Ground coffee is roasted coffee beans that have been ground down to be brewed for coffee, much like flour is ground wheat to be used for baking. There are many ways of brewing your coffee, whether you prefer to use a coffee machine or cafetière, but they all require ground coffee beans and water.
For the best flavour, ground coffee should be filtered rather than just pouring hot water over it - as you would to make instant coffee. It's best prepared either in a cafetière or French press, using a coffee filter (whether a traditional paper dripper or a filter coffee machine), or even a dzezva (Turkish coffee pot) or Italian stovetop coffee pot - also known as a Moka pot. You can drink ground coffee without filtering it, but the above methods will help to filter out the worst of the leftover granules, for a much smoother brew.
Best ground coffee at a glance:
• Best for a Moka pot: illy Classico Ground Coffee – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best for espresso: Lavazza Qualità Rossa, Ground Coffee Espresso – Buy now on Amazon UK
• Best independent coffee brand: Paddy and Scotts Wakey Wakey Coffee – Buy now on Paddy and Scotts
A key thing to look out for in a good ground coffee is the packaging - how it is packaged matters to the quality of the coffee as the flavour can be directly affected by light and oxygen. Therefore, you should only look for ground coffee that comes in an air-tight container, sealed with foil paper with a valve which allows you to smell the coffee.
If you're looking for a flavourful good-quality cup, ground coffee can help you get close to the taste of your favourite coffee shop from the comfort of your kitchen. We've chosen the best ground coffee on the market, from independent companies to coffee subscriptions and supermarket options.
Best ground coffee UK
Best for a Moka pot
illy/AmazonEnhance your morning coffee ritual with this popular Italian coffee that is specially ground to brew in a Moka pot. Fill your kitchen with a wonderful coffee aroma that's synonymous with Italian great taste. illy, Classico Ground Coffee comes in a canister to preserve its freshness.
With over 22,000 reviews, it's much loved by customers on Amazon, who appreciate the rich and full-bodied taste, quality and value of the coffee. Many of the negative reviews mention the coffee was delivered without a lid, which meant they couldn't keep the coffee as fresh for so long
Pros
- Popular pick with over 22,000 reviews
- Rich and full-bodied taste
Cons
- Be aware this is for Moka preparation
Best for espresso
Lavazza/AmazonIf you want to drink coffee like the Italians do, then Lavazza is for you. Lavazza Qualità Rossa, Ground Coffee is an Arabica and Robusta bean blend that's suitable for use in a coffee machine, French press and Moka pot. For espresso that consistently tastes divine, choose this delightful little red number.
Customers love the fact this coffee is a medium roast as they mention it brings out the natural sweetness and other more subtle notes of it. They've also found it to be very smooth. An area of improvement, according to the reviews, is the packaging, as many have had issues with the seal, which meant they weren't able to lock the freshness in.
Pros
- Great for espresso
- Premium taste for good value
Cons
- Some reviewers have had issues with the seal on the packaging
Best independent coffee brand
paddy and scottspaddyandscotts.shop
Whether you're French pressing, espressoing, areopressing, or extracting, Paddy & Scotts original crafted blend is for you. Sweet, bold and beautifully balanced, this medium roast is ideal for those who need more than one reason to get out of bed in the mornings. Paddy & Scotts proudly work with Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance Association and UTZ, plus since 2004 all their coffee packaging has been made from aluminium-free PET recyclable material.
Although the packaging is a more eco-friendly option, the bags are not resealable so you may need to decant it into your own coffee jar to keep it staying fresh. Customers appreciate its bold yet balanced flavour with its notes of peach, toffee apple and maple.
Pros
- Available as ground coffee and as coffee beans
- Customers appreciate its bold yet balanced flavour
Cons
- Bags are not resealable
4.
Cafepod
Best strong coffee
CafePodCafePod offers a good range of strong, decaf and flavoured coffees that are available in pods, ground or whole bean. The brand gives information about the provenance without being too overwhelming. The Daily Grind is a blend that combines Central and South American and Ethiopian beans. It has nutty and fruity flavours and a caramel base.
CafePod is an independent London-based coffee brand, and its range of strong coffees is not for the faint-hearted… the Supercharger Espresso is 12 on the intensity scale. This is why some customer reviews mention the coffee is too bitter for their liking. Overall though, customers have praised the strong and rich taste.
Pros
- Great for those who like intense coffee taste
- Has nutty and fruit flavours with a caramel note base
Cons
- Some customers mention the coffee is too bitter for their liking as the range is very strong
Best premium coffee
volcanocoffeeworks.com
The Mount Blend is an award-winning espresso that encapsulates the rich flavours of South American coffee. The beans are grown by specialists, mostly family-run farmers in Brazil, El Salvador and Colombia. They're shipped to the UK, where the coffee beans are roasted in small batches at Volcano Coffee Works roastery in Brixton to preserve their flavour. Volcano Coffee Works believes in supply transparency and is open about its social and environmental impact, including its carbon footprint and wages.
They have a great range of coffees, which are hand-selected by Nick and roasted by Claire. Choose your delivery to be fortnightly, monthly or every six weeks, depending on your coffee habits. Opinions are mixed about the strength of the coffee, with some reviewers saying they thought it would be stronger, others saying it is on the bitter side, and others praising its rich flavours, so you may have to taste this one to decide for yourself.
Pros
- Coffee beans roasted in small batches to preserve their flavour
- Flexible subscription to suit your coffee habits
Cons
- Some reviews didn't find it as strong as they'd expected
Best decaf ground coffee
Rich and smooth with a subtle orange finish, Machu Picchu coffee is Cafédirect's bestseller and is now available in decaf. The Arabica beans are handpicked and only harvested when perfectly ripe. Grown at extreme altitudes within the Inca heartland of the Peruvian Andes and close to the sacred site of Machu Picchu, this coffee is 100 per cent organic Arabica. Rich and smooth with overtones of fine, dark chocolate, this coffee can be prepared in a cafetière or filtered.
Customers appreciate that this coffee is produced with the environment and ethical concerns in mind. Many also remark they get the hint of chocolate in both the taste and smell. Opinions are mixed on the quality with some reviewers saying it has a coarse structure but many others love the smoothness of it.
Pros
- Can be prepared in a cafetière or filtered
- Full-flavoured despite being decaf
Cons
- Opinions are mixed on the texture
Best ground coffee subscription
Credit: Yours.co.ukbeanscoffeeclub.com
It's a club for coffee lovers that delivers speciality coffees and so much more. With an ingenious matching system, Beans Coffee Club guides you to discover new coffees. And you can log your favourites in your very own coffee journal. This subscription service offers a wide variety of speciality coffee from independent roasteries and some exclusive award-winners, too.
Roasted to order, the coffee subscription will deliver eco-conscious coffee whenever you'd like in recyclable, letterbox-friendly packaging. Plus, you'll receive behind-the-scenes information about your favourite coffee roasteries, as well as brewing guides and how-to videos. If you love knowing the story behind your beans, this one's for you. Our reviewer appreciated the personal touch of this subscription as it came with information about where the coffee was made and roasted but felt there could be more information about the coffee beans and the farmers who farmed them.
Our review: "I sampled 47" Coffee's Colombian - Supremo, which I received in the post from Beans Coffee Club. 47" is an independent roastery run by Aidy in Langley Mill, Derbyshire. It's great to put a face to the name and see that a personal touch goes into roasting these Colombian speciality-grade coffee beans. On first impressions, this coarse ground Supremo coffee has the most incredible chocolatey aroma. Taste-wise, there are definitely chocolate and fruity notes. In addition, it has a smooth and rich mouthfeel."
Pros
- Lots of information about the roastery
- More than just coffee, you'll receive access to behind-the-scenes information about your favourite coffee roasteries, as well as brewing guides and how-to videos with your subscription
Cons
- Could include more in-depth information on the coffee beans and farmers
FAQs
Types of ground coffee
When buying ground coffee beans you’ll sometimes see a selection of grind sizes to choose from. The trick is to match up your grind type with how you're making coffee at home. For example, if you're making French press coffee, choose a cafetière/ French press grind option.
Coffee grind sizes
1). Coarsely ground
A coarse coffee grind setting has larger coffee particle sizes compared to medium and finely ground. This is because the brew methods like the cafetière require a brewing process called 'immersion brewing'. In other words, the coffee and hot water are infused together for a longer period of time (5-10 minutes), and that is how the flavour is extracted.
By comparison, if you were to use a fine grind setting with the cafetière brew method, you'd likely experience bitterness as a result of something called 'over-extraction'.
2). Medium ground
A medium-ground coffee consists of medium-sized particles. This sits pretty much in the middle between a cafetière-style grind and an espresso grind. This grind type is designed to work for brew methods like filtering, that utilise gravity to extract the coffee via water.
3). Finely ground
A fine grind is designed for espresso coffee. Espresso uses applied force from your espresso machine, Turkish brew or Moka pot to push/pump water through the puck of ground coffee.
We also asked Howard Gill, Head of Coffee at Grind, about what the different types of ground coffee are and this is what he had to say: “The biggest distinction is between espresso and, well, everything else! 'Everything else' includes French press, v60, cold brew, aeropress, moka pot, basically anything non-espresso. These methods need a much coarser grind size (bigger particles) and are what, we, and most other speciality coffee roasters, set our grinders for. Espresso needs a much finer grind with a smaller margin for error, therefore we always recommend buying a grinder if you're making espresso at home.”
How to choose the best ground coffee
With coffee being highly subjective, it’s really all down to your personal taste preferences, so that means experimenting until you find a coffee you like. There are other factors to consider, however. For example, taste, quality, price, reliability and support from your roaster. There are also sustainable and ethical practices to consider.
How long will ground coffee keep?
“The flavours in your ground coffee do diminish over time, so I always recommend ordering little and often”, says Howie. “This saves space in the kitchen and makes your coffee taste better.”
“That said, I've had some great coffees that have been sitting in cupboards for more than a month. To keep your ground coffee fresh, ensure you store it in a sealed container, and keep it in a cool dry place, but don't put it in the fridge - it doesn't change anything!”
This article contains expert advice from Grind's Head of Coffee, Howard 'Howey' Gill. He has worked in coffee for nearly 20 years. He joined the Grind team in 2016 to set up their very own roastery in London. Since then, the roastery team has gone from a one-man band of just Howey to over 40 people.
Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.