# Sage Smart Grinder Pro - single shot or full hopper?



## AMCD300 (Feb 11, 2016)

Sage Smart Grinder Pro users - do you put 18g in your hopper and single dose grind or use the time function? For me I am having an interesting time balancing the grind size versus time to get the right dose. Clearly if I could dial the grinder in and rely upon it knocking out 18g time and time again (weighing the basket each time to be sure) then I would not be asking this, unfortunately I am chasing the dose in trying to hit the right shot weight and extraction time. Nothing you fine people have not mastered already I am sure...


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Grind into something (small cup/beaker/PF if it will fit on some 0.1g scales), then check the weight of the ground output on the tared scales.


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## AMCD300 (Feb 11, 2016)

MWJB said:


> Grind into something (small cup/beaker/PF if it will fit on some 0.1g scales), then check the weight of the ground output on the tared scales.


Thanks...

I tare my portafilter with basket in on the scale and weigh after grinding to ensure I hit my required dose. I am currently dosing to 18g in an 18g VST and stopping the extraction to hit around 36ish grams. Some folks on here put 18g of beans into the hopper but I suspect the only get 17.something grams into the basket. I am putting more into the hopper and adjusting the settings to get my dose. I am not sure how I would be able to get close to a good extraction without scales.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I don't think you're doing anything wrong per se. It's just that there's a relationship between grind level and speed - as you go coarser, the same time gives more output. When dialling in its s balancing act - I find myself mentally calculating and as I open up the grind setting, I take a guess and knock off say 0.2 seconds from the timer.

There will always be some variance. For example, on my 65E (and I believe most OD grinders are similar in this respect), in 3 grinds I might get 17.7g, 18g or 18.3g. +/- 0.3g is not bad though and you'll be lucky to get a grinder that doses more accurately than that without £££.

I do the same as you - tare the whole handle/basket and if I see that I only got 17.7g I maybe tamp a little harder, or try to stop the shot slightly earlier to hold the ratio.


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## AMCD300 (Feb 11, 2016)

hotmetal said:


> I don't think you're doing anything wrong per se. It's just that there's a relationship between grind level and speed - as you go coarser, the same time gives more output. When dialling in its s balancing act - I find myself mentally calculating and as I open up the grind setting, I take a guess and knock off say 0.2 seconds from the timer.
> 
> There will always be some variance. For example, on my 65E (and I believe most OD grinders are similar in this respect), in 3 grinds I might get 17.7g, 18g or 18.3g. +/- 0.3g is not bad though and you'll be lucky to get a grinder that doses more accurately than that without £££.
> 
> I do the same as you - tare the whole handle/basket and if I see that I only got 17.7g I maybe tamp a little harder, or try to stop the shot slightly earlier to hold the ratio.


I appreciate your thoughts - like you I am juggling for the best output. I am trying to use 18g each time so at least I can rely on one variable being constant, and today I dialed in some columbian beans I had (don't tell @aaronb - they are crappy commodity beans!) and am pulling great tasting shots of 18-37g @ 28 seconds. Good for me anyway!

As I get better I will get the feel for it. Cheers @hotmetal


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## Asgross (Jun 14, 2015)

I don't bother with the timer function on it

I weigh up slightly more than I'm looking to use

And grind directly into basket

And then weigh the basket with the grinds and if it's still under my starting requirement I just chuck in a couple more beans in the hopper and grind them

if I've got too much it's easy to just remove the excess


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