A Common Mistake Could Break Your Breville Espresso Machine!

As the foundation of any exceptional coffee, the grind quality of your beans can significantly impact the final brew. The Breville Smart Grinder Pro offers users exceptional control over their grind settings. However, some users have encountered challenges in achieving the perfect grind, leading them to explore the grinder's internal adjustment capabilities. 

In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of adjusting the internal grind settings on Breville coffee grinder. While these internal adjustments can be a powerful tool, it is crucial to understand the proper use and caution required to avoid potential issues.

Note : I personally believe that setting the internal adjustment below 5 is unnecessary, especially when dealing with a new machine equipped with new burrs. However, if your machine has processed a significant amount of coffee, the burrs may have experienced slight wear, in which case you might find it beneficial to make finer adjustments. Of course, once you've had your machine for a couple of years, you might find that the burrs are worn slightly. And the idea is, at this point, you just adjust them finer to enable you to continue grinding as finely. So, this feature allows you to get the maximum life out of the burrs.

How the internal adjustment can be used, though, is that by taking them a notch finer from the factory preset six down to five, you take the grinder to its finest possible adjustment with new burrs. And this is the important point to make. If your burrs are new, you shouldn't be taking your internal grind settings any finer than five.

You can, but it's really pointless. The finest you can possibly adjust a grinder with the external grind adjustment is to the point that the burrs start to touch. If we call this the zero point, there's no way to go finer than this. And obviously, there'd be no benefit of having the burrs clashing.

The point of making a slight adjustment from six to five if you find you need to. However, the factory preset six actually leaves a small amount of room to go finer still before you reach that zero point. Not much, but a bit.

If you put it to five, the true zero point on the external setting now becomes one. You can find the zero point for yourself by running the grinder with no beans in the hopper and just keep going finer with the grind until you hear a slight change in the motor sound.

You'll hear the motor just start to labor slightly. Loosen the grind as soon as you hear that, meaning go coarser. But just note what the external setting is when you hear that. Obviously, with new burrs, there's no benefit in taking the internal grind set in any finer than five.

All you're going to do is move your zero point higher up the range. What I'd recommend is that you don't change your internal grind at all from the factory preset six until or unless you find that you're down to grind size one and you need to go slightly finer.

The Internal Grind Adjustment

The Breville grinder pro feature a clever internal adjustment mechanism, allowing users to fine-tune the grind settings beyond the standard external dial. 

This internal adjustment feature is primarily designed to accommodate burr wear over time. As the burrs gradually lose their sharpness, users can make minor adjustments to maintain the desired grind consistency. However, it is important to note that these internal adjustments should be approached with caution, especially when dealing with new, unworn burrs.

Proper Use of Internal Grind Adjustments

When using new burrs, it is generally recommended to avoid making significant internal adjustments. The factory preset of "6" on the internal adjustment scale is typically a good starting point, as it leaves room for further refinement as the burrs wear down.

If you find that the grinder is unable to achieve the desired fineness, even with the external dial set to the finest setting, a slight adjustment to the internal setting (e.g., from 6 to 5) may be warranted. However, it is crucial to understand that this adjustment will shift the "zero point" on the external dial, potentially causing confusion and requiring a re-calibration of your grind settings.

Steps of Making Internal Grind Adjustments:

Before making any adjustments, ensure that the grinder is turned off and unplugged for safety. The internal grind adjustment is accessed by removing the hopper and upper burr. Refer to the user manual or instructional videos for specific guidance on this process.

Once you have access to the adjustment ring, use the provided tool or a suitable implement to make small adjustments. Turn the ring clockwise for finer grinds.

After making adjustments, it's essential to test the grind size by grinding a small amount of coffee and assessing the results. Repeat the process until you achieve the desired grind size and consistency.

It is important to note that going beyond the recommended internal adjustment (e.g., setting it to 4 or lower) with new burrs is generally not necessary and may even be detrimental. Pushing the internal adjustment too far can lead to the burrs making direct contact, potentially causing damage to the grinder over time.

Troubleshooting and Best Practices

If you find that your grinder is still unable to achieve the desired fineness, even after adjusting the internal settings, it is essential to consider other factors, such as the compatibility of your beans with the grinder. Some coffee varieties may simply require a finer grind than the Breville grinder can provide, even with the internal adjustments.

In such cases, it is recommended to consult the manufacturer's guidelines, as well as online resources and community forums, to ensure you are utilizing the grinder to its full potential.

All in all, the Breville Smart Grinder Pro is renowned for its exceptional performance in the realm of coffee grinders, providing a diverse selection of grind settings and internal grind adjustment capabilities to refine your grind size and extend the grinder's lifespan. I trust that this article has addressed a challenge that some Breville Smart Grinder Pro users may have considered insurmountable. Here's to a delightful brewing experience ahead!