Best supermarket brand coffee grounds?

MissHoneyBun

As an avid Starbucks fan and consumer, I found myself at a loss when it came to choosing a decent coffee from the overwhelming selection in the local Tesco. I've run out of my usual Starbucks espresso grounds which I use in a Bodum french press cafetiere. Anyway I wont be at a Starbucks again for a couple of weeks so could anybody recommend a decent supermarket brand coffee to tide me over? The brand would preferably be available as coffee grounds as I dont like instant. Thanks a mil.

Mr Magnolia

Would you try ordering some coffee online if you've no good outlets local?

You'll never get the best out of coffee by ordering preground but there are some great suppliers that will offer you great coffee ground to your preference a couple of days of roasting. There's a sticky on the coffee front page detailing some online coffee suppliers.

RE*AC*TOR

Get a grinder. Preground = stale.

IsThatSo?

I have seen a few people here mention that Lavazza is nice. I have never tried it myself but have seen it in Dunnes.

I am a "beans and grinder" girl myself and would second what the previous posters have said, if you ever decide to up your coffee experience you won't regret it:)

eclectichoney

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

Get a grinder. Preground = stale.

Aye the difference freshly ground stuff makes is vast - it's the single biggest improvement I have seen in my coffee. It even makes bad beans taste decent Up to then I used to use the Lavazza Qualita Oro, or get ground stuff from a coffee shop when I could.

I too use a bodum french press and throw in a bodum antigua grinder for about €60 and you have a low cost but decent enough set-up. I am fully aware this set-up is pretty much as minimal and lo-fi as it comes (especially on this forum!:)) but if you are on a budget sometimes you have to work around that. But really the €60 you will spend on the grinder will improve your coffee so so much, and it also opens up your options beanswise - you tend to have more choice than just looking for ground stuff. Plus you can buy online, as you'll be grinding it yourself freshly each time anyway. And hell, it's more fun grinding your own beans!

Khannie

eclectichoney wrote: »

Aye the difference freshly ground stuff makes is vast - it's the single biggest improvement I have seen in my coffee.

Just want to echo this. The move from pre-ground to fresh ground is about as big a leap as the move from instant to brewed.

MissHoneyBun

Thanks for the help guys -just to clarify I usually always buy espresso beans in Starbucks where they then ground them freshly for me, so I do usually use fresh grounds. It makes for delicious coffee and I'm more than happy to keep using these Starbucks grounds. The problem is though that I wont be near a Starbucks for a little while so was just looking for a short term solution (ie supermarket stuff) to tide me over til then. Thanks a mil for the advice!

eclectichoney

Honestly, they'll be stale within an hour of being ground, or opening the bag at any rate. Unless you get a bag ground fresh every day, they will be stale.

Go the grinder route, you won't regret it!

Mr E

MissHoneyBun - you might try finding some specialist shops that sell beans (and grind it for you if you don't have a grinder). Not sure what part of Ireland you're in, but French's here in Limerick have some fantastic coffee, and will grind it whatever way you want. Tastes better than Starbucks too.

MissHoneyBun

Got me the Lavazza Qualita Oro -very impressed! Gives a nicer, smoother taste than the Starbucks too. They recommend storing it in an airtight container in the fridge which is what I'm doing and so far so good! I'll go with the grinder eventually but for the moment I'm just too lazy busy for all that malarkey Thanks for the help guys.

Carroller16

RE*AC*TOR wrote: »

Get a grinder. Preground = stale.

If you go into starbucks they'll hapily ground a bag of beans for ya

pyro940

Can’t argue with the “grind your own” advice, but in answer to the original question about supermarket brands (and as a complete coffee snob I am loathed to admit this), but Tesco own brand French Roast is actually quite drinkable.

And off I go head held in shame!!!

Gran Hermano

Carroller16 wrote: »

If you go into starbucks they'll hapily ground a bag of beans for ya

You may as well stick with supermarket beans as use Starbucks, chances are what's in Starbucks is no fresher.

If pre-ground from a supermarket is what you're after (and you've accepted the fact it's 'stale')
then yes Tesco or M&S own brand will do the job. As will Java Republic - and you can see the
roasted date on Java Republic. The Tesco Italian blend wasn't too bad in the bodum when I used it
a few years back.

If you're insisting on buyong pre-ground, at least try and buy freshly
roasted and ground from the likes of Ristretto or Hasbean and use it
within a week or two.


Bottom line, get a grinder... once ground, coffee goes off in minutes.

nc6000

The pre-ground in Sainsburys isn't bad and good value. They have a good selection and I used to stock up there before I got a grinder. The french blend is nice and had chicory added. Very tasty.

I've got some beans from there and found them to be fine if a tad weak tasting. I was using a moka pot but now think I prefer my french press.

Slaphead07

IsThatSo? wrote: »

I have seen a few people here mention that Lavazza is nice. I have never tried it myself but have seen it in Dunnes.

Lavazza is ok and certainly good value but, if you MUST buy pre-ground esprsso try and find Alfredo which is much nicer than any of those pre-ground coffees.

RE*AC*TOR

Buy a grinder!!!

Stop drinking stale coffee.

C'mon people, I bought an old PeDe hand grinder for €30 on ebay (incl delivery). The grind quality is just as good (if not better) than some other vastly more expensive grinders I've owned.

Java Republic are still doing the Bodum Antigua for €60. It won't do an espresso grind, but will fairly much do everything else, and will do them well.

Neither of those are particularly expensive. If you are in Dublin you have access to great fresh beans from Ariosa, in Cork you could try the new Badger and Dodo roastery, Coffee Angel also sell roast date marked beans.

Of course there is a wealth of places online, from ristrettocoffee up North, to Square Mile and Hasbean in the UK etc etc.

It's becoming increasingly easy to get good fresh beans, if you are willing to look beyond the supermarket shelf.

thecountessp

I use Tesco Espresso strength 5 (at a ridiculously good €1.80 per bag) and it keeps everybody at work happy - much nicer than a lot of more expensive brands I've tried in the past too. I buy the coffee out of my own pocket, and if I got more expensive stuff it would cost me a cumulative fortune, with all the people that pop in for a coffee.

In an ideal world of course, we'd have a grinder/personal barista/€1,500 machine etc. etc. But for our resources it's a good compromise.