the shot improves, you do not know which change did it, and if it gets worse you do not know what to undo.

The third is turning the dial too far at a time. On a micro-step grinder like the Encore ESP, Seattle Coffee Gear’s own advice is that one or two settings are enough to notice a difference.

The fourth is trusting the clock alone. A shot that lands at 27 seconds but tastes sour is still under-extracted. Taste and time are a pair, not alternatives.

The fifth is expecting a built-in grinder to give the precision of a standalone one. The Coffee Drinker review specifically notes this limitation for the Ninja Luxe Cafe, so if you cannot fix a shot within the 25 steps, the grinder rather than your technique may be the constraint.

The last is ignoring freshness and burr break-in. A setting that was right for the last bag may be a step or two off for the next one, and a brand new grinder will keep shifting for its first pound or two of coffee.

Common questions

What grind size is best for espresso? Roughly 180 to 400 microns on the reference range in our grind size chart. The dial number that reaches that range depends entirely on your grinder.

What setting should I use on a Breville Smart Grinder Pro for espresso? Breville’s manual recommends starting at setting 12 within the finer 1 to 30 espresso range, then moving coarser or finer to adjust the flow of the shot. A third party guide, Honest Coffee Guide, lists settings 1 to 18 as its recommended espresso band.

What setting should I use on a Baratza Encore ESP for espresso? Seattle Coffee Gear’s guide gives settings 5 to 10 as the espresso starting zone, with one or two settings at a time enough to notice a change.

What grind setting should I use for a Breville Bambino? There is no Bambino setting, because the Bambino does not include a grinder. The setting depends on the grinder you pair it with. Use that grinder’s published espresso starting point and dial in from there using an 18g dose and a 36g yield.

How does the Ninja Luxe Cafe choose a grind size? The machine has 25 grind settings and recommends a grind size on its display based on the basket type it detects, according to the Coffee Drinker review. Use the recommendation, pull a shot, and taste it before changing anything.

Why did my espresso get faster after I changed the beans? A new bag of coffee is a different input, so the flow rate can change even at the same grinder setting. Re-dial with one or two step corrections rather than assuming last week’s number still holds.

How many shots does it take to dial in? It varies with the grinder and the beans. On a grinder with fine, small steps, a few weighed shots are typical, as in the example above, but that is an illustration rather than a rule.

Can I use the same setting for every espresso machine? The setting belongs to the grinder, not the machine. A different machine can still change the ideal setting a little, because basket size, pressure behavior and pre-infusion affect flow, so treat a setting that worked on one machine as a starting point when you switch.

For the numbers behind what ends up in the cup, see our caffeine in a shot of espresso breakdown, and for a shot that tastes harsh once it is dialed in, why is my coffee bitter and why does my coffee taste sour cover the flavor side.

Written by Theo Marsh · Published 27 October 2026