Don’t get me wrong, I am all too aware of the impulse. You’ve spent a fair amount of money on a coffee pod machine, and then you realise that you need to be buying more coffee pods on an almost weekly basis – it’s quite natural to want to look for the cheapest offers that are out there.

You need to be careful though – there is a fine line between ‘a bargain’ and ‘cheap and nasty’. It’s all very well finding the cheapest coffee pods around, but if you are drinking substandard coffee, then you are not getting the most out of your machine – and that is a much bigger waste of money!

The trick is to find someone you can trust to evaluate the quality of these cheaper coffee pods to find out whether they actually offer better value, or whether they are just very poor quality.

Well, I have some good news for you – you already have! In this article we are going to run through five of the cheapest coffee pods for each of the two major pod machines (Nespresso and Dolce Gusto) that actually represents good value, rather than just being the cheapest.

Why are Tassimo machines different to Nespresso & Dolce Gusto?

There is one main difference between Tassimo coffee pod machines and the other two, and it all comes down to a series of long and boring court cases. The upshot of which is that Nestle (who own both Nespresso and Dolce Gusto) failed to gain exclusive rights to producing pods that are compatible with their machines, whereas Tassimo did.

This means anybody can make pods for Nespresso and Dolce Gusto machines, whereas Tassimo pods have to be officially licensed by Tassimo. They do use other coffee brands, such as L’Or and Kenco, but Tassimo have to licence them, and therefore have a lot of say over the cost.

So what does this mean for the customer? With the market for Nespresso and Dolce Gusto Pods much bigger, there is more competition and prices get driven down. There are so many different options available, so we get more choices and lower prices. For Tassimo customers, the price is pretty rigid, but the theory is that the quality is pretty much assured, as Tassimo have to okay the product and it is in their interest for their machines to make great coffee.

So for this article, we are going to focus on the cheapest Nespresso and Dolce Gusto pods. Let’s get into it.

Cheapest Nespresso Coffee Pods

Solimo Lungo

We’ll kick things off with a product from Solimo. You will be forgiven for having not heard of Solimo before, but they are one of the many Amazon brands that you see popping up everywhere. They always tend to be at the lower end of the price range, no matter what the product, so it is no surprise to see Amazon represented on this list.

We have selected their Lungo because these pods make a genuinely lovely cup of coffee. It is a dark roast, made from 100% Arabica beans. It has a medium intensity (rated 3 out of 5) and the taste is sweet and mild. You should aim to serve it as a 110ml coffee, with a little bit of milk if you would like, but I think it works best as a straight black coffee – you can pick up more of the flavour that way.

The result is a nicely balanced cup of coffee. It’s un-intrusive, and very easy to drink – the perfect coffee to serve guests if you don’t know too much about their preferences. While it won’t win many awards at craft coffee festivals, where new and exciting flavours are sought after, it makes a decent cup of coffee.

Here’s the kicker though – you get two packs of 50 in this bundle, 100 capsules in total. At this price it is one of the cheapest products that we are going to feature on this list of cheap coffee pods. It is the perfect product to have in your cupboard for when you have people over, or when you just want a basic cup of coffee.

Check Latest Price Of Solimo Lungo

Rosso Caffè Variety Pack

Next up we have this variety pack of Nespresso-compatible pods from Rosso Caffè. This is a fascinating company, which was started by two coffee-loving friends at college together and is now one of the biggest sellers of Nespresso-compatible pods on Amazon.

Their website promises “A top shelf brew for the right price” and this variety pack does exactly that.

Within this pack you will find:

Delicato: A light roast with a gentle intensity that will give you fruity and delicate flavours. Best served as a Lungo (110ml), the beans that make up this coffee come from Columbia and Hawaii.

Ricco: This versatile medium roast can be served as a Lungo, but also makes a great cappuccino. It is rich and smooth, and the beans hail from Costa Rica.

Purismo: This gentle light roast has a medium intensity with a soft and balanced finish, made with beans from Central America and India – serve as a Lungo.

Gentleman: A full bodied dark roast, this has a strong intensity that is best served as an espresso to liven up your day. Beans from Ethiopia and Vietnam.

Maestro: Another strong and intense dark roast, this has a fruity taste to it. Best served as an espresso or Risteretto – made with beans from Tanzania or Costa Rica.

Intelligente: A medium roast that is on the more intense side, this is a versatile coffee that can be enjoyed as a Lungo or espresso. It’s woody and complex, from Ethiopia.

It has something for everyone, and the quality is very good, some of the nicest coffees on this list, and at an excellent price. This is perfect for large households with a variety of tastes, or people that like to mix things up a bit. Put this on your short list.

Check Latest Price Of Rosso Caffè

Happy Belly Espresso

Another Amazon brand now – this time we are looking at Happy Belly, who offer a range of coffee pods. We have selected their espresso pods for this list.

As you would expect for an espresso pod, this is a strong coffee. It has a rich, deep flavour with a balanced body and a long-lasting after taste. I got hints of nut and caramel in the flavour, and it has a decent intensity to it (rated 4 out of 5). It’s a classic espresso really, but also works well as a coffee base if you are making a cappuccino or other milky drinks.

The pods themselves are sealed with an aluminium foil, which you don’t always get with the cheaper pods. The foil works to lock in the freshness of the coffee, trapping in those rich flavours, so that you get a full hit of that distinctive coffee aroma when it is brewing, and then all the flavour when you are drinking it. Foil tends to be the best way to seal in coffee pods.

Another feature that has proven quite popular with existing customers, which may be otherwise overlooked, is the aesthetics of the pods. Now, for many people this won’t be important at all, but some people have attractive pod holders on which they store their pods – having a nice looking pod to put in it is important to them. The foil top contrasting with the deep red base works really well. The gold Lungo pods from Happy Belly look great next to these pods too!

These are great pods to use as a base for milky coffees, as well as making a decent espresso on their own. The price is great for aluminium sealed pods.

Check Latest Price Of Happy Belly Espresso

Café Royal Ristretto

We’re going to head over to Switzerland now to look at our first Risteretto pods on this list. The company that makes them is called Café Royal, but judging from their website, they are no longer up and running, or as they put it “are on a break” – but they do still sell their coffee on Amazon.

Whatever state the company is in now, they have (had?) been making coffee for over 65 years – priding themselves on being innovative and unconventional. It was a very natural step for them to move into making coffee pods.

These Risteretto pods are designed to be served as 25ml drinks, and they really pack a punch. With an intensity rating of 9 out of 10, you’ll find that these little pods make a big impact at the very first sip. You’ll get hints of wild berries and dark chocolate, with a rich and smooth after taste. I found myself going back for another later in the morning, it really is a delicious drink.

I was surprised by the price of these pods. The flavour is much more complex than you might expect for coffee pods at the lower end of the price range. There is very little bitterness, it is a really smooth drink.

If you like Risteretto coffees, then I think you will struggle to find a better one than this in this price range. It’s a great drink that you will find you go back to again and again.

Check Latest Price Of Café Royal Ristretto

Must Espresso Italiano

We complete our list of the cheapest Nespresso coffee pods with this fantastic variety pack from Must – a brand from Ultramar. This is an Italian coffee company, steeped in the tradition of coffee making. They pride themselves on their commitment to quality coffee, and providing people with the freshest coffee to drink in their own homes with a strict packing method.

As you would expect, these are aluminium sealed capsules that have locked in all the flavours and aromas. There are 6 different kinds of pods:

Risteretto: an intense hit of dark chocolate and almonds gives way to a sweet aftertaste, creating a complex, yet very drinkable, little drink.

Puro Arabica: Expect hazelnut and almonds with hints of honey and chocolate with these exotic pods. Serve as an espresso.

Napoli: Another pod best served as an espresso, you get some really strong flavours in this classic Neapolitan coffee.

Lungo: Intense and aromatic, you’ll find spicy notes of hazelnut and cocoa in this delightful longer coffee.

Deca: A decaffeinated espresso, this has all the flavour of quality coffee, but without the caffeine.

Cremoso: A medium intensity, this espresso is the perfect base for milky coffees. The flavour will find its way through to compliment the milk.

As you can see, there are plenty of options with this variety pack. You’ll certainly be able to find one you love out of this lot. It might be worth considering whether you would use the decaf pods though, as if not, another option may be better for you.

Check Latest Price Of Must Espresso Italiano

Cheapest Dolce Gusto Pods

Nescafe Café Americano

We’ll kick off our selection of the best cheap Dolce Gusto pods with a product from a company that you may have not been expecting to see on this list – Nescafe. One of the biggest names in coffee, and certainly the biggest name in the coffee pod industry, Nescafe products are sold all over the world.

So how come these pods are on our list of the cheapest pods? Well, because they are cheap! Compared to the ‘official’ Nespresso pods, these are very competitively priced, as they are against some of the other manufacturers of Dolce Gusto compatible pods. Moreover, these are often on offer, so the price can get even better if you time your purchase well – and you can get an additional discount if you subscribe to a regular order. You save money, and you never run out of coffee.

On top of this, the quality is as you would expect – superb. If anyone is going to know how to get the best coffee out of these machines, it’s Nescafe, and they do not disappoint here. A light roast with a deep flavour, this makes a great long coffee that you can go back to again and again, with or without milk.

It’s a great place to start our list of the cheapest Dolce Gusto pods because if you can beat this for value, you’re doing very well.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafe Café Americano

Happy Belly Café Au Lait

Back to Happy Belly now – the Amazon brand that specialises in producing great, affordable coffee. We have opted for their Café au Lait pods here, but they also make cappuccino, latte macchiato, chococino and decaf pods, amongst others. All are competitively priced.

These pods produce a brilliantly creamy coffee. I have found that some milky pods, particularly those at the cheaper end of the scale, can fail to get an authentic tasting milk, but these pods really nail it. The flavour of the coffee goes really deep, while the milk is frothier – it has the feel of a shop-bought coffee which is difficult to pull off with a one-pod milky coffee.

It is a sweet and creamy drink, mild in intensity, but retaining a strong flavour of coffee that you can taste against the backdrop of the milk. The colour of the drink is a reassuringly dark brown – it retains its colour where many drinks like this go a disconcerting light brown colour. This drink both looks and tastes strong.

This is best served as a ‘5 bar’ drink, using the indicator on the front of your machine. It’s a classic white coffee, and as such these are great pods to have in for people that come over. People that don’t know that they want a great coffee will be amazed when you serve them one of these!

Of course, as it features on this list, the price is also a huge plus point. These are great value coffee pods, and well worth your consideration.

Check Latest Price Of Happy Belly Café Au Lait

Caffè Tiziano Bonini Espresso Forte

Next up we’re going to be taking a look at some espresso pods from Italian company Caffè Tiziano Bonini. Starting out as a small, family-run company, they now sell products that make over 10 million cups of coffee every month, all over Europe.

Espresso pods are often overlooked on the Dolce Gusto machines. I guess it is because the main selling point of these machines is that you can make so many different drinks at the touch of a button, that the most basic is often overlooked – but it shouldn’t be. These pods make an amazing espresso.

What I like most about them is that they don’t hold back, or pander to a more mainstream audience. These little pods are packed full of flavour – a consistent and vigorous blend, with a strong aroma and a powerful taste. They are marketed for ‘true connoisseurs’, and I can see why. There is a depth to the flavour here that you don’t get with many other Dolce Gusto espressos.

Of course, this might not be what a lot of people that buy Dolce Gusto machines want – they may want a more mild taste, or just to stick with milky drinks. But for those that like a bit more punch with their espressos, this is a great option, and at the price, it is definitely worth a purchase.

Check Latest Price Of Caffè Tiziano Bonini

Starbucks Mixed Cup Variety Pack

Our penultimate selection is another variety pack – this time from the Seattle-based coffee company, Starbucks.

This may be another surprising name to find on this list. Starbucks haven’t really been known for their low prices over the years, but this variety pack represents very good value in our opinion.

In this selection you will get:

Cappuccino: Just as you remember it from their shops, this delightfully balanced milky coffee is creamy, frothy and indulgent

Caramel Macchiato: A Starbucks classic. The creamy deliciousness of the milk, complimented by the super-indulgent caramel, all on top of the classic coffee taste

Latte Macchiato: A delightfully smooth latte, this is a wonderful drink to sip and relax with when you have a few minutes of peace

Caffe Latte: Strong, rich coffee blended with creamy milk – one of the most popular drinks on the planet

Espresso Roast: Their signature espresso, get the authentic taste of Starbucks in your own home

House Blend Grande: A longer drink, this is a delightful way to enjoy Starbucks coffee

You get pretty much everything you could want from this variety pack, and the price per capsule is very good. As these pods keep very well, you can buy the pack and slowly work your way through them – although they may not end up lasting very long!

Check Latest Price Of Starbucks Variety Pack

Italian Coffee Capsules

We finish this list of the cheapest coffee pods with another variety pack – this time from a less well-known name. ‘Italian Coffee’ have put together this budget offering, and it surprised with its quality.

You’ll see from the packaging that they have cut back on as much as possible to keep costs down – sold in a bag, rather than a box (something to consider when purchasing as it may impact where you store them), this is a basic offering. But the coffee is excellent:

Vigoroso: An espresso with an extra little kick – strong and intense

Ristretto: Dark and intense, this is packed full of flavour, not for the faint-hearted!

Cremoso: A more delicate espresso – creamy, but with an intense body

Arabica: A classic espresso – strong, with a fantastic aroma

 This selection of short coffees is excellent, and well worth it if you tend to drink espressos, or froth your own milk to create milky drinks. The flavours are much bolder than you might expect from a product in this price range.

Where it may fall down, though, is the fact that they don’t offer any complete milky drinks. As I mentioned above, that is the real selling point of the Dolce Gusto machines, so it may be that this doesn’t appeal to many people that have those machines.

If you like espressos, though, this is a wonderful option for you, and at such a low price, I think you will be delighted with what you receive.

Check Latest Price Of Italian Coffee Capsules

The post Cheapest Coffee Pods appeared first on Ideal Grind.

Thankfully, there are quite a few different options when it comes to low acidity coffee, so there’s still something for all tastes. In this article, we’ll look at low acid coffee in more detail before introducing you to the best low acid coffees available in the UK.

What is Low Acid Coffee?

One of the main characteristics of coffee is its acidity. Coffee beans come from inside the fruit of the Coffee plant. In fact, they’re the seeds of the cherry-like fruit that grows on the plant. These seeds are sour and acidic. Among other things, their acidity is assessed as a part of the tasting process as this forms an important part of the coffee’s richness.

There are two types of low acid coffee. The first type is treated coffee beans. This means the beans are processed to reduce their acidity. For example, coffee beans that are naturally more acidic might be roasted in a different way. Their roasting might be interrupted or slow, for instance.

The second type of low acid coffee is coffee that is naturally less acidic. Coffee plants that grow at lower altitudes are usually less acidic. As such, choosing coffee grown in areas like Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico, Guatemala, and Sumatra will be naturally less acidic.

Why would you want to drink low acid coffee?

Health professionals have been pushing the problematic acidity of coffee for a while. For some people, normal coffee can cause or worsen gastro issues. Those with Crohn’s disease and Coeliac disease will benefit from a low acidity coffee, for example. The availability of low acid coffee means more people are able to enjoy a great cup of coffee without the negative side effects of an acidic drink.

Also, coffee with high acidity is known to damage enamel and teeth and so many people opt for a low acid coffee to reduce the impact their favourite drink has on their smile.

Can you make normal coffee low in acid?

If you’ve got a favourite brew that you don’t want to stop drinking but you like the idea of low acid coffee, there are things you can do to reduce its acidity. Firstly, you should avoid a light roast. This is because coffee roasting kills the acids. With a light roast, more acids are present.

Another option is to choose a light roast coffee but prepare it as a cold brew. Cold brewing reduces the acidity.

Finally, adding milk to your coffee will reduce its acidity naturally too.

However, if you’re looking for a coffee that’s naturally low in acid, here is a selection of the best around.

Exhale Organic House Roast

Exhale sells its coffee as a “healthy, clean, organic coffee.” In fact, they say it’s “ridiculously healthy.”

The company lab tested and tasted 45 different coffees from all around the world to find their unique cup. With their beans chosen, they then tried various methods of roasting to enable the healthy compounds to remain. This specific brew is grown in the Chiapas region of Mexico and is produced by Ek Balam, Jaltenango. It has tasting notes of hazelnut, caramel and apricot. In terms of grade, it’s been denoted “speciality grade” and is 84/100 on the SCA scale.

What’s also great about Exhale is that it’s a single-origin, fair trade certified coffee that’s fully traceable. It comes in compostable, plastic-free packaging and is available as a one-time purchase or a subscription service.

One bag of Exhale is 225g, which is around 14 cups of coffee and one cup provides the equivalent level of antioxidants of 55 oranges and 12 blueberry punnets. It’s also recognised as organic coffee by the Soil Association and is pesticide and mycotoxin free.

Coffee is actually the 3rd most sprayed crop, which means a lot of coffee on your shelves is full of pesticides (as is the ecosystem as a result). Exhale only buys from certified organic farms. They also donate 2% of their revenue to environmental charities that work to restore the natural environment.

The coffee has also been optimised for polyphenols, which are naturally occurring chemicals found in plants. There are over 500 different polyphenols and they are known to combat cell damage and even influence gut bacteria. Research even suggests these chemicals are able to lower a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes as they boost your insulin sensitivity and slow down how quickly your body absorbs and digests sugar.

Check Latest Price Of Exhale Organic House Roast

Pact Fazenda Reis

Next on our list is Pact Coffee’s Fazenda Reis. This coffee is grown by José Carlos dos Reis in Brazil. It is a medium-dark roast and comes in a 250g back, which makes around 15 cups.

Like Exhale, this is a speciality-grade, single-origin coffee. While we’re talking about this coffee because it is low in acid, we love that this brand pays around 60% above the Fairtrade Base Price. It’s also really fresh too as the beans are only roasted days before being sent to you.

This coffee has a sweetness of refined sugar with taste notes of peanut butter cups. It’s a creamy coffee and mildly acidic.

Pact is all about sustainability. They even give you information about the farmer and farm where the beans have been grown. In this instance, the coffee has been grown on five hectares of land at 950 metres above sea level.

The farmer, José Carlos dos Reis runs sustainability projects and even builds houses for employees. What’s more, 40% of his 116 employees are female – and he hopes, one day, to pass things on to his daughter. This is definitely somewhere we’d like to buy coffee from!

Check Latest Price Of Pact Fazenda Reis

Exhale Decaf

If you like the idea of Exhale as mentioned above, but want a decaf low acid option, this one’s for you. Like the organic house roast, this organic decaf roast is healthy, mycotoxin-free and chemical-free. Every shipment is tested to ensure it is free from mould, yeast, heavy metals, pesticides, and mycotoxins. Unlike supermarket coffees that are ground and roasted months before being put on the shelves, Exhale only roasts and grinds just before the coffee is sold.

Exhale have decaffeinated this coffee with an all-natural process using CO₂. There are no artificial ingredients or chemicals involved in the process, yet 99.9% of the caffeine is removed. The use of CO₂ in a close-loop system means the coffee is both better for you and for the planet.

The packaging is, once again, compostable and plastic-free and it comes in a 225g bag, equivalent to 14 cups of coffee.

The Exhale Decaf is a single-origin, speciality-grade coffee that’s 84/100 on the SCA scale. The beans originate in Cajamarca, Peru and are produced by Ivan, La Libertad & Maria, Trapiche.

In terms of tasting notes, this brew has notes of milk chocolate, raisin and stewed plums – delicious!

It’s optimised for polyphenols and antioxidants and is naturally high in vitamin B3 (niacin), which is important for good health and cholesterol levels.

Check Latest Price Of Exhale Organic Decaf

Lean Caffeine Nicaragua Coffee

Next on our list of low acid coffees is Lean Caffeine Nicaragua Ground Coffee. This is described as a super clean, mycotoxin-free bulletproof coffee. It is lab-verified to be free from mycotoxins, heavy metals and pesticides and is, therefore, an extremely clean cup of coffee.

This coffee is ideal for those who love a darker roast. It has a full depth of flavour while being silky smooth. It’s ideal for anyone on a low carb, gluten-free, paleo or keto diet seeking a natural energy boost, and it can be made into an espresso, americano or even AeroPress coffee.

In terms of certification, this product has the Rainforest Alliance seal, which means it’s a sustainable coffee that is helping to improve the livelihoods of farmers while also mitigating climate change. Though the farmer does follow organic practices, he is not organic certified, which is why the product doesn’t have the organic label.

Though grown in the San Jose region of Nicaragua, the coffee maintains its freshness by being dark roasted in the UK. Lean Caffeine actually buys the whole crop off the farmer and then processes it themselves.

Check Latest Price Of Nicaragua Coffee

Lucifer’s Roast

This Italian Robusta coffee by KIQO comes in a 1kg pack. It’s described as “extremely strong coffee beans” that are low in acid.

The company describe its low acidity being down to its use of 100% Robusta beans, which also provide its extreme strength. If you like your espresso like the Italians, you’ll love this brew.

It is an ideal coffee for both American and espresso and is full-bodied with a fine crema. The beans are picked by hand and assured to have no cracks. They’re also roasted by hand so that each bean receives the perfect even roasting. There is a maximum of 5kg of beans roasted at once, which means this is the opposite of mass-produced coffee.

The company adds no flavour enhancers or additives and the production process is biologically sustainable as well as vegan.

The beans are sourced from coffee farmers directly so there are no intermediaries. They’re grown in Vietnam, Indonesia, Nicaragua (altura), and Guatemala (altura).

The clue’s in the name. Lucifer’s Roast is a devilish coffee that is apparently, one of the strongest coffees available in Europe and its caffeine content is 2.86% (5.71 mg per cup).

Check Latest Price Of Lucifer's Roast

MyPaleo Coffee

This coffee by MyPaleo is designed for followers of a Paleo diet. It is a strong and dark roast that is naturally high in caffeine, low in acid, and free from mycotoxins. It’s also organic and pesticide free.

MyPaleo uses a blend of Arabic and Premium Robusta beans that are roasted and packed in the UK. The coffee can be used as a pour-over, French press, AeroPress, cold brew or espresso.

It can be bought in 1kg bags of either beans or ground coffee, or 227g and 500g bags of ground coffee.

MyPaleo claims that their coffee won’t give you that caffeine crash a few hours after consumption. This is due to it being free from mould toxins, heavy metals and pesticides. They design a roasting profile for each of their coffee lots in order to minimise the risks to health and maximise the health benefits.

As well as this dark & strong version, they also have a light roast.

Check Latest Price Of MyPaleo Coffee

HealthWise Low Acid Coffee

Though HealthWise Low Acid coffee looks a little more old-fashioned than some of the other coffees in this article, don’t let that put you off. This is a Columbian decaffeinated low-acid coffee that comes in a large, 340g tub.

This really is a coffee for people who need a low acid alternative. If you’re really suffering from problems due to the acidity of coffee, this is an option but it is very expensive for what it is – especially when you consider the lack of caffeine too.

HealthWise make their coffee using a trademarked process called TechnoRoasting which reduces the natural acidity and bitterness of coffee to produce a rich, smooth cup that is kind on the stomach. It’s ideal for anyone with acid reflux, for example. HealthWise coffee has a pH of 6.18, which means it is over ten times less acidic than your average coffee.

Though the acidity is removed, the process won’t remove the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals from the coffee. There are no additives used either.

The beans are sourced from Colombia’s Paisa region, a rural area in the Coffee Triangle to the west of Bogotá.

Check Latest Price Of Healthwise Coffee

Verdict On Low Acid Coffee

Compared to a few years ago, the UK is awash with a variety of low acid coffees. As ever, quality (and taste) varies depending on what you go for and how much you’re willing to pay.

If you’re looking for a good all-rounder that is low in acid but still has great flavour, Exhale Organic House Roast is a fine choice.

This is naturally low in acid and has many other benefits like being single origin, sustainable, and organic. Let us know if you’ve found a great low acid coffee we’ve not mentioned.

The post Low Acidity Coffee appeared first on Ideal Grind.

In this Lavazza Vs. Illy guide, we’ll put them both to the test to see which one comes out on top. It’s worth nothing though, that you can’t really go wrong by choosing either of these – a lot of it will come down to personal taste.

Illy – An Overview

This family-owned company was founded by Francesco Illy in 1933. Illy still remains in the hands of the family and remains headquartered in Trieste, Italy.

Illy sells its coffee lines all over the world in its highly recognisable red and silver cans. It offers ground coffee or whole beans in decaffeinated, medium and dark roast variations. There are also single-origin coffees from India, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Brazil, which are all made from Arabica beans.

Besides coffee, the company also makes espresso machines, coffee makers and coffee accessories. Illy also offers a coffee subscription service.

Lavazza – An Overview

Lavazza is also a family business like Illy. In this case, it was Luigi Lavazza who founded the company in Turin in 1895. The company first began trading from a small grocery store. To this day it remains in the hands of the Lavazza family.

Lavazza sources its coffee from all over the world, including Central and South America, the United States, Africa and Indonesia.

With a number of Robusta/Arabica blends available, Lavazza offers slightly more when compared to Illy.

Lavazza is also a leader in the coffee industry in terms of its approach to sustainable coffee production.

Illy Vs Lavazza Comparison

Taste & Flavour

Verdict: Lavazza

Taste and flavour are hard ones to judge and it all comes down to personal preference. What some people prefer for their coffee will be different to others. That said, Lavazza and Illy do have some subtle taste differences that might sway your preference one way or the other.

Knowing your preferred style of coffee will be helpful in deciding which one to go for. Here at Ideal Grind, we love a strong coffee and so Lavazza has the edge for us. This is because Lavazza has several different blends that incorporate Robusta coffee beans, which means a bolder cup is guaranteed.

In addition, Lavazza also has a better selection of different roast levels to suit wider palates. It’s worth knowing, though, that Lavazza’s roasting scale is somewhat atypical and most people say their light roast is a little stronger than other brands.

Don’t get us wrong, Illy’s coffee is simply delicious too but their lack of Robusta beans and light roast means that Lavazza does have the edge as a brand.

Let’s look at some of the more individual characteristics of the taste and flavour compared:

Smoothness – Illy’s bean quality really comes through in the coffee’s smoothness. Illy’s coffee is slightly smoother than Lavazza’s. Lavazza coffee has a full structure, though.

Bitterness – Lots of the Lavazza coffee blends are sweeter but they are more bitter compared to Illy. Illy’s coffees are a rich yet mild flavour.

Acidity – Both Illy and Lavazza are mild tasting. Lavazza’s range all tends to be mild while Illy does have some options that have a higher acidity.

Coffee Beans

Verdict: Illy

When it comes to the type of beans used to make coffee, it really is something that is down to individual taste.

Around 75% of the world’s coffee is Arabica, and Robusta makes up the remaining 25%. Generally, coffee drinkers tend to prefer the flavour of Arabica coffee because of its distinct flavour profiles and its higher sugars. That said, Robusta coffee beans have more antioxidants and caffeine and so this is often preferred by those who enjoy a stronger brew.

Lavazza only uses Arabica beans while Illy offers some blends as well as 100% Arabica products. With this variety in mind, we think Illy comes out on top.

Price and Quality

Verdict: Illy

When it comes to price and value for money, it’s Illy that has the edge. This is because Illy’s range is generally lower in price than Lavazza’s but there isn’t an awful lot of difference. The quality overall means that Illy works out at slightly better value for money.

As we’ve mentioned above, Lavazza’s coffee is excellent but this high quality means it’s a little more expensive. For those looking for a decent coffee on a budget, Illy’s is most recommended. For anyone who doesn’t mind paying a premium, you’d probably go for Lavazza.

Lavazza Vs. Illy on Coffee Accessories and Coffee Makers

Verdict: Illy

Illy really stands out when it comes to accessories and coffee makers. On the Illy website, there are around fifty different machines on offer, including espresso machines, French presses, drip brewers, milk frothers, pod machines, and ground coffee machines.

With so many types of coffee brewing machines available, it will come as no surprise that Illy offers a huge range of coffee to suit their machines. It really doesn’t matter what type of coffee brewing method you prefer; Illy can offer it.

To compare, Lavazza only has a few machines on its website. It has partnered with SMEG for a couple of them, though, which is a positive. However, there is nowhere near the range that Illy offers.

Lavazza Vs. Illy on Coffee Subscription Services

Verdict: Illy

Lavazza is quite new to subscriptions but has now started offering this service. There are two different types of subscription on offer: a coffee-only subscription or a machine and coffee subscription.

What’s great about the machine and coffee subscription is that it allows you to buy your new coffee machine from them for as little as £1 as a part of the package. When choosing this option, you’ll need to subscribe to a minimum of ten boxes of capsules (or 2kg coffee beans). However, it means that you can spread the cost of purchasing a new coffee machine, which is great.

There are three types of coffee-only subscriptions: capsules, coffee beans and ground coffee. The capsule subscription offers 25% off while the ground coffee and coffee beans subscriptions offer a saving of up to 15%.

With Illy, you can also choose a machine and coffee subscription or a coffee-only subscription. Illy is slightly more open about their pricing on this from the first page.

The machine and coffee option starts from £27.88/month at the time of writing while the coffee-only option starts at £12.38/month. Illy’s subscription plan also means you collect Loyalty Hearts, which if you’re a member of Illy Lovers, you’re able to use for discounts and other offers.

Overall, Illy has the edge when it comes to subscriptions. There is more choice of products and their loyalty scheme is good too.

Final Verdict

Most people that like Italian coffee will love both Lavazza and Illy. As we all have different tastes, the verdict as to which one is best is very individual and these two brands are almost neck-and-neck. However, if you’re someone who is all about taste and flavour and you love a strong cup, Lavazza will probably be the one to go for. If you’re looking for which brand is best overall though, we’d probably argue that it was Illy. Though Lavazza has the edge in terms of the quality and variety of coffee roasts available, Illy’s impressive offering of machines and coffee types will come out on top. While Lavazza’s taste and variety are impressive, Illy is a one-stop-shop when it comes to everything coffee lovers want and need.

But don’t just take our word for it, try them and let us know what you think!

The post Lavazza Vs Illy – Which Is Best? appeared first on Ideal Grind.

So we thought it would be a good idea to cover the answers to a lot of these questions in one place – this article. We hope you find the answer that you’re looking for.

How much water should go into an espresso?

The standard answer to this is that an espresso should be 30ml, or one fluid ounce – with a double shot therefore being 60ml, or two fluid ounces. If you put more water through than this you will find your coffee is a bit weak, and if you don’t have enough, the coffee will be too bitter.

As with most things to do with making great coffee, though, there is a bit more to it than that…

Every coffee will have a slightly different reaction to the water, so you may find that some will give you a stronger coffee with the same amount of water than others. The key is in the colour. While you are extracting the coffee, watch for the colour of the coffee coming out. You want a brown hazelnut colour – when it starts to go lighter, you have extracted as much flavour out of the coffee as you are going to get and it’s time to stop.

This is part of what makes a great barista – the ability to read a coffee and know the exact point that the extraction should be stopped.

How much coffee should go into an espresso?

Let’s start with the standard answer again – the standard amount of coffee in a single espresso should be around 18-21 grams, which you should double to 36-42 grams for a double shot.

Again, of course, it really does depend on what coffee you are using. You will find that some, more bitter, coffees are better at the lower end of the scale, while others will need that little bit more to give your drink a deep enough flavour.

The beauty of making your own coffee is that you can experiment. You won’t be able to nail it the first time with a new coffee, it will take a little bit of time – look for that colour change and you won’t go far wrong.

What is the best ratio of water and coffee for an espresso?

The best ratio of coffee to liquid (as in how much coffee you put in compared to the amount of liquid you get out) is around 1:1.5.

To put this in practical terms, if you are making an espresso using 18 grams of coffee grounds, you should stop the extraction process when you have 27 grams of liquid (this equates to 30ml or 1 fluid ounce).

Obviously it is difficult to know when you have 27 grams of liquid, so it is best to convert this into millilitres or fluid ounces before you start the process.

What grind size should I have for an espresso?

When you are making an espresso, or any coffee for that matter, it is always best you grind your beans just before you start the brewing process. This is the only way to ensure that the coffee is as fresh as possible, and how fresh your coffee is will have a huge impact on the taste of your drink. Fresh is best.

So once you have that sorted, you’ll need to know how fine to grind your coffee. Different methods of making coffee require different sizes of coffee grounds to work with. When you are using a filter coffee machine, for example, the water tends to flood the coffee and then slowly drip through – this works best with a coarse grind size as if it is too fine, the coffee is over extracted and you will get a really bitter tasting coffee.

For an espresso, though, the water is pushed through the coffee with high pressure – it is forced through quickly. As such, you want a fine sized coffee grain so that the water has more surface area to work with. You don’t want any blockages as the water passes through, it needs to just rush on by.

The perfect size for a grain is around 0.8mm, if you have a grinder with that amount of accuracy – or simply ‘Fine’ if not.

What type of coffee is best for an espresso?

We could write a 5,000 word article on this subject, but just to show our versatility, we will attempt to give you a snappy answer here.

As a general rule, a darker roast is better for espressos. These coffees tend to give you sharper, more bold flavours which tends to work better with the method of making espressos. As the water passes through the coffee very quickly, if you have a more subtle tasting coffee, you can find that your espresso ends up tasting too mild.

Of course, there are plenty of coffees out there that go against this general rule – there are some incredible blonde espressos out there that are packed full of flavour.

How do I make the best espresso?

If you follow the rough advice on this page, you will make a good start to making the best espresso for your taste, but our ultimate one-word piece of advice is this:

Experiment!

The beauty of the coffee industry today is that there are so many companies, big and small, doing incredible things with coffee. So many different coffees, using beans from all over the world, being roasted in new and imaginative ways, to create wonderful new flavours.

Focus on the basics to begin with, but as soon as you feel confident enough, get out there and start taking advantage of the most exciting coffee market the world has ever seen. You’re ultimate espresso is out there, it’s up to you to find it.

The post How Much Is A Shot Of Espresso? appeared first on Ideal Grind.

So how do you decide which ones are best for you? You come to us!

We have compiled this list of the best Dolce Gusto pods to help you make the best buying decision for your pod coffee machine. We are sure that you are going to find your next favourite pod on this list. Let’s get straight into it.

Starbucks Variety Pack

First up we have a bit of everything from arguably the most famous coffee brand in the world, Starbucks. The name carries with it a certain amount of expectation – fortunately, these pods more than live up to it.

While the pack is described as ‘Variety’, it is probably more accurate to describe it as an ‘Espresso Variety’ as each of these three types of pod make espresso pods. The three are:

Blonde Roast: A bold, yet mellow, Latin American coffee with vibrant, sweet notes.

Single-Origin Columbian: A medium roast Columbian coffee with a round body and juicy taste, finished off with hints of nut.

Espresso Roast: A delightful blend of Latin American and Asian coffees with rich, caramel sweetness.

If you tend to make espressos at home, this is a great option – giving you some great choices. You know what you’re going to get with Starbucks coffee, and as well as drinking them alone these espressos make a great base for americanos and milky coffees. Try the Blonde Roast in a Vanilla Latte – delicious!

These are priced at the higher end of the scale, but for that you get consistent and reliable quality from a huge name in the industry.

Check Latest Price Of Starbucks Variety Pack

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Americano

Next up we have an offering from the creators of the Dolce Gusto and another one of the biggest names in the coffee industry Nescafé. It stands to reason that these guys know how to make a decent pod for a Dolce Gusto machine, right?

Right. Full disclosure – I am a big fan of Americanos generally, so I was perhaps predisposed to favour these pods, but from the very first sip I was won over.

It’s the intensity of this drink that you will really notice. With a 7/11 intensity rating, it is the darkest roast in the Nescafé range; “Not for the feeble hearted” as they put it. Well, that’s exactly how I like my coffee.

There is a caramel taste to it as well, just to give it that pleasing balance, but the main thing is the strength. This is a coffee that you drink and then feel like you can take on the world! Perfect for those bleary-eyed mornings where you just don’t want to get going. These pods will sort you out.

If you like to really feel your coffee when you drink it, then I would wholeheartedly recommend these Nescafé Dolce Gusto Americano pods.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafé Americano

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Chococino

The same but very different now, as we look at another pack of pods from Nescafé – but a drink from the opposite end of the spectrum.

If the Americano pods that we featured above are perfect for the coffee purist, then these Chococino pods are for the coffee drinker that wants an alternative hot drink to coffee. Something sweet.

There is a certain intensity to these pods, similar to the Americano ones, but in a much more indulgent way. They are intensely smooth, sweet and indulgent. On top of the rich, chocolatey taste you’ll find little hints of vanilla, all finished off with a beautiful chocolate froth which lightly rests at the top of the drink. Light, sweet and delicious.

These are great pods for you to have in, whether you drink hot chocolate or not. You’re bound to have a guest round that fancies one at some point, and they will be blown away by how delightful these are. A real wow factor.

They are also one of the cheapest pods on our list, so there is nothing to stop you stocking up on them, just in case.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafé Chococino

Italian Coffee Tasting Bundle

Another product at the lower end of the price spectrum now, with this selection from ‘Italian Coffee’. I’ll level with you, I had never heard of this brand before, which often gives me cause for concern. The name in itself is pretty vague, so I didn’t hold up hope for it.

I was pleasantly surprised, however. This bundle provides you with four different types of pod, all offering something a bit different:

Vigoroso: A really strong, intense espresso with an intensity rating of 9. These were great first thing in the morning when I needed an extra boost.

Ristretto: Another really strong coffee, made from 100% robusta beans. This is dark and strong with an intensity rating of 10.

Cremoso: As the name suggests, this is a much creamier pod. Still intense (rating of 8), but with a much lighter texture to it. A nice one to sip when on a sunny morning,

Arabica: A blend of Arabica beans creates a very pleasing aroma. The lightest of the lot (intensity rating of 7) – a very smooth coffee.

If you are looking for a budget option that offers you variety, then this bundle should definitely be on your shortlist – ignore those doubts in your mind about the brand and take the plunge!

Check Latest Price Of Italian Coffee

Costa Coffee Americano

Another major player in the coffee industry now – Costa. Present on seemingly every high street in the country, Costa coffee shops remain incredibly popular in the UK, so it stands to reason that their pods will receive similar standing.

These Americano pods do not disappoint. Using their signature Mocha Italia blend, topped with hot water from your machine, the result is a fantastically smooth coffee. There are subtle notes of nuts and caramel but the overwhelming sense you’ll get here is just how smooth it is.

It is the perfect drink to have on a busy morning when you get a few moments to yourself – take a seat, have a sip and let the tension melt away.

It is one of the more expensive pods on our list today, but that is often the case with the well-known brands – you pay a premium to buying from a big brand. That shouldn’t put you off though, as these are well worth the money if you are fond of an Americano.

Check Latest Price Of Costa Coffee Americano

Nescafé Dolce Gusto Café Au Lait

The first milky coffee to make our list now as we take a look at another box of pods from Nescafé. One of the main selling points of the Dolce Gusto machines is that you can make a huge range of milky drinks at the touch of a button, without having to worry about frothing or steaming milk, so you would hope the creators of those machines would be able to produce a drink that utilises that function.

And you wouldn’t be disappointed with these pods. The balance between the coffee and the milk is spot on, and the result is that you get a deliciously creamy, smooth and delicate drink. It’s the perfect kind of drink to take your time over, perhaps in the afternoon when you have got on top of everything and can afford a few minutes to yourself. As these are decaf, you won’t need to worry about drinking one too late and not being able to sleep!

These are priced in the middle of what you should expect from a Dolce Gust pods, so there is nothing to put you off on that front. If you are partial to a Café Au Lait, then you will do well to find a better one than this.

Check Latest Price Of Nescafé Café Au Lait

CaffeLuxe Café Au Lait

It is our job, however, to try to find you a better one, and that is exactly what we are attempting to do here with the CaffeLuxe Café Au Lait pods. We want to provide you with as many options as possible.

So here we have a truly indulgent milky coffee – velvety smooth and luxuriously creamy. There is a silky foam crowning your drink which sets the tone. From there you taste the perfect balance of the Columbian coffee and the milk – enough coffee to awaken your taste buds mixed with enough milk to help it glide through your mouth.

It’s a great coffee to serve after dinner – a beautifully smooth finish to a dinner party that will surely impress your guests. It is one of the more expensive options that we have covered today, but we think it is genuinely worth the price. If these pods fit within you budget, give them a go – you won’t be sorry.

Check Latest Price Of CaffeLuxe

We hope you have enjoyed this list of our favourite Dolce Gusto pods, and that it has helped you to discover your next favourite coffee. Thank you for reading.

The post Best Dolce Gusto Pods appeared first on Ideal Grind.

This coffee immersion brewing method dates back to the mid-19th century. It is believed to have been invented by accident after a Frenchman forgot to add coffee to his coffee pot and decided to add it to the water when it was hot. He then used a piece of metal screen and a stick to plunge it and voilà, the French press was born!

Obviously, nowadays, things are a little more precise when it comes to making coffee in a French press. But, just how precise do you need to be?

In this article, we’ll talk you through how to make the perfect coffee in a French press – and it’s all to do with the coffee-to-water ratio.

The coffee-to-water ratio for a French press

Though there are different combinations depending on how strong you like your coffee, the best ratio (in my opinion) is 1:15. For a stronger cup, you could use a ratio of 1:12 and for a weaker brew, 1:17. Anything outside of these ratios probably won’t be pleasant!

These coffee-to-water ratios are based on the weight of the coffee to water and before you begin, you need to know the volume of your French press.

Generally speaking, these coffee makers come in 3 cups (350ml), 4 cups (500ml), 8 cups (1L), and 12 cups (1.5L) sizes.

Below shows the amounts of coffee and water needed for different strengths 0f your beverage.

Measuring coffee and water

It is strongly recommended to use a scale for measuring coffee and water when using a French press. This will be much more accurate than using a scoop or tablespoon.

Because a French press brews by immersion, it will take longer for the coffee to be extracted. For this reason, you’ll find you need a higher ratio than you do for pour-over coffee makers. For other coffee brewing techniques, you might hear 1:18 being recommended but for a French press, anything higher than 1:17 won’t be a good brew at all.

It’s no good having the perfect measurements of coffee and water if you don’t use the French press properly though! Here are the steps you need to follow for your perfect coffee-to-water ratio brew.

Making the perfect coffee in a French press

So, you’ve got the measurements sorted and you know how much coffee and water you need. Let’s make sure that the brewing method will make the most out of the ground coffee.

Step 1 – heat your water

Heat your water to 93 °C. Using water hotter than this will produce a bitter-tasting coffee as it will cause over-extraction. You don’t want to go cooler than this really because you need to let your coffee brew for a while.

Step 2 – grind your beans

While heating the water, use your burr grinder to grind your beans. For a French press, you need coarse coffee. It should look and feel like sea salt. When you use a coarse grind, you get a full-bodied, delicious coffee.

Step 3 – put it all together

If you want the perfect brew, it’s not as simple as putting the coffee in and pouring on water – you need to bloom the coffee first.

Add your coffee to your French press then pour over the water until all of the coffee is submerged. Use a spoon to give the mix a little stir, just enough to ensure that all of the coffee is saturated. This is the only time you should stir the brew – don’t go back later for another stir.

Also, it’s advisable to use a wooden or silicon spoon rather than a metal one. This is because the French press is made of glass and combined with the heat of the water, will be fragile.

Wait thirty seconds for the coffee to bloom in the hot water. During this phase, the coffee grounds will release carbon dioxide, which means you get a better extraction.

Step 4 – add the rest of the hot water

After the 30 seconds of bloom, add the remainder of the water. You can now wait for the brew. For the best coffee, wait four minutes. If your water is a little cooler than 93 °C, you can leave it for five minutes.

Step 5 – plunge

When the brewing time is up (use a timer for the perfect cup), you’re now ready to plunge the French press. This should be done slowly. If you’re too quick with the plunger, you’ll end up with coffee grounds in your cup, which will make your coffee taste bitter.

Also, don’t go all of the way to the bottom of the French press with the plunger to avoid agitating the grounds and getting them above the plunger (and into your drink!).

With a gentle, slow plunge and pour, you’ll have a really delicious tasting cup of coffee.

Final thoughts on getting the right coffee ratio for a French press

It’s so easy to chuck in a couple of scoops of ground coffee, fill up the French press with boiled water straight from the kettle, and wait a few minutes before plunging. If this is your usual way of using a French press, it’s time to be more scientific and precise about it.

Getting the coffee-to-water ratio, the water temperature, and the brewing process spot on and you’re in for a tasty treat! You’ll never go back to your haphazard ways again.

The post Coffee Ratio For French Press appeared first on Ideal Grind.

“Which is the best oat milk for coffee?”

That’s a question we get asked an awful lot. More and more we find that people are turning to vegan lifestyles, or are trying to cut out dairy for other reasons, but they still want to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.

We get it. For a long time, alternative milks had a pretty terrible reputation, which I think largely manifested from tea drinkers – who to be fair had a good point. Traditionally, alternative milks have not mixed well with tea.

Coffee is a different matter entirely though – not only can some milk alternatives be an adequate replacement for cow’s milk, some can even enhance the flavour. Over the last five years or so, we have seen an explosion of different milks on the market, from all manner of sources – soy, coconut, almond, rice, cashew, hazelnut, oat – and that is barely scratching the surface.

It is that last one that we’re going to focus on today though – oat milk. In this article we are going to take a look at why oat milk is a great option for drinking with coffee before we look at six of the best oat milks available in the UK today. Let’s go!

Why Choose Oat Milk For Coffee?

With so many different options out there, what makes oat milk such a popular alternative for drinking with coffee?

Well the first, and most important, factor is the taste. It has probably the closest taste to cow’s milk of all of the alternatives. It is slightly sweet in taste, but without it being overwhelming like some of the other alternatives can be. This means that the milk doesn’t overwhelm the flavour of the coffee.

Secondly, it’s the texture. Oat milk tends to be a bit thicker and creamier than some of the other options, which can be a little bit watery. Not only does this impact the feel of your drink, but it also impacts how you can present it. With oat milk, you have a much better chance of creating latte art – although as we will see, some perform this task better than others.

Finally, oat milk is very popular simply because more people can have it. People that suffer from soy or nut allergies have to be very careful which alternative milks they can have – oat milk is pretty much available to everyone, no matter what their allergies.

6 Best Oat Milks

So now we know why oat milk is so popular, but which one is the best? Let’s start our rundown of the 6 best oat milks for coffee.

Minor Figures – Barista Oat

Minor Figures started out making little cartons of cold brew – their goal back then was just “making the perfect coffee with the perfect bean”. As one of their founders also established a company devoted to reusable coffee mugs, it was probably inevitable that they would go on to make a product that was more eco-friendly.

This was accelerated when their head taster announced that he had become vegan. They changed around their entire company to keep him – going entirely plant-based.

They are still a coffee company, though, so it is no surprise that at some point they decided that they should divert their attention to making a great plant-based milk alternative – Barista Oat.

It’s a great place to start our list of the best UK oat milks because it is a great example of how far the alternative milk industry has come, particularly with regard to coffee. This isn’t a dairy-free company attempting to make a milk for coffee, it is a coffee company and that is obvious from the start.

The big thing here is the texture. It is creamy, but without being dense. It is strong enough so that it doesn’t split when you add it to hot coffee, but at the same time, it produces a fantastic micro-foam when you steam it – provided you know what you’re doing. You may not get the same results with an electric frother – steam really is the key here.

The taste is great too – the oat flavour isn’t too intense, which can sometimes be the case, so it doesn’t overpower the taste of your coffee. As they say themselves – they aren’t looking to replicate dairy, they are trying to produce something that pairs perfectly with coffee, and the flavour is perfect.

On top of all this, Minor Figures really do try to do the right thing, as I am sure you have probably guessed. They are completely carbon neutral, and they put a lot of thought in to where they source their ingredients from. They are certainly one of the good guys, and in this industry that really matters.

In terms of price, this is pretty much exactly in the mid-range of what you can expect to pay for a milk of this kind, so the price is not going to put you off. It is absolutely worth a try, particularly if you like to steam your milk for your coffees.

Check Latest Price Of Minor Figures

Califia Farms Oat Barista Blend

Okay, no prizes for guessing which part of the world our second oat milk on our list, Califia Farms, comes from. That’s right, Los Angeles, California.

Founded in 2010, they are one of the fastest-growing natural beverage companies in the world, and they now offer over sixty natural drinks – originally fruit juices but they quickly noticed a gap in the market and jumped on the non-dairy milk bandwagon.

We should be grateful that they did. The Califia Farms alternative milk range includes not just oat, but also vanilla and almond, and they complement this with a whole host of cold brew and iced coffee drinks.

But it is the oat milk, specifically their Barista Blend, that we are most interested in here.

As you would expect from a milk specifically intended for use with hot drinks, as the barista part of the name would suggest, this does not split when you add it to coffee, which is probably the bare minimum you would want for one of the milks on this list, but worth noting nevertheless.

Interestingly, they have used sunflower oil in the production of this milk. Not only does this help to keep the milk from splitting, but it also contains unsaturated fats which may be beneficial when it comes to lowering your cholesterol.

In terms of taste, there is a bit of sweetness there, but it isn’t overwhelming. I have known people to enjoy this milk by itself, which says a lot even if for the purposes of this article we are more interested in the taste when used with coffee.

The sweetness is still present when you froth the milk, which I found worked really well with stronger tasting, more bitter coffees. The oat milk then provided the perfect balance, just taking the edge off the bitterness to create a really pleasant drink.

It is a great milk for frothing – it reacts very much like cow’s milk, so you can really get some fantastic results whether you are going for a microfoam or a thicker, more dense froth.

Again, this is priced at the mid-range for oat milk, which means that I don’t think I can come up with a good reason why you shouldn’t give this one a go.

Check Latest Price Of Califia Farms Barista Blend

Alpro Barista

Next up we have one of the original providers of alternative milk, Belgian company Alpro. They were founded in 1980, way before most of the competition. In fact, it was probably before a lot of the people running the companies that represent their competition were even born!

Originally they made mainly soy-based products, but over the last decade or so they have followed the trends and expanded their range to include all kinds of alternative milks, including the Oat Barista milk that we are going to be looking at today.

As another barista-specific milk, you can bet that this is designed to go well with coffee. Of course, you’re not going to find any splitting when you add it to hot drinks.

This milk was voted to be the ‘Best in Coffee’ according to the front of the pack – although I must admit I can’t find any information about who actually awarded them this! It may have been an award they gave themselves!

Don’t let that distract you though – this is a really good milk to add to coffee. The thing you’ll notice first is how creamy it is, both in terms of taste and texture. There are delicate hints of sweetness in the taste, but again it is not over-powering. You get a light sweetness and hints of oat, but the main attribute is the creaminess.

That goes for the texture as well. This is certainly a much thicker milk than the standard Alpro milk, which means that it works brilliantly when you froth it. It will work just like cow’s milk – aim to steam it to around 65° (don’t go any hotter than that), and you can manipulate it in exactly the same way that you froth regular milk.

The results are fantastic, you get a wonderful froth to add to your coffee, and you can make milk to produce genuinely great latte art – if you have the skills to do so.

The company structure is complicated, however. Aplro, as a company, are great. They are a B-Corp company, which is a difficult title to attain and means that their business practices are transparent and meet very high standards in terms of accountability and charitable giving – the good guy test, really.

However, Alpro are owned by a parent company, Danone, which makes a lot of their money selling dairy products. This won’t bother many people, but those that drink alternative milks because they are against the dairy industry may be uncomfortable with this.

In terms of reasons to not buy this milk, that’s all I’ve got. So if that isn’t one of your trigger points, then Alpro is well worth giving a go.

Check Latest Price Of Alpro Barista

Oatly Barista

Arguably the most famous oat-based drinks company in the world now as we take a look at Oatly’s Barista milk.

Founded in Sweden in 1994, Oatly have exploded in popularity in the last five years or so, riding on the sudden boom in the alternative milk market. They produced the first oat milk that I ever tasted, and I think they are seen as pioneers in this particular section of the market.

The Barista version of their oat milk contains more fat than their other offerings – this is to give it a bit more substance to cope with the hot drinks that you are going to add it to – and it works.

The thing that struck me first, when I just added some milk straight out of the carton to my coffee, was that it had a much greater impact on the colour of my coffee than most of the other alternative milks that I have tried. Often you have to use loads of milk to get that lovely light brown colour, which then impacts the flavour. With Oatly Barista it doesn’t take as much at all.

The next thing, and probably the aspect that Oatly have put the most thought into, is how it performs when you steam it. You can get fantastic results when you make frothed milk – almost indistinguishable from cow’s milk. This milk is just the right density to really create some fantastic lattes and cappuccinos.

That density doesn’t impact the flavour though. Oatly have built themselves a reputation for making really nice tasting drinks, and their Barista version is exactly the same. It is creamy tasting, with just a light note of oat and some delicate sweetness in the background. It is a milk that will let the coffee do its job – it is there to support, not take over.

I have to say, I had the impression that Oatly was the premium option for these milks, but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the price – exactly the same as the other milks that I have covered so far in this list.

If you haven’t already tried Oatly Barista, you really should.

Check Latest Price Of Oatly Barista

MOMA Original Oat Drink

Another oat specialist company now – MOMA. Based in South London, MOMA was founded in 2006 on the back of frustration about the lack of healthy breakfast ‘on-the-go’ options. It was decided that oats were the way to go.

A breakfast stand was opened in a railway station, where they sold porridge. They have continued to grow since then, and in 2020 they launched their oat drink and even won a Great Taste Award for their Barista Edition the very same year.

That’s what we are going to be looking at today. Like most of the oat milk drinks that we have covered, it is packed full of vitamins and other lovely health benefits like folic acid for your immune system.

This is unsweetened, which you certainly do appreciate when you add it to coffee – all you get is a subtle creaminess that complements coffee beautifully. You’ll probably notice that it is a bit thinner than many of the other options -almost like skimmed milk – but that doesn’t mean that it splits or is any less effective.

As a result, I would recommend only heating this to around 60°c. If you do you will find that this is a brilliant milk for coffee. It froths really nicely, and you can do whatever it is that you want with it – microfoam or a more dense froth – it all comes down to your skill and your patience.

I should note here, that it only tends to froth well with a manual steam wand – the more automatic milk frothers may not produce the best results, so if you are struggling to get good results, that might be why.

There is a really nice taste to it, even when you drink it by itself. It is creamy, with hints of oats, but there is not much else to it. As a drink that is just designed to be an accompaniment to coffee, it does its job perfectly.

It also happens to be the cheapest milk on our list. Not by a great deal, admittedly, but it is less expensive than all of the others that we have looked at, so it could be a good place to start your search – start with the cheapest and work your way up until you find one you are happy with. You might not get past one!

Check Latest Price Of MOMA Original

Plenish Organic Oat Milk

We complete our list of the Best Oat Milks in the UK with this interesting offering from Plenish. Founded in 2012 by a New Yorker after she had moved to London, Plenish have established themselves as one of the fastest-growing alternative milk providers in the country.

Starting off with juices, Plenish have a major focus on the health of their customers – even going as far as offering a ‘Cleanse Plan’ on their website. They make a big deal about ‘doing less’ with their ingredients – no additives, no sweeteners, no flavourings – you get the picture.

To highlight this, the Oat Milk that we are looking at on this list contains just three ingredients – Oats, Water and Sea Salt. That’s it – no oils, no additives, no gums, just three ingredients. The key is all in the method of how they are blended together to produce their alternative milks.

Despite this, it is actually quite sweet. All of the natural sweetness from the oats are brought out with the other ingredients, which actually produces a very pleasant drink. I would recommend that you use a little less milk than you might normally, just so you get the right balance between the sweetness of this milk and the bitterness of the coffee – if you use too much, the sweetness might overpower the coffee.

Getting a good froth takes a little bit of work, but it is possible. Again, use a steam wand and take your time to build up the temperature – once you get it right, it will produce a really good microfoam for a cappuccino.

This is actually the most expensive drink that we have on this list, but again, not by much – certainly not enough to make you baulk at the cost. It is a genuinely great drink, which is really good for you as well as being great-tasting. One for your shortlist.

Check Latest Price Of Plenish Organic

Oat Milk Vs Almond Milk For Coffee

When you compare oat milk with almond milk there are a few different factors that you need to consider.

First of all, the most basic one is taste. As we have covered, you can get a delicate sweetness to oat milk, with a creamy taste of oats (surprisingly). Almond milk has more of a nutty taste to it.

When you consider how it performs when you froth it. As a general rule, I think oat milk is much better in this regard, due to its creamy texture. Almond milk will often be more watery, which is difficult to froth.

If you are worried about the nutrition side of things, almond milk is lower in calories, but oat milk has more protein, fibre and vitamins.

Finally, a major consideration for alternative milks is usually the environmental impact. Obviously, both oat milk and almond milk are better for the environment than cow’s milk, but oat crops tend to have a smaller environmental impact than pretty much all other alternative milk bases – including almond.

There is definitely a place for almond milk, but given the option, I would generally go for oat milk.

Drinking Oat Milk Plain

You can, of course, drink oat milk by itself. It has quite a pleasant flavour, as we have covered above, so it is a viable option for a drink by itself.

It will be creamy and slightly sweet – certainly great for children, and it is packed full of healthy nutrients and vitamins as well. You could warm it up for a nice drink before bed too.

Verdict

The days of having to rely on cow’s milk to use with your coffee are long gone. The coffee and alternative milk industries have both experienced a huge surge in popularity in the last five years or so, so it is no surprise that there is a fair amount of overlap.

As a general rule, the barista-style oat milks are the best for drinking with coffee, as you would expect, particularly if you are going to be using it with a steam wand to make frothed milk. They have a much better texture and is the best replacement for cow’s milk of any of the alternative milks, in our opinion.

There are plenty of options included on this list above – we feel sure that if you try a couple of these, you will quickly find the perfect one for your coffee drinking.

The post Best Oat Milk UK appeared first on Ideal Grind.

It’s impossible, of course. Everyone will have their own personal choice when it comes to the best coffee roaster in the UK, and it is not my job to tell you that you’ve got it wrong – the important thing is that you drink coffee that you love. The aim of this article is to show you some more options – highlighting some of the contenders for our ‘Best Coffee Roasters’ crown.

Our Top 8 UK Based Coffee Roasters

Below we have highlighted eight UK coffee roasters that we think are doing excellent work and producing some truly brilliant coffee. Our advice is that you have a read-through and pick a couple that take your fancy – it may become your new favourite coffee.

Exhale Coffee

We’ll kick off this rundown of the best UK coffee roasters with a self-confessed “team of dreamers” – Exhale. This London-based coffee roaster was founded on the back of a surfing accident in Thailand…

While recuperating, the founder Alex Higham visited a local healer and stumbled across a speciality coffee shop that sold single-origin coffee from Indonesia. With one sip, his life changed forever.

Blown away by how delicious it tasted, he devoted his life to learning how to roast and brew coffee to that standard. As he learned, he realised how amazing coffee can be for your health – as an athlete, this became the focus of his new coffee company – Exhale. Great coffee that does wonders for your health. He assembled his team of dreamers.

The result is incredible – they proudly boast that 1 cup of any of their coffees is the equivalent to 12 punnets of blueberries in terms of antioxidants, and they taste amazing. They do not add anything to their coffee – you get a true, authentic taste. They run 9 different lab tests, overseen by NHS doctors, to ensure that the coffee is as healthy for you as it can be.

They source coffee that is high in vitamin B and polyphenols – great for your skin and nervous system – and they ensure that all of their beans are free from mycotoxins by taking care of how they are transported and by roasting when they are fresh – this also helps the taste. Even the decaf is chemical-free.

This is all well and good, but the most crucial thing is that Exhale coffee is delicious. Take the House Roast – a single-origin coffee sourced from Chiapas, Mexico. As for the flavour, expect a fruity orange and apricot taste, with a smooth, sweet chocolatey aftertaste. It is a wonderfully easy drinker – you’ll find yourself making another cup as soon as you’ve finished your first.

The Dark(ish) Roast is another fantastic option if you like your coffee a bit richer. This has a deeper flavour to it, with toffee and raspberry notes, but it is still sweet and very drinkable.

They are a ‘B-Corp – Pending’ company, which means that they have as big a commitment to their impact on society and the environment as they do to their profits. These are good guys.

Their coffee is quite expensive, but so much thought and skill are put into the process that it is justifiable. These are great coffee roasters to kick off our list.

Perfect for: The health and fitness buffs that love great coffee

Check Latest Price Of Exhale Coffee

Pact

Staying in London now for a look at one of the more familiar names on our list – Pact Coffee – one of the trail-blazers of the ever-growing coffee subscription market. Formally known as Your Grind, Pact have been pushing the boundaries of coffee, and have grown into one of the major players in the industry – hell-bent on bringing it into the 21st century.

They have a huge focus on the farmers that grow the coffee – a group that has been exploited for centuries. In a traditional coffee supply chain, there are 10 steps between the farmer and the seller – Pact deal with the farmers directly.

The result of this is that the farmers get a much better deal – they get a much bigger share, and Pact promise to pay at least 25% above the Fair Trade base price. It is no wonder, then, that they have developed fantastic relationships with over 150 farmers around the world.

What this means for you, the coffee drinker, other than feeling a bit better about where your coffee has come from, is that you get a huge array of great coffees to choose, from all over the world.

At the time of writing, Pact have 25 different coffees available. To put that into context, Exhale have 3. They have specific ‘espresso’ roasts and they have a range from light to dark.

The House Blend is usually a good place to start – you’ll get a great, dark coffee with hints of chocolate. On their website you can select the grind size, or have whole beans, so you can pick the best size for however you make your coffee. This attention to detail shows how much they care about their coffee.

For their subscription service, if you select the House option, you will receive this coffee every time, and I am sure you would be delighted with it. However, there are two other options – Select (different coffees every month) and Micro-Lot (different premium options every month). The great thing about these plans is that you get to experience fantastic coffees (and I haven’t had one I don’t like yet), with a slightly different profile.

One example of the premium options is the Mi Tazita Natural – a Honduran coffee with hints of “Strawberry-cream-filled chocolates”. It is a coffee that you need to try.

Perfect for: The coffee drinker that loves to experiment

Check Latest Price Of Pact Coffee

Redemption

Another coffer roaster from (you guessed it) London now, and another roaster with a fascinating origin story and ethos – perhaps a unique one in fact…

Redemption Coffee is a coffee roasting company that is based in HMP The Mount – the first coffee roaster to be based behind bars in the world. Every bean is roasted inside the prison and the company work with the offenders to produce the coffee, as well as providing barista training around the country in justice sector institutions – the goal is clear – to help reduce reoffending rates. By providing people with skills

and training, they give them a much better chance of reintegrating into society when they are released.

A truly noble cause, I’m sure you will agree. But how is there coffee?

Their three main coffees are called The Wing, The Yard and The Block – let’s take a look at The Wing. Like the whole company, this is a little bit spicy, and a little bit sweet. You’ll first get hit with the spicy cardamom and then there is the sweet, smooth aftertaste – hints of plum and caramel.

It is a blend of beans from Peru and Ethiopia – the Peruvian coffee providing the base and the Ethiopian adding the delicate tingles of flavour that dance on your tongue. It’s a great coffee.

They have a decent range of coffees available, with decaf and espresso pod options as well as more complex, single-origin coffees. For example, the Santo Antonio Peaberry is a fantastic coffee from Brazil, with an intense cocoa and nougat flavours – certainly one to put on your shortlist.

If we needed to reinforce the fact that this is a fantastic company, they also seek out female farmers in an industry where traditionally women represented most of the labour force and very few of the owners, and all of their packaging is 100% recyclable. Another brilliant company representing the coffee industry.

Perfect for: Coffee lovers with a strong social conscience

Check Latest Price Of Redemption Coffee

Presto

Another coffee subscription provider now as we take a look at Presto – one of the biggest subscription service providers in the UK. They are a relatively new company, having been formed in 2018, but have very quickly established themselves as huge players in the domestic coffee market.

Obviously, there is a huge focus on convenience here – having coffee sent to your door whenever you need it is still a relatively novel concept. You just pick the type of coffee that you would like and how often you would like it – then you will receive it to your door either weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You even save a little – 10% when you opt for the subscription.

Their Brazilian Blend is a great place to start if you are slightly overwhelmed by the range of options, for there is plenty to choose from. It is a rich, yet smooth, blend of Arabica beans from Mogiana. A medium roast, slightly lighter than their espresso blend, you will get hints of nut underneath the more in-your-face flavours of chocolate and caramel. It’s a really good coffee.

If you fancy something with a bit more of a kick, though, there is always the Rocket Blend. This is a very dark roast with more than twice the amount of caffeine that you will find in a regular cup of coffee. However, the taste is still incredibly smooth, with subtle notes of cranberry. Make it in a filter coffee machine and start your day in the best possible way.

They have a massive range, more than just ground coffee and whole beans. They also sell coffee bags, cold brew coffee and even ‘posh’ instant coffee – before you judge too harshly, it is the best instant coffee I have ever tasted.

The sheer range of options, and the convenience with which you can order, mean that Presto are a great option to try new coffees.

Perfect for: The adventurous coffee drinker that values convenience

Check Latest Price Of Presto Coffee

Perky Blenders

Yet another roaster from London now as we look at Perky Blenders – “We roast. We Post.” You probably get the picture with that handy slogan!

Husband and wife duo Adam and Victoria Cozens founded the company back in 2015, starting out as a little coffee cart in a train station. They wanted to make great coffee more accessible – an ethos that has informed the many transitions that have resulted in being featured in the Independent’s ‘Best Coffee Subscription Services’.

Let’s talk coffee – the thing I like a lot about their website is that they have a Coffee of the Month. As someone that likes to sample new coffees all the time, but also really struggles to make decisions, the coffee of the month section is a lifesaver.

At the time of writing, the Coffee of the Month is Perky Records. This is made from Ecuadorian beans and is a blend of various washed varieties. The result is a fantastic, complex combination of flavours – it is sweet and creamy as well as fruity and bitter. I loved it when I made a coffee using my filter coffee machine.

You can sign up to a subscription so that you always receive the coffee of the month, something that I can wholeheartedly recommend. But there are so many different options when it comes to subscriptions that you can find your perfect coffee here, and have it delivered to your door whenever you need it.

Another favourite of mine is the Acacia Blend, made with beans from Rwanda and Columbia. This has a really unique flavour, combining raisins and honey with floral and citrus notes. It gives a really bright and sweet aftertaste – a very pleasant experience.

There are so many options on their site, I would wholeheartedly recommend spending some time looking over some of them and selecting your favourite – you will not be disappointed by the quality, I am certain of that.

Perfect for: The coffee drinker always looking for their next favourite coffee

Check Latest Price Of Perky Blenders

Grind

The penultimate coffee roaster on our list is based in, you guessed it, London. Grind coffee have enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years to become one of the most recognisable coffee roasters in the country, all born out of their humble beginnings in Shoreditch over a decade ago.

Their coffee-slash-bar that they opened back then has spawned many more locations throughout London, but alongside that, they have built up a fantastic subscription service aimed at tackling the problem of waste in the coffee pod industry.

It is thought that 29,000 plastic and aluminium Nespresso pods go to landfill every minute. Whatever your views on coffee pods, this is a hugely worrying statistic. Grind agree, and they have done something about it.

They have developed home-compostable pods for Nespresso machines. This means that after you have used the pod, you can put them in your compost bin and it will break down quicker than a banana peel – and will be great for your garden too. Everyone wins.

All of their coffee is organic and sourced from sustainable farms before being roasted in London. It is also delicious.

They don’t just make coffee pods, of course. They offer ground coffee, whole beans, iced coffee and even sell coffee pod machines.

Their House Blend is a beautifully sweet and delicate coffee, that works really well with milk. With notes of dark chocolate, honeycomb and nut, it is a pleasant, deep-flavoured coffee that is incredibly easy to drink.

If you fancy something with a bit of a stronger flavour, the Dark Blend is a bolder-tasting coffee that works really well as an espresso. You’ll get a deep chocolate flavour, as well as treacle.

They offer a 33% discount if you subscribe with them, which makes their coffee much more affordable. It is well worth your consideration, especially if you are looking for an eco-friendly alternative to standard coffee pods.

Perfect for: The eco-friendly coffee pod drinker

Check Latest Price Of Grind Coffee

Volcano

Next up is another London-based roaster, and we encounter another in an odd-trend of coffee roasting companies that set up as the result of a serious accident…

Kurt Stewart, from New Zealand, is a former chef that had been in London for 7 years when he was in a near-fatal bike crash, which left him with a broken neck. While he was recuperating, he developed a passion for coffee. He had already learned the art of roasting from his life in New Zealand, which he then combined with his attention to detail as a fine-dining chef.

The result of this is Volcano – a company that is looking to democratise the world of coffee, a world that has been inclined to a fair bit of snobbery in the past.

On top of that, they believe strongly in the importance of transparency and equality when it comes to the complicated supply chain of the coffee market. They ensure that the people that they buy their coffee from have the same ethics and responsibilities as they do, and make sure that they have long-term contracts at fixed rates with their farmers, so to provide a sustainable income for them.

But what of their coffee? Let’s take a look at their Firehouse Blends, the cheapest option on their website. It is a strong coffee that is packed full of flavour – sweet notes of orange and cinnamon. I tend to drink my coffee black, but I followed their recommendation to add milk and it really worked – the flavours were drawn out with just a drop of milk.

There are plenty of other options as well, with Limited Edition options coming and going all the time – a fantastic range of exciting and flavoursome coffees. All ethically sourced, of course. Their Rum Aged Coffee is utterly wonderful, but it does come at a higher price (mitigated slightly by the limited edition tin that comes with it). Try it after dinner with a little whisky…

Perfect for: Ethical coffee lovers that occasionally fancy something a bit special

Check Latest Price Of Volcano Coffee

Origin Coffee

We complete this list of the Best UK Coffee Roasters with Origin Coffee – specialist roasters based in Cornwall. (Don’t worry London fans, they do have a café in the capital!).

Origin Coffee was founded in 2004 by Tom Sobey, who spent a lot of time around his father’s coffee business when he was growing up. He could then apply all of this knowledge to his new business, with a real focus on the detail of roasting.

Origin Coffee don’t leave anything to chance. They deal directly with the farmers from whom they source their coffee, and have built up strong relationships all over the world. They are a fully-fledged B-Corp company and have packed it with coffee experts that have won countless awards.

They take their coffee very seriously, and it shows. The Stronghold roast is an intense, dark blend from Brazil which is packed full of flavour but without being too bitter or acidic. There are hints of sugar and chocolate, with a delightful taste of fudge.

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, try Resolute, a no-nonsense classic, with a prominent chocolate and nutty flavour – ideal for a flat white. Or Pathfinder, a fruity vibrant coffee with hints of berries and citrus. Or San Fermin, with orange sherbert and caramel flavours…

You get the picture – there is a lot of choice here. It is a sophisticated range for the sophisticated coffee drinker. There is a depth to these coffees that you don’t get from many other places – their expertise shines through.

It isn’t the cheapest coffee on our list, but there is an extensive range of fantastic coffees for you to work through. They also offer a subscription service.

Perfect for: Serious coffee drinkers

Check Latest Price Of Origin Coffee

Verdict

We started this article on the Best UK Coffee Roasters by saying that everybody will have their own favourite roaster, and we stand by that. What works for one person may not for another – that is the beauty of the industry, there is something for everyone!

What we hope we have done here, though, is give you options for you to go out and find your favourite. Whatever your budget, whatever your preference, however you make your coffee, there will be an option here that we think you will love. We’ve even told you where to get great instant coffee, which is really above and beyond our call of duty!

Pick a couple that you like the sound of and give them a try. Our guess is that it won’t be long before you’re taking out a subscription with your favourite roaster. Enjoy!

The post Best Coffee Roasters appeared first on Ideal Grind.

The gadget is simple in design, consisting of a cylindrical chamber complete with a silicone sealed plunger. The concept is straightforward too – immerse ground coffee beans and water, press the plunger, and filter. Hey, presto! You’re rewarded with a cup of steaming coffee.

In this guide, we will discover what you should look for in coffee for your AeroPress (after all taste is everything!). We’ll also give you the lowdown on seven of the best coffees for Aeropress around. We’ll explore the taste and aroma, find out about the beans and check out the all-important green credentials of the coffee blends. So, without further ado, it’s time to put your feet up and read on – but don’t forget to make yourself a cup of coffee first!

7 of the best AeroPress Coffees

If you have an AeroPress you’re going to need to buy coffee to go in it, but with so many brands available it can be difficult to choose! The good news is we can help with that, we’ve checked out seven of the best on the market on your behalf, and here’s what we found out…

Brown Bear Blue Mountain Blend Ground Coffee

Ideal for your AeroPress or French Press Cafetière, Blue Mountain Blend Ground Coffee provides you with a very drinkable, low-fat, gluten-free beverage. The medium roast coffee boasts a sweet flavour, with an unmistakable tang of toffee and caramel.

The Blue Mountain blend is made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, which are sourced from Costa Rica. Coffee company Brown Bear has its own UK-based BRC accredited roastery and commits to providing fresh roasts at affordable prices.

You’ll find a little brown bear cub logo on your packet, which is printed on the product as a mark of quality, assuring consumers that plenty of care has been given to creating a tasty blend. The company looks after customers, but they also look after bears. 5% of sales are donated to Free the Bears, a UK charity with bear sanctuaries dotted around South East Asia. To date, more than 950 bears have been rescued and cared for.

You get 227 grams of coffee, which comes packed in a bag. The bags are resealable to keep your coffee as fresh as possible (it should last up to three weeks if you reseal the bag). To keep your coffee in tip-top condition it’s a good idea to store your coffee in a dry, cool place – away from bright lights.

Check Latest Price Of Blue Mountain Blend

Aromistico Garda Dark Roast Blend

A member of The Guild of Fine Food Aromistico produces a range of artisan gourmet hand-roasted ground coffee fit for any connoisseur. If you’re looking for something sophisticated and cultured Aromistico Garda could be for you. Roasted in small batches in the Lombardy region (Lake Garda to be exact), the blend is a perfect example of a fine course ground roast.

Aromistico Garda blend is produced from a heady mix of quality Arabica beans grown in Peru, along with coffee beans from Brazil, plus Robusta beans from Cameroon. The Robusta beans add a spicy warmth and together with the Arabica beans, the blend has a distinctive rich, dark, and intense taste.

Take your time to savour it and you’ll experience the dark chocolate truffle flavour designed to titillate your taste buds. You’ll notice caramel and cinnamon running through the coffee too, adding a pleasant smack of sweetness.

The blend can be used with an AeroPress or a French Press and each bag contains 200 grams of coffee. The bags are specially designed to keep coffee fresh, they are easy to reseal and come with a valve for ease of use. Just keep the bag in a dry, cool place and your coffee should stay fresher for longer.

We should also mention that Aromistico coffee has green credentials – every time you buy Aromistico coffee you are helping Tree-Nation to plant coffee trees, in an age where sustainability is so important, this is a huge plus point.

Check Latest Price Of Aromistico Garda Dark Roast

Spiller and Tait Signature Blend

A multi-award-winning coffee, that surely must be a good sign! Spiller and Tait Signature Blend is a UK-produced coffee, roasted in small batches for quality and freshness. The company won the Prestigious Taste Award 2017 and before that bagged a silver in the Taste of the West Awards 2014. Spiller and Tate proclaim to understand what coffee drinkers value, and ensure their Signature blend has been produced with this in mind.

Produced with Arabica beans from India, Kenya, Columbia, Ethiopia, and Brazil, the Signature blend is of superior quality and boasts not just heaps of flavour, but also a mouth-watering aroma.  The coffee is suitable for vegetarians and has a pleasing flavour – it’s balanced and has a deep, rich taste. The blend is also full-bodied but doesn’t have that sharp bitterness that some beverages have. What you do get though is impressive smoothness, so you’ll drink this down easily and you’ll want another straight after!

The coffee can be used in an AeroPress and also in a percolator, cafetière, and filter, giving you a welcome coffee hit any time of the day. You get 500g in a bag – just make sure you keep it sealed for maximum coffee freshness.

Check Latest Price Of Spiller And Tait

Crazy Cat Columbian Coffee

A medium strength Arabica, Crazy Cat Columbian Coffee packs a punch with its full-bodied strength, flavour, and freshness. The aroma is pretty good too, this is the sort of coffee that wafts under your door and wakes you up in the morning (if you’re lucky enough to have someone to make it for you!).

Columbian coffee is celebrated for its vibrancy and boasts an interesting fusion of bitterness and acidity. The coffee may be robust but it also has a subtle flavour, which tickles the tongue. It seems this may be a coffee of contrasts – but it works well!

The blend is also creamy and smooth and it’s suitable for vegetarians. The name is a little misleading, it’s called Crazy Cat Columbian, but the coffee is brewed in the UK (in Chesterfield to be precise).

The coffee is packed into bags for freshness (250g in each bag) and you can brew the coffee in a cafetière or an AeroPress. Crazy Cat is so confident in the taste of their coffee and so convinced you’ll like the blend, that they provide a satisfaction guarantee.

Check Latest Price Of Crazy Cat Columbian Coffee

Pret Organic Classic Blend Bio Coffee

We’ve all heard of Pret, the big coffee chain with an even bigger following, well now you can brew your own Pret Organic Classic Blend Ground Coffee at home. The coffee comes in packs of 200g and you get 5 (so a total of 1kg all-in-all).

With a roast strength of 4, this brew is classed as an everyday beverage, something you can enjoy at any time of the day. The flavour is best described as well-balanced. There’s a noticeable sweetness, with just the right amount of caramel and praline – so you’re not overpowered, more tickled by the taste.

The Pret blend is made from Arabica beans, all of which are hand-picked from farms in Ethiopia, Sumatra, Honduras, and Peru, and as you might have guessed the coffee is 100% organic. Pret is vocal about its commitment to ecological issues and there’s a big emphasis on sustainability, with a focus on everything from ingredients to how products are packaged.

The company has set up a coffee fund in collaboration with Cenfrocafe Cooperative in Peru, supporting local farmers. Coffee combined with sound ecological principles always tastes delicious.

Check Latest Price Of Pret Organic Bio Coffee

Taylors of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee

Taylors of Harrogate is a well-known and reputable brand, celebrated for their tea – but let us not forget they produce some pretty decent coffee too. Brew yourself a cup of  Taylors of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee and you will find it to be both sophisticated and satisfying. Flavour-wise you’ll pick up on almonds and chocolate in this rich brew.

The blend has a strength rating of 4 and is made from 100% Arabica beans. The coffee has a distinctive taste and is produced in Africa and Latin America. The blend is quality checked by an expert team of Taylors Q-Graders, and comes in bags of 227g (pack of six).

Taylors of Harrogate don’t just produce tasty beverages, they also support sustainability. The coffee is Rainforest Alliance and Carbon Neutral certified, protecting coffee-growing communities and the environment.

Check Latest Price Of Taylors Of Harrogate Coffee

Marley Buffalo Soldier Dark Roast Organic Ground Coffee

Bob Marley is known for his distinctive voice and memorable songs, Buffalo Soldier being one of his most well-known. Whether you’re a Marley fan or not you can still enjoy supping Buffalo Soldier Dark Roast.

Founded in 2007, Marley Coffee company produces a range of blends including Rainforest Alliance, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and Organic coffee blends. The coffee is now available in the UK and across Europe, winning the Soil Association Organic Beverage of the Year Award and more than one Great Taste Award.

Marley Buffalo Soldier is a robust dark roast with a deep and bold flavour. There’s a tasty tang of dark chocolate and berries, which adds a fruity twist, and the blend is deliciously smooth. The organic ground coffee comes in bags of 227g and you can rest assured there are no artificial flavours.

Check Latest Price Of Buffalo Soldier Dark Roast

What To Look For In Coffee For An AeroPress

The AeroPress is a great gadget and can provide you with a cup of the purest coffee you’ve ever tasted. You’ll get a bracing, smooth brew that’s oozing with flavour. The AeroPress is a versatile machine too, you can add as much coffee and water as you like to achieve your desired strength.

To get the most from your AeroPress you need to use the best coffee beans, but how do you know which to go for? Ideally, you need high-quality beans that are perfectly ground. You also need to consider the origin of the coffee beans as they can vary in flavour depending on where they are cultivated.

The grind is important too. Pre-ground coffee shouldn’t be too fine or too coarse, otherwise you might run into problems when you’re brewing. If your grind is too coarse, you’ll end up with a sour-tasting brew, too fine and your cup of Joe may taste too harsh and have a bitter tang.

The roast is also a key factor. The AeroPress enhances the flavour of the coffee, so a strong brew might have even more of a kick than usual. A dark, robust roast will have an even deeper flavour once it’s brewed via the AeroPress, and Espresso beans might be just too much (you might find the taste too bitter).

A lighter profile roast will provide a more subtle flavour and specialty beans are usually a good bet. However, it all comes down to personal taste, and blends vary from brand to brand.

The Tastiest Coffee Beans

Arabica beans (also known as Arabian coffee) originate from the Rubiaceae coffee family. The cultivated plant accounts for approximately 60% of global coffee production. The Robusta bean makes up the majority of the remaining 40% of coffee production.

Folklore has it that Beethoven demanded exactly 60 beans be used for each cup of coffee. You might say the renowned musician was being overly fussy, but it’s fair to say we take our coffee seriously, and there’s nothing like a nice brew.

Verdict

Life is so busy it can be difficult to find time to take a moment for yourself, but there’s always time for an AeroPress coffee. The seven blends we’ve looked at today are premium quality and tasty, with a variety of flavours including caramel and chocolate. Why not try a few out for yourself? After all, in the words of Henry Rollins, “What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup.”

The post Best Coffee For Aeropress appeared first on Ideal Grind.

Nespresso, part of the Nestlé family, are seen as the main option when it comes to coffee pods, and to be fair, they were the first way back in 1986. While it wasn’t until the late 90’s that the industry really took off, they had such a head start over the competition – making pods for their own machines, and consequently, having a monopoly on the market.

That all changed though, when their patents began to lapse in 2012. Despite many high profile court cases, they lost the exclusive rights to making pods for their machines, and as such the market has become swamped by options catering for limitless tastes and budgets.

Nespresso, through clever marketing, still have their pods pitched as the premium option – and are priced as such. They are fine pods, but they may not be the best option for you. In a market with literally hundreds of different brands, there is a lot of scope for experimentation.

But where to start? Well, with your old friends at Ideal Grind. Let us walk you through our list of some of the best Nespresso compatible pods available in the UK.

How To Choose The Best Nespresso Compatible Pods

So with all of these options, how do you know which pods are going to be the right one for you? Well, the short answer is – you can just read our list below!

Before you get to that point, though, you should have a think about what you want from a Nespresso compatible pod:

• What size drink do you prefer – ristretto, espresso or lungo?
• How dark do you like your roast?
• Do you want a decaf option?
• What of the environmental cost? Do you want them to be recyclable or compostable?
• Are you going to make milky coffees, or are you just having the coffee?
• How much are you looking to spend on your coffee?

It is that last point, on your budget, which will probably have the biggest impact on your decision. The great thing about Nespresso compatible pods is that there is such a huge market of them out there, that you can find really great quality pods for almost any budget – you just need to take that time to find them.

Or at least visit a website that has taken the time out to find them!

Grano Milano – Variety Nespresso Pods

Let’s kick things off with a look at this wonderful selection box from Grano Milano – a London based coffee wholesaler.

This is a perfect example of the range that is available from the Nespresso compatible market at the moment. Grano Milano is a company that I had never heard of before I first tried these capsules – a small, new company that specialises in these pods. In fact, it seems their very reason for existence.

As such, we expect quite a lot when it comes to quality, don’t we? Well, we are not disappointed. Even the packaging oozes class and sophistication – it is pitched perfectly for the domestic coffee market. Sleek black packets with sharp flashes of colour, and a classic, stylish font. You know you are in safe hands.

This particular bundle gives you the opportunity to sample 5 different types of coffee pod:

• Delizioso: A medium roast coffee that is ‘refreshing and alluring’ with hints of dried fruits, pumpkin and chocolate. It’s sweet and light, suitable for ristretto, lungo or espresso.
• Brasile: Another medium roast with ‘smooth tones and subtle acidity’ that has pumpkin, citrus and caramel flavours. It’s super-smooth, and can make ristretto or espresso sized drinks.
• Cremoso: The final medium roast of the selection, that is ‘perfectly soft and balanced’ with notes of chocolate caramel and citrus. Can make ristretto, lungo or espresso
• Ricco: A full bodied dark roast which is ‘powerful and intense’. You’ll notice spices, nuts and chocolate in the taste, and is best suited to espressos.
• Ristretto: Another dark roast, this one is incredibly rich and strong. There are pecan, caramel and chocolate flavours, and this is best served as a – you guessed it – ristretto.

Each flour offers something noticeably different, so I would wholeheartedly recommend these to someone that doesn’t yet know what they are looking for, or those that love variety in their coffee drinking. These are also special aluminium pods that are fully recyclable which is a nice benefit to have.

Check Latest Price Of Grano Milano Pods

Lavazza Lungo Intenso Eco Nespresso Caps

Next up is something from a company that I have certainly heard of, and I am pretty sure you will have too – Lavazza. The Italian coffee kings have been at the forefront of so many coffee innovations for more than a century, so it’s no surprise to see them making strides in the coffee pod market.

The big selling point that they are pushing with these pods is their packaging. Now, that seems an odd way to market a coffee drink, but the environmental cost of coffee pods has been quietly simmering away in the background for quite a while now. It has made little sense, in an age where most industries are desperately cutting down on plastic consumption, for us to be gorging on these drinks from single-use plastic pods – it was only a matter of time before the big companies took action.

These Eco Caps are produced with a compostable biopolymer based on renewable resources, which is all great, but it is worth pointing out here that they are only compostable with a Terracycle system, so you will need to find your local drop-off location. It is well worth the effort, but I have seen people be misled by the compostable element – you cannot just put these in your home compost bin as they won’t break down.

The coffee itself is as good as you would expect from such a well-respected brand – the Lungo Intenso is, well, intense. It really packs a punch, but that is offset by the sweet tastes of chocolate and dried fruit. It’s a dark roast, made with Arabica and Robusta beans. This is a coffee that will ensure your day gets off to the best possible start.

It is one of the more expensive pods that we’ll look at today – a combination of the brand name and the compostable packing playing a factor there. It is certainly worth considering if it falls within your budget though.

Check Latest Price Of Lavazza Eco Caps

Note d’Espresso – Caffè Arabica

The next pods that we are going to be looking at are from an Italian company that sells exclusively on Amazon, so you may have not heard of Note d’Espresso before. To be honest, I hadn’t.

It’s always best to keep an open mind though – so I gave their Caffè Arabica espresso pods ago. I am delighted that I did, as I may have unearthed one of those bargains that you find every now and then with Nespresso compatible pods, such is the extent of the market.

The coffee in these pods are made with 100% Arabica beans, sourced from Brazil, Honduras and Nicaragua. It produces a wonderfully sweet blend, with an aftertaste that seems to go on forever! It’s a light, aromatic drink that has slight notes of chocolate and vanilla. It is not a particularly intense flavour, but it is incredibly pleasant and easy to drink – you’ll find yourself going back for another soon enough.

There is very little bitterness or acidity to the flavour, which makes it a great drink in its own right. While they recommend that it can be drunk as an espresso or a ristretto, I found that it worked much better as an espresso.

It is one of the cheapest pods that we will look at today, and as such, you can’t expect much in terms of the packaging and environmental considerations. These are basic coffee pods, but they produce great coffee that would be fine to serve almost any guest. While they are not the strongest tasting pods, they are certainly a crowd-pleaser.

Check Latest Price Of Caffé Arabica Capsules

Solimo Lungo Nespresso Pods

When you think of the great coffee producers of the world, you probably don’t think of Amazon, do you? The Amazon Rainforest may be, but Jeff Bezos is probably not your first thought of a coffee mogul.

But if you didn’t think Amazon would have a keen eye on the expanding coffee pod market then you really haven’t been paying attention. Solimo is in fact a private-label brand that is owned by Amazon, and their Lungo pods have found their way onto our list.

We’ll start this off by focusing on the price because this is one of the chief selling points of this coffee. These pods are another that are right at the cheaper end of the price scale, not just on this list but for any coffee pods. That shouldn’t come as a massive surprise really, as Amazon has been price-focused and constantly tries to undercut the competition to get ahead – we as consumers get the benefit.

The thing is though, making the cheapest is not a solid business plan if the product seems like it is the cheapest, and these Lungo pods are actually pretty decent. I have often found that Lungo pods end up tasting a little bit weak, and I really like storing coffees – this one really hits the spot.

You get a pretty good crema on top of your lungo, which is always a reassuring start. I found that the first sip tasted quite bitter, which isn’t necessarily a criticism, but the aftertaste was so smooth and long-lasting.

These are another great option if you just want to make sure you don’t run out of pods any time soon – they are excellent value, and they do a grand job, either with milk or on their own.

Check Latest Price Of Solimo Lungo Capsules

CafePod Craft Coffee – Variety

Something from the other end of the scale now, as we look at this premium variety set from CafePod – a London based coffee roaster that specialises in making Nespresso compatible coffee pods. They really were one of the first companies to emerge from those lapsed patents of Nespresso’s, and have quickly established themselves as one the lead coffee pod producers in the country.

I love a variety pack, largely because I love tasting different coffees. I fully accept that many people reading this will just want to find their ideal coffee and then stock up on that one, but the chance to experiment is too tempting for me.

This pack contains:

• 20 Ristretto capsules: An intense and strong coffee, with a ‘bittersweet treacle tart’ flavour and a smooth aftertaste. Ristretto sized drinks
• 20 Intense Roast capsules: Another strong , dark roast – this one made with beans from South America and South East Asia. The tasting notes are ‘warm spiced malt loaf’. Lungo sized drinks
• 10 Brunch Blend capsules: a luxurious coffee with ‘decadent chocolate and caramel brownie’ flavour notes, this is as smooth as silk and such a crowd pleaser.  Perfect for Lungo sized drinks.
• 10 Supercharger Espresso capsules: You’ll get the taste of spiced chestnuts from this super-strong espresso drink – it will certainly perk you up.

It’s a really good selection that offers something for everyone – particularly if you like strong, full flavoured coffee. They all have a similar smooth taste, with very little bitterness, which is difficult to pull off with coffee that is this strong.

Of course, the price may put some people off as these are one of the most expensive pods that we will look at, but if you are looking for a premium pod, you may find your new favourite in this selection.

Check Latest Price Of CafePod Craft Coffee

Jacobs Espresso Ristretto

Another product towards the top end of the price range now as we look at this offering from German coffee brand Jacobs, who have been around since 1895 and have been a mainstay in the coffee industry, particularly in mainland Europe, ever since.

The first thing to note about these pods is that they’re aluminium, which means that they are suitable for recycling. This is, thankfully, becoming a feature that most of the more expensive pods are including in their coffee. It is certainly reassuring for those that prioritise such things.

Anyway, on to the coffee itself. A ristretto won’t be for everyone, as by their nature they are very strong coffees. For me, that is absolutely fine as I love a strong coffee, but if that isn’t for you then I would encourage you to check out the rest of the Jacobs range to see if there is something that tickles your fancy there.

This is an excellent coffee. It combines the complex aromas of Arabica beans with the intense flavour of Robusta beans, and the result is an elegant, yet powerful, multi-layered drink that will start your day in the best way possible.

The aluminium capsules have another benefit, not just environmental – they manage to trap in freshness to the coffee in a way that plastic just can’t and that really shines through with the flavour. A truly fresh coffee, right out of a little pod.

Aluminium costs more than plastic, of course, and that is reflected in the price. But if you are looking for that little extra in terms of taste, then these pods from Jacobs are definitely worth a try.

Check Latest Price Of Jacobs Espresso Ristretto

Rosso Caffe – Variety

One of my personal favourites now, as we take a look at another variety pack, this time from American company Rosso Caffe. From their humble beginnings on a college campus in 2014, they have grown and grown and now sell over 10 million pods a year worldwide.

They attribute their success to the fact that they remain involved at every step of the process, which includes sourcing the coffee, roasting it, packing, manufacturing and delivering. Nothing is left to chance with these guys, they make sure everything is done to their standards.

I have spoken already about my love of variety packs, so I guess I was already predisposed to like this offering, but each coffee really does stack up in its own right. Let’s talk you through them (you get 20 of each in this pack):

• Gentleman: A dark, intense roast that is full bodied and rounded. Serve as a ristretto or espresso
• Maestro: Another dark roast, that is slightly less intense than the Gentleman, but still strong. This has an extra fruitiness to it. Another served as a ristretto or espresso.
• Purismo: A light roast, best served as a lungo. Made with beans from Central America and India, this is soft and balanced, and incredibly smooth.
• Ricco: Made with Costa Rican beans, this medium roast is so rich and smooth – a real delight. Use it to make a cappuccino and thank me later.
• Intelligente: Another medium roast here, and something more complex than the others. A very versatile pod, can be used as an espresso or lungo, and has an earthy, woody taste to it.
• Delicato: Quite the opposite now – a fruity and delicate lungo made with beans from Hawaii and Columbia. A real crowd pleaser this one.

This is slightly above average in terms of price, but the quality is much better than average. Fully recyclable pods as well. Definitely one for the shortlist.

Check Latest Price Of Rosso Caffe Pods

Café Royal Lungo Decaf Nespresso Pods

Over to Switzerland now as we take a look at some lungo pods from Café Royal. We always try to cater for all kinds of different tastes and needs, so here we have featured a decaf option for Nespresso compatible pods.

The company, Café Royal, have actually taken an indefinite hiatus from the world of coffee, but their products are still available to buy on Amazon – at least for the time being.  If these are to your taste, I would get in quickly!

Café Royal has specialised in lungo pods – they have one of the broadest selections I’ve ever seen, so it seemed only fitting to include their decaf lungo option. This is what they do. (Or did?)

This is a wonderfully smooth drink that you will come back to time and time again. And with the lack of caffeine, you really can keep coming back to it! They describe it as a ‘mild’ drink, which I think is doing it a disservice. It’s incredibly flavoursome, with citrus notes and a velvety smooth texture. It is such an easy drinker.

They use aluminium pods, which traps freshness, but they are not too expensive considering. I would say they are priced around the average you would expect to pay for Nespresso compatible pods.

If you are looking for a decaf lungo pod, then you make this the start of your search – you may not be searching for too long from here!

Check Latest Price Of Cafe Royal Pods

Starbucks Variety Pack

Now, I have been quite snooty about Starbucks over the years, so the fact that I have included them in this list should tell you an awful lot.

I often start these mini-reviews with a breakdown about the company – well if you don’t know who Starbucks are, I’m not sure where you’ve been for the last 20 years – you can’t move for Starbucks when you’re out and about!

I think their dominance is partly what informs my distrust of their coffee, but I went into testing these pods with an open mind. And I was very pleasantly surprised! This is probably the variety pack with the largest selection, with 8 different pods:

• Blonde Espresso Roast – This blonde roast is incredibly smooth and sweet, best enjoyed as a (you guessed it) espresso
• Caffé Verona – A dark roast that is both sweet and slightly bitter. Tastes like dark cocoa and is best served as an espresso
• Columbia Colombie – A versatile, almost juicy, medium roast – great as an espresso or a lungo. You’ll get hints of nuts with this one
• Espresso Roast – A rich and caramel tasting dark roast, best served as an espresso (surprisingly enough!)
• Pike Place Roast – A versatile, almost juicy, medium roast – great as an espresso or a lungo. You’ll get hints of nuts and chocolate with this velvety smooth medium roast. Enjoy as a lungo
• Decaf Espresso Roast – The decaf equivalent of the dark roasted espresso above
• House Blend Mélange Maison – Another medium roast, with nut and chocolate flavours. Serve as a lungo
• Sumatra – This dark roast is best served as an espresso. It’s earthy, complex and herbal – a coffee for coffee lovers

There really is something for everyone here, so a great option for people that tend to have lots of people over for a coffee.

Check Latest Price Of Starbucks Variety Pack

Caffè Nero Classico Signature Blend

If you’re near Starbucks, you’re probably not too far away from Caffè Nero…! Another high street staple to finish this list as we look at the Classico Signature Blend from one of the biggest coffee sellers in the country.

Let’s get straight into it: this is a great coffee. As a medium-dark roast this is best served as an espresso but also makes a decent lungo if the mood strikes you for a longer drink. The one thing you’ll notice straight away is just how silky smooth it is – it is such a pleasant drink.

It’s full-bodied as well, with hints of dark chocolate and caramel which provides a perfectly sweet balance from the slightly strong flavour of the coffee. It is great when you combine it with milk to make a cappuccino or a latte – it really brings out the sweetness.

The pods are recyclable, which is a welcome addition and one that makes you feel slightly less guilty about using pods. They are also packaged very stylishly, as you would expect from a brand the size of Caffè Nero.

They are one of the most expensive pods around, which will mean that these aren’t for everyone. You can be sure that there are plenty of people that are loyal to the brand though, so that won’t be an issue. This is a great coffee in its own right, of course, no matter who is behind it.

Check Latest Price Of Caffè Nero Pods

Nespresso Pod FAQs

Can you use Nespresso Pods Twice?

Technically, you could use a pod twice, but we would not recommend it. There will be a bit of coffee that you can extract from the pods the second time, but it will be incredibly weak to the point of not really being worth it.

Our advice – if you want more coffee, use another pod and enjoy it as it was intended to be enjoyed.

Can you use Tassimo pods with Nespresso machines?

Nope! They are different sizes and shapes, so you will not be able to use Tassimo pods in a Nespresso machine.

Why are Nespresso pods so expensive?

The official Nespresso pods end up costing more than almost any other coffee pod, but why? Well, I alluded to part of the answer earlier, but they were the first, and as such have positioned themselves as the premium choice in the market. This is justified as they make delightful coffees, and they are constantly modifying both their machines and the pods to get the best possible results.

As we have seen on this list, though, the choice does not begin and end with official Nespresso pods – there is a whole world of Nespresso compatible pods out there for you to try out. We hope this list has helped you to find your new favourite, at a price that suits you.

The post Best Nespresso Compatible Pods appeared first on Ideal Grind.