Coffee maker accessories Types of coffee

The type of coffee you choose depends on several factors: the coffee maker you've got, budget, personal taste and how much time and effort you want to devote to the art of coffee-making.

You can filter our coffee maker reviews by the type of coffee you prefer, making it easy to find a Best Buy coffee maker suited to you.

Here are some of the different coffee types to keep an eye out for in the supermarket, coffee shop or specialist store: 

Bean-to-cup coffee gives you a fresher taste than other varieties 

Bean-to-cup coffee

Using freshly ground coffee beans will give you the freshest, most superior coffee taste possible and is the choice of real coffee aficionados.

Not all coffee makers are compatible with coffee beans, though – meaning you'll need to use a separate coffee grinder to crush the beans, or a pricier bean-to-cup coffee machine with an in-built coffee grinder.

A range of blends and roasts are available; the variety you choose will largely depend on your personal taste. 

For an authentic espresso, Giles Hilton, a coffee expert from Whittard, recommends choosing a strong, dark roast. He favours Arabica, which offers warmth and richness. Some espresso blends contain around 15% of Robusta, which helps to develop a better crema (foam) and adds intensity. 'Single-estate' coffee beans are sourced from a single area for a purer flavour.

You can search for bean-to-cup coffee machines in our comprehensive coffee makers review.

Ground coffee 

Pre-prepared ground coffee takes the hassle out of coffee-making – no need to take on the messy task of grinding coffee beans yourself, and a good premium ground coffee will still give you a fresh coffee taste. Ground coffee is widely available – and with an array of blends to choose from – at supermarkets, coffee shops including Coffee Republic and Starbucks, specialist high street stores like Whittard and through coffee websites including Nextdaycoffee and Coffee Direct. 

Ground coffee is compatible with most coffee makers, and using this type of coffee – unlike pre-packaged pods and capsules – allows you to measure out the exact amount you want to use, so it's brewed exactly to your taste. 

When using ground coffee, preparation is everything, from measuring to tamping. Our coffee machines review has more tips on preparing ground coffee to use in a coffee maker. 

Nespresso coffee capsules are quick and easy to use

Coffee capsules

Coffee capsules are hermetically sealed pots of ground coffee that you insert into a capsule coffee espresso machine. The machine pierces the capsule and forces hot water through to make espresso.

Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, Gaggia and Caffitaly are popular capsule brands. On the plus side, they're easy to use and stay fresher for longer – good if you're not a regular espresso drinker. And the popularity of Nespresso and other capsule machines mean there are more flavours and options than ever.

On the down side, it's a more expensive way to make coffee, and some capsule machines – including Nespresso and Dolce Gusto – are compatible only with their own-brand capsules, which means you're tied into buying from a single company. The used capsules aren't easy to recycle, either, which might put off more environmentally conscious coffee drinkers.

Coffee pods

Pods, also known as 'easy serving espresso' (ESE) pods, are different from capsules. Each pod is a pad of ground coffee (around 7g) wrapped in filter paper. The coffee is pre-compacted or 'tamped', ready for use.

One pod makes one shot and is thrown away after use, leaving no messy residue. Some coffee makers are versatile enough for use with either pods or ground coffee – but check before you buy, as espresso pressure machines will take only ground coffee, while some pod machines are pod-only coffee makers.

Pods are great for mess-free coffee-making. On the downside, an average cup of coffee made with a pod will cost roughly double the price of an equivalent cup made with ground coffee.

Search for a Best Buy coffee maker to suit your taste - filter our coffee maker reviews by the type of coffee you prefer, and take a look at our coffee makers video buying guide.

Rewind our coffee machines live event

Which? experts were joined by top coffee connoisseur, Whittard's Giles Hilton, and Bob Payman, who's been selling and servicing machines for 15 years, for a live chat. We were kept busy with your questions on the best coffee makers and how to perfect your espresso making.

Missed it? Log in to replay the Q&A in full at Which.co.uk/coffeelive.