Coffee is freshest immediately after it is ground.  After grinding coffee beans, the volatile oils that were 

previously protected inside the bean are exposed to the air which oxidizes and stales the coffee. 

This effect occurs immediately after coffee grinding so it is important to tamp and extract the espresso as 

quickly as possible.  The coffee grinder should be activated for 15-20 seconds every time a shot is desired, 

so that only freshly ground coffee is used.  Instead of two pulls on the doser, the barista should pull several 

times until the entire basket is filled with ground coffee.   

Espresso coffee should be ground to a size in which the extraction process takes 23-28 seconds.  It is 

important to only adjust the grind and not the pressure one tamps with to control the flow rate.  In 

addition to particle size, the humidity plays a dramatic role on extraction time.  Since coffee is hydroscopic, 

it absorbs moisture from the air causing a tighter pack and longer extraction time.  Thus, the grind setting 

must be changed slightly throughout the day as the barista perceives changes in extraction time. 

Your Grinder 

Your grinder is the tool that produces small volumes of even-sized particles of coffee. 

To extract espresso properly it is essential to use an espresso burr grinder and to grind per order.  The two 

major types of burrs used are flat and conical.  Conical burr coffee grinders are desirable because they 

increase the surface area of each particle and the amount of flavor that can be extracted from the coffee. 

Since a conical burr grinder has longer cutting edges, the burrs can rotate at lower speeds, which reduces 

the heat created.   

Grinding Coffee 

As a guide, if your grind is at the correct level, if should ‘ball up’ in to clumps of ground coffee, referred to 

as snowballs. Grinders do vary and it’s important to check which direction on your grinder will make the 

grind finer and which will make it coarser. There are also factors that can influence your grind, such as 

humidity/moisture in the air and your grind will need continuous ‘tweaking’ to allow for these changes. 

It’s best to only make minor adjustments to your grind each time; until you are satisfied you have it right.  

With practice, you will know when you have the correct grind for the conditions.  And it makes perfect 

sense then, only to grind the coffee as you need it. 

Adjusting Your Grinder Settings 

In order to achieve finer or coarser grinding, the adjustment disk located under the hopper must be 

adjusted using the relevant handle. 

In order to increase the coarseness of the ground coffee, the disk must be rotated clockwise; to decrease 

the coarseness, turn the disk anticlockwise. 

The adjustment should be performed with the motor on, and preferably without any coffee between the 

grinding blades. 

Grind small amounts of coffee in order to determine the optimal degree of fineness. 

Before checking the fineness of the ground coffee, grind some coffee in to the dose and then dose out and 

discard. 

This operation must be done whenever the grinding setting has been changed, in order to empty the duct 

of the previous ground coffee setting. 

If your coffee is coming out of the espresso machine too quickly, it means the coffee is ground TOO 

COARSE.  Vice versa, if it is coming out too slowly, it means the coffee is ground TOO FINE.  

Nonetheless, bear in mind that there are many conditions liable to influence the correct grind, such as the 

atmospheric conditions (humidity, coldness), the tamping/compacting of the coffee in the basket, the 

espresso machine settings and the cleaning of the filters. 

Dosing Ground Coffee 

It’s really important that you dose the correct amount of coffee in to your basket.  Ensure you have 

sufficient ground coffee in the doser to ensure you deliver a full dose in to your basket with each full flick 

of the lever.   

Tamping Ground Coffee 

When you tamp the coffee, it’s really important that you do it with a firm, even pressure that will form a 

solid, flat surface in the basket.  If the coffee is not evenly packed in the basket, this will result in a bad 

extraction and ultimately, a bad cup of coffee!