Dialing Espresso Using Hand Grinder

 Hand Grinder cannot grind too finely. The cheapest and yet more consistent and lasting is the Hario Skerton clone.

Hario Skerton Clone Hand Grinder

It's burr is mounted using steel instead of plastics.

The smaller hand grinders cost the same but mounted using plastics. The burr is wobbly so the grind size is not consistent. Cannot do heavy duty because the plastics can become deformed so will not hold the burr for grinding any more.

Small Hand Grinders Burr Mounts

We can strength the plastic mounts by melting fine washing iron mesh inti the plastics but would require extra effort and may damage the plastic parts.

The problem with these hand grinders is that their finest setting is still too coarse for espresso, especially for non-pressurised basket, especially for small doses.

The smaller the dose, the finer the grain size which should taste better, but can create more channelling. Channelling is eliminated in the 51mm basket of the Dessini CM-14 Espresso machine.

In one attempt, at minimum setting of the Skerton clone, 10 g dose in a non-pressurised basket, produces 20 g output in 20 s, using the one-shot button. It tastes too sour which means it is under extracted. I need to make it coarser so the grinder can handle this dose. We can reduce the dose lower to 8 g to use the finer grain size for maximum taste.

8 g is the maximum dose of the double walled pressurised basket with the puck screen installed. 8 g is too little for me, so may need to use higher dose provided by the non-pressurised single wall basket.

I should be able to increase the dosage to 12 g even with the puck screen. The grind size need to be even coarser but this is not a problem for the grinder.

The result is 35 g output at the same time using 10 g dose, one step courser grind size. I need to grind finer but this grinder cannot do it. I need to increase its dose to 12 g.