Baratza Encore French Press Settings: A Complete Guide
The Baratza Encore handles French press grinding well, and the best setting for most people is between 28 and 32 on the dial. I've been using my Encore for French press almost daily, and after experimenting across the full range, I've settled on 30 as my go-to. But that number can shift depending on your beans, steep time, and how you like your coffee.
French press requires a coarser grind than most other brew methods because the metal mesh filter doesn't catch fine particles the way a paper filter does. Grind too fine, and you'll end up with a muddy, gritty cup. Grind too coarse, and the coffee tastes thin and weak. The Encore gives you enough adjustment range to find that sweet spot, and I'll share exactly how to get there. If you're shopping for grinders and want to compare the Encore against other options, check out our best coffee grinder roundup.
Understanding the Encore's Grind Range for French Press
The Baratza Encore has 40 grind settings, numbered 1 (finest) to 40 (coarsest). For French press, you're working in the upper third of that range.
The Sweet Spot: Settings 28-32
For a standard French press recipe (coarse grind, 4-minute steep, 200°F water), settings 28 through 32 cover the ideal range. Here's how they break down:
- Setting 28: Medium-coarse. Good if you like a slightly stronger, more extracted cup. Works well with lighter roasts that need more extraction.
- Setting 30: Coarse. This is my default. Produces grounds roughly the size of coarse sea salt. Balanced extraction with a clean-ish cup.
- Setting 32: Very coarse. Best for dark roasts or if you prefer a lighter-bodied cup. Also good if you steep longer than 4 minutes.
Why Not Go Coarser?
Settings above 34 produce grounds that are too coarse for proper extraction. The water passes through without pulling enough flavor, and you end up with a cup that tastes like slightly brown water. I tried setting 38 once out of curiosity, and the coffee tasted like nothing. Don't bother going past 34.
Why Not Go Finer?
Settings below 26 produce too many fine particles for a French press. Those fines slip through the mesh filter and end up as sludge at the bottom of your cup. They also over-extract during the steep, adding bitterness. If you find yourself wanting to grind finer than 28, you might actually prefer a pour over or AeroPress method instead.
How to Dial In Your French Press Grind
Finding the right setting is simple if you approach it methodically.
Start with Setting 30
Brew a cup using your normal recipe. I use 30 grams of coffee to 500ml of water, steeped for 4 minutes. Taste the result.
Read the Cup
Your coffee is telling you what to adjust:
- Bitter, heavy, or muddy: Your grind is too fine. Go 2 clicks coarser (toward 32). If you also see a thick layer of sludge at the bottom of your mug, that's another sign of too-fine grinding.
- Sour, thin, or watery: Your grind is too coarse. Go 2 clicks finer (toward 28). Under-extracted French press coffee often has a tea-like body that feels unsatisfying.
- Balanced, smooth, full-bodied: You found it. Write that number down.
Consider Your Variables
The "right" setting changes based on other factors:
- Bean freshness: Fresh beans (1-3 weeks off roast) extract more readily. You might want a slightly coarser grind. Old beans need a finer grind to pull more flavor.
- Roast level: Dark roasts are more soluble and extract faster. Use a coarser setting (31-33). Light roasts are denser and need a finer setting (27-29) or longer steep.
- Water temperature: Hotter water extracts more. If you're using boiling water straight from the kettle, grind a touch coarser. If your water cools to 195°F before pouring, you can grind a bit finer.
- Steep time: The standard is 4 minutes. If you like steeping for 5-6 minutes (I sometimes do this with light roasts), go 2-3 clicks coarser to avoid over-extraction.
The Fines Problem: Managing Sludge
The Encore produces some fine particles at every setting. This is the reality of a $150 burr grinder. For French press, those fines are more noticeable because nothing catches them before they reach your cup.
How to Reduce Fines
A few techniques help minimize the sludge issue:
- Don't press the plunger all the way down. Stop about a centimeter above the grounds. Pushing through the grounds bed stirs up settled fines and forces them through the filter.
- Pour slowly. When transferring coffee to your mug, pour gently and stop before the last ounce. The fines concentrate at the bottom of the French press carafe.
- Let it settle. After plunging, wait 30 seconds before pouring. This gives suspended fines time to drop.
- Try the James Hoffmann method. Instead of plunging at 4 minutes, remove the lid, skim off the floating crust with a spoon, then wait another 5-8 minutes. Place the plunger just below the surface without pushing down. Pour gently. This produces the cleanest French press cup I've ever had from the Encore.
The Sieve Trick
Some people use a fine mesh tea strainer when pouring from the French press into their mug. It catches stray fines without affecting flavor. I did this for a while, but the Hoffmann method made it unnecessary for me.
Cleaning Your Encore for French Press Use
Grinding coarse leaves behind different residue than grinding fine. Here's what I do to keep my Encore performing well for French press.
Weekly Maintenance
Remove the hopper and upper burr once a week. Brush out accumulated ground coffee with the included brush or a stiff pastry brush. Pay attention to the chute area where grounds exit, as larger particles can get stuck there at coarse settings.
Monthly Calibration Check
The Encore's burrs can shift slightly over time, especially if the grinder gets bumped or moved frequently. Once a month, I check that my setting 30 is still producing the same coarseness by comparing a small sample against a reference (I keep a photo on my phone of what my ideal grind looks like).
Burr Replacement
Baratza recommends replacing the burrs every 500-800 pounds of coffee. For most home users, that's every 2-3 years. When burrs dull, they produce more fines, which you'll notice in your French press before you notice it in paper-filtered methods. Replacement burrs are about $35 from Baratza.
Encore vs. Other Grinders for French Press
The Encore is a solid French press grinder, but it's worth knowing where it sits in the broader picture.
Encore vs. Encore ESP
The ESP model has improved burrs that produce fewer fines. For French press specifically, this is meaningful since fewer fines means less sludge. If you're buying new and French press is your main method, the ESP is worth the small price premium.
Encore vs. Manual Grinders
A good manual grinder in the $100+ range (like the 1Zpresso JX or Timemore C3) will produce fewer fines at coarse settings than the Encore. But you're trading consistency for convenience. Hand-grinding 30+ grams for French press every morning gets tiring, especially before your first cup of coffee.
For more options, our top coffee grinder roundup includes picks specifically tested for French press performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make cold brew with the Baratza Encore?
Yes. Use setting 34-38 for cold brew. Cold brew uses an extremely coarse grind and steeps for 12-24 hours, so you want the coarsest setting that still produces uniform particles. The Encore works fine for this, though the particle size at 38 is not as uniform as at 30.
Why does my French press coffee taste different day to day with the same setting?
The most common culprit is bean freshness. Coffee changes as it ages after roasting. A bag that's 5 days off roast will taste different from the same bag at 20 days, even with identical grind and brew parameters. Water temperature variation is the second most common cause.
Should I pre-warm my French press?
Yes. Pour hot water into the empty French press and let it sit for 30 seconds before dumping and adding grounds. A cold glass carafe drops your brew temperature significantly, which changes extraction. This is free and takes 30 seconds, so there's no reason to skip it.
How much coffee should I use for French press with the Encore?
I use a 1:16 ratio, which is 30 grams of coffee to 480ml (about 16 oz) of water. This produces a full-bodied cup without being overpowering. Adjust up to 1:14 for a stronger brew or down to 1:17 for a lighter cup.
Final Thoughts
Set your Baratza Encore to 30, use fresh beans, steep for 4 minutes, and don't plunge all the way down. That's the core of good French press coffee with this grinder. If you want to get fancy, try the Hoffmann method for an even cleaner cup. The Encore is not a zero-fines grinder, but with the right technique, it produces French press coffee that tastes great every single morning.