Changing from Nespresso Vertuo Pod Machine to Gaggia Classic

[Jumperorcardi]

We have realised that drinking 4 Nespresso Vertuo pod coffees a day ( 1 x 69p, 1 x 71p and 2 x 83p) is costing us £3.06 a day, approx £91a month !!!! We are also very uncomfortable with the environmental impact of pods even though we recycle them.
Therefore I have got our trusty Gaggia Classic Expresso maker out of the cupboard, given it a descale and put the Nespresso away.

I have bought some really nice coffee from an independent shop, got them to grind it for me and made some coffees……It smells delicious, But it does not taste as good as the Nespresso ones I was having (Melozio and Colombia). I weighed out 18g ground coffee, ran it through for 20seconds etc
So am asking for advice, recommendations for expresso ground coffee and hints and tips.

Any suggestions gratefully received .

Just keep trying different coffee and methods until you find one that you like and - crucially - vary it from time to time so that you don't develop taste blindness.

There's a lot of BS floating about on the subject of wanky independent coffee roasters, only grinding it as you're about to use it, etc etc etc but honestly for my tastebuds the best results I get are with Lidl's Bellarom Italian blend ground coffee in my Gran Gaggia Prestige, tamped down but not too hard.

Unfortunately Lidl have stopped stocking the damn stuff within the last couple of weeks!

@InveterateWineDrinker Thanks for your message, I have picked up a tin of illy Expresso and also a packet of Grumpy mule. I’m going to do a taste test later in the week. I will have a look in my local Lidl for the Bellarom. You have reminded me that we were really pleasantly surprised by a packet of Lazava coffee a couple of years ago,at the time it was only a few pounds, I will have a look for that as well.