Hello

So i just purchased my first espresso coffee machine and I'm having issues with it

I first started using the finest grind I could get with my Breville Dose control grinder however nothing is coming out from the machine, only very few coffee drops, I replaced the non-pressurized portafilter with a pressurized one and same result

Tried using a pre-ground coffee that I previously had and using the pressurized portafilter I was finally able to get a proper cup of coffee

Tried using a different grinder so I borrowed a Capresso Infinity and again with the finest grind I got the same results, no coffee coming out of the machine, tried using coarser grind and voila, it works

I called the Breville customer support line and they said that I didn't have to use the finest grind and that a coarser grind was recommended
I was quite surprised as all the product reviews I've seen on youtube, website products reviews, etc... all of them were unanimous in saying that the espresso machines need the finest grind possible

Any feedback is greatly appreciated

Welcome to the forum!

Please see this: Espresso 101: How to Adjust Dose and Grind Setting by Taste

Espresso requires a fine grind, but you can clog the water flow if your espresso machine if you go too fine. The fix is easy; adjust more coarsely until you get the desired flow rate.

Here's a basic range of grind levels:
Coarse: French Press
Medium: Drip
Fine: Espresso
Extra Fine: Turkish

I

was quite surprised as all the product reviews I've seen on youtube, website products reviews, etc... all of them were unanimous in saying that the espresso machines need the finest grind possible

This statement is an oversimplification of the need. You need two main things in an espresso grinder: it needs to be able to grind fine enough, and it needs to be adjustable in small increments, either with a high quality adjustment dial or with a vernier in addition to the main adjustment dial.

When nothing comes out, we call this 'choking' the machine. Choking is usually caused by one or both of two things: too fine a grind or too big a dose (in that order). Especially with oily coffee, tamping pressure can also play a part. Just gradually back off to coarser until coffee begins to flow within the requisite 20 to 30 seconds for your desired coffee output. As for the dose, initially you want the tamped dose to to be well below the rim of the basket...about the depth of a nickle or a quarter. I tamp so that the shoulder of the tamper comes level with the top of the basket...suits my machine (an e-61)...YRMV. Also, changing the grind somewhat changes the level of the tamped dose.

Once you get it running properly, then just mess around with one variable at a time until you get shots you like.

Thanks guys so much for taking the time to help with your feedback
I will try to adjust my grind until I get the proper setting

Thanks again