Looking for the best espresso k cups? Let us help you out with our top picks!
Some links found in this post are affiliate links, meaning we may receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
But first, let’s cover a little about espresso…
What is Espresso?
Espresso is not a coffee bean. It is a method – a way to brew a cup of strong coffee. Espresso is a concentrated coffee created by forcing hot water at high pressure through tightly packed finely-ground coffee.
Espresso Beans vs Coffee Beans
All coffee beans are capable of being espresso beans and there is no difference between them.
You’ve probably seen “Espresso” on a bag of coffee, but labeling coffee beans as “Espresso” generally means the beans belong to the dark roast category.
Dark-roasted coffee beans tend to have a bolder flavor, thus producing a richer, more intense espresso shot.
Espresso K-Cups
Traditional espresso brewing requires skills and the right equipment. Also, it is a very time-consuming process. Espresso K-cups, on the other hand, offer a quick and easy solution to making a cup of quality espresso.
Espresso K-cups are about convenience and speed of preparation, consistency of taste, and allow for easy clean-up.
We’ve compiled a convenient list of some of the Best Espresso K-Cups.
If you are searching for the combination of K-cup convenience and espresso coffee joy, read on to find out which one captures your attention.
- Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Coffee
- Laughing Man Colombia Huila Dark Roast Coffee
- SF Bay Espresso Roast Ground Coffee
- Starbucks Italian Roast Ground Coffee
- Illy Intenso Bold Roast Blend Coffee
- Peet’s French Roast Ground Coffee
1. Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Coffee
- Blend: South American Arabica and Robusta beans
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 38-50 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Floral notes, hints of cocoa and sweet berries
Café Bustelo is well-known for being tasty and is widely available. It has a full-bodied, creamy taste, along with some floral notes.
This coffee is strong and goes well with milk, creamer, sugar, or as is. This dark roast coffee produces the rich flavor and body found in a good cup of espresso with a long lingering finish.
2. Laughing Man Colombia Huila Dark Roast Coffee
- Blend: 100% Arabica from Colombia
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 26 – 39 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Black cherry sweetness, dark chocolate finish
Each Laughing Man K-cup is filled with the freshest ground coffee and brews a great tasting espresso every single time.
It is a dark roast, so you can expect a full-bodied flavor along with a dark chocolate finish. Making a decent espresso will be easy with this K-cup, even if you are not a well-trained barista. This coffee is sure to become an instant, all-time favorite.
3. SF Bay Espresso Roast Ground Coffee
- Blend: 100% Arabica from Central America
- Roast Level: Medium-dark roast
- Caffeine: 23 – 34 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate, vanilla bean, smoky brown-spice.
Established in 1979, SF Bay has been owned by the Rogers family for over 40 years and maintains the quality and care for sustainable practices.
This is a bold, delicious medium-dark roast coffee that packs a nice caffeine punch in your cup. When it comes to taste, this coffee is smooth and full-flavored without ever being bitter.
4. Starbucks Italian Roast Ground Coffee
- Blend: 100% Arabica from Asia-Pacific and Latin America
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 48 – 71 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Dark chocolate and toasted marshmallow
Now you can enjoy well-known Starbucks coffee without leaving your home or office. This dark roast coffee is expertly crafted to unlock the sweetness and intensity to give coffee its wonderful full flavor.
This espresso K-cup is delicious and offers an undeniably convenient way for a quick cup of coffee.
5. Illy Intenso Bold Roast Blend Coffee
- Blend: 9 varieties of 100% Arabica
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 120 – 180 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Warm notes of cocoa and dried fruit
Illy is known for its Italian roots in espresso, specializing in the production, roasting, and innovative packaging of coffee in an oxygen-free container.
As per the name, illy Intenso coffee is very intense and high in caffeine content. This dark roast coffee is perfectly balanced along with a rich, distinctive aroma, which is perfect for espresso-based drinks with milk.
6. Peet’s French Roast Ground Coffee
- Blend: 100% Arabica from Central and South America
- Roast Level: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 26 – 39 mg / demitasse
- Tasting Notes: Coffee-forward, wood smoke, burnt caramel
This coffee from Peet’s is roasted and crafted by hand in small batches to create its own signature flavor.
It blends notes of wood smoke and burnt caramel perfectly, so this coffee is for those who need an extra kick in their caffeine fix. It is rich and strong, so you can enjoy the strong brew by itself or use it as a base for various coffee drinks, like a latte, cappuccino, Americano, etc.
Choosing the right espresso K-cup can help you brew a quality espresso while enjoying the convenience of a Keurig machine. We hope our list will help you find the right fit for you and your coffee machine.
