Why 18g Doesn t Fit in Your Espresso Basket

So, you just got your new espresso machine, and you're trying to dial it in like everyone on the internet has told you. 18 grams of coffee, 36 grams of espresso out, in around 25 to 30 seconds. You weigh your coffee, grind it, and this happens. What gives? Luckily, you have done absolutely nothing wrong, and this is a super common first issue to run into. Why? Because espresso baskets don't fit a certain weight, they fit a certain volume. Let me explain. Espresso baskets are obviously a certain size, which is often depicted by a range of doses, typically for a standard basket between 16 to 20 grams. The reason for this range, and the reason that you just overflowed your basket on the first attempt, comes down to two variables. Grind size, and bean density. These two baskets both have 18 grams of the same coffee, but the one on the left is using a coarse grind size, and the one on the right is using a very fine grind size. The finer you grind, the more coffee you can fit into the same space. What this means is that if your grinder has never been dialed in before, and you're struggling to fit your desired dose, the first thing you can try is to adjust the grind size finer. However, as I'm sure some of you are immediately thinking, a dialed in shot of espresso has a very small range of grind sizes that will result in a nicely flowing shot. You can't just keep indefinitely grinding finer until you fit your desired dose, you'll choke the espresso machine. Which is why we need to talk about the beans themselves. Typically when people first get an espresso machine, they grab a bag of espresso roast from their local roaster, and depending on that roaster's style and preferences, that can be a very darkly roasted coffee. The problem with this, apart from the typically very bitter taste of coffee roasted that dark, is that the darker you roast, the less dense coffee becomes, meaning that to reach 18 grams, you need a lot of volume. To again give a visual, on the left we have 18 grams of a very dark roast, and on the right we have 18 grams of a lighter roast, both at this same grind setting. Broadly, the lighter the roast, the more dense the beans will remain. Growing altitude and origin also play a role in this. Now this doesn't mean that you need to go out and change the coffee you're buying just because you can't fit 18 grams in the basket, but it is an important factor to be aware of. If you want to still use that particular coffee, and you're at the right grind setting, you'll simply need to down dose to an amount that fits properly in your basket. Just remember to also adjust the brew ratio so that you aren't over extracting. Of course, the other option is to simply buy a larger basket, and this is also an opportunity to explore some more premium aftermarket options like these, the IMS Nanotech or the IMS Big Bang. I'll leave both of those linked down in the description below, just be sure to pick the right diameter for your machine, and of course your desired dose. Also be aware that if you want to use a particularly deep basket, you may also need to buy a bottomless portafilter in order to fit it. Typically, when I have people coming to me with this problem of overflowing, the issue is a combination of both. They are grinding too coarse, and using a very, very dark roast, leading to a basket that is absolutely overflowing with grounds. But now you know the nuances of dosing and how it's impacted by these two factors. If you enjoyed this video, please leave us a like, and even consider subscribing if you want to see some more like it in the future. Thanks for watching, and I will see you in the next one.