Ground-espresso drinkers seeking a robust cup
If your machine accepts tamped ground coffee, illy describes its Ground Espresso INTENSO as suited to Italian espresso, with a robust finish and cocoa and dried-fruit notes.
Who might prefer each coffee?
Households making coffee with milk or different brewers
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico is described for milk-based drinks and for moka pots, filter machines and French presses. Check the preparation guidance on the pack you buy.
Cafetière and filter users who prefer a smoother roast
Taylors Rich Italian is a medium roast with chocolate and almond notes. Taylors describes it as rich and smooth, without the bitterness it associates with darker roasts.
What should you check before choosing?
Start with your brewer, then decide whether you want an assertive dark roast or a smoother medium roast in your winter cup.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Brewing method | Check the pack’s preparation guidance and your machine manual. illy specifies INTENSO for Italian espresso; Lavazza lists moka, filter and French press methods for Crema e Gusto Classico. | I want ground coffee intended for the brewer I actually use, particularly if I switch between methods. |
| Roast and flavour | Read the roast description and flavour notes alongside the strength label. Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico is described as dark and full-bodied; Taylors Rich Italian is a medium roast. | For a drink with milk, I may want the full-bodied Lavazza blend. If bitterness puts me off, the smoother profile Taylors describes matters more. |
| Intensity labels | Read each figure on its own pack scale: illy labels INTENSO 7 of 9, while UK retailer listings show Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico as 7/14 and 7/10. Do not treat those figures as one shared measurement. | I want a strong-tasting cup, but I would rather choose by roast, body and flavour than assume the largest-looking number will suit me. |
| Caffeine preference | Do not use a roast or intensity label as a caffeine measurement. If caffeine content affects your choice, check the product information or look for a decaffeinated option. | A bold flavour and a preference to reduce caffeine are separate decisions for me. |
What can lead to the wrong choice?
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Comparing intensity numbers across packs
illy’s 7-of-9 label and the differing scales shown for Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico cannot be read as a direct comparison. Lavazza also describes intensity as partly a matter of personal taste.
Use the pack’s roast and flavour descriptions, body and intended brewing method alongside its own intensity scale.
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Choosing espresso-focused coffee without checking the brewer
illy presents INTENSO for Italian espresso, while Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico has stated guidance for moka pots, filter machines and French presses. A familiar product name does not establish a match for every brewer.
Compare the coffee’s preparation guidance with your machine manual before buying.
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Assuming a darker roast will suit every palate
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico is a dark, full-bodied option, whereas Taylors describes its medium-roast Rich Italian as smooth and less bitter than darker roasts.
Choose according to whether you want a more assertive roast character or place greater weight on smoothness.
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Using flavour intensity to judge caffeine
An intensity description concerns the coffee’s sensory character; it does not give its caffeine content.
Check caffeine information or a decaffeinated declaration if reducing caffeine is part of your choice.
Which brand ranges are relevant?
illy
Ground Espresso INTENSO is an espresso-focused option for a robust-tasting cup.
- illy labels INTENSO 7 of 9 and describes cocoa and dried-fruit notes with a robust finish.
- Its stated preparation focus is Italian espresso; check suitability before using it with another brewer.
Lavazza
The named blends offer different roast and flavour choices rather than a single Lavazza profile.
- Crema e Gusto Classico is described as a dark, full-bodied blend suitable for milk-based drinks, moka pots, filter machines and French presses.
- Qualità Rossa is described as a medium roast with a level-5 intensity label; it is a different choice from Crema e Gusto Classico when dark roast is the priority.
Taylors of Harrogate
Rich Italian offers a medium-roast route for cafetière or filter drinks.
- Its listed notes include dark chocolate and almond; Taylors describes the coffee as rich and smooth.
- Rich Italian is not a dark-roast option for shoppers specifically seeking that roast character.
Tesco Finest
Café Blend is a ground-coffee option with guidance for several brewing methods.
- Tesco lists cafetière, filter machine, moka pot and percolator preparation, with chocolate and nut notes.
- Café Blend carries a strength-4 label; check its flavour description rather than assuming it has the dark-roast profile you want.
Rombouts
Rombouts lists vacuum-packed ground coffees, including Cachet d’Or and a decaffeinated option.
- Its ground-coffee range includes a decaffeinated choice.
- Check the particular pack’s roast and flavour description if a strong-tasting cup is your priority.
Ground coffee on Joybuy
This Lavazza ground-coffee option may interest shoppers seeking a fuller-tasting winter cup. Check the pack’s roast description and brewing guidance if either is decisive for you.
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Lavazza Crema e Gusto Coffee 250 g
This ground Arabica and Robusta blend is described in its listing as full-bodied, which may suit a fuller-tasting winter cup. Check the pack for its roast level and recommended brewing methods; do not assume this listing has every specification stated for Crema e Gusto Classico elsewhere.
Common questions
Does a higher intensity number mean more caffeine?
No: an intensity number is not a caffeine measurement. Lavazza explains intensity in terms of a coffee’s aroma and body, so check caffeine information or choose a product labelled decaffeinated if reducing caffeine is your aim.
Which ground coffee can I use for a drink with milk?
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico is described as suitable for milk-based preparation and has a dark, full-bodied profile. Check the particular pack’s brewing guidance against your equipment.
Can I adjust a cafetière drink without changing roast?
Yes. Tesco’s guidance for its Finest Café Blend suggests about one rounded tablespoon per person and a three-to-five-minute brew, with the amount of coffee and brewing time adjustable to taste. Follow the instructions for the coffee and cafetière you use.