Are you a coffee aficionado? If so, not any cup of coffee will do. What you’re really looking for is the very best coffee beans for espresso machines available today. We’re coffee lovers and have evaluated the best to provide you with a shortlist.

Of all the ones we tried, in our view, the very best coffee beans for automatic espresso machines are offered by Kicking Horse with their Cliff Hanger Espresso Blend. Although our search produced a clear winner for us, there were some other excellent picks, and we’ll outline them and their details below.

Our Pick: Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger Medium Roast Espresso Beans


A delicious blending of African, Indonesian, and South American beans, the Kicking Horse Cliff Hanger Coffee offers rich, complex flavor that contains both chocolate and fruity notes. The complexity of the roast is likely to be lost on casual coffee drinkers. They’ll enjoy it, no doubt, but be unable to explain exactly why, and coffee aficionados will be absolutely enthralled. A truly unforgettable, organic coffee drinking experience.

One consideration when it comes down to roasting: This blend is sold as “Medium Roast,” but the beans are roasted well beyond what any normal person would consider “medium.” It’s an excellent blend, unquestionably, but if you’re looking for a medium roast, this is going to produce a cup of coffee far stronger than what you bargained for.

That’s not a deal breaker for a power coffee drinker, who will probably delight in the strength and boldness, but it will leave casual coffee drinkers wondering, if this is medium, then how could they ever survive a cup of dark? It’s a minor point, and although the competition for the top spot was fierce, this wasn’t enough to knock Kicking Horse out of the top position.

Runner-Up: Il Espresso Organic Beans FBA-|257163

The Bean Organic Coffee Company Il Espresso

Recommended For: Anyone looking to have the very best coffee drinking experience.

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If you’re looking for the very best coffee-drinking experience, then you need to start with the top quality product, and The Bean Coffee Company makes the best coffee beans for espresso machines in the industry today. Rich and aromatic with a bold, smooth flavor and a chocolaty finish, this bean has everything you want in a hot (or cold) cup of coffee.

From the first sip to the last drop, even if you’re only a casual coffee drinker, these beans will turn you into a fanatic. The fact that they’re organic only makes them better and more appealing to an even wider audience. The Bean Coffee Company knows their business and it shows. Simply a masterful cup of coffee, every single time.

Also Great: Two Volcanoes – Guatemala Dark Roast Espresso Blend

Two Volcanoes Guatemala Dark Roast Espresso Blend

Recommended For: Strong, rich, and filled with complex flavors that will leave you wanting more. 

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True coffee master craftsmen, the folks at Two Volcanoes Coffee know what you want in coffee, and deliver in style. This Guatemalan Espresso Blend is strong, rich, and filled with complex flavors that will leave you wanting more. Flavor-wise, it’s as fine a roast as you’re likely to see, and it’s organic, which is a major selling point for some. It’s even packaged in Guatemala in order to ensure freshness, so, again, there’s a lot to like here.

One thing to consider is the fact that they don’t sell it in a re-sealable bag, so once you open it, unless you’ve got an airtight container for storage, the clock is ticking. We deducted a few points because of that, and Two Volcanoes only narrowly missed being our top pick.

Honorable Mention: Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso Beans

Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso Beans

Recommended For: Anyone who wants a deep, dark, aromatic blend with a smooth, chocolaty taste.

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The fact that this is not organically grown coffee may be enough to make it a non-starter for some coffee drinkers, but if that detail is irrelevant to you, then you’ll truly enjoy the Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic.  A deep, dark, aromatic blend that provides a smooth, chocolaty taste without the bitterness that you get from some blends with a chocolaty finish.

The fact that it’s not organically grown was the main reason it did not make our top pick – that’s an important detail for a significant percentage of customers, but if it doesn’t matter to you, then you’re going to love Black Cat!

Which Are The Best Coffee Beans for Espresso Machines 2024?

You don’t have to be a “coffee snob” to enjoy a great cup of coffee, and if you’re looking for the best coffee beans for espresso machine, give Kicking Horse’s Cliff Hanger Blend a try, and prepare to enjoy an unforgettable cup of coffee.


Sources and Official Brand Websites:

Bean Coffee Company  |  Two Volcanoes  |  Kicking Horse  |  Intelligentsia  |  Pesticides in Coffee Beans  |  Certified Beans

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