I have always used coffee grounds, but all of my friends swear by freshly ground coffee. I have to say after a week of using this, I'm hooked! I love all of the different brewing options and how quickly it grinds and brews. It is a little loud when it grinds, so just keep that in mind if you have bedrooms near your kitchen or light sleepers in your house. I love that I can brew about 4 16 oz cups of coffee without having to empty the grounds or refill the water. It's coffee shop-level good every day in my kitchen!