12 Best Coffee Beans for Superautomatic Espresso Machines

I don’t know about you, but I love having the best coffee beans for my superautomatic espresso machine. This machine does everything for me (hence the “superautomatic” in the name), so all I need to do is load in the coffee grounds, place my espresso cup under the spout, and turn in on.

But, before I can drink a cup of tasty espresso, I first need to choose my coffee.

Here’s a list of what I think is the best coffee beans for superautomatic espresso machines.

Deep, Dark Roasts are the Best. One of my favorite dark roasts that are perfect for espresso is Kicking Horse Coffee’s 454 Horse Power blend.

It’s a mix of beans from South American, Central American, and Indonesia, and it packs quite a punch where caffeine is concerned. It also tastes great and has some hints of chocolate and cinnamon in it, thanks to how the beans are processed.

Plus, it’s organic! This is one of the best coffee beans, in my opinion.

Look to the Dark Side. Another has a bit of a wild name – it’s from Death Wish Coffee Company.

They claim that this is the world’s strongest coffee, so you don’t want to drink a lot of it, which makes it perfect for espresso. The Death Wish Coffee Company makes this from a blend of Robusto beans with a little bit of Arabica beans added in for good measure.

The results are one of the darkest coffee blends around, one that will definitely get you moving in the morning. It’s a little on the bitter side, but that’s the point, right?

I appreciate this coffee company’s dedication to their brand, all the way down to the graphics on the package that exemplify the name of this coffee: Deadman’s Reach.

To make this espresso blend, Raven’s Brew mixes together beans from India and South American to create coffee with just a hint of hazelnut and chocolate. Deadman’s Reach has plenty of caffeine in it, and will add another dimension to your morning espresso.

And of course, you can also display the package, which has a skeleton on it, in your kitchen just for fun.

Last but far from least, there’s Stumptown’s Hair Bender coffee. This is proof that not all espresso beans are dark, bitter, and fully caffeinated.

This blend is known for its sweetness and it contains a mix of beans from Africa, Latin America, and Indonesia.

While it may be a bit lighter than traditional espresso, it’s flavor profile more than makes up for it.

When you hear Kona coffee, you think of one of the loveliest places on earth—Hawaii. Grown in the slopes of Mauna Lopa and Hualalai, Kona beans are exclusively produced within the 40-mile radius of an active volcano.

Only 15 pounds of beans are harvested from a tree per year, which is why roasted Kona beans are very expensive, ranging from $15 to $20 per pound.

Blue Horse is government certified and guaranteed to contain 100% Kona coffee, and only produced by one family-owned plantation. The beans are also organic, as they are purely hand-picked and sun-dried, without herbicides and pesticides.

The flavor is super-smooth, clean and punchy. While it contains lower caffeine content than other beans, the heady aroma of cherry is distinct and pleasurable.

Because it is less oily, they are great for super-automatic espresso machines.

My friends got that one from a cheaper roast coffee and found it was actually better. The flavor is very strong and this one definitely made our top 12 list.

A little extra punch can be tasted if you choose to add a little bit of ground coffee to it as well. Octane Italian Roast Coffee is definitely a keeper!

If you’re looking for a strong, robust and punchy cup of dark roasted coffee, Koffee Kult is a thunderous choice. Certified as 100% organic, this brand contains a special combined Sumatran, Guatemalan, Colombian and Brazilian beans, making these beans a favorite amongst connoisseurs looking for the exotic and the unique.

Expect the French dark roast to be heavy and strong with a sweet finish, and while Thunder Bolt markets their coffee to be the world’s strongest in caffeine content, it is still kicked behind by the second on our list, the Death Wish coffee.

The bright and smooth flavor has hints of a cinnamon finish, which makes the coffee a perfect match for after dinner pastries and desserts.

The beans are not very oily, so it is another strong choice.

Another super-automatic espresso choice is the Lavazza Super Crema, which is a blend of washed Indonesian Robusta and natural Central American and Brazilian Arabica. This unique blend produces balanced acidity and sweetness and earthiness. The washed Robusta provides a mellowed down taste profile leaning towards deep chocolate, instead of the usual bitter and woody flavor.

Founded in 1895, the Lavazza brand is highly popular in Italy, with its rich, velvety, creamy and delicate chocolate flavor, paired with aromas of almonds and honey. Their street credibility is solid, with more than a century of history being one of the best espresso coffee beans in the world.

The beans are evenly roasted to dark brown perfection, and the Lavazza Super Crema is a top choice for espresso and cappuccino lovers, with a 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

The nitrogen-packed bags ensure a longer shelf-life, and the beans are not as oily as others, so this coffee brand is great for your super-automatic espresso machine.

Stone Street is a New Yorker coffee artisan popular amongst Wall Street and Brooklyn coffee connoisseurs. Their Dark Sumatra Organic is a top gourmet choice, grown in the highlands of Indonesia and noted for its heavy and rich body, herbal aroma, complex and bold flavor, and syrupy smooth finish.

It is 100% organic; the beans are grown, harvested and processed naturally, without pesticides and chemicals.

The flavor might seem over-roasted (smoky for some), there are heavy hints of chocolate, but the acidity is very low.

Because the beans are dark and slightly oily, super-automatic espresso machine users should take extra care when using Dark Sumatra, but yes, it’s all worth it.

Camano Island coffee beans are 100% organic and shade-grown, free of any chemicals and pesticides. It is not overly oily, so it is a perfect choice for super-automatic espresso machine enthusiasts.

Expect the dark roast to be heavy and full-bodied, featuring hints of nuttiness, fruity flavors, and a bit of sweetness. It is warm and spicy and has low acidity.

The beans are non-GMO, and according to the makers of Camano Island Sumatra Dark Roast, their products are extremely high grade, and they only use environmentally friendly farming methods.

11. Two Volcanoes Guatemala Dark Roast

Guatemalan coffees are known to be one of the most aromatic and fragrant coffee beans in the world. Shade-grown in the base of two volcanoes—Tajmulco and Tajana—located in the Guatemalan highlands, the Arabica beans retain their natural earthy aromas and flavors enhanced by the rich minerals of the fertile volcanic soil.

This gourmet coffee roast is highly flavorful, but the caffeine kick and acidity are lower than your usual dark roast. There is an underlying sweetness to each sip, with strong hints of dark chocolate and cherry.

The beans are roasted in small batches so the coffee is evenly roasted, and this process guarantees that the coffee is of superior quality and the best possible flavor is drawn in each batch.

Produced by Specialty Java, Wild Jo used to be called “Wicked”, but the new name does not make it less wicked on your taste buds. The flavors are rich and strong, with hints of brown sugar and dark cocoa, which is perfect for espresso iced coffee and black coffee lovers.

Jo Coffee Wild Jo is 100% certified organic, gluten-free and kosher, so it is widely preferred by health and environmentally conscious consumers.

The coffee is coarsely ground and less oily, so it is great for percolators, French press, and super-automatic espresso machines.

Takeaway

Whichever of these coffee brands you choose to use, it is important to remember that super-automatic espresso machines do not work well with oily coffee beans.

The darker the beans are, the oilier they tend to be. They are also softer, which means they come out super fine when ground, and as such, they can result in damaged espresso machine grinders after just a few years of use.

Now, if you like one of the recommendations above, see if you can include it in one of the coffee gifts next time you visit a friend or loved one.