Pay Attention To Grind Size For Perfect At-Home Espresso

There are many factors that can affect the taste of your coffee. Things like the temperature of the water, whether you're using arabica or robusta beans, and even the color of your mug can influence how your coffee tastes. If you're making espresso at home, there's one very important thing to get right–the grind size.

The perfect at-home espresso starts with knowing what the grounds should look like. The answer: very fine. Espresso grounds should resemble powdered sugar, as the brewing process is very fast and a coarser grind will not allow the water to pass through the filter as it should.

We asked coffee expert Matt Woodburn-Simmons, former barista and co-founder of Home Coffee Expert, to weigh in on some of the mistakes people make when grinding coffee beans for espresso. "People don't grind finely enough to begin with," he said. Woodburn-Simmonds also strongly recommends checking the manual that comes with your grinder for the best results. "Everyone hates reading instructions," he concedes, "but it really is for the best this time. I start in the middle of the suggested range and then adjust from there."

Visually assessing the size of the grounds is just one way of telling if the coffee beans have been properly prepared for espresso. Another way is to pinch some between your thumb and index finger. If the grounds don't adhere to your fingers, it's too coarse and needs to be processed a little more. If all the coffee sticks to your fingers almost like a paste, the grind is too fine and you may want to start over. Perfectly ground espresso should adhere to your fingers but not to the point of caking.

Buying a burr coffee grinder may be a good investment if you're serious about coffee brewing. Burr grinders are far superior — albeit often much pricier — than blade grinders. Burr grinders give you better control over the consistency of the grounds and deliver a more precise result.

Once you've perfected making espresso at home, try using it to craft some unique concoctions. Espresso with lemonade or a silky, milky flat white all benefit from the addition of a perfectly brewed shot. And, of course, don't forget the ubiquitous espresso martini for when you're feeling fancy.