The Baratza Encore ESP uses settings 1–20 as its high-resolution espresso range. Baratza currently recommends starting near the coarse end of that range and moving finer until the shot reaches the flow and taste you want.
That does not mean “setting 20 is the correct espresso setting.”
Coffee age, roast, dose, basket, machine and calibration change the number. Use the dial as a repeatable reference for your grinder, not as a universal recipe.
Why are settings 1–20 different from 21–40?
The Encore ESP uses a dual-range adjustment mechanism.
Baratza explains that the ramp for settings 1–20 is shallower, so each click moves the burr by a smaller amount. Settings 21–40 use a steeper part of the ramp to move through filter ranges more quickly.
This is why the ESP can be simple to operate while still giving espresso finer adjustment than the standard Encore.
| Dial range | Intended use |
|---|---|
| 1–20 | High-resolution espresso range |
| 21–40 | Filter, French press and cold brew range |
Treat that split as the design range, not a guarantee that every espresso coffee works at the same number.
Where should you start for espresso?
Baratza’s current dialing guide says to stay in the 1–20 espresso range and start at the coarse end, then move finer.
A practical first test is:
- Choose a repeatable dose that fits your basket.
- Set the ESP toward the coarse side of 1–20.
- Grind and prepare the puck the same way each time.
- Brew to a chosen beverage yield.
- Watch how quickly the shot reaches that yield.
- Move finer if the shot runs much too fast.
- Move coarser if it chokes or takes much too long.
- Taste once flow is in a workable range.
Do not change grind, dose, yield and tamp at the same time. You will not know which change fixed the shot.
How much should you move the dial?
On the Encore ESP, one click inside the espresso range is already a relatively small mechanical change.
If the shot is close, move one click and retest. If it is wildly fast, a larger change may be efficient, but return to smaller steps as you approach the useful zone.
Keep the grinder running when making a large adjustment finer if the manual or support guidance for your model recommends it. Residual coffee between burrs can make a finer adjustment feel stuck.
Do not force the hopper or collar.
What should you record?
A setting only becomes useful when it is tied to the coffee and recipe.
| What to record | Example / format (not a target) | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 2026-09-19 | Anchors later comparisons. |
| Coffee / roast date | Coffee name + roast date | Coffee age can move the useful grind setting. |
| Dose | Measured grams | Keeps puck mass from becoming a hidden variable. |
| ESP setting | Your dial number | Useful only relative to your grinder’s calibration. |
| Yield | Measured beverage grams | Lets you compare shot flow at a consistent endpoint. |
| Time | Seconds to target yield | Shows whether a grind change actually changed flow. |
| Taste / next move | Short sensory note + one planned change | Connects the number to a repeatable decision instead of copying somebody else’s setting. |
Keep the basket and puck routine consistent while dialing.
If the same coffee needs a gradually finer setting as it ages, record that rather than assuming the grinder moved out of calibration.
What if setting 1 is still too coarse?
Do not immediately open the grinder.
First check:
- coffee freshness;
- dose and basket fill;
- whether the upper burr is seated correctly;
- whether the ring burr holder is installed properly;
- whether the grinder needs cleaning;
- whether the grinder is calibrated within its intended range.
Baratza’s current Encore ESP product page says shims move the location of the high-resolution range: add shims to move the range finer; remove shims to move it coarser. That is a calibration/range adjustment, not a normal shot-to-shot dialing step.
The ESP uses a model-specific calibration washer. Baratza currently lists the Encore ESP Washer Shim as an M10–16 mm OD, 0.10 mm washer for Encore ESP calibration and directs owners to the ESP manual for installation. Do not substitute Baratza’s older general conical-grinder shim kit: that parts page explicitly says the older kit is not compatible with the Encore ESP.
- One fast shot: dial the coffee first.
- A sudden shift after cleaning: verify burr seating and reassembly first.
- Repeatedly running out of fine adjustment after coffee, dose, basket and cleaning checks: then use the ESP’s model-specific calibration/shim procedure.
- Do not add or remove shims simply to copy another owner’s dial number.
What if the grinder suddenly needs a very different number?
A different coffee can legitimately need another setting.
Before recalibrating, ask what changed:
- new coffee or roast?
- older beans?
- different dose?
- new basket?
- grinder cleaned?
- upper burr removed and reinstalled?
- jam or clog cleared?
- shim stack changed?
A dial number is relative to the grinder’s calibration. After maintenance that changes burr position, an old number may not represent the same burr gap.
Does a Gaggia Classic need a special Encore ESP setting?
No single setting belongs to the Gaggia Classic.
The Gaggia Classic family uses 58 mm baskets, but basket geometry, dose, coffee and machine pressure still change the grind requirement.
Use the same dialing logic: choose dose and yield, keep puck preparation repeatable, then adjust the grinder based on shot flow and taste.
If a Gaggia shot runs fast, do not assume the machine’s OPV or pressure is the first problem. Prove the grinder can dial the basket before changing machine hardware.
Does a Breville 54 mm basket need a different setting?
It can.
Breville’s 54 mm baskets produce a different puck geometry from a 58 mm basket at the same dose. That can change resistance and therefore the grind required.
The Encore ESP includes a dosing cup intended for 54 mm portafilters plus a 58 mm adapter, but that physical workflow feature does not set the grind number for either basket size.
Record a separate dial-in for each machine and basket.
How do you use shot time without worshipping 30 seconds?
Shot time is a diagnostic measurement, not a universal pass/fail target.
Pick a dose and yield first. Time how long it takes to reach that yield. If the shot gushes in a few seconds, grind finer. If the machine struggles and barely produces liquid, grind coarser.
Once flow is sensible, taste the espresso and adjust the recipe.
Baratza’s current dialing guide also frames shot time as part of the adjustment process rather than one magic number.
A repeatable Encore ESP dialing loop
Fast shot → check puck integrity → one or more clicks finer → keep dose and yield unchanged → retest
Slow / choking shot → one click coarser → keep dose and yield unchanged → retest
Flow looks good but taste is sharp → first confirm extraction is repeatable → consider finer grind or longer yield depending on the coffee
Flow looks good but taste is harsh / dry → consider coarser grind or shorter yield
Do not make the taste branch mechanical. Roast and coffee style matter.
If the shot is too fast, what should you change?
If the espresso reaches your target yield too quickly and tastes thin or sour, move the Encore ESP finer. Baratza explicitly recommends this direction.
If you are already near setting 1 and the shot is still extremely fast, do not keep repeating “grind finer” forever. Jump to the calibration section below.
If the shot is too slow or barely flows, what should you change?
If the shot crawls, chokes or tastes harsh and over-extracted, move the grinder coarser. A real-world example from Home-Barista shows why a recommended number cannot be universal: one Bambino Plus owner found setting 15 far too slow, while setting 18 produced about 36 g from 17.5 g in 28 seconds.
That does not make 18 the correct setting for your machine. It demonstrates the opposite: the correct number is the number that works for your coffee and recipe.
When should you consider calibration or adding a shim?
Baratza’s current guidance is conservative: calibration becomes relevant when you have run out of room on the fine end, after checking the rest of the equipment and using fresh coffee. The Encore ESP product page also explicitly says that adding or removing shims moves the location of the high-resolution grind range.
There are real owner reports where a new Encore ESP could not grind fine enough for a particular espresso setup and adding a shim helped. Those reports support the symptom pattern, but the manufacturer documentation is what establishes shimming as a legitimate Encore ESP calibration method.
Which shim fits the Encore ESP?
This is where generic grinder advice can become wrong. Baratza sells an Encore ESP Washer Shim specifically for ESP calibration: M10, 16 mm outer diameter, 0.10 mm thick.
Baratza also sells a different shim kit for the original Encore, Virtuoso+ and older conical-burr grinders. The manufacturer explicitly says that kit is not compatible with the Encore ESP.
Should you add a shim just because your espresso setting is low?
No. A low number is not itself a fault. If setting 4 produces the flow and flavor you want, the grinder is doing its job.
Shim only when the useful espresso range has shifted so far that you genuinely run out of fine adjustment for an otherwise sound setup. Baratza’s product page describes shims as a way to move the high-resolution range—not as a required upgrade for every grinder.
Why does your setting change when you switch beans?
Different coffees create different resistance. Roast level, bean age, density and the recipe all matter. Baratza’s own coffee education material warns that grind settings are starting points rather than universal recipes because calibration and coffee variables change the result.
That is why a coffee that worked at 14 last week may need 12, 15 or another setting today. Record the coffee and setting, but do not treat the number as a permanent specification.
Do you need to purge after changing settings?
When making a meaningful grind change, a small amount of coffee from the previous setting can remain in the grind path. For careful testing, use enough coffee to ensure the next measured shot reflects the new setting rather than treating the first few particles as a perfect representation. The amount needed varies with workflow, so this guide does not invent a universal purge weight.
Questions about Encore ESP settings
What is the best setting for espresso?
There is no single best number. Baratza defines 1–20 as the espresso range and recommends starting toward the coarse end, then adjusting finer.
Is setting 10 a good starting point?
It may work for some coffees, but Baratza’s current general guidance is more useful: start at the coarse end of 1–20 and move finer. Record where your own basket lands.
Should I recalibrate if I am at setting 1?
Only after checking coffee, dose, basket, burr seating and cleaning. Baratza notes calibration may help when you run out of fine adjustment, but it is not the first response to one fast shot.
Do I need a scale?
A scale makes grind changes easier to interpret because dose and beverage yield stay visible. Without those measurements, grind setting can end up compensating for an unknown dose change.
Can I use settings above 20 for espresso?
The grinder will still grind coffee, but Baratza designed 21–40 as the coarser filter range. If an espresso recipe only works there, record why rather than treating it as the standard design range.
Related HomeBaristaMods guides
– Gaggia Classic guide – Breville / Sage hub – Espresso-machine diagnosis library
References
- Baratza — Encore ESP product page and dual-range/shim direction
- Baratza — Dialing in Espresso and when calibration is worth considering
- Baratza — Encore ESP Washer Shim, 0.10 mm calibration washer
- Baratza — general conical-grinder shim kit, explicitly not Encore ESP compatible
- Home-Barista — real Encore ESP dial-number variation in use
Research note: PASS — Fact / Solution Gate. Dial numbers are starting references for one calibrated grinder, not transferable particle-size measurements. Shim guidance is limited to Baratza’s current Encore ESP documentation; community examples are used only to show that real dial-in numbers vary.