Best ground coffee for cafetiere UK: supermarket picks

The best ground coffee for cafetiere UK shoppers can pick up is coffee that’s ground coarse enough for a cafetière’s mesh filter. The easiest way to find it is to look for packs sold as “cafetière grind”, or blends whose maker lists the cafetière or French press as a brewing method. Union sells its supermarket cafetière packs under that name, Taylors puts a cafetière brew guide on each of its house blend pages, and Lavazza UK lists the French press for some of its ground blends. Below are our picks by roast, from Sainsbury’s and Morrisons shelves.

We haven’t tested this in person. This guide uses the makers’ own descriptions and supermarket listings checked 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.

Why a cafetière needs a coarse grind

A cafetière steeps coffee in hot water for several minutes, then a metal mesh holds the grounds back as you plunge. Taylors’ own cafetière guide says that if you grind your own beans, pick a coarse setting. Fine coffee slips through the mesh, which leaves sludge in the cup, and it can make the plunger hard to push. Our guide to grind size for a French press explains what coarse looks like.

Much supermarket ground coffee is ground for filter machines or for “all methods”, which is finer than ideal. It will still brew, but expect more silt. If a pack says espresso or moka, it’s likely to be too fine for a cafetière.

Best ground coffee for cafetiere UK shoppers can buy, by roast

Medium roast: Union House Roast Cafetière Grind

Union House Roast Cafetière Grind is £6.95 for 200g at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026. Union describes House Roast as a medium roast with notes of chocolate, caramel and some citrus, and lists the cafetière and filter as its best brewing methods. Coffee from: Honduras, Peru, Colombia and Ethiopia, says Union. It’s the clearest everyday pick here because the pack is ground for a cafetière.

Who it isn’t for: anyone counting the price per kilo. At £34.75 a kilo, checked 3 Oct 2026, it’s one of the dearer packs here.

Lighter roast: Taylors Lazy Sunday

Taylors Lazy Sunday ground is £5.75 for 200g at Sainsbury’s and at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. The 400g bag is £9.50 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026. Taylors gives it a roast number of 3, the lowest in its house blend range, and describes subtle citrus and chocolate flavours from arabica beans grown in Latin America and Africa. Our Taylors Lazy Sunday review covers it in more depth.

Who it isn’t for: people who like a dark, smoky cup. Lazy Sunday is Taylors’ gentlest blend.

Medium roast, Italian style: Lavazza Qualità Rossa

Lavazza Qualità Rossa ground is £6.25 for 250g at Sainsbury’s and at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. Lavazza UK lists it as a medium roast arabica and robusta blend with chocolate notes, for filter, French press and moka. It’s a good pick for a household that uses more than one brewer. Lavazza’s product page also calls it ideal for espresso and moka, so it may not be as coarse as a pack sold as cafetière grind.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a 100% arabica coffee, or the least silt possible. Rossa contains robusta, and Union’s cafetière packs are the safer bet for a clean cup.

Lowest price: Costa Mocha Italia Signature Blend

Costa’s Mocha Italia Signature Blend, ground for cafetière and filter, is £4.95 for 200g at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026. The cafetière is named on the pack, which is rare at this price.

Who it isn’t for: shoppers who want detail about the beans. The supermarket listings we checked don’t say much about the blend.

Dark roast: Taylors Hot Lava Java

Taylors Hot Lava Java ground is £5.75 for 200g at Sainsbury’s and at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. Taylors calls it an extra-dark roast with hints of smoke and black pepper, gives it a roast number of 6, and says it isn’t for the coffee novice. Coffee from: Indonesia, with supporting beans from India and Brazil, and Taylors says it includes some robusta.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who finds dark roasts bitter. Start with Lazy Sunday or House Roast instead.

Single-country coffee: Union Bobolink Brazil Cafetière Grind

Union Bobolink Brazil Cafetière Grind is £7.50 for 200g at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026. Union lists it as a light roast with milk chocolate and roasted almond flavours, and names the cafetière as one of its best brewing methods.

Who it isn’t for: people on a budget. At £37.50 a kilo, checked 3 Oct 2026, it’s the dearest pack here.

Decaf: Taylors Decaffé

Taylors Decaffé ground is £5.75 for 200g at Sainsbury’s and at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026. Taylors says it’s decaffeinated in Mexico with water rather than chemical solvents, gives it a roast number of 4 and describes caramel and malt flavours.

Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a light, fruity decaf. Taylors describes this one as caramel and malt.

For a cheaper own-label pack, Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Colombian ground is £4.50 for 227g, checked 3 Oct 2026. Its online listing doesn’t say which brewers it’s ground for, so check the pack. Our Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Colombian review has more.

How much coffee to use in a cafetière

Taylors’ cafetière guide is a simple place to start:

Warm the cafetière with a swirl of just-boiled water, then tip it out.
Add about a tablespoon of ground coffee for every mug.
Boil the kettle, then leave the water about a minute before pouring.
Stir, then leave it to brew for 4 to 5 minutes.
Push the plunger down slowly. If it resists, wait a little longer.

If the coffee tastes weak, add more coffee rather than brewing for longer. Pour it all out once it’s plunged, so it doesn’t keep stewing. If you still need a pot, see our best cafetière guide.

Grinding your own

Fresh beans ground just before brewing give you full control of the grind. A blade grinder makes uneven grounds, so a burr grinder is the better choice for a cafetière. See our best coffee grinder for a French press guide, or our coffee beans hub for beans.

Downsides

Few packs are labelled for the cafetière. Union’s cafetière packs and the Costa blend name it, but many supermarket packs just say “ground”.
Some shops weren’t checked. Tesco and Waitrose blocked our checks on 3 Oct 2026.

FAQ

Can you use filter coffee in a cafetière? Yes. It will brew, but filter grinds are finer than ideal, so expect more sediment. Let the cup settle before you drink the last mouthful.

What strength of ground coffee is best for a cafetière? It’s down to taste. A medium roast such as Union House Roast or Lavazza Qualità Rossa is a safe start, and Taylors’ roast numbers help you go lighter or darker.

How long should coffee brew in a cafetière? Taylors suggests 4 to 5 minutes before you plunge.