Coffee beans for your Siemens coffee machine

Which beans suit Siemens espresso machines?

All models in the Siemens EQ series are fully automatic espresso machines: they grind, press and brew the coffee in one go. In principle any whole coffee bean will do, but a few choices make a real difference to what ends up in your cup.

Mostly espresso or milk drinks?

Choose an espresso blend. These are usually roasted a little darker and often contain some robusta, which adds body and crema and keeps the coffee tasting of coffee under the milk. Kimbo Espresso Crema Intensa and Lavazza Espresso Barista Intenso are two examples. The EQ.500, EQ.6 and EQ.900 have an automatic milk system, so an espresso blend is the obvious choice if you make cappuccino or latte macchiato at the touch of a button.

Mostly long black coffee?

Choose a caffè crema blend. Caffè crema is brewed like an espresso but with more water. Blends made for it are usually milder and rounder, so the longer cup stays smooth rather than bitter. Examples are Melitta Barista Classic Crema and Lavazza Caffè Crema Barista Delicato.

Decaf

Decaf coffee beans are here too, such as illy Decaf in 250 g and Lavazza Decaf My Easy Day Classico in 500 g: smaller bags that suit a household where only one person drinks decaf.

Beans to be careful with

Very dark, oily beans are best avoided in any bean-to-cup machine, Siemens included. The oil sticks to the grinder and the brewing unit, can clog them over time and means more cleaning. If the beans look shiny and leave a greasy film on your fingers, pick a lighter roast. Flavoured beans, such as vanilla or hazelnut, cause the same problem.

Setting the grinder

Every EQ model lets you adjust the grind. When you open a new bag, start from a medium setting. If the coffee runs through quickly and tastes thin or sour, go finer; if it drips slowly and tastes bitter, go coarser. Give the machine two or three cups after each change before you judge the result.

1 kg bags and the bean hopper

Most beans here come in 1 kg bags, which is several times what the bean hopper of a Siemens EQ holds. Only fill the hopper with what you'll use in a few days and keep the rest of the bag closed.

Not sure where to start?

Tasting packs let you try several blends before you commit to a full kilo. In this category you'll find packs with two to four bags, such as the illy Espresso Tasting Pack and the Lavazza Barista Sample Pack, so you can compare blends in your own machine.

Keeping your Siemens machine in good shape

• Descale when the machine asks for it, with a suitable coffee machine descaler.
• Rinse the milk system after use.
• Empty the drip tray and the grounds container regularly.
• If your machine takes a water filter, replace it on time.

More products for cleaning and descaling are in maintenance and cleaning.