# Pre ground for Classic



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Hi, I am trying to help a newbie out. he is getting a second hand Classic but has no other equipment yet, apart from a tamper. Is there any supermarket stuff he can buy ground, which will suit the Classic as from memory, it takes quite a fine grind?


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Is it someone you know? Could you grind it for them and chuck it in a resealable bag? This will be much fresher and tastier than supermarket guff!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It is a chap miles away from me. He has never had a machine before and is enthusiastic but no knowledge. I thought if he found a local place he could get them to grind until he buys a grinder. This was just a stop gap measure


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

funinacup said:


> Is it someone you know? Could you grind it for them and chuck it in a resealable bag? This will be much fresher and tastier than supermarket guff!


Will that keep better than preserved pre-ground from Lavazza or Illy?

Lavazza Oro is OK when freshly opened...acceptable for a couple of days.

Ntitrogen flushed Coffeesense pods from ww.thecoffepod.co.uk ? Next day delivery to home/work etc.


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

Hasbean offer pre-ground for espresso. Otherwise a hand grinder would be way better than pre-ground and a great short-term solution.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Sorry, to recap, he has a Classic coming tomorrow and simply wants to use it until he can find a grinder. So, whatever we do is just short term. My question was, of the pre gorund coffess readily available through supermarkets, which one will suit a Classic as fro memory, they need quite a fine grind!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

If he keeps the pressurised portafilter in place he can use pretty much any pre-ground.

Try some of the Taylors of Harrogate Coffee from Sainsburys (or Union Hand-Roasted if available) is quite a good standby

Illy in a tin (Red) can also be used


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## Nimble Motionists (Oct 22, 2012)

If he goes down the Taylors route then Tesco have it 2 for £6 at the moment. It was my favourite supermarket coffee before I switched to buying online. Good range of roast-levels too from something like Lazy Sunday (medium) through to Lava Java (dark - think it includes some robusta??.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> Sorry, to recap, he has a Classic coming tomorrow and simply wants to use it until he can find a grinder. So, whatever we do is just short term. My question was, of the pre gorund coffess readily available through supermarkets, which one will suit a Classic as fro memory, they need quite a fine grind!


If he just has the pressurised basket, this limits how fine you can go as "fine" for an unpressurised basket can just choke the machine.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Basket is standard!


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## autopilot (Apr 4, 2013)

Im still quite new to this myself, but I also tried lots of supermarket preground stuff before I started ordering fresh beans.

The only preground which would work anywhere near properly with my Classic (25sec shot with pressurised and non pressurised basket) was the Illy red. If used within a short time opening the tin it was surprisingly good IMO. Not very exciting, but very drinkable and quite chocolatey, with a lot more crema than I expected. Better than most drinks I have had from costa/SB/Nero/etc.

Everything else, including Lavazza espresso, gushed out in about 10 seconds (even with the pressurised basket) no mater how much coffee i used or how hard I tamped.

Go with the illy red. Hope that helps, but like I said I'm still climbing the learning curve myself.


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## Pdalowsky (Dec 31, 2012)

or the illy black - that worked ok, but i never got a 25 second pour


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

I used to use red Illy before I saw the light and it's fine for a classic... just a tad on the expensive side at over £6 a tin now.


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## series530 (Jan 4, 2013)

I ran with illy red for almost two years, admittedly in a pressurised basket.


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## Savo (Apr 9, 2013)

Looks like I'm heading out to buy some illy red in the morning


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Lavazza club, is the best if ou can find it as it is ground finer as standard than illy red.


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

MWJB said:


> Will that keep better than preserved pre-ground from Lavazza or Illy?


No, but it'll have been ground more recently.

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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