Can You Use Regular Coffee in an Espresso Machine? Here’s What You Need to Know

If you enjoy coffee, you’ve undoubtedly wondered if normal coffee can be used in an espresso machine. The idea of experimenting with different brewing methods might be appealing, especially if you don’t have espresso-specific beans on hand.

While it might seem like an easy solution, trying to use coffee grounds in espresso machine brewing isn’t as simple as it sounds. In this guide, we’ll explore the key factors you need to consider when asking, “Can you use regular coffee in an espresso machine?

“We’ll look at the differences between regular coffee and espresso beans, how they affect your brew, and what you can expect from your coffee. Whether you’re new to espresso or a seasoned pro, understanding these differences will help you get the most out of your machine. Let’s dive in!

Can You Use Regular Coffee in an Espresso Machine Successfully?

The short answer is yes, you can technically use regular coffee in an espresso machine, but there are several key factors to consider to determine whether the results will meet your expectations.

While it may seem convenient or cost-effective to use everyday coffee grounds, espresso brewing is a precise process that requires specific characteristics from the coffee.

Here’s what you need to know about making regular coffee work in your espresso machine, as well as the challenges you may face.

1. Understanding the Difference Between Regular Coffee and Espresso Beans

Before diving into the process, it’s important to understand why espresso beans differ from regular coffee. The primary difference lies in the roast profile and grind size.

• Roast Profile: Espresso beans are typically roasted darker to bring out rich, intense flavors that hold up well to the high pressure used in espresso machines. Regular coffee beans, on the other hand, are often roasted lighter, which can result in a less robust flavor when brewed in an espresso machine.
  
• Grind Size: Espresso requires a very fine, consistent grind for optimal extraction, especially when choosing the right coffee to use for espresso machine brewing. Regular coffee beans, however, are often ground coarser for methods like drip brewing or French press. Using a coarser grind in an espresso machine can lead to under-extraction, resulting in a weak, watery shot instead of a rich, concentrated brew.
  

2. Impact of Using Regular Coffee Grounds

If you attempt to use regular coffee grounds in an espresso machine, the differences in grind size and roast can significantly affect the flavor and quality of your espresso shot. Here’s what might happen:

• Weak and Sour Taste: A coarser grind leads to uneven extraction. You may end up with a watery shot that tastes weak and lacks the bold, rich flavor expected from espresso. You may also encounter sour or overly acidic notes due to under-extraction.
  
• Inconsistent Crema: One of the defining characteristics of a good espresso shot is the crema— a golden, foamy layer that sits on top of the espresso. With regular coffee grounds, the crema may be thin or non-existent, as the finer grind of espresso beans helps create the right pressure and extraction for a thick, flavorful crema.
  
• Messy Extraction Process: Espresso machines work under high pressure (around 9 bars), and this pressure needs to interact properly with the coffee grounds. Regular coffee grounds, being coarser, may not compact well in the portafilter, leading to uneven water distribution and possibly a messy extraction process.
  

3. How to Make Regular Coffee Work in an Espresso Machine

If you’re determined to use regular coffee in your espresso machine, you can improve your chances of a successful brew with a few adjustments:

• Grind the Coffee Finer: Invest in a good burr grinder that allows you to adjust the grind size to a finer setting. Espresso requires a very fine grind, almost powder-like, so ensure the grounds are small enough to create the necessary resistance during brewing.
  
• Tweak the Dose and Tamp Properly: Regular coffee grounds may not behave exactly like espresso grounds, so you’ll need to adjust the amount of coffee you use in the portafilter and tamp it properly. A typical espresso shot uses around 18–20 grams of coffee, but you may need to experiment with slightly different doses depending on the type of regular coffee you’re using.
  
• Adjust Your Machine’s Settings (if possible): Some espresso machines allow you to tweak the pressure or flow rate. If yours does, consider adjusting these settings to compensate for the coarser grind of regular coffee. This may help to avoid over-extraction or under-extraction issues.
  
• Use Fresh Coffee: Freshly ground coffee will always produce better results than pre-ground coffee, especially when trying to make a quality shot of espresso. Ensure you’re grinding your regular coffee just before brewing to preserve the oils and flavors. If you’re serious about dialing in your espresso skills, it’s worth exploring how to master espresso equipment for consistent, high-quality results.

4. When Is It Worth Trying Regular Coffee in an Espresso Machine?

While using regular coffee grounds in an espresso machine isn’t the ideal method for making espresso, there are situations where it might be worth a try:

• You’re out of Espresso Beans: If you’ve run out of espresso beans and don’t have access to a local coffee shop or store, using regular coffee might be your only option. In this case, it’s better than not making coffee at all.
  
• Experimentation: If you’re interested in experimenting with different brewing techniques and flavor profiles, using regular coffee in an espresso machine can be an interesting learning experience. It won’t be the same as a traditional espresso, but it can help you discover new flavors and brew styles.
  

5. Alternative Brewing Methods for Regular Coffee

If you’re finding that using regular coffee in an espresso machine doesn’t give you the results you want, there are other ways to make a delicious cup of coffee:

• French Press or Pour-Over: These methods work well with regular coffee grounds, or you can even use a stovetop espresso machine for a more hands-on espresso experience. and can produce a rich, flavorful cup of coffee without the need for fine grinding or espresso machines. For more brewing techniques, visit our ultimate coffee resource for coffee lovers of every level.
  
• AeroPress: Despite using regular coffee grounds, the AeroPress delivers a bold, concentrated brew similar to espresso. It’s a great alternative for those who want an espresso-like flavor without the need for an espresso machine.

What Happens When You Brew Regular Coffee in an Espresso Machine?

When you decide to brew regular coffee in an espresso machine, the results can be quite different from what you’d expect from a traditional espresso shot.

The espresso process is designed to extract specific flavors and oils from finely ground, darker roasted beans, so using regular coffee grounds, which are typically coarser and lighter in roast, can lead to several issues.

Let’s dive deeper into what happens during the brewing process and the potential outcomes when you use regular coffee in an espresso machine.

1. Water Flow and Extraction Issues

Espresso machines squeeze hot water through finely ground coffee at the ideal pressure needed for espresso, usually around 9 bars, to produce a rich, concentrated shot. This pressure is crucial for extracting the oils and soluble compounds that give espresso its signature richness and flavor.

When you use regular coffee grounds, which are generally coarser than espresso grounds, the water flows through the coffee too quickly. This leads to insufficient extraction, preventing the water from pulling out the full spectrum of flavors, resulting in a weak and under-extracted coffee.

This often leads to:

• Weak, Watery Espresso: Since the water passes through the grounds too fast, you end up with a very thin shot of coffee that lacks the rich, concentrated flavor of a true espresso. This can result in a watery, diluted taste.
  
• Lack of Complexity: A typical espresso shot has a deep, complex flavor profile due to the slow extraction process. Using regular coffee grounds can leave the shot tasting flat, lacking the layers of flavor and aroma that espresso aficionados look for.
  

2. Inconsistent Crema

Crema is the thick, golden foam that forms on top of a newly brewed espresso shot and is a crucial sign of a well-made espresso. When the coffee’s oils are emulsified by the espresso machine’s high pressure, a delicate coating of froth is produced, known as crema. When you use regular coffee grounds, the crema may not form at all or will be very thin and weak.

• Missing Crema: Due to the coarse grind and different roast profile of regular coffee, the espresso machine might not be able to generate enough pressure for a proper crema. Without this layer, the shot will lack the signature texture and flavor profile that espresso is known for.
  
• Uneven Crema: If some crema does form, it’s likely to be uneven, with large bubbles or a thin, patchy appearance. This occurs because the regular coffee grounds don’t provide the consistent resistance needed to create a stable, uniform crema.
  

3. Under or Over Extraction

One of the challenges of using regular coffee in an espresso machine is the difficulty in achieving the right balance of extraction.

The process of brewing espresso is finely tuned to pull a perfect espresso shot and extract specific flavors from the coffee grounds, and the finer grind of espresso beans allows for an ideal flow rate.

When you use regular coffee, the grind size is typically coarser, which can lead to two common problems:

• Under-Extraction: The coarser grind results in water passing through the grounds too quickly, leading to under-extraction. This means the water doesn’t have enough time to pull the full range of flavors from the coffee, resulting in a weak, sour taste.
  
• Over-Extraction: In some cases, if the regular coffee grounds are tamped too firmly or the dose is too high, you might experience over-extraction. This happens when the water has too much resistance and stays in contact with the grounds for too long, pulling out undesirable bitter compounds. This can lead to a harsh, overly bitter taste that is far from the smooth, balanced espresso you expect.
  

4. Inconsistent Pressure and Flow Rate

Espresso machines are designed to work best with finely ground coffee, as the compact, dense puck of espresso grounds provides the right amount of resistance to maintain consistent pressure during extraction.

Regular coffee grounds, being coarser, might not create this dense puck. Inconsistent extraction could come from the water’s uneven passage through the coffee bed.

• Channeling: Channeling is a phenomenon where water finds the path of least resistance and flows unevenly through the ground. This can happen more easily when you use regular coffee, as the grounds don’t provide uniform resistance. When channeling occurs, some parts of the coffee bed are over-extracted while others are under-extracted, leading to an uneven and unsatisfactory cup.
  
• Uneven Extraction: If the coffee grounds aren’t tamped properly or the grind size is off, the water can flow inconsistently, leading to a chaotic and uneven extraction. This can lead to the coffee overflowing the portafilter or creating a puddle of coffee on the machine’s drip tray.
  

5. Flavor and Aroma Differences

Unlike espresso beans, which are typically darker roasted, regular coffee beans have a lighter roast and a distinct flavor profile. When brewed under the high pressure of an espresso machine, the lighter roast can lead to a brew that lacks the depth and intensity you would expect from espresso.

• Sour and Bright Tastes: Lighter roasts tend to have more pronounced acidic flavors, and when brewed as espresso, they can result in overly sour, sharp, or overly bright notes. This is especially true if the coffee is under-extracted, as the sour flavors are often more prominent in these situations.
  
• Less Body and Richness: Espresso’s rich, full-bodied mouthfeel and complex, subtle flavors make it highly valued. Regular coffee, particularly lighter roasts, may not have the same body or richness when brewed in an espresso machine. The result could be a cup that’s flat and lacks the signature mouthfeel of a true espresso shot.
  

6. Practical Considerations

While brewing regular coffee in an espresso machine can be an interesting experiment, good espresso machine maintenance tips can also improve results long-term. If you find that you enjoy the results, you can always try different adjustments to improve the flavor, or even clean Breville espresso machine models more regularly to maintain optimal performance. such as:

• Grind Adjustments: If you want to make regular coffee work in an espresso machine, start by adjusting your grind to be as fine as possible. A burr grinder is the best tool for this, as it allows for consistent, precise grind sizes.
  
• Experimenting with Dosing: Since regular coffee grounds behave differently in an espresso machine, you may need to tweak the amount of coffee you use. Try different doses to see how it affects the flavor and extraction.

FAQS

Final Thought

While it’s possible to use regular coffee in an espresso machine, achieving a true espresso experience requires the right beans and grind.

The differences in roast, grind size, and brewing pressure make espresso-specific beans the best choice for rich, balanced, and flavorful shots. However, if you’re in a pinch, with the right adjustments,

You can still enjoy a decent cup—just don’t expect the signature depth and complexity of a traditional espresso. Always experiment to find what works best for your taste—whether you’re trying to make americano with espresso machine methods or dialing in grind size, but for the most authentic espresso experience, investing in quality espresso beans will always yield the best results.