Are you unboxing your very first grinder and unsure of where to start? We’ve got your back! This article will cover everything you need to do get your espresso grinder ready for action.

Unboxing

There are quite a few options and different features you might have on your grinder. It might use a bin, a portafilter fork, or some other removable accessories, and it will of course have a bean hopper. It’s important to ensure that you don’t throw any of these components away. You’ll also want to be sure to locate the manual and keep it in a safe place. We know that often manuals are destined for the waste bin, but make sure you keep your grinder manual! It’ll help you get the most out of the unit, we promise.

Assembly

Next, you’ll want to wash the portafilter fork and hopper with some warm, soapy water, then carefully dry them. Once dry, you can add your portafilter fork or bin to the grinder. Most forks insert in a slot in the front of the machine, and some can be adjusted. Refer to your manual for further instructions.

Your hopper should seat easily on top of the grinder, and it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with any locking mechanisms or stoppers now before you put beans in it. Once everything is assembled it’s time to plug the grinder in.

Adding the Beans

If you have a stepless grinder adjustment (which is a dial that screws without clicking) you’ll want to turn the grinder on and carefully close the burrs with the adjuster until you hear a harsh chirping sound of the burrs touching. Do this slowly so that you don’t lock the grinder up. We do this to find the absolute finest setting the grinder can use. From there, note where you’re at on the dial and rotate the dial one full rotation backwards. This will help you to find a good starting point for dialing your grinder in. If you have a stepped grinder you can simply start at an espresso setting. Note that you should not adjust the grinder when it’s not running once you add the beans. This is because there will be beans sitting in between the burrs, and adjusting in this state with the grinder off can cause the motor to seize.

Once you have your starting point set you can add your beans and start dialing in!

Dialing In

Make sure you have a scale so that you can properly does the beans, then grind the amount needed for your shot (typically a 2:1 ratio of water to coffee beans is a good starting point). Once you have your grounds in your portafilter you’ll want to tamp and pull your first shot. You’re looking for an extraction time of 20-25 seconds.

If your shot tastes thin and sour, you should try making a minor adjustment to a finer setting and pulling a new shot. If the shot is bitter or too thick then you should adjust the setting to be a bit coarser. You can repeat this process until you have a delicious espresso shot!

If you find yourself getting frustrated we’d encourage you to take a look at this video for some dialing in tips.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Now that your grinder is dialed in we’d encourage you to take some time and learn about the maintenance of the grinder. While you should always follow the manufacturers guidelines here, there are some basics that apply to most espresso grinders.

Every month or so between bags of beans you’ll want to wipe down the hopper and run some cleaning tablets such as Grindz through the system. This will help to prevent oil buildup and keep your coffee tasting fresh. You’ll also want to take the burrs out every so often to clean them by hand. The frequency you should do this with will vary depending on usage, but we recommend doing so at least once a year.

With these tips and your manual in hand you should be ready to brew some incredible shots with your new grinder! Let us know how you are enjoying your gear in the comments and check out the video below for more thoughts from Jake on how to properly set up your grinder.