Ground coffee for your espresso machine

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Espresso ground coffee

Ground coffee for an espresso machine with a portafilter has to be fine: an espresso grind. The machine forces hot water under pressure through a tightly packed puck of coffee, and only fine grounds give enough resistance for a full-bodied shot. On this page you'll find pre-ground espresso from illy, Lavazza, Segafredo and Pellini in 250 g packs, next to our own fresh coffee, ground to espresso size once you've ordered. Own a bean-to-cup machine? Then you need coffee beans rather than ground coffee.

Why an espresso machine needs a fine grind

An espresso machine needs a fine grind because the water is pushed through the coffee under high pressure in well under a minute, and only fine grounds slow that water down enough. If the coffee is too coarse, the shot runs through in a few seconds and tastes thin and sour. If it is too fine, the espresso barely drips out and turns bitter. The clock tells you where you stand: a well-balanced shot takes about 25 to 30 seconds. Many home machines come with a pressurised basket, the kind with a double wall, which is far less fussy about timing, so pre-ground espresso nearly always works in those. When your shots are running fast, My espresso flows too fast. How do I fix this? goes through the causes.

How much ground coffee per espresso

A single espresso takes 7 to 9 g of ground coffee and a double 14 to 18 g. With pre-ground coffee the grind is fixed, so the dose is the thing you adjust: a little more coffee in the basket if the shot runs too quickly, a little less if it chokes. How much ground coffee per espresso? covers dosing in detail, and How to properly dial in your espresso machine helps when the machine itself needs setting up.

Choosing espresso coffee

Italian brands in 250 g packs. illy, Lavazza, Segafredo and Pellini arrive ready-ground for espresso. A small pack is finished soon after opening, so you are always pulling shots from a recently opened one.
Coffee for milk drinks. For a cappuccino or a flat white, choose a coffee rated high on our strength scale of 1 to 13, so the espresso still comes through the milk.
Roast level. A darker roast gives the classic rich espresso with notes of cocoa; a lighter roast is brighter and a little more acidic in the cup.
Decaf. Illy Decaffeinated and Lavazza DEK Classico Decaffeinated both come ready-ground for espresso, and our own Decaf Espresso and Decaf Special can be ground for your machine too.
Our own fresh coffee. Select "Freshly ground - Espresso semi-automatic (manual)" and we grind the coffee after your order is placed; the roast date is printed on the label.

Moka pot, other grinds or your own grinder

For a moka pot on the hob, espresso grind is a touch too fine; moka pot and percolator coffee is ground slightly coarser. Every grind, from espresso to French press, is together under ground coffee. If you grind at home, set the grinder fine and order whole coffee beans.

Frequently asked questions about espresso grind

What ground coffee do I need for an espresso machine?

Buy coffee in an espresso grind, which is fine enough to hold back the water in a portafilter machine. A filter grind lets the shot rush through in a few seconds and tastes watery. The illy, Lavazza, Segafredo and Pellini espressos here come ground that way already, and our own coffee gets the same grind after you order. For a bean-to-cup machine, buy beans instead.

How many grams of ground coffee for a single or double espresso?

Weigh out 7 to 9 g for a single shot and 14 to 18 g when you pull a double. Where you land in that range depends on the basket and on the shot time, which should be around 25 to 30 seconds. If the shot runs faster, add a gram or so. More on dosing is in our blog on ground coffee per espresso.

Can I use ground coffee in a bean-to-cup machine?

Not in the bean hopper: a bean-to-cup machine is built for whole beans and grinds them just before brewing. Some models have a separate chute for a single scoop of ground coffee, handy for the odd decaf. For everyday use, fill the machine with coffee beans. Ground espresso coffee is meant for a manual espresso machine with a portafilter.

Can I use filter coffee in an espresso machine?

You can, but the result is disappointing. Filter coffee is ground much coarser than espresso, so the water runs through the basket in a few seconds and you get a thin, sour shot with little crema. A pressurised basket masks some of that, yet the machine is designed for an espresso grind. Our blog on the difference between espresso and filter coffee explains more.