Combustible dust explosions are among the most serious criticalities affecting a broad number of industries around the world. According to a Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board report, more than 50 accidents have occurred only in the U.S. between 2008 and 2012; this datum shows that such a problem requires a relevant attention from both researchers and authorities. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the currently available techniques able to estimate the severity of a combustible dust explosion. Moreover, the main criticalities arising from these methodologies are discussed, also providing some suggestions for future works. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.