Choosing the right coffee for an automatic coffee machine is still an obscure topic for many. An automatic coffee machine is a convenient and quick solution used by most households and offices. However, the resulting taste depends primarily on what beans you pour into the hopper.

Choosing the right ingredients is key if you want to achieve an optimal taste experience. At Goriffee, we roast a number of profiles – from classic espresso blends to light roasts designed for the filter. In this article, we’ll take you through how to choose coffee beans and what to look out for to make sure you get the most out of your coffee machine.

1. What flavour profile are you looking for?

Automatic coffee machines technologically best process beans that meet specific parameters. Ideal results are achieved with coffees that are:

• Medium or dark roast (medium / full city roast).
• With low to medium acidity.
• With a flavour profile oriented towards chocolate, nuts, caramel or subtle natural sweetness.

If you prefer chocolate and bitter notes In this case, we recommend reaching for coffees such as Highlander Espresso Blend or Simply Coffee. These coffees are characterized by a darker roast, strong body and minimal acidity.

If you prefer a sweet-balanced and delicate taste, choose Brazil Caramelo or Milkyway Espresso Blend. This is a medium roast, pure Arabica that is the ideal choice if you are looking for a smoother result without excessive bitterness, but retaining a full-bodied taste.

2. Why the degree of roasting is key

Roasting fundamentally affects the extraction in an automatic coffee machine.

• Light roast: in an automatic coffee machine, it usually does not give optimum performance. Due to the short extraction time and lower temperature (compared to a professional lever machine), the result tends to be sour, watery and with a thin froth (crema).
• Medium roast: the universal and safest choice. Provides a good balance of taste, stability and reliability in everyday preparation.
• Full City roast (dark roast): ideal for those who require a stronger, more bitter espresso taste with a pronounced crema.
• Dark roast: we do not recommend this roast. The beans are often oily, which can clog the grinder and the internal machinery of the coffee machine in the long run.

At Goriffee, we always indicate the roast grade and recommended preparation method directly in the description of our coffees.

3. Recommended origin and composition for automatic

Not every coffee growing region is suitable for automatic brewing. Experience shows that the best results are achieved by:

• South and Central America (e.g. Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala): these regions are characterised by sweet, chocolatey and nutty notes that are well extracted in the machine.
• Espresso blends: a combination of different coffees designed for a balance of finesse and strength. They are suitable for strong espresso, but also for milky drinks such as cappuccino or flat white.

In Goriffee we have blended a blend for this purpose Milkywaywhich is a safe bet for any automatic coffee machine.

4. Features of the ideal coffee for your coffee machine

When choosing Specialty coffee observe the following parameters:

• Roast date: The coffee should be fresh, but not completely “yesterday”. After roasting, the degassing process takes place, so we recommend waiting at least two to three weeks from the roast date before using the beans in the machine.
• Flavor profile description: look for keywords like chocolate, nuts, caramel, low acidity.
• Recommended preparation method: if the packaging or the description says “espresso / automatic”, you can be sure that the beans are technically suitable for your machine.

5. Recommendations from Goriffee for automatic coffee machines

We have prepared an overview of the coffees from our roastery that, based on our tests and experience, are ideal for an automatic coffee machine. For a regular subscription, we recommend you also consider our Coffee bundles.

• Brazil Caramelo Natural
  • Roasting: medium
  • Profile: Fine chocolate, nuts, balance.
  • Use: Ideal for everyday fine espresso without acidity.
• Milkyway Espresso Blend
  • Roasting: medium
  • Profile: Strong body, pronounced sweetness, rich crema.
  • Use: Excellent choice for combination with milk (cappuccino, latte).
• Highlander Espresso Blend
  • Roasting: Full City
  • Profile: Full crema, bittersweet taste, chocolate dominance.
  • Use: For lovers of strong, more traditional espresso.
• Colombia Popayan Reserve Washed
  • Roasting: medium
  • Profile: Sweet cocoa, nuts, subtle citrus notes.
  • Use: For those who are looking for an interesting but still reliable and consistent character in their espresso.

6. Common mistakes to avoid

Even the best specialty coffee can taste bad if you underestimate the following factors:

1. Buy Light Roast Coffee: Even if they are quality beans, in a machine the result will often taste flat and sour. Save these coffees for a V60 or other filter.
2. Ignoring the destination of the coffee: If the coffee is not designated as espresso/automatic, it will probably not function properly in the machine.
3. Using old beans: coffee without a clear roasting date or beans weathered by long storage will lose their flavour profile and the resulting cup will be bland.
4. Neglected maintenance: An unclean coffee machine is a quality killer. Settled coffee oils and old coffee residue will spoil even the freshest batch. Don’t forget to use it regularly cleaning products.
5. Unsuitable water: water makes up the majority of the volume of the drink. The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) defines strict standards for water, which include proper pH and hardness. We recommend using filtered water for optimum taste and longevity of the coffee maker. You can also read about the test on our blog of individual water filters and water treatment at home.