Finally find the right coffee for the portafilter machine

You come into the café, the barista is standing at the hissing portafilter machine. A few minutes after you have ordered your “café”, it is already in front of you. A thick, slightly mottled crema covers your espresso. You start and put on a big smile. Pure Italian attitude to life. But you don't necessarily have to fly to Italy to get a first-class espresso. You can also have a quick coffee at home. Of course, you have to buy the right coffee for the portafilter machine. We'll clarify what you should pay attention to here.

Which coffee is best for portafilter machines?

Which coffee you should buy for the portafilter machine depends mainly on your taste. However, there are a few things that can help you in your search. This is mainly about the roasting and the country of origin.

Light roasts and dark roasts – which coffee you should buy for your portafilter machine

You've probably already noticed that coffee is roasted differently. This is due to the different preparation methods. From light beans for filter coffee to very dark roasts. For the portafilter machine, you should generally choose slightly darker roasts. Roasts that are too light quickly taste sour in the espresso machine. Rather bad for the ultimate Italian flair. Of course, that doesn't mean that you should buy deep black beans. The key here is to find a good balance. If you want to buy the perfect coffee for the portafilter machine, focus on the “strength”. Three beans mean the coffee is roasted relatively dark. One bean means the coffee is roasted relatively light. You will find this information for all of our coffees. For fans of Italian taste, we recommend 2-3 beans. Would you like to buy some experimental coffees for your portafilter machine? Then feel free to try coffees with little strength.

Countries of origin – tastes like Italy, comes from Brazil

In addition to the roasting, the country of origin also plays a big role in the taste. In general, you should always know exactly where your coffee comes from. Statements like “a blend of the world’s best coffees” are far too vague. Here you neither know what to expect in terms of taste nor under what conditions your coffee was grown. But now to the taste. In order to buy the best coffee for the portafilter machine, you should know what coffees from different countries taste like. As with wine, soil, weather and altitude influence the taste. Coffees from Brazil often have nutty and chocolatey notes. With coffees from Ethiopia, you can expect slightly lighter flavors. However, one should not generalize too much here. It's best to try out the different growing regions and find your personal favorite coffee.

Should you buy Arabica or Robusta for the portafilter machine?

You can often find a little Robusta in classic Italian coffees. Roasteries like to mix it into their blends because it does two things. Number 1: its spicy taste brings a great balance to your espresso. Number 2: Robusta produces a thicker crema in most cases. So if you want a coffee with maximum Italian vibe, go for the blend. Of course you can also buy 100% Arabica coffee for the portafilter machine. With us you will find a wide selection of excellently roasted Arabica coffees for your espresso machine. From chocolaty beans to fruity and lively coffees.

Which espresso tastes best in a cappuccino?

Are you looking for the right beans for a delicious milk coffee? Coffee for portafilter machines works best as plain espresso, but also with milk. We recommend beans with a lot of character. In contrast to many others, we are of the opinion that a fruity espresso can also conjure up a good cappuccino or flat white. Just try different coffees in the portafilter and let yourself be surprised.

Should you buy ground coffee for the portafilter machine?

In cheap portafilter machines you can often use ground espresso. This is due to the special double-walled screens that are installed. These sieves allow more pressure to build up in the portafilter, even if your coffee powder is actually too coarse. However, the result doesn't taste as good as you're used to in your favorite cafés. If you value a balanced, intense espresso, you should buy fresh beans for your portafilter machine. With the right grinder you can then grind the beans exactly as you need them. Because every coffee is different. Light beans need a slightly finer grind, while dark roasts can be ground a little coarser. Finding the right grind is essential for a perfect espresso. This is how you prepare the perfect coffee in the portafilter. A good espresso requires a lot of sensitivity. In our blog you will find helpful tips and tricks to get the most out of your beans. The most important things are grind size, time and ratio. For a good espresso, your grind should be very fine. Your grind determines how quickly water runs through the coffee powder. By the way, you can find the right espresso grinders in our shop. If your coffee powder is too coarse, your coffee will run through too quickly and become sour. Be careful: you can also grind too finely. If your espresso only drips very slowly through the portafilter, it will be too bitter. While we're on the subject of time: the perfect processing time for your espresso is around 25 to 35 seconds. This mainly depends on the roasting. Light coffees need a little more time, dark ones a little less. At the end you can still adjust the ratio of coffee and water. It's best to start with a ratio of two parts water to one part coffee. This means, for example, 19 grams of coffee in the portafilter and 38 grams of espresso in your cup. A coffee scale will help you keep an eye on this ratio.

Can a portafilter machine also make coffee crema?

With a portafilter machine you can actually prepare a coffee crema. To do this, simply grind your coffee a little coarser than for a classic espresso. Our favorite recipe for coffee crema is 15 grams of coffee powder in the portafilter, 150 grams of coffee in the cup, with a processing time of 30 seconds.

Buy the perfect coffee for the portafilter machine online

Finding exactly the right coffee for your taste can sometimes take a while. That's why we make it as easy as possible for you. Use our taste finder to find coffees that suit your taste profile. Do you already know what you like? Then simply choose from over 300 coffees from the best roasters in Europe.