Comparison · Beans and ground coffee
Lavazza vs illy: beans, ground coffee and pods compared
illy roasts one 100% arabica blend to different levels; Lavazza sells a wide range of blends. Formats, UK price per kg on 3 Oct 2026, and which suits espresso, moka and bean-to-cup.
Lavazza vs illy is a choice between two very different approaches to Italian coffee. illy roasts a single 100% arabica blend to different levels, while Lavazza sells a long list of blends, from 100% arabica to arabica-and-robusta mixes. Below we compare how each brand describes its coffee, the formats you can buy in the UK, price per kg on 3 Oct 2026, and which suits espresso, moka pots and bean-to-cup machines. We haven’t tested this in person. This comparison is based on illy UK and Lavazza UK product pages, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons listings, and prices checked on 3 Oct 2026. Read how we compare.
Lavazza vs illy: the short answer
Choose illy if you want one consistent 100% arabica coffee and don’t mind paying more for it. illy Classico ground was £7.99 for a 250g can at illy UK, checked 3 Oct 2026, about £32 a kilo.
Who it isn’t for: bean-to-cup owners on a budget; we only found illy beans in 250g cans.
Choose Lavazza if you want more choice and a lower price per kilo. Qualità Oro beans were £22.00 for 1kg at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who wants a simple choice; Lavazza’s range is large and the names can be confusing.
How the two brands approach coffee
illy: one blend, several roasts
illy UK describes its coffee as “illy’s unique, 100% Arabica blend”, and lists 100% arabica coffee as the ingredient on its Classico can. It sells that blend at different roast levels, including Classico (medium) and Intenso (bold), and gives each an intensity number out of 9. Classico ground is listed at 5 of 9.
illy UK describes Classico as having notes of caramel, orange blossom and jasmine with a sweet aftertaste. Our guide to illy Intenso covers the darker roast.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who likes trying lots of different blends.
Lavazza: a wide range of blends
Lavazza UK lists more than a dozen bean and ground blends, each with an intensity number out of 10. Some are 100% arabica, like Qualità Oro, which Lavazza describes with floral and fruity notes. Others mix arabica and robusta, like Qualità Rossa, which Lavazza describes with chocolate and dried-fruit notes.
Our Lavazza Qualità Oro beans review and Lavazza Qualità Rossa review go into those two in detail.
Who it isn’t for: anyone who only wants 100% arabica; check the pack, because many Lavazza blends include robusta.
Formats in UK shops
illy:
- Whole beans: 250g cans. Sainsbury’s sold illy Espresso Roasted Coffee Beans 250g on 3 Oct 2026.
- Ground: 250g cans, including Classico ground for espresso on illy UK.
- Capsules: illy’s own Iperespresso and X-CAPS systems, plus capsules for Nespresso Original machines. Our guide to illy pods vs Nespresso explains the differences.
Lavazza:
- Whole beans: 250g, 500g and 1kg bags. Sainsbury’s had Qualità Oro, Qualità Rossa and Crema e Gusto in 1kg bags on 3 Oct 2026.
- Ground: 250g packs and multipacks.
- Capsules: Nespresso-compatible capsules, plus Lavazza’s own A Modo Mio system.
Who it isn’t for: if you get through a lot of beans, illy’s 250g cans mean buying more often.
Price per kg
All prices were checked on 3 Oct 2026, at full price unless stated:
- illy beans, 250g: £8.00 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026, which is £32.00 a kilo at full price. See illy beans at Sainsbury’s
- illy Classico ground, 250g: £7.99 at illy UK, checked 3 Oct 2026, about £32 a kilo. illy UK charged £4.90 delivery on orders under £45, checked 3 Oct 2026. See Classico ground at illy UK
- illy ground at Morrisons: illy Espresso Ground Coffee was £8.00 at Morrisons, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- Lavazza Qualità Oro beans, 1kg: £22.00 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026. See Qualità Oro 1kg at Sainsbury’s
- Lavazza Qualità Rossa beans, 1kg: £22.50 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026.
- Lavazza Qualità Rossa ground, 250g: £6.25 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026, £25.00 a kilo.
At full price, illy cost roughly £10 to £13.50 a kilo more than Lavazza’s 1kg bags, checked 3 Oct 2026. Lavazza Crema e Gusto Classico 1kg beans were £18.50 at Sainsbury’s, checked 3 Oct 2026.
Who it isn’t for: anyone for whom price per kilo matters most. Lavazza’s 1kg bags were the cheaper way to buy from either brand.
Which suits espresso, moka and bean-to-cup
- Espresso machines: both brands sell ground coffee made for espresso. illy’s Classico ground is labelled for espresso, and Lavazza UK lists Qualità Oro and Rossa for espresso.
- Moka pots: Lavazza UK lists Qualità Rossa as ideal for moka. The illy Classico ground can we checked is labelled for espresso, so check the can before you buy one for a moka pot. Our guide to the best coffee for a moka pot has more picks.
- Bean-to-cup: Lavazza’s 1kg bags are easier and cheaper for a machine that gets through beans quickly. For more picks, see our guide to the best coffee beans for bean-to-cup machines.
FAQ
Is illy 100% arabica? illy UK lists 100% arabica coffee as the ingredient on its Classico ground can and describes its blend as 100% arabica.
Is Lavazza 100% arabica? Some blends are, like Qualità Oro. Others, like Qualità Rossa, mix arabica and robusta.
Which is cheaper, Lavazza or illy? Lavazza, per kilo, on the prices we found on 3 Oct 2026.
Which is better for a bean-to-cup machine? Lavazza’s 1kg bags are better value. illy beans come in 250g cans.