I get a pre-ground bean from Brazil. They tend to have a fine grind because the like coffee strong. It is very consistent and I don’t have to mess with the machine much. I also use alkaline water to try and balance the acidity.
Discussion
I have tried pre-ground but even the ones from the "illy" brand that are vacuum sealed taste mediocre at best. This i because there is no one setting that will work great for every machine. In fact they will probably work best on a mediocre machine with a mediocre pump so it does not get clogged.
Any pre-ground i have ever used flushed through my machine in like 5 to 10 seconds most of the time.
A simple handgrinder like a Timemore C3 will outperform preground. Get the same beans like you always do, grind them yourself and you can immediately smell a huge difference.
I get mine from Brazil, specifically from the Minas Gerais region. Made from Blonde Arabica beans, they are only grown in that region. I can’t buy it in America, Brazil does not export their best coffee.
I have had good luck with this in my machine if I can’t find anyone coming from Brazil. It is popular in cafes there.
