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DIAL YOUR COFFEE
Learn how to adjust your espresso like a pro
Dialing espresso means making small adjustments until your coffee tastes balanced and matches your preference.
With Kubo you can control many variables, but the key to good dialing is knowing what to change and in what order.
Most espresso problems can be solved by adjusting just one variable: grind size.
Dialing priority order
Always adjust variables in this order
When dialing your coffee, follow this priority order:
1 Grind size
The most important variable. This should always be your first adjustment.
2 Ratio (dose → yield)
Controls extraction strength and balance.
3 Temperature
Useful for fine tuning extraction.
4 Pressure profile
Advanced adjustment for optimizing extraction style.
Important
Avoid changing multiple variables at the same time.
Change one variable, test again, then adjust if needed.
This makes dialing faster and more predictable.
Adjustment workflow
How to decide what to change
Use this simple decision process:
If the shot runs too fast
Adjust:
Grind finer
Do not change temperature or profiles first.
If the shot runs too slow
(example: over 35 seconds)
Adjust:
Grind coarser
Again, grind size should always be your first correction.
If the timing looks correct but taste feels wrong
Adjust:
Ratio
Example:
If coffee tastes too intense → increase yield slightly.
If coffee tastes weak → reduce yield slightly.
Advanced adjustments
Once grind and ratio are correct, you can fine-tune extraction with temperature.
Example:
Light roast tasting sour → increase temperature slightly.
Dark roast tasting bitter → reduce temperature slightly.
Expert adjustments
Pressure and flow profiles allow you to change how extraction happens, not just how much extraction occurs.
This is usually only necessary once grind, ratio and temperature are already well adjusted.
Profiles are best used to:
Improve clarity
Reduce bitterness
Enhance body
Optimize light roasts
Basic espresso ratios
Understanding brew ratios
The ratio describes how much espresso you extract relative to your coffee dose.
Example:
18g coffee → 36g espresso = 1:2 ratio.
Common starting ratios:
1:2 — Classic espresso
Balanced and works with most coffees.
1:2.5 — Light roast espresso
Helps extract more soluble material from dense beans.
1:1.5 — Ristretto style
Shorter extraction with more body and intensity.
If unsure, always start with 1:2.
Profile suggestions
Suggested starting profiles by roast level
Different roast levels benefit from different extraction styles.
These are safe starting points:
Light roast
Use:
Longer preinfusion
Gentle pressure ramp
Why:
Light roasts are denser and harder to extract, so they benefit from longer saturation.
Medium roast
Use:
Classic espresso profile
Why:
Medium roasts are the easiest to extract and usually work well with standard profiles.
Dark roast
Use:
Lower peak pressure
Shorter extractions
Why:
Dark roasts extract easily and can become bitter if overextracted.
Reducing pressure can improve balance and sweetness.
Important dialing principles
Keep these rules in mind
Adjust grind before machine settings
Change one variable at a time
Taste matters more than numbers
Start simple before going advanced
Kubo gives you powerful tools, but great espresso still follows the same fundamentals.
Master the basics first and advanced control will become much more useful.
Next step
Now that you understand how to dial your coffee, you can explore how to keep your machine performing at its best with proper cleaning and maintenance.