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How to dial in espresso: a beginner's routine
Updated
Dialing in means changing one thing, the grind, until a fixed dose gives you the right amount of espresso in the right time. Start with 18 grams of coffee in, about 36 grams of espresso out, in 25 to 30 seconds. If the shot runs fast and tastes sour, grind finer. If it runs slow and tastes bitter, grind coarser. Keep the dose the same while you do it.
What you need
- A burr grinder you can adjust in small steps. That means a built-in one, as on the Barista Express, or one of our separate grinder picks.
- The single wall basket. A pressurized basket hides grind changes, so dialing in with it does very little.
- A small scale that fits under your cup and reads to a tenth of a gram, and a timer. Your phone will do for the timer.
- Fresh beans. Use the same bag for the whole session.
The routine
- Weigh 18 grams of beans, or grind and weigh 18 grams of grounds into the basket.
- Level the grounds and tamp flat and firm. Do it the same way every time. A tilted tamp lets water rush down one side.
- Put the cup on the scale, zero it, and start the timer when you start the pump.
- Stop the shot at about 36 grams in the cup. Note the time.
- Under 25 seconds: go one or two steps finer. Over 30 seconds: go one or two steps coarser. Do not change the dose.
- Pull again. Expect it to take several shots on a new bag. Then taste, and adjust by one step if you want it sweeter or softer.
| What happened | What it means | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 36 g in 15 seconds, sour and thin | Water ran through too fast | Grind finer |
| 36 g in 40 seconds, bitter and harsh | Water was held back too long | Grind coarser |
| Barely drips, gauge pinned high | Choked | Grind a good deal coarser |
| 36 g in 25 to 30 seconds | In range | Taste it, then fine tune by one step |
How the machines here help
- The Breville Barista Express has a pressure gauge. A needle that stays low means too coarse. Caveat: the gauge is a hint. Your scale and timer are the real check.
- The Ninja Luxe Cafe Premier weighs the dose and suggests a grind setting, so it does much of this for you. Caveat: you learn less, and some owners report grinder trouble over time.
- The Breville Bambino has no gauge, so the scale and timer do all the work. Caveat: it needs a separate grinder.
Expect to pour out a few shots each time you open a new bag. Our cost calculator does not count those, so add a little for waste. If the taste is still off, read why espresso tastes sour or bitter.
Sources
We opened these pages on September 18, 2026.