Obviously having the “Right” Beans is a loaded question because there are so many options out there. So we are going to simplify the age-old question “What are the best beans for a super-automatic espresso machine?”
With differences that you would never even imagine you have to think about. We will get into the details below but if you don’t have time to read the whole article here are our top picks at a glance.
Best Beans for Super Automatic Espresso Machine Review
Lavazza Super Crema Whole Bean Coffee Blend, Medium Roast. Perfect for Super-automatic espresso machines as the beans are not too oily. The delicate chocolate flavor in this medium roast brings out the sweeter notes, with a hint of hazelnut.
At the top of our list, this is a Blend of 80% Robusta, and 20% Arabica keeping it very affordable for a high-quality bean. Our favorite thing about this blend was that you are able to get a Dark Roast taste out of a medium roast bean.
This can be crucial if you have a super auto machine that can’t handle the oily dark roasts that you might be looking for. Lavazza also packs their bags with nitrogen which helps expand the unopened shelf life of the beans. Side note- As the name “Super Crema” Suggests, this blend produces a very frothy shot of espresso, perfect for an espresso martini 😉
Cons: Has less flavor because of the darker taste
(Lavazza has been growing immensely, European countries have fallen in love with this coffee)
This is a Brazilian/Colombian blend with interesting flavor notes of cinnamon. These beans are organically sourced and have one of the highest caffeine content on the market.
Cons: On the pricier side of our list at $1.67/Ounce
Death Wish Coffee. They claim to be the world’s strongest coffee, and after testing Death Wish in Lattes, Machiattos, and cappuccinos. I am not going to disagree with them. This coffee will knock you out of your boots. Something I will add, this coffee is, in my opinion, ideal for milk-based coffee drinks.
As you can guess, it is on the bitter side. But when you are buying a name like “Death Wish” you can’t expect your taste buds to explode with flavor right?
Cons: Bitter. Some complaints about the roast not being dark enough. Personally, the roast was what I expected from a medium roast.
Don Pablos Signature Blend is a 100% Arabica roast with beans sourced from Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia. This is a great Medium-Dark roast for black coffee drinkers because of its balanced acidity and rich body. It has a great natural flavor.
Don Pablos takes a lot of pride in the freshness of their roasts, they tag all of their bags with the roasting date. Which I always appreciate.
Cons: I read a few people saying that their second order did not taste the same as the first. Personally, my two bags tasted the same but inconsistency is something to think about.
JO Coffee is Perhaps the most hands-on Eco-Friendly, personable coffee company. JO produces Organic, Kosher, Fair-Trade, and Gluten Free coffee. Which shows a lot about a company and its attention to quality.
The JO espresso beans are 100% Arabica giving a really nice balance of sweet and strong tones.
Cons: Sometimes the dark flavor comes across as bitter.
I plan on writing a full article on Kona Coffee to try and change the narrative and explain why 100% Kona Coffee is almost always on the pricier side of coffee prices. But until then, the simple answer is that Typica trees (The type of tree Kona beans grow on) do not grow as many beans as say an Arabica coffee tree.
With that being said, I understand the majority of people can’t or do not want to spend $50 on a pound of coffee. So look at Blue Horse as a splurge or a special occasion coffee. Maybe a gift to a spouse.
But Blue Horse is a single-family-owned coffee farm in Hawaii that produces top-notch coffee. It has strong notes of Chocolate and has that fresh earthy flavor that highlights Hawaii in a really special way.
Oily beans come from dark roasts typically or flavored beans can often have oil on the outside of them. This is a problem for Super Automatic machines specifically because of the internal grinder. You can not clean it like a regular grinder so the oil will stick to the grinder blades and clog up the filter.
Second, the “Best” coffee is almost always going to be subjective. I urge you to try as many different coffees as you can. More than likely you will continuously change your mind about your favorite. Which is great! Just remember, if you are going to use a dark roast in a Super Automatic Espresso Machine, do some research on it and make sure the beans are not oily.
Generally, you can tell just by feeling and looking at the bean but then you are stuck with an opened bag of coffee beans you don’t want to run through your machine. So do a quick search and see what other people are sharing. If you can’t find anything, and we have not reviewed the coffee you are curious about, feel free to send us an email at Kalib@elegantespresso.com and chances are we or someone we know has tried the coffee.
Thanks so much for reading, this post was updated in the summer of 2023, my original claims all stand, I love these coffees! Have a great day!
This photo has nothing to do with this article. I just liked it 🙂
Can’t wait to try some of these beans!! Thank you for sharing the Amazon links!
I love reading a post that can make people think. Also, thank you for allowing for
me to comment!
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