Finding the perfect grind size for your particular brewer and technique doesn’t have to be frustrating, though it may take a brew or two of trial and error. Here’s how you can adjust the Lume Grinder’s grind setting to make this process of “dialing in” fast and easy.
- Ensure that the grinder is ‘locked’
- Remove the cup that attaches the grounds
- Spin the grind setting adjuster to change the setting
To coarsen the grind, spin the grind adjuster counterclockwise. This will increase the distance between the burrs to allow the coffee grounds to come out larger.
To fine the grind, spin the grinder adjuster clockwise. This reduces the space between the burrs to cause the grounds to come out smaller.
We suggest making small grind size adjustments—45 degrees is enough to make noticeable changes. The Lume Grinder also allows you to see the distance between the burrs to indicate about what size the grind is set to.
- Fine — 0-0.5 mm
- Medium — 0.5-1.2 mm
- Coarse — 1.2-2.0 mm
You can see common pairings of grind sizes and coffee brewers here.
Dialing In With The Lume Grinder
Of course, the best way to dial in your coffee’s flavor is to actually taste the brew. Here’s an example of how that may look with a french press.
You grind coffee at a coarse setting for a cup of french press, brew it for four minutes, and pour yourself a cup. You notice the coffee has a slight bitterness to it. It doesn’t seem to have much flavor either. You realize you over-extracted the coffee, and next time, you need to extract less.
You know that, in order to extract less, you need to slow down the extraction rate. One way to do that is by using a coarser grind setting. You take your Lume, move the grinder adjuster 45 degrees counterclockwise, and brew another four-minute french press. This second cup has a balanced acidity, a gentle sweetness, and a lot of flavor.
LUME Grinder - How to adjust ground size from LUME Design on Vimeo.