UK Italian Coffee Review
Italy's most recognised coffee brand. From the moka pot staple Qualità Rossa to the Super Crema espresso blend — here's which Lavazza is worth your money.
Lavazza is the gold standard for everyday Italian espresso in the UK. Super Crema for espresso machines, Qualità Rossa for everything else. Both deliver consistent quality at a fair price.
Luigi Lavazza founded his grocery shop in Turin in 1895 and began blending coffees from different origins to create consistent, affordable espresso. That blending philosophy is still the core of what Lavazza does — and it's why Qualità Rossa has remained essentially unchanged for decades.
In the UK, Lavazza is the dominant mainstream espresso brand — stocked in every supermarket, used in offices and catering, and the first step up from own-brand for millions of home brewers. It's not specialty coffee, but it's dependable, correctly priced, and often better than more expensive alternatives.
Qualità Rossa in a moka pot: bold, chocolatey, and deeply satisfying. At its best on the stovetop — this is how Italian households have made coffee for 60+ years, and it works. As a drip coffee it's a bit flat; the Robusta content needs pressure extraction to shine.
Super Crema as espresso on a Sage machine: exceptional crema — golden-brown, thick, and persistent for 45+ seconds. The flavour is smooth with hazelnut sweetness, no bitterness. As a flat white it's outstanding. This is genuinely good espresso at a mainstream price.
Crema e Gusto: intense and one-dimensional, but deliberate. If you like your espresso strong and traditional — this is it. Don't dilute it.
Lavazza
The UK's most popular Italian coffee. Medium-dark blend of 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta — bold, chocolatey, reliable. Perfect in a moka pot or French press.
Lavazza
The best Lavazza for espresso machines. 60% Arabica blend with exceptional crema — hazelnut and honey notes, smooth and balanced. Italy's most-used espresso blend in cafes.
Lavazza
The bold choice — 80% Robusta, dark roast, intense and full-bodied. Traditional southern Italian espresso style. Not for the faint-hearted.
Super Crema is the best Lavazza blend for espresso machines — it's specifically designed for espresso extraction and produces a thick, persistent crema with a smooth, nutty flavour. Qualità Rossa is excellent for moka pots and French press. Crema e Gusto is more intense and works well in traditional Italian-style espresso machines.
Lavazza and Illy are both Italian premium coffee brands, but they target different audiences. Illy uses 100% Arabica in a single blend and is more refined and uniform. Lavazza uses Arabica/Robusta blends (in most products) for more body and crema. Illy is better for those who prefer clean, nuanced espresso. Lavazza is better for strong, creamy, traditional Italian-style espresso.
Qualità Rossa is a medium-dark blend of Brazilian and Robusta beans — bold, chocolatey, suited to moka pots, French press, and drip. Super Crema is a medium roast designed specifically for espresso machines — lighter, with hazelnut and honey notes and exceptional crema. If you have an espresso machine, choose Super Crema. For everything else, Qualità Rossa.
Super Crema for espresso machines. Qualità Rossa for everything else.
Check Lavazza on Amazon UK