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Brewing guide

Coffee beans for bean-to-cup machines: beans and settings

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Choosing the right coffee beans for bean-to-cup machines makes the biggest difference in the cup. Here you'll learn which roasts work best and how to set up your machine step by step.

Settings at a glance

Beans
medium to medium-dark roast
Grind
start medium-fine, then go finer
Strength
high
Brewing temperature
high, if adjustable
Espresso
25–40 ml
Café crema
120–150 ml

Which beans suit a bean-to-cup machine?

Bean-to-cup machines grind, dose and brew in a small space – with a short contact time and often a slightly lower brewing temperature than a traditional espresso machine. That is why medium to medium-dark roasts taste best: they extract easily, bring sweetness and body, and taste rounded with milk too. Espresso and café crema blends with notes of chocolate, nuts and caramel are the safe choice.

Very light roasts quickly taste sour in a bean-to-cup machine because the short brew time is not enough to extract their sweetness. Very dark, visibly oily beans, on the other hand, can clog the grinder and taste bitter. Avoid flavoured beans altogether, as their flavourings linger in the grinder.

Espresso or café crema beans?

Both work. Espresso beans are usually roasted a little darker and make strong, chocolatey drinks – ideal for espresso, cappuccino and latte macchiato. Café crema beans are often milder and slightly lighter; they suit a larger cup of coffee especially well. If you mostly drink milk drinks, choose espresso beans; if you mainly drink black café crema, try a milder roast.

What you need

  • Your bean-to-cup machine and its manual
  • Fresh whole beans, medium to medium-dark roast
  • Fresh, cold water – filtered water helps if your tap water is very hard
  • The cleaning and descaling products recommended by your manufacturer

How to set up your bean-to-cup machine

  1. Fill the bean hopper. Only add as many beans as you'll use in a few days and keep the lid closed. Beans lose aroma quickly in an open hopper.
  2. Choose a medium grind. Start in the middle of the scale. On many machines you should only adjust the grind while the grinder is running – follow your manufacturer's instructions.
  3. Turn up strength and temperature. Choose a high coffee strength and, if adjustable, a high brewing temperature. This brings more flavour and body to the cup.
  4. Limit the water. 25–40 ml is enough for an espresso, 120–150 ml for a café crema. Too much water dilutes the coffee and pulls out bitter compounds.
  5. Taste and grind finer. If the coffee tastes watery or sour, set the grind one step finer. The change often only shows after two or three drinks because grounds remain in the grinder.
  6. Clean regularly. Rinse the brewing unit weekly if it is removable, clean the milk system daily and descale when the machine asks you to. Old coffee residue and limescale are instantly noticeable in the cup.

Tips for milk drinks

For cappuccino and latte macchiato the coffee should be strong enough to hold its own against the milk. Set the coffee strength to the highest level and, if your machine offers it, use a double shot rather than more water. Fresh, well-chilled milk froths best. Rinse the milk system thoroughly at the end of every day, or milk residue builds up and spoils the taste.

Troubleshooting

My coffee tastes watery

Set a finer grind, increase the coffee strength or reduce the amount of water per cup.

My coffee tastes bitter or burnt

The brewing unit is often dirty or the roast very dark. Clean the brewing unit, grind a little coarser and try a milder roast.

My coffee tastes sour

The roast is too light for the machine or the grind too coarse. Grind finer, raise the temperature or switch to a medium roast – our guide to roast levels helps you choose.

The grinder stalls or the hopper doesn't empty

Very oily beans stick to the walls and clog the grinder. Switch to a less dark roast and clean the hopper with a dry cloth.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best coffee beans for bean-to-cup machines?

Medium to medium-dark roasts with low acidity, such as espresso and café crema blends. They extract evenly in a bean-to-cup machine and taste good both black and with milk.

Can I use oily beans in a bean-to-cup machine?

Better not. Very oily, very dark beans can clog the grinder and block the bean feed.

Do filter roasts work in a bean-to-cup machine?

They can, but lighter roasts often taste sour there. If you try one, set a finer grind and a high temperature.

How many beans should I put in the hopper?

As many as you'll use in about three to five days. Keep the rest sealed in the bag so it stays fresh.

Why does the first coffee of the morning taste different?

After a long break the system is cooler and old grounds are still sitting in the grinder. A quick rinse or a first warm-up drink gives more consistent results.

How often should I clean my bean-to-cup machine?

The milk system daily, the brewing unit (if removable) about once a week, and descale when the machine tells you to. That keeps the taste clean.

Beans for your bean-to-cup machine

Café crema and espresso roasts with low acidity run especially reliably in bean-to-cup machines.

Shop café crema & bean-to-cup coffee

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