Click numbers are grinder-specific and meaningless on their own. Microns travel better. Texture travels best. This chart puts all three in one place so you can move a recipe from one grinder to another without guessing.
The master table
| Grind | Microns | Texture | Brew methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra fine | 100 to 200 | Powdered sugar, clumps when pinched | Turkish, pressurised baskets |
| Fine | 200 to 300 | Fine sand, leaves dust on the skin | Espresso, Brikka |
| Medium-fine | 300 to 400 | Table salt | Moka pot, Aeropress, V60 |
| Medium | 400 to 600 | Coarse sand, feels gritty | Drip machine, Chemex, Kalita |
| Medium-coarse | 600 to 800 | Sea salt | Clever dripper, large batch pour-over |
| Coarse | 800 to 1100 | Kosher salt, distinct grains | French press, cupping |
| Extra coarse | 1100 to 1400 | Peppercorns | Cold brew, cowboy coffee |
These ranges overlap between grinders and burr types, so treat them as bands rather than exact values. A conical hand grinder at "medium" and a flat commercial burr at "medium" are often 100 microns apart.
Converting clicks to microns
The only reliable way is to know your grinder's microns per click. Common ones:
| Grinder | Per click | V60 start | Espresso start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comandante C40 | ~30 micron | 22 to 26 clicks | 8 to 12 clicks |
| 1Zpresso JX-Pro | ~12.5 micron | 55 to 65 | 20 to 30 |
| Baratza Encore | ~50 micron nominal | 15 to 18 | Not capable |
| Niche Zero | ~10 micron | 35 to 45 | 10 to 16 |
| DF64 with SSP burrs | ~8 micron | 45 to 55 | 12 to 20 |
Percentages are safer than absolute clicks. If your current V60 setting is 24 clicks and the cup is sour, go to 22, not to 20. One step at a time beats a dramatic jump every time.
Why the same number tastes different on a new grinder
- Particle distribution. A grinder does not produce one size, it produces a distribution. Two grinders with the same median can have wildly different fines content, and fines are what clog filters and create bitterness.
- Burr geometry. Flat burrs produce a narrower distribution with more uniform particles; conical burrs produce more fines and a wider spread. Flat tends to give clarity, conical tends to give body.
- Zero point calibration. Your zero is the grinder's zero, not the factory's. Calibrate at true chirp before using published click numbers.
The kitchen test, done properly
Texture descriptors only work if you actually compare. Put a pinch of ground coffee next to a pinch of table salt on a white plate. Not in your palm, not against a mental image, but side by side.
- If your coffee blends in and you cannot tell which is which, you are at medium-fine: pour-over and Aeropress territory.
- If the coffee feels clearly grittier, you are at medium: drip and Chemex.
- If you can pick out individual grains, you are at coarse: French press.
Adjusting to the brewer, not the chart
| Brewer | Target time | Too fast means |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso, 18 g in 36 g out | 25 to 32 s | Grind finer |
| V60, 250 ml | 2:30 to 3:00 | Grind finer |
| Aeropress, 200 g | Press in 20 to 30 s | Grind finer |
| French press, 500 ml | 4 min steep, 30 s press | Grind finer |
| Drip, 1 l | 5 to 7 min | Grind finer |
Time is the feedback signal. The chart gets you within range; the clock does the rest.