What V60 Grind Size is Best?

Hmmm… which V60 grind size is best for showstopping V60 coffee? Let’s find out!

Take me straight to the answer!

What is a V60?

The V60 coffee dripper is a filter coffee device from the Japanese brand Hario. It’s cleverly designed to bring you the best filter coffee: coffee that’s balanced, light and just brimming with flavour!

But it does look a bit… odd? What did you think when you took your first look at a Hario V60? That it’s a cup and saucer? Some sort of spinning top? You’re not alone.

However, friends, looks deceive. Because this cool coffee maker sports a nifty array of extraction features! Check ’em out!

• 60° Cone Shape = allows hot water to flow towards the centre and helps to ensure an even extraction
• Wave-Like Ridges on the Inside = the ridges stop the filter paper from sticking to the inside of the dripper, which would prevent the gases from escaping during the bloom. The pretty ridges make sure the air and water flow stay steady!
• Large Hole at the Bottom = your filter paper pokes through, meaning that extraction is not restricted by the dripper

The V60 is a pour over device. Pour over coffee makers (the Chemex is another) use the force of gravity to pull water through ground coffee sitting in a filter. This is different from pressure coffee makers like the espresso machine or AeroPress. With these, you apply pressure to force water through the coffee and create a more concentrated flavour.

Whistle-stop V60 tour over. Now let’s find out the best V60 grind size!

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What is the Best V60 Grind Size?

How should you grind coffee for a V60 pour over? Here it is… the Really Important Bit you’ve been waiting for…

For the best pour over coffee grind size, we recommend a medium consistency. On a coffee grinding chart, V60 grinds sit nicely between the coarse grinds you pop in a French Press and the finer, table salt-like grinds great in an AeroPress. If your V60 grinds resemble granulated sugar, then you’re on the right track!

Like numbers? Each particle will be about 0.75 mm in diameter. Don’t worry, though; we’re not expecting you to get your ruler out…

Coffee grinding isn’t set in stone. Grind size affects flavour, meaning you can change the grind size to alter the taste of the final cup. V60 coffee too weak? Try a slightly finer grind. If your water drips through too slowly or your end coffee tastes bitter, try a grind that’s a bit coarser.

V60 Grind Size: why does it matter?

Coffee grind size is key. Top-of-the-list kinda stuff.

Different sizes of grind suit different brewing methods. Espresso machines like grinds that are fine and powdery, while a French Press prefers rough sugar-like grounds. If you’ve been brewing for a while, you’ll know that the grind’s coarseness has a major impact on the final taste.

Well-ground coffee allows the water and coffee to steep together for the right amount of time. Because when it comes to your joe, over- and under-extraction are the stuff of 👻nightmares👻:

Over-extraction

Over-extraction comes about when whole beans have been ground too finely (there are other causes, but we’re just focusing on the grind size stuff here). Grind too finely for a particular device, and the individual particles of coffee fit together too snuggly. The water then struggles to find the gaps between these closely packed grounds and spends a lot of time trickling through. The result? Over-extracted coffee that tastes bitter.

Under-extraction

Scoot over to the other end of the spectrum, and you’ll find under-extracted coffee. This tastes sour and acidic and 100% urghh. Under-extracted coffee can be a thing if you grind too coarsely. Hot water finds the gaps quickly and trickles straight through, not leaving enough time for flavour extraction.

Fancy an analogy? Think about water running through pebbles in one bucket and sand in another. It takes a long time to run through the compact sand, right?

Chemex Grind Size

Fond of filter coffee? Love your V60 and fancy something the same… but different? Grab a Chemex!

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The V60 and Chemex are both pour over devices and can happily take the same grind size. So, medium-sized grinds similar to granulated sugar are a good Chemex grind size.

However, if you’re really into your Chemex brewing (we don’t blame you!), you might want to try a slightly coarser grind size than you use in your V60. This is because Chemex filter papers are 20% thicker than their V60 cousins. Water doesn’t flow so quickly through the densely woven Chemex filters, extending the brew time and leaving the coffee and water to steep together for longer.

And this, friends, is why your Chemex grind size can be a tad coarser. By creating more gaps for the water to trickle through, larger grinds speed up the brew time and help you avoid an over-extracted Chemex brew!

How do I Grind Coffee at Home?

Order coffee from Two Chimps, and we can grind the whole beans for you. It’s all done on the day of dispatch, too, so you don’t need to fret about freshness!

Fancy grinding at home? Go you! Give it a whirl! You’ll look super trendy.

If you’re investing in a coffee grinder for your kitchen, you’ll find a jolly array of blade and burr grinders on the shelf.

Burr grinder

Always go burr! Burr grinders feature two revolving burrs that crush your beans into equally-sized pieces. We all like equality, and here it’s key, because even particles give us an even (aka balanced and head-turningly delicious) extraction!

Blade grinder

A blade grinder, on the other hand, features one blade in the centre. It looks a bit like a propeller and chops the beans up into unevenly sized pieces. The fineness of the grounds also depends on the amount of time you spend grinding. This makes the grinder produce a lot of heat, which can give your beans a burnt taste.

Just want to dip your toe into grinding? Check out these alternative (and slightly less pricey) ways to grind coffee for your V60!

How to grind coffee without a grinder

How to Make Filter Coffee

You’ve got the grind size spot on (go you!). Now you want to know how to brew! Check out our step-by-step guide.

Want to know the ins and outs of your V60 dripper? Click below!

Everything you need to know is here!