5 types of ground coffee (Best types of ground coffee you should give a try + More information)

If you are new to the coffee space, maximize your coffee-making and drinking experience by knowing the different types of ground coffee. Here is a guide on the types of ground coffee you should try.

I remember taking my time to get into coffee because it seemed there was so much to learn, but a college friend advised me to learn the basics first – and in my case, that meant learning different types of ground coffee and where they could be useful. I appreciated her advice because it helped me enjoy my coffee much more, and I eventually worked as a barista in a small coffee cafe for a few years. I write this article to impart the same knowledge on you, so read on.

What is the most popular type of coffee grounds?

It is difficult to say which coffee ground is the most popular since different coffee drinks will do well with different coffee grounds. In terms of the most used grounds, however, medium ground coffees are the most used because they fit the designs of most coffee makers and work well in multiple drinks – except those that need fine and extra-fine ground coffee.

What are the main types of grind for ground coffee?

There are three main types of coffee grounds: fine, medium, and coarse. When considering their hybrid forms, there are five coffee grounds types: extra-fine, fine, medium-fine, medium, and coarse.

Each coffee grind type works better in certain coffee drinks compared to others, so the type of brew you want will determine what grind you choose.

What ground coffee should I use for my coffee maker?

Depending on the coffee maker you use, different coffee grinds will work for different situations:

Below is a Summary of different coffee grounds and the coffee makers they work best in.

Grind type and its appearance	Particle sizes (in mm)	The coffee maker it works best in
Coarse (looks like coarse sea salt)	1mm	French press, cold brews, percolators
Medium (looks like beach sand)	0.5 to 0.75mm	Drip coffee maker, Chemex, pour-over
Medium-fine (looks like table salt)	0.5mm	Aeropress, Moka pot, pour-over cones, stovetop espresso, siphon brewers
Fine (looks like finely granulated sugar)	0.3mm	Espresso machine
Extra-fine (looks like flour)	0.1mm	Turkish coffee

How we chose the best types of coffee grounds

The hallmark of choosing coffee grounds is their quality, and every coffee enthusiast will tell you that whole-bean coffee is the epitome of quality because of its flavor range. When choosing the best coffee grounds, we considered the machines we used them in, the brewing time, and the drinks we made them in.

• Machines we used them in: Among the biggest lessons we learned in our research is that different coffee grounds suit different machines. The coarser the beans are, for instance, the more suited they are to French presses, percolators, and cold brewing machines because these do not allow the beans to pass to the brew during the filtration process.
• Brewing time: The brewing process you want will depend on the kind of coffee drinks you enjoy, but the rule is that coarser beans work for longer brewing times, while finer beans work for shorter brewing times. We discovered that due to the coffee extraction process; finer beans have a larger surface area that allows water to extract the coffee flavors in a shorter time compared to coarser grounds.
• Drink products: This ties in with the brewing time, as the different grounds will be suited to different drinks. Medium grounds are the most versatile due to their wide application in different drinks, while espresso-based drinks like espressos and cappuccinos use fine-ground coffee. Cold brews use coarse-ground coffee due to the long brewing time.

You can, therefore, trust our list, as we have done extensive research to give you accurate information.

5 types of coffee grounds

Knowing the different coffee grounds available will help you maximize what you have, choose the optimum method for extracting the bean’s caffeine content, and ultimately create a cup of coffee you enjoy. If you have a coffee grinder, you have a better chance of learning the grinds you love since it allows you to experiment with different options and brewing styles.

The types of coffee grounds are:

Coarse grind

Coarse ground coffees do not go through extensive grinding, which leaves the coffee beans in their large sizes. This means that when you put them in a brewer, water will surround their exterior and extract their caffeine and flavors slowly as it moves toward their center.

This means that the extraction process is slow, so an immersion brewing method will work best, since you will need to steep them in water for some hours before you filter them. Therefore, the best brewing methods for them are the French Press and the cold brew.

The size is dependent on the grinding extent. Extra-coarse grinds use the biggest grinder setting, resulting in a very rough texture, while coarse grinds look similar to coarse sea salt.

Additional brewing methods that coarse and extra-coarse coffee can work in are Chemex (because it is a specialty maker) and percolator methods (for general brewing that brings out a stronger flavor). These allow for as much extraction of the caffeine and coffee flavors as possible for a long time without resulting in a bitter-tasting coffee brew.

Medium grind

This is the grind size you commonly find in pre-ground beans due to its versatility in most coffee makers. It has a texture and appearance that is similar to smooth sand.

Due to its size, it is ideal to use in flat-bottom drip coffee brewers, cone-shaped pour-over brewers, and siphon brewers. Another method that works well for it is the Aeropress, especially if you allow it to brew for several minutes. When straining the coffee brew from the beans, you will need the brew to pass through the filter easily without the risk of clogging the device, which can happen if you use fine-ground or coarse-ground coffee.

Additionally, if you use a drip coffee method, medium-grind coffee allows you to achieve the best results from quick brewing.

Medium-fine grind

Medium-fine grind. Image source: Freepik

This takes the medium grind and processes it slightly longer for smaller bits of the beans. Therefore, using it in a siphon or drip coffee maker is difficult because of the higher risk of clogging – but it works well for pour-over coffee, especially the cone-shaped version.

This is because the cone shape allows the brew to pass smoothly while blocking out the pieces of the coffee grind and achieving optimal flavor and texture.

Fine grind

Fine grind. Image source: Freepik

With the consistency of granulated sugar, finely ground coffee has very small particles – therefore, it will work if you want a short brewing time. Its texture works best for espresso, whether you brew it on a stovetop or an espresso machine.

Additionally, espresso has a strong flavor, so the grind should be fine to speed up the extraction process. The resulting coffee drink is quite sensitive as well, so it is essential to choose the correct type of coffee grind.

Extra-fine grind

This is finely ground coffee that has gone through a long grinding process, so it has the smallest particles that measure only 0.1mm in diameter and looks like flour. Therefore, it will only work for Turkish coffee because this brewing style requires the brew to have some bits of the coffee grind.

Informative Section

Which coffee ground makes smooth coffee?

Your choice of coffee grounds will depend on what drink you want to make. For instance, coarse grinds are the best if you want to make a smooth cold brew, while Moka pots will do best with medium to finely ground coffee.

What coffee grounds should I use for an espresso?

Espressos will do best with finely ground coffee, whose particles are in sizes of around 0.3mm. If you are using a drip coffee maker or pour-over to make the espresso, you should use medium or medium-fine coffee grinds (which are around 0.5 to 0.75mm in size).

What grind gives stronger coffee?

The strength of the coffee will depend on the bean’s acidity, roast, and type of bean, but the general rule is that finer grinds will result in a stronger cup.

What is the most common coffee grind?

Medium grinds are the most common because of their wide compatibility with most standard coffee machines.

What grind of coffee has the most caffeine?

Regarding the grind, finely ground coffee has the highest levels of caffeine.