The Best Coffee Beans

For millions of people, no morning routine can truly get off the ground without a top-notch cup of coffee. However, daily trips to the coffee shop can add up over time, even costing frequent drinkers thousands of dollars over the course of a year. The best way to mitigate this issue is by brewing your own coffee at home, and the first thing you need to get started is a premium bag of coffee beans. Let our list of the best coffee beans on the market be your guide to your next cup of the good stuff.

What To Look For

You can save a lot of money by switching from coffee shops to homebrewing, but not all consumer coffee beans are created equal. If you want to get the same taste your local barista offers from the comfort of your own home, you’ll have to mull over a few key considerations in your search. Firstly, you’ll need to decide on the right roast for your taste palette. As the roast gets darker, the coffee typically becomes bolder, less acidic, and less caffeinated. While doing our research for this piece, we did our best to feature coffee bean collections that exceeded our expectations in terms of flavor options, roast quality, and affordability. We feel the pick that best embodies our essential criteria is Lavazza’s collection of coffee beans. Lavazza’s well-rounded collection offers a wide variety of flavor options across the roast spectrum that are full of taste and easy on the wallet. On the flip side, if you’re in the market for something even more economically sound, Starbucks’ multi-pack should definitely pique your interest. This tasty multi-pack comes in a handful of exceptional flavors and sizes, making it easy for you to stock up without breaking the bank. Read on to discover more about the rest of our favorite beans.

Lavazza Coffee Beans

Little pick me up

This collection features an eclectic array of flavor notes and a wide variety of roasts, offering something for every type of coffee drinker.
Best Overall

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If you’re looking for a collection with a variety of different beans to try, this might be the pick for you. This collection is chock full of excellent blends, featuring plenty of light roasts, dark roasts, and a handful in between. Most blends offered by Lavazza feature 100% Arabica beans, but there are a wide variety of flavor notes you can expect to taste depending on which blend you decide to try. We also appreciate that Lavazza doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for its beans, despite the exceptional quality on display.

Pros:

  • Coffee blends and espresso blends are available
  • Wide spectrum of flavor notes
  • Light, medium, and dark roasts on offer

Cons:

  • The espresso blends might not be robust enough for seasoned espresso drinkers

San Fransisco Bay Coffee Coffee Beans

Wake up right

Get your morning started on the right foot with the any of the options in this expansive line of coffee beans.
Runner Up

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For coffee drinkers, starting the day off the right way always begins with a high-quality cup of joe. With this collection from San Fransisco Bay Coffee, you can rest easy every night with the knowledge that you have a solid cup of coffee waiting for you to help start the next day. This expansive collection features well-balanced medium roasts such as the Breakfast Blend and Hawaiin blend and bold dark roasts such as the smoky French Roast and smooth Fog Chaser. Also, eco-friendly consumers will be happy to learn that San Fransisco Bay Coffee utilizes sustainable farming methods for procuring its beans.

Pros:

  • Multiple decaf options available
  • Plenty of well-balanced medium roasts
  • Affordable

Cons:

  • Not many light roasts are offered

Copper Moon Coffee Sumatra Coffee Beans

Roasted just right

This delicious dark roast features a bold taste profile and a less acidic flavor than medium or light roast alternatives.
Best Dark Roast

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Dark roast beans are ideal for folks looking for a bold taste with slightly less caffeine than light and medium roasts. There are plenty of excellent dark roasts to choose from, but Copper Moon Coffee’s Sumatra blend is far and away our favorite. Thanks to its high-quality Arabica beans and delicious herbal notes, this Sumatra blend has a complex, yet endlessly satisfying finish that dark roast fans are sure to appreciate.

Pros:

  • Smooth, low-acidity finish
  • Prepared in single batches
  • Equally compatible with any brewing method (French press, reusable K-cup, and drip style)

Cons:

  • We wish the flavor had a bit more body

Starbucks Coffee Beans, Multi-Pack

Full-bodied flavor

Stock up on the good stuff with these affordable multi-packs that don't skimp out on flavor.
Best Bulk Buy

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One of the best ways to save money on coffee beans is by buying them in bulk. With these multi-packs from Starbucks, you can get multiple bags of first-rate beans without breaking the bank. We appreciate the wide variety of blends to choose from here, including the classic Pike Place Roast and the herbaceous Sumatra. What’s more, Starbucks’ coffee beans tend to taste similar no matter what brewing method you use.

Pros:

  • Economical multi-pack
  • Features high-quality 100% Arabica beans
  • This collection includes an eclectic variety of medium and dark roasts

Cons:

  • We wish Starbucks offered a few more light roast options

Kicking Horse Coffee Three Sisters Coffee Beans

Unbelievable brew

These premium-grade beans possess a delectably complex tapestry of flavor notes and an instantly recognizable aroma.
Premium Pick

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Even if you’re an inexperienced coffee drinker, it’s not difficult to notice the difference between an average coffee blend and a premium one. If quality is what you’re after, it’s hard to go wrong with Kicking Horse Coffee’s delicious Three Sisters blend. This exceptional blend effortlessly combines well-balanced flavor notes of sweet tobacco, stone fruit, and cocoa. Plus, Kicking Horse Coffee sources all of its beans from sustainable bean farms in Indonesia and Central and South America.

Pros:

  • Complex yet satisfying flavor profile
  • Organic and fair trade
  • Sustainably sourced

Cons:

  • A bit more expensive than some of its competitors

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most effective way to brew coffee at home?

There’s no right answer to this question. It’s really just a matter of taste. Some people prefer French presses for their full-bodied taste, while others prefer drip coffee makers for their convenience and comparatively lighter taste.

What is the difference between light and dark roast beans?

Qualifiers like “light,” “medium,” and “dark” refer to how long a blend was roasted before packaging. Light roasts tend to have the highest caffeine levels and the most acidic finish. Medium and dark roasts, on the other hand, usually have a bolder, more full-bodied taste with less caffeine and less of an acidic finish.

About the Author

There's no better feeling than walking out the door in well-made clothes that make you look and feel great. Nick’s goal is to help readers feel that way every day. A true New Yorker, Nick is always up to date on the latest trends fresh off the runway. When he’s not writing about fashion, you can find him writing and producing music.

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