1Zpresso ZP6: Grind Settings for Every Brew Method

0.3.4 on a 1Zpresso ZP6 for a medium-roast V60. 0.4.4 for a Chemex. 0.8.1 for a French Press. Three concrete numbers, more useful than any "medium-fine" you'll find online.

The ZP6 is 1Zpresso's dedicated filter grinder. Hexagonal 48mm steel burrs built for one thing: pour-over with the cleanest possible cup. They leave few fines, so the result is crisp, with well-separated notes. The flip side of that focus: it doesn't do espresso. Its finest setting (0.0.0) sits around 340 microns, too coarse for espresso. It's a dedicated filter grinder, and that's the whole point of it.

This guide gives you the setting for each method, organized by roast level. They're starting points. Every coffee is different, so you'll want to adjust to taste, but a concrete number always beats a vague description. If you're comparing manual grinders, we also have guides for the 1Zpresso K-Ultra (the brand's other filter grinder, with a bit more body), the 1Zpresso JX-Pro (the all-rounder that does do espresso), and the Comandante C40 (the high-end filter benchmark).

How to Read a Setting

The ZP6's dial is an external ring, written as Rotation.Number.Click (R.N.C):

• 10 clicks per number, 9 numbers per rotation = 90 clicks per full rotation.
• 0.5.2 means 0 full rotations from zero, number 5, click 2. You read the number on the ring and count the clicks.
• Fewer clicks = finer grind. More clicks = coarser grind.

1Zpresso abbreviates it as "5.2" on its own chart and champion recipes (without the leading rotation digit). It's the same thing: "5.2" = 0.5.2. Almost all brewing stays within the first rotation, so that first digit is almost always 0.

The 0.0.0 is the finest grind you'll use, around 340 microns: your limit on the fine side. The ZP6 is a filter grinder and, for brewing, doesn't go below that.

Quick Reference Table

Starting points are for a medium-roast washed coffee. For light roasts, go ~3 clicks finer. For dark, ~3 clicks coarser. The ZP6 doesn't reach espresso range, so it's not in the table.

V60

This is where the ZP6 does its best work. The clean grind and low fines give you a crisp cup, with acidity and aromatics well defined. It's the grinder you reach for when you want a floral coffee to show everything it's got.

• Light roast: 0.3.1.
• Medium roast: 0.3.4.
• Dark roast: 0.3.6.

Target brew time: 2:30 to 3:15 for 15g of coffee with 250ml of water. If it drains too fast and tastes sour, go 3 clicks finer. If it stalls and tastes bitter, coarser.

AeroPress

The AeroPress takes a wide grind range, so it's perfect for trying new coffees without overthinking it. On the ZP6 it runs a bit finer than V60; go finer still for short, intense steeps.

• Standard method: 0.2.5, 1:30 to 2:00 steep.
• Inverted method: 0.2.8, 2:00 to 2:30 steep.
• Fine grind, short steep: 0.2.2, 1:00 steep. More body, a more concentrated character.

Chemex

The Chemex filter is thicker than a V60 filter, so it absorbs more oils and slows the brew down. You need to grind a bit coarser to compensate. The ZP6's clean cup and the Chemex's thick paper get along well.

• Light roast: 0.4.2.
• Medium roast: 0.4.4.
• Dark roast: 0.4.8.

Target brew time: 3:30 to 4:30 for 30g of coffee with 500ml of water. If drawdown runs past 5 minutes, go a few clicks coarser.

French Press

Coarse grind. The metal mesh filter lets fine particles through, and those keep extracting while you drink. Since the ZP6 leaves few fines, French Press comes out cleaner than usual.

• Light roast: 0.7.7, 4:00 steep.
• Medium roast: 0.8.1.
• Dark roast: 0.8.4.
• Lighter body: go up to 0.8.8.

The French Press window tops out at 0.8.8 on the ZP6. The dial keeps going, but past that point you're grinding coarser than the method needs and the cup starts tasting thin. It's a medium-coarse French Press rather than a very coarse one, which fits the clean cup the ZP6 is built for.

Moka Pot

The Moka Pot asks for the finest grind of any method on the ZP6, in the lower stretch of the dial.

• Light roast: 0.2.1.
• Medium roast: 0.2.3.
• Dark roast: 0.2.6.

Start at the starting point and adjust from there. If the brew sputters and hisses, it's too fine. If it comes out pale and watery, too coarse. Moka rarely needs finer than 0.1.8, still a comfortable distance above the grinder's 0.0.0 fine limit.

Why the ZP6 Doesn't Do Espresso

It's the most common question, so it's worth being clear: the ZP6 doesn't grind for espresso, and that's on purpose. Its hexagonal burrs are tuned for the filter range. Its finest setting (0.0.0) sits around 340 microns, above the 240-330 espresso needs depending on roast. As good as it is at pour-over, espresso is out of its reach.

It's not a shortcoming, it's the design. By giving up espresso, the ZP6 can put everything into filter clarity. If you want a single grinder that covers filter and espresso, the 1Zpresso JX-Pro is the brand's all-rounder. If espresso is your main method, 1Zpresso's J line is built for that range.

How Roast Level Changes Your Setting

Same grinder, same method, same dose, and yet a light roast and a dark roast can sit several clicks apart. Light roasts are denser and harder, so the water needs more time and more surface area to pull out the sugars, which is why you grind finer. Dark roasts are softer and more soluble, they give up flavor faster, and you grind coarser to avoid harsh, ashy notes.

The simple rule for the ZP6: medium roast = base setting. Light = about 3 clicks less. Dark = about 3 clicks more. That's all you need to remember.

How to Dial In

The table gives you a starting point. Here's how to find your ideal grind from there:

1. Pick the starting point for your method and roast level.
2. Brew and taste. Brew time is a clue, but taste is what matters.
3. Adjust 3 clicks at a time. Sour and thin? Finer. Bitter and heavy? Coarser. With the ZP6's resolution, 1 click barely changes anything; 3 is noticeable.
4. Change one thing at a time. Don't adjust grind and dose at once.
5. Write it down. Or use Coffee Master to log your brews automatically.

Most coffees land within a few clicks of the starting point. If you're way off, check your water temperature or dose before adjusting further.

Maintenance

The ZP6 is built to last, but the burrs need a quick cleaning now and then.

Weekly (if you grind daily): unscrew the top chamber, take out the inner burr, and brush everything with a dry, natural-bristle brush. A clean paintbrush works perfectly. Monthly if you use it less.

A few things to keep in mind:

• No water on the burrs. Brush only. The ZP6's steel is tough, but moisture speeds up wear.
• The adjustment ring needs no maintenance; it clicks firmly and doesn't need lubrication.
• A gentle tap on your palm after grinding clears the bits left inside. The ZP6's retention is low thanks to the hexagonal burrs.
• New burrs need a break-in. The first 300-500g may grind a little unevenly while the edges polish. Use whatever beans you have on hand.

Common Issues