Which coffee beans suit your bean-to-cup coffee machine?

Not every coffee bean is equally well suited to every bean-to-cup coffee machine. The grinder, brew group and milk system differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, and there are also differences between models within the same brand. With a few simple selection criteria, however, you can find the right beans for almost any machine.

What should you look out for when choosing?

• Choose the right grind size: conical grinders usually cope better with a finer setting than flat burr grinders.
• Look for low-oil beans, as overly oily beans can clog the grinder and dirty the bean hopper.
• The roast level affects hardness and aroma: medium to dark roasted beans work reliably in most bean-to-cup machines.
• For a stable milk system with a good crema, it's worth choosing a blend with a robusta content.
• Avoid flavoured coffee beans, as additives can damage the grinder and brew group.

Coffee beans by brand

Every manufacturer has its own requirements for grind size, brew pressure and bean characteristics. Below you'll find a brief overview per brand, along with a link to the matching guide page with detailed recommendations.

• Jura: The grinder works best with pure roasted, medium to dark roasted beans without any additives.
• De'Longhi: Most models cope with a wide range of roast levels, as long as the beans aren't too oily.
• Melitta: Melitta bean-to-cup coffee machines are tuned to medium roasts with a balanced oil content.
• Nivona: The conical grinder benefits from fresh, not-too-oily beans with a stable aroma.
• Saeco: Saeco machines get on well with an arabica and robusta blend for more crema.
• Philips: As a sister brand of Saeco, similar recommendations apply: medium to dark roasts with good body.
• Krups: Krups bean-to-cup machines need evenly roasted beans so the grind size stays consistent.
• Siemens: The grinder reliably processes both light and dark roasts.
• Bosch: As a sister brand of Siemens, comparable requirements apply for grind size and oil content.
• Miele: Miele bean-to-cup machines are designed for intensive use and benefit from consistent bean quality.
• Sage: Sage machines allow fine grind-size adjustment, so lighter roasts work well too.

Our recommendations for bean-to-cup coffee machines

These coffee beans work well in a bean-to-cup machine and deliver a stable crema:

• Café du Jour 100% Arabica Brazil – freshly roasted in our own roastery, intensity 8, medium roast, pure arabica.
• Café du Jour Espresso Madrugador – freshly roasted, intensity 8, an arabica-robusta blend for a stable crema.
• Segafredo Intermezzo – an arabica-robusta blend, intensity 8, medium roast with chocolatey notes and a stable crema.
• Kimbo Caffè Crema Classico – developed specifically for crema, lightly roasted with nutty and caramel notes.
• L'OR Harmonieux Espresso – 100% arabica, medium roast, mild and nutty, well suited for crema and lungo.
• Lavazza ¡Tierra! Brazil – an arabica-robusta blend, intensity 9, a bold espresso with a nutty finish.
• Kimbo Espresso Bar Extra Crema – dark roasted, intensity 10, for a bold espresso with a dense crema.

Comparison: brand crema vs freshly roasted

Many bean-to-cup coffee machine manufacturers offer their own coffee beans, specially tuned to their machines. These brand crema beans work reliably, but are usually limited to one particular flavour profile. Freshly roasted coffee beans from independent roasters, on the other hand, offer a wider choice of roast levels, origins and flavours, and are often roasted shortly before shipping. As long as the beans are pure roasted and not too oily, they work just as well in your bean-to-cup machine as the manufacturer's own beans.

Coffee beans for other bean-to-cup coffee machines

You'll also find suitable coffee beans for Jura, De'Longhi, Melitta, Nivona, Saeco, Philips, Krups, Siemens, Bosch, Miele and Sage.