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Ground Coffee for Espresso Machine
What’s the best espresso ground coffee?
Get the best ground coffee for espresso!
On the hunt for a really good ground espresso coffee? One that your espresso machine will go crazy for, and your tastebuds will find INSANE?
Yep? Great news, we’ve got espresso ground coffees galore at Two Chimps! Roasted fresh each week and ground on the day of dispatch, these are the only coffees your espresso maker deserves.
Click here for our best espresso coffees, or keep reading for essential espresso info!

What’s the best ground coffee for an espresso machine?
In a hurry? Need answers double quick? Here’s the express(o) lowdown on what to look for when choosing the best ground espresso coffee:
- High-scoring arabica coffee
- Medium/dark roast
- Finely ground like soft sugar
- Always freshly roasted!
Should I use ground coffee in my espresso machine?
Got a home espresso machine that takes ground coffee? Coolio! Save yourself the extra job of grinding and choose freshly roasted coffee, pre-ground especially for your espresso machine.
There are oodles of espresso machines on the market. Some espresso makers, called bean-to-cup coffee machines, grind the beans for you, while others take coffee pre-ground for espressos. Bean-to-cup models can be pricey, but you don’t need to splash out (or remortgage the house) to get barista coffee at home! Just choose small-batch, hand-roasted ground espresso coffee!
It’s the best and easiest way to coffee that will Blow. You. Away.
Poof.

Espresso Machine Roast Type and Grind Size
What’s the best espresso grind?
Grab a bag of coffee ground for espresso and take a peek. Well, go a bit weak at the knees for that lush, insanely tempting aroma and then take a peek.
Any good espresso ground coffee will be super-fine. Espresso machines take the finest grind size – it should be like powdered sugar.
Why? It’s all down to the pressure method. There are two main types of brewing in Planet Coffee: gravity and pressure. Gravity methods include devices like the Chemex and V60 filter. They use the force of gravity to pull water downwards through ground coffee sitting in a filter.
Then, you’ve got pressure methods like espresso, AeroPress and Moka pot. The water still goes downwards (no arguing with Mr Newton), but much faster thanks to the addition of high pressures forcing the water through the grounds.
Not only does this make the process super-quick – it gives you coffee that’s rich, full-bodied and every inch awesome!
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Fancy a FREE coffee guidebook! Packed to bursting with coffee making/choosing/grinding tips? Click the link and we’ll pop one in the post!
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Why is ground coffee for espresso so fine?
Why is your espresso coffee rocking icing sugar vibes? The answer is pretty simple.
The addition of pressure means espresso brewing is speedy – the whole shebang takes less than a minute. This means fine coffee grinds are in order. Grinding fine like powdered sugar increases the surface area, allowing extraction to occur much faster. Those strapping pressures mean the grounds and water are only in contact with one another for a few seconds, and super-fine, surface area-increasing particles make sure all the lovely flavour gets extracted!

Why do med/dark roasts make the best ground coffee for an espresso machine?
We don’t do preachy at Two Chimps. We’re not gonna tell you that you have to use a medium/dark roast in your espresso machine. But we are gonna say that they’re a good shout if you’re wondering where to start! Here’s three reasons why:
Naturally sweet
Medium/dark coffees are ideal for espresso because they are less acidic than light roast coffee. Why? It’s because they spend longer in the roaster, giving more time for their natural sugars to caramelise and sweeten. Pressure brewing accentuates acidity, meaning that naturally sweet darker roasts create a beautifully balanced brew!
Great with Milk
Darker roasts are heavenly with milk, too. And what do we make with an espresso? Lovely lattes, cappuccinos and flat whites… Double yum!
Dissolve more easily in water
Spending a bit longer in the roaster makes medium and darker roasts more soluble than lighter roasts. This means they dissolve more easily in water, which is key for the turbo-charged espresso brew!

What is espresso roast?
Heard coffee geeks nattering about ‘espresso roasts’? Do you need to bother about it when choosing the best ground coffee for espresso?
Espresso roasts aren’t a different sort of coffee bean. It simply describes a roasting recipe created with espressos and espresso-based drinks in mind. Roasters leave espresso roasts longer in the roaster and use slightly higher temperatures to reduce acidity, increase body and make the coffee pin-point perfect for espresso!
You can use espresso roasts in other brew devices, of course. But don’t forget – any pre-ground espresso roast will be ground specifically for espresso makers. These super-fine grounds will taste a bit off in your V60!

Get this espresso ground coffee!
So, you know the best coffee for an espresso machine. Now it’s time to get some! The Two Chimps shop is brimming with cheeky beans your espresso will love. Try this rich, mellow-sweet roast, or this morning coffee great for punchy espressos!
Always freshly roasted each week. Always speciality-grade arabica. And always, always delicious!
So, you’ve found top espresso ground coffee. Now discover the best espresso method!
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