Complete Breville Barista Pro Grind Settings Guide (1-16)
Each Breville Barista Pro grind setting number corresponds to specific particle size measured in microns. Settings 1-11 produce espresso-range grind; settings 12-16 produce coarse grind for alternative brewing methods.
Breville Barista Pro Setting 1
Finest Espresso
Best For: Very fine espresso, Turkish coffee preparation
Extraction Time: 35-45 seconds (may choke machine)
Breville Barista Pro setting 1 produces the finest grind suitable for Turkish coffee or very oily dark roasts requiring maximum resistance
⚠️ Setting 1 may completely choke the Breville Barista Pro pump; use only with specific dark roasts and pressurized baskets
Breville Barista Pro Setting 2
Ultra-Fine Espresso
Best For: Dark roast espresso, very fresh beans with high CO2
Extraction Time: 30-40 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 2 works for extremely oily dark roasts where standard espresso settings flow too quickly
⚠️ Setting 2 often too fine for medium roasts; monitor extraction carefully
Breville Barista Pro Setting 3
Very Fine Espresso
Best For: Dark roast espresso, single origin beans requiring fine grinding
Extraction Time: 28-35 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 3 suits dark roasted single origins and beans older than 3 weeks that require finer grinding
⚠️ Setting 3 may still choke with light roasts; start here for dark roasts only
Breville Barista Pro Setting 4
Fine Espresso
Best For: Standard dark roast espresso, older beans (3+ weeks)
Extraction Time: 26-32 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 4 is the recommended starting point for dark roasted espresso beans in the 2-4 week freshness window
⚠️ Setting 4 produces slow extraction with light roasts; adjust coarser for medium-light beans
Breville Barista Pro Setting 5
Fine-Medium Espresso
Best For: Medium-dark roast espresso, standard espresso preparation
Extraction Time: 25-30 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 5 works well for most medium-dark roast espresso blends at peak freshness (1-3 weeks post-roast)
⚠️ Setting 5 may extract quickly with very fresh light roasts
Breville Barista Pro Setting 6
Medium-Fine Espresso
Best For: Medium roast espresso, versatile starting point
Extraction Time: 24-28 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 6 serves as an alternative starting point for medium roast espresso beans, offering slightly faster flow than setting 5
⚠️ Setting 6 produces fast extraction with dark roasts; pair with higher dose
Breville Barista Pro Setting 7
Standard Espresso
Best For: Medium roast espresso, fresh beans (1-2 weeks)
Extraction Time: 23-27 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 7 is the recommended starting point for medium roast espresso beans at optimal freshness
⚠️ Setting 7 may run fast with beans older than 3 weeks
Breville Barista Pro Setting 8
Medium Espresso (Default)
Best For: Medium roast espresso, universal starting point
Extraction Time: 22-26 seconds (target: 25s)
Breville Barista Pro setting 8 is the factory default and recommended universal starting point for dialing in espresso; adjust finer (1-7) or coarser (9-16) based on extraction results
⚠️ Setting 8 requires adjustment based on bean age and roast level; not a one-size-fits-all solution
Breville Barista Pro Setting 9
Medium-Coarse Espresso
Best For: Light-medium roast espresso, very fresh beans
Extraction Time: 20-24 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 9 suits light-medium roasts with high density that resist water flow even at coarser settings
⚠️ Setting 9 may produce under-extracted sour shots with dark roasts
Breville Barista Pro Setting 10
Coarse Espresso
Best For: Light roast espresso, extremely fresh beans (1 week)
Extraction Time: 18-22 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 10 works for very light roasted specialty coffee with high acidity that requires faster extraction
⚠️ Setting 10 typically too coarse for standard espresso; monitor for under-extraction
Breville Barista Pro Setting 11
Very Coarse Espresso
Best For: Light roast espresso borderline, Moka pot preparation
Extraction Time: 15-20 seconds
Breville Barista Pro setting 11 borders on too coarse for espresso; suitable for Moka pot coffee preparation using the machine's grind-by-weight feature
⚠️ Setting 11 produces under-extracted espresso; not recommended for standard espresso shots
Breville Barista Pro Setting 12
Fine Drip/Moka
Best For: Moka pot, AeroPress (fine side), pour-over borderline
Extraction Time: N/A (not for espresso)
Breville Barista Pro setting 12 produces grind suitable for Moka pot stovetop espresso makers and fine-side AeroPress brewing
⚠️ Setting 12 too coarse for espresso machine portafilters; use for alternative brewing methods only
Breville Barista Pro Setting 13
Medium Drip
Best For: Drip coffee makers, AeroPress (medium), pour-over (fine)
Extraction Time: N/A (not for espresso)
Breville Barista Pro setting 13 suits automatic drip coffee machines and medium-fine pour-over methods like Hario V60
⚠️ Setting 13 exclusively for non-espresso brewing methods
Breville Barista Pro Setting 14
Medium-Coarse Drip
Best For: Pour-over (medium), Chemex (fine side)
Extraction Time: N/A (not for espresso)
Breville Barista Pro setting 14 produces medium-coarse grind ideal for Chemex and standard pour-over brewing
⚠️ Setting 14 exclusively for pour-over and drip coffee preparation
Breville Barista Pro Setting 15
Coarse
Best For: French press (fine side), cold brew (fine side), Chemex
Extraction Time: N/A (not for espresso)
Breville Barista Pro setting 15 suits French press coffee preparation and fine-side cold brew grinding
⚠️ Setting 15 exclusively for immersion and cold brewing methods
Breville Barista Pro Setting 16
Coarsest
Best For: French press, cold brew, cupping
Extraction Time: N/A (not for espresso)
Breville Barista Pro setting 16 produces the coarsest grind suitable for French press plunger coffee and cold brew immersion
⚠️ Setting 16 exclusively for coarse brewing methods; never use for espresso extraction
Particle Size Reference by Grind Setting Number
| Particle Size (microns) | Breville Settings | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 200-400 microns | Settings 1-4 | Ultra-fine to fine espresso |
| 400-600 microns | Settings 5-8 | Fine to medium espresso |
| 600-800 microns | Settings 9-11 | Medium-coarse espresso to Moka |
| 800-1200 microns | Settings 12-14 | Medium drip to pour-over |
| 1200-1600 microns | Settings 15-16 | Coarse French press and cold brew |
How to Dial In Breville Barista Pro Grind Settings
1. Start at Breville Barista Pro Grind Setting 8
Why: Breville Barista Pro grind setting 8 represents the factory default middle position providing baseline particle size of 550-600 microns
Adjustment: If extraction completes in under 20 seconds, adjust to setting 7 (finer); if extraction exceeds 30 seconds, adjust to setting 9 (coarser)
2. Pull Test Shot and Time Extraction
Why: Breville Barista Pro shots should extract 18-20g of espresso from 18g dose in 25-30 seconds for optimal flavor balance
Adjustment: Time the shot from pump activation to target 36-40g output; faster extraction requires finer grind setting
3. Evaluate Extraction Flow Rate
Why: Breville Barista Pro espresso should extract as steady stream resembling warm honey; gushing flow indicates too-coarse grind, slow dripping indicates too-fine grind
Adjustment: Adjust Breville Barista Pro grind setting by 1 number at a time; finer settings (lower numbers) slow extraction, coarser settings (higher numbers) speed extraction
4. Taste and Assess Flavor Balance
Why: Sour taste indicates under-extraction requiring finer Breville Barista Pro grind setting; bitter taste indicates over-extraction requiring coarser setting
Adjustment: Adjust grind setting by 1 number toward finer (sour) or coarser (bitter); re-test with fresh beans
5. Document Optimal Setting for Bean
Why: Different coffee beans require different Breville Barista Pro grind settings based on roast level, origin, and freshness
Adjustment: Record optimal grind setting number (1-16), dose weight, and extraction time for each coffee bean type
Breville Barista Pro Grind Settings by Bean Type
Light Roast Single Origin
Breville Barista Pro setting 9-10Roast Profile: Light brown, no oil, high acidity
Particle Size: 600-700 microns
Target Extraction: 22-26 seconds for 36g output
Light roast beans are dense and resist water flow; Breville Barista Pro settings 9-10 provide coarser grind compensating for bean density while maintaining extraction pressure
Medium Roast Blend
Breville Barista Pro setting 7-8Roast Profile: Medium brown, no surface oil, balanced
Particle Size: 500-600 microns
Target Extraction: 24-28 seconds for 36-40g output
Medium roast espresso blends work best with Breville Barista Pro settings 7-8 providing standard espresso particle size for balanced extraction
Dark Roast Espresso
Breville Barista Pro setting 4-6Roast Profile: Dark brown, surface oil visible, low acidity
Particle Size: 400-500 microns
Target Extraction: 26-30 seconds for 36g output
Dark roast beans extract quickly due to bean structure breakdown; Breville Barista Pro settings 4-6 provide finer grind slowing extraction and preventing over-extraction bitterness
Fresh Roast (1-2 weeks post-roast)
Breville Barista Pro setting 8-9Roast Profile: High CO2 content, blooming active
Particle Size: 550-650 microns
Target Extraction: 23-27 seconds for 36g output
Very fresh beans contain CO2 causing resistance; Breville Barista Pro settings 8-9 provide slightly coarser grind allowing CO2 escape during pre-infusion
Aged Beans (3-4+ weeks post-roast)
Breville Barista Pro setting 5-7Roast Profile: Degassed, less aromatic oils
Particle Size: 450-550 microns
Target Extraction: 25-29 seconds for 36g output
Older beans extract faster due to CO2 loss; Breville Barista Pro settings 5-7 provide finer grind compensating for reduced extraction resistance
Breville Barista Pro Grind Setting Troubleshooting
❌ Espresso shot extracts faster than 20 seconds (gushing)
Cause: Breville Barista Pro grind setting too coarse for bean type
Solution: Decrease Breville Barista Pro grind setting by 1-2 numbers (finer direction); for example, change from setting 9 to setting 7
❌ Espresso shot extracts slower than 35 seconds (dripping)
Cause: Breville Barista Pro grind setting too fine, choking machine
Solution: Increase Breville Barista Pro grind setting by 1-2 numbers (coarser direction); for example, change from setting 4 to setting 6
❌ No espresso output (machine choked)
Cause: Breville Barista Pro grind setting 1-3 too fine for bean
Solution: Immediately increase to Breville Barista Pro setting 8; gradually adjust finer only if extraction exceeds 30 seconds
❌ Espresso tastes sour and under-developed
Cause: Under-extraction from too-coarse Breville Barista Pro grind setting
Solution: Decrease grind setting number by 1; finer grind increases extraction and reduces sourness
❌ Espresso tastes bitter and harsh
Cause: Over-extraction from too-fine Breville Barista Pro grind setting
Solution: Increase grind setting number by 1; coarser grind decreases extraction time and reduces bitterness
❌ Inconsistent shots with same setting
Cause: Retention in Breville Barista Pro grinder chute causing mix of old and new grind
Solution: Purge 2-3 seconds of grind before dosing; clean grinder chute weekly to remove retained grounds
