How Many Grams of Coffee for Espresso? Dose by Basket Size, Not by Habit

You'll see 18 g in a lot of home recipes, including Breville's. That's a fine place to begin. It isn't a rule, though, and the better question is what your basket is built to hold. A basket that's overfilled or underfilled makes every later step harder, whatever a chart says.

The numbers, and who says them

Two things stand out. Breville's numbers aren't one number. They follow the basket, and its guide says the ideal amount depends on your portafilter size and even the roast date. And Italy's figure belongs to a different drink: 7 g, 25 ml ± 2.5 in the cup including the froth, in 25 seconds ± 5. Our short version of the recipe question is this: “A good first recipe, not a standard. Italy's certified espresso is 7 g to 25 ml.” The espresso ratio page takes that further.

How to find your own dose

We can't give you a number for every basket, because many makers don't publish one. Gaggia's and Rancilio's manuals, for example, don't give grams in the sections we read. So here's a way that works without a chart:

1. Look it up

   Check the manual, or the basket itself. A number stamped on an aftermarket basket is the seller's rating, so take it as a starting point.

2. Grind and weigh

   Grind into a dry basket on a scale that reads to 0.1 g. Use the maker's number, or the middle of its range.

3. Check the headroom

   Tamp and look. On a Breville, the top edge of the tamper's metal cap should sit level with the top of the basket after tamping. That check belongs to Breville's tamper, so it won't transfer to every machine.

4. Pull and taste

   Stop by weight, and taste. If the dose is right for the basket, what's left is a grind question.

5. Keep it

   Write the dose down and leave it alone while you adjust the grind.

It looks like too much. It usually isn't.

Breville notes that untamped coffee takes up about three times the volume of tamped coffee, so a correct dose heaps up in the basket. Clumps exaggerate that too. Judge by weight, then settle and level it. Puck prep covers what happens next.

Read about puck prep

Single vs double: what actually changes

The shot names come from the cup more than the basket. Breville's guide offers a single at 1 ounce and a double at 2 ounces as a reference. Its Barista Express book says to use the 1 Cup basket for a single cup, and the 2 Cup basket for two cups or a stronger single cup or mug.

The catch is that the two baskets don't behave alike. Breville's book says you'll need to adjust the grind amount and size when you switch between them. So if you've dialed in a double and fancy a single, expect to start over. That's a good reason to pick one basket and stick with it. If you want to go further into basket shapes and ratings, see espresso baskets.

Why scoops don't work

Here's the clearest argument for a scale, and it comes from a manufacturer. Breville's Barista Express book says the 2 Cup basket takes about 3 level scoops of pre-ground coffee, and about 4 of fresh, fine-ground coffee. Pre-ground is often coarser and takes up more room, the book explains. Same basket, same scoop, and a different count.

So a scoop measures volume, and your basket cares about mass. A grinder with a timer has a similar limit, because seconds aren't grams either. If you've got a timed grinder like the Breville Smart Grinder Pro, weigh what comes out when you set it, and weigh again when you change beans. Our espresso scale comparison shows what to look for.

What a wrong dose looks like

Breville's Barista Express table connects dose and flow in both directions:

If it still misbehaves with the dose inside the range, go to dialing in espresso and move the grind. If nothing helps, the Barista Express problem list covers the machine side.

Fix the dose first. Then the only thing that moves is what lands in the glass.

Dose sets the yield

Once your dose is settled, the yield follows. Breville's starting ratio is 1:2. It also gives 1:1 for a ristretto and 1:3 for a lungo. Enter your dose here and read what to aim for:

Coffee and taste decide from there. Breville adds that shots can taste good anywhere from about 20 to 40 seconds, so let the cup have the last word. For the rest of the setup, go back to our start page.