Dialing In · Breville Barista Express Impress

The Impress does the tamping for you, so dialing in comes down to two dials: grind size (how fast the shot pulls) and grind amount (how much coffee lands in the basket). Get the dose right once, then chase the timer with grind size — same as any machine.

The recipe (keep these fixed)

• Dose (in): 18–19g of ground coffee (the double basket's sweet spot)
• Yield (out): ~36g of espresso in the cup — a 1:2 ratio
• Target time: 25–30 seconds, counted from the moment you press start
• Temperature / pressure: leave the defaults alone while dialing in

Once the dose is set, you only ever change one thing: the grind size dial.

What you need

• A scale that reads to 0.1g
• The machine's double-wall or single-wall double basket (single-wall once

you're dialing in properly)

• The Impress puck system (the built-in lever — that's your tamp)

Step 1 — Set the dose with grind amount

The Impress tells you if your dose is right, so let it coach you:

1. Lock the empty portafilter into the grinding cradle and press to grind.
2. Pull it out and run the Impress lever — it tamps with a consistent

press and a small polishing twist.

1. Read the dose indicator on the front. If the tamped puck sits below

the line, nudge the grind amount dial up; if it's over, dial it down.

1. Re-grind a fresh dose and re-check until it lands in range. Confirm on a

scale that you're at 18–19g — the indicator is a guide, the scale is truth.

Once the grind amount gives you a repeatable 18–19g, leave that dial alone. From here you only touch grind size.

Step 2 — Pull the shot

1. Grind & impress. Grind your dialed-in dose, run the Impress lever, and

flick off any grounds around the rim.

1. Lock in and set up. Cup on a scale under the group head, tare to zero.
2. Start the shot and a timer together. Press the 2-cup button and start

a timer at the same moment (or watch the machine's shot clock if enabled).

1. Stop at ~36g out. Note how many seconds that took.

Read the timer, fix the grind

This is the whole dial-in. Same dose in, same 36g out — just move the grind size dial:

• Under 25 sec — fast, pale, thin → too coarse → set the dial a number lower (finer)
• 25–30 sec — 👌 dialed in → nothing to do, enjoy it
• Over 30 sec — slow, drippy, dark → too fine → set the dial a number higher (coarser)

Move the grind size one setting at a time, pull again, re-check the time. Two or three shots usually gets you there. Coffee shifts day to day with freshness and humidity, so expect a small tweak — and a fresh bag always needs a full re-dial (start a touch coarser and work in).

Changing grind size mid-bag? Grind and discard a throwaway dose first — the chute still holds grounds at the old setting, and that stale mix will throw off your next shot.

Watch the pour

Your eyes catch problems before the timer does. Glance at the stream for the first few seconds:

• Like warm honey — thick, dark, slow, twisting — 👌 that's the look.
• Thin and watery, gushing fast? Too coarse → grind finer (dial down).
• Sputtering, dripping, or barely moving? Too fine → grind coarser (dial up).

Then taste it

Let it cool ~30s first, then:

• Sour / sharp / empty? Under-extracted → grind finer (slows the shot).
• Bitter / harsh / dry? Over-extracted → grind coarser (speeds it up).
• Balanced and sweet? You're done. Write down the grind size and

grind amount so you can return to it.

Trust your tongue. If the timer says 27s but it still tastes sour, grind finer anyway — and change only one thing at a time so you know what fixed it.

Quick reference

• 18–19g in → ~36g out → 25–30 sec
• Set the dose with grind amount first, then chase the timer with grind size
• Pour should look like warm honey — thick and slow
• Too fast → finer (dial down) · Too slow → coarser (dial up)
• Sour → finer · Bitter → coarser
• One change at a time · Purge a throwaway dose after changing grind size · New beans → re-dial