Guide · AeroPress
Grind size for an AeroPress: matching grind to steep time
AeroPress recommends a medium-fine grind, between filter and espresso. Here's why, how grind links to steep time and plunge resistance, and grinder settings to start from.
The usual grind size for AeroPress brewing is medium-fine: finer than the medium grind in most bags of filter coffee, but coarser than espresso. That’s AeroPress’s own advice, and it’s a starting point rather than a rule. The AeroPress is more forgiving than most brewers, because you can balance a finer or coarser grind against a shorter or longer steep. We haven’t tested this in person. This guide is based on AeroPress’s help pages and brewing instructions and Baratza’s AeroPress brew guide, all read on 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Grind size for AeroPress: the short answer
- Grinding your own: medium-fine. AeroPress puts it at 4 on a 1 to 5 scale, where 1 is cafetière (coarse), 3 is filter (medium) and 5 is espresso (fine).
- Using shop-bought ground coffee: that’s fine. AeroPress says most pre-ground coffee is a medium grind made for filter machines, and its own instructions simply give it a longer steep.
- Changing the steep: finer grinds suit shorter steeps, and coarser grinds need longer.
Who it isn’t for: anyone after true espresso. A finer grind won’t turn an AeroPress into an espresso machine. It just gets harder to press.
Why the AeroPress is so flexible
An AeroPress steeps coffee like a cafetière, then pushes it through paper like a filter. So grind size isn’t the only thing controlling strength and bitterness. Steep time, stirring and dose all count too.
AeroPress says a medium-fine grind is a good middle ground because it stops most of the water dripping through before you press, without making the press hard work. Its help page says a coarser grind can drip through up to twice as fast. A bit of drip-through is normal, though. AeroPress puts it at about 2 to 3% of the water before you stir and press.
Grind, steep time and plunge resistance
Grind and steep time
AeroPress’s standard recipe gives two versions:
- Shop-bought medium grind: steep for 60 seconds.
- Medium-fine coffee you’ve ground yourself: steep for 30 seconds.
The finer grind gives up its flavour faster, so it needs less time. In an AeroPress blog post on metal filters, the company also says a coarse grind needs a longer steep and suggests 2 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes for a sweeter cup.
Baratza’s AeroPress guide gives a simple taste rule. If the coffee tastes sharp or too bright, go slightly finer. If it tastes flat or papery, go coarser.
Grind and plunge resistance
If pressing feels like hard work, AeroPress says the usual causes are a grind that’s too fine, or a cheap or blunt grinder. Uneven grinders make dust-like fines that block the flow.
AeroPress’s fixes, in order:
- Press gently. Pushing hard packs the coffee into a tighter barrier. Try pressing half an inch, holding for about 5 seconds and letting the air pressure work, then repeating.
- Use a better grinder. AeroPress recommends a burr grinder rather than a blade grinder.
- Go coarser. Aim for a grind where only a little drips through before pressing and a slow, gentle press takes 20 to 40 seconds.
Too much drip-through
This is the opposite problem. AeroPress says to shake the coffee level and pour slowly first. If lots still runs through before you press, your grind is too coarse, so go finer.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants one number that works for every bean. Roast level and freshness change how a grind behaves, so expect to adjust.
Grinder settings to start from
Grinder dials aren’t standard. These are the makers’ own starting points:
- Baratza Encore: setting 12 on its 1 to 40 dial, per Baratza’s AeroPress brew guide and Encore manual.
- Baratza Encore ESP: 22. Baratza Virtuoso+: 12. Sette 30: 14.
- Blade grinders: AeroPress says about 30 seconds of continuous grinding gives roughly medium-fine. Expect a less even grind.
- Other burr grinders: start in the middle of the range, a little finer than your filter setting. Then adjust one step at a time.
Baratza’s recipe (18g of coffee, 270g of water at about 93°C, plunge at 1 minute 30 seconds) differs from AeroPress’s own, so pick one recipe and change only the grind while you dial in.
If you’re shopping for a grinder, John Lewis lists a range of coffee grinders. Our guides to the best manual coffee grinders and the best burr grinders under £100 compare the options.
Espresso-style AeroPress and the metal filter
For a small, strong, espresso-style shot, AeroPress suggests grinding finer, near espresso, with its stainless steel filter. The metal filter’s holes are 178 microns, so more of the fine particles and oils pass into the cup and give it more body. AeroPress warns that the fine grind adds a lot of resistance, so press slowly and steadily.
Where to go next
Our guide on how to use an AeroPress covers the full method, and the best coffee for AeroPress helps with beans. Brewing another way? See grind size for espresso, grind size for a cafetière and grind size for cold brew, or browse our coffee grinders.
FAQ
Can you use pre-ground coffee in an AeroPress? Yes. AeroPress’s instructions cover shop-bought medium-ground coffee, with a 60-second steep instead of 30.
Why is my AeroPress hard to press? Usually the grind is too fine or uneven. Press more gently, try a burr grinder, or go a little coarser.
What grind for an inverted AeroPress? People use the inverted method to steep longer, often with a coarser grind. AeroPress strongly discourages it, though, because it can tip over and cause burns.