5 best ground coffee brands in UK stores for 2020
Coffee is sold in a wide variety of grinds. The most common is ground which can be used in a wide variety of coffee machines. There are so many brands that differ in blend, flavour, richness and aroma, that it can be difficult to know which one to buy. To help, we’ve gone out and tried some of the most popular ground coffee brands in the UK. Read on to find out our recommendations.
Picking your coffee
Coffee choice can be quite a personal preference, some like it rich and top strength, while others prefer a more mellow & subtle flavour. To find your perfect cuppa, it often takes quite a lot of trial and error. For simplicity, we’re going to focus on the ground coffee brands & varieties that are widely available in UK stores and have a strong reputation of being a good all-rounder.
Related – looking for the best way to use ground coffee? Check out our article on how the brew the best coffee (3 ways). Making a great cup of coffee at home can only take a few minutes!
Side note – most brands sell their coffee in a variety of grinds from fine all way up to the whole bean. The type of grind you will need depends on how you make your coffee. Check out the link above to find out what grind works best.
Top five ground coffee varieties
These are in no particular order and all are great introductions into ground coffee. Why not add them to your shopping list and pick one up when they are on offer?
Lavazza Qualità Rossa Ground Coffee
Probably one of the most popular ground coffees you can buy. It’s available in almost every UK supermarket and is a great all-rounder. It contains a blend of beans which produce a mild, chocolate aroma and rich taste. If you’re just starting out using ground coffee then this a perfect beginner’s choice!
Intensity: 5
Beans: 40% Arabica, 60% Robusta
Taste: Full & rounded
Aroma: Chocolate notes
Roasting: Medium
Available at: Amazon, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and other UK Stores
Lavazza Qualità Oro Ground Coffee
The first blend made by Lavazza. The packaging is gold so should speak to its quality! Its made of 100% Arabica beans which means it has slightly less caffeine but a greater depth of flavour than a blend (like Rossa).
Intensity: 5
Beans: 100% Arabica
Taste: Sweet & refined
Aroma: Notes of fruit and flowers
Roasting: Medium
Available at: Amazon, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and other UK Stores
illy Classico Medium Roast Ground Coffee
A blend of 100% Arabica beans, medium roasted and ground. It has a mild and balanced taste and is great for those who prefer a strong coffee. It can be purchased in most UK supermarkets and is normally sold in tins which helps it to remain fresh for up to two years.
Intensity: 5
Beans: 100% Arabica
Taste: Smooth, rich balanced taste.
Aroma: Notes of caramel and chocolate
Roasting: Medium
Available at: Amazon, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and other UK Stores
Taylors Of Harrogate Rich Italian Ground Coffee
An independent family tea and coffee company founded in Yorkshire. You can find a lot of their products in many stores and they offer a range of coffee varieties. One of the best I’ve sampled is the Rich Italian though others like Praline Especial and Cacao Superior are also amazing.
As the name suggests it has a rich and refined taste that resembles coffee found in northern Italy. This is my current favourite and I’ve just stocked up on a few bags to keep me going.
Intensity: 4
Beans: 100% Arabica
Taste: Rich & refined
Aroma: Notes of dark chocolate and almond
Roasting: Rich
Available at: Amazon, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and other UK Stores
Cafédirect Machu Picchu Ground Coffee
Available in most UK stores and online. It is another popular coffee that has rave reviews. It’s quite a rich taste but not bitter and even has a pleasant aftertaste. The aroma has notes of dark chocolate rich make for a pleasant experience. What’s great about this brand is that its fair trade and they reinvest up 50% of their profits into helping the farming communities.
Intensity: 4
Beans: 100% Arabica
Taste: Rich, smooth and full-bodied
Aroma: Notes of dark chocolate overtones
Roasting: Medium
Available at: Amazon, Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and other UK Stores
Summary
So that’s the top five ground coffee brands sold in UK stores. Of course, this is just my personal preference and everyone is different. My best advice is to go out and try some and see what works for you. If you find a brand that you love, then why not go online and see if you can buy in bulk. There are usually some quite large savings to be had!
Now that you have your favourite ground coffee, why not make it into some delicious butter coffee? Check out our guide here.
