**How to Fine-Tune Your Sage or Breville Espresso Machine for a Better Grind**
Want to elevate your home espresso game? Let’s talk about adjusting the inner burr to achieve a finer grind and improve your extraction. This will be applicable to most Brevilles, and in my experience needs to be done on most machines within the first year or two (including the Breville Smart Grinder Pro).
Sometimes, certain coffee beans need a more precise grind setting to unlock their full flavour potential. If you’ve maxed out the finest setting on your Breville machine (hitting that “1” on the dial) but your espresso is still under-extracted (think fast flow, weak crema, or a lack of sweetness), it’s time to tweak the inner burr.
### Here’s how to adjust the inner burr on your Sage or Breville espresso machine:
1. **Prep your machine**: Start by emptying the hopper of coffee beans. Run the grinder until it’s clear, then power off the machine.
2. **Unlock and remove the hopper**: Carefully detach the hopper from the grinder and move the external grind to it’s coarsest setting.
3. **Access the burr**: Lift the wire handle to a vertical position and twist it counter-clockwise to unlock the conical burr. You’ll know it’s unlocked when the red arrow shifts from “Lock” to “Align.” Once unlocked, remove the burr.
4. **Adjust the grind setting**: The default setting is usually at 6. To grind finer, move the burr to a lower number (e.g., 4 or 5). Take it slow—adjust in small increments (1-2 steps at a time) to avoid overdoing it.
5. **Reassemble**: Slide the wire handle back into place, align the burr with the handle opening, and firmly push it into position. Twist clockwise to lock it (the red arrow should shift back to “Lock”). You’ll hear a satisfying click when it’s secure.
6. **Reattach the hopper**: Align and lock the hopper back into place.
7. **Test and refine**: Brew a few shots, observe the extraction, and make further adjustments if needed.
To make easier adjustments in the future, consider purchasing a seal to keep the coffee grounds out of your assembly: https://homecoffeemachinerepairs.com.au/product/breville-upper-burr-seal/
With a bit of patience, you’ll dial in the perfect grind for your beans and enjoy richer, more balanced espresso at home.
Leave a Reply