If you’ve been drinking coffee for any length of time, you’ve probab...
Walking into your local grocery store, you can find a multitude of coffee brands to be consumed on an everyday basis. So, how do they rate against each other? Are there any that give you a bang for not a lot of buck? Of course, there are some folks that will drink anything strong or with half and half, so for them, I present some guidelines for choosing a better coffee along with which ones fall into that category.
If you like your coffee black and with a robust flavor, you can be sure that any darker roast will do. Avoid ones with flavor. If you like your coffee with lots of cream, then you should also pick a darker roast. Lighter roasts are for coffee drinkers that want to taste the different bean varieties – this is easier to do with a lighter roast, though they are harder to find. Beans are always best when you can grind them as you go, if not, then the most airtight packaging around will do on already ground coffees (read how best to store your coffee for tips).
A few of the common suspects:
This one offers sweet and mild tones for a mass produced blend. A bit of a bite at the finish of a sip and a good blend for those who like black coffee. Not overly bright and creamers can dull the overall taste.
Awful and monotone in taste. It’s like the bean was somewhat dirty when it was processed. Unbalanced in aroma and taste. Unevenness may be masked with cream and sweeteners, but black coffee drinkers will not be satisfied; Almost burnt taste and slightly nutty at times.
Sweet and tasty; light cocoa taste that is faint, but not lost; a good mild blend with a slightly roasted finish.
A sweet blend of coffee from Sara Lee with a pleasant tone; distinctly mild and well balanced, but almost loses its aroma in the brewing process.
Absolutely dreadful aroma – musty and mildewy; the tone is bland and distasteful; However, not all is lost, the Royal Signature Blend is a good coffee showing brighter tones and flavor when sipped.
A blend of classic Latin American flavors; a mild roast with bright, fruity tones when it first hits the palate and finishes with a spicy and tangy taste; almost citrus-y tones.
I personally find that Starbucks over-roasts most of their beans, and this one is no different. Slightly charred taste with chicory aftertaste, somewhat smoothed by cream and sweetener. But some folks love their coffee strong and this will certainly quench that desire.
Thanksgiving Coffee Fair Trade Light Roast
[adinserter block=”2″] Smooth and bright flavored coffee with a flavor that is delightful; a good balance of acidity and roasted flavors while not overpowering the total effect
Although this coffee review list isn’t exhaustive by any means and everyone’s tastes differ, believe me when I say this: a good coffee is one that you should support. I’ve seen many good blends (although not in the grocery store necessarily) fade into oblivion because no one would buy the beans themselves. Support your blend!
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Tony says
What is the strongest coffee you can buy that is available in canada
RickH says
In answer to post #10, McDonald’s (at least in my state) buys their coffee from S&D Coffee Co,, Concord, NC. It is a blend made specifically for McDonald’s and isn’t sold directly to the public, except of course at Mickey D’s.
Angela W. says
I had purchased some instant gourmet coffee recently from a child in neighborhood raising money for a fundraiser. The coffee turned out to be very delicious. I orginally purchased it for my husband. I now drink almost as much as he does. It’s called Ganovia. I purchase it now at http://www.wezamzuudou.com try it for yourself.
vani says
Try luwak coffee from indonesia.. Robusta luwak,,and you’ll have diffrent experience..
talissa says
All i have to say is VIDA E CAFFE.
try it and you’ll never want another cup of anything else.
sylvie says
Did Maxwell House ever make a blend called “Island Blend”?
terri says
There’s nothing like STARBUCKS – from the MILD to EXTRA BOLD Roast – by far the best in Toronto.
Also NABOB NEW YORK Roast is 2nd best and 1/2 the price.
bikobas says
Illy makes me happy to be alive.
00Billy says
Whats a good coffee for my new cuisinart grinder/brewer. Been drinking Maxwell house for 15 years. Are there Toronto roasters?
RON COLLINS/CANADA says
going back to previous note coffee cream should not be more than 10% other wise cooffee will be to cremeay taste– about max coffee this was the best we could find and a large can cost under ten dollars .on sale some times 1/2 price makes about 24 pots amonth of coffee
tom says
Maxwell house is the worse coffee there is. It’s sour water. Best coffee by far is Chock full of nuts.
Wickett says
Not to sound like I’m just trying to defend Starbucks here, but the French Roast is wonderful. Sure, it is strong and dark, but it is French Roast after all. It’s supposed to be.
Richard Cook says
Community Coffee with chicory is my hands down favorite. Beautiful, black and smooth! Going to order some Du Monde coffee from amazon today and I am sure it will be just as good based on the reviews.
Geni says
Of the brands mentioned I prefer Chock Full O’Nuts. Never makes a bad cup of coffee. Second to that I enjoy Yuban which has a similar flavor. Third, which isn’t on your list is Chase & Sanborn. I can’t wait to try these in a percolator now that I know how!
Susan says
My favorite is Bisbee Roasters, in Arizona, they also deliver in 2 days. When they can get it, the Ethiopian blend is the BEST!
Norma Smith says
Our local stores have stopped stocking decaf Chock Full O’ Nuts coffee. Are there other stores in this area (North Carolina) that stock it?
bonnie says
I have ADHD and have tried every Med. out there very bad side effects. My doctor told me to drink 2 cups coffee in the morning and at noon it has helped me and family have some peace. Careful not to drink to much as it will put you to sleep if you have ADHD.
BJK says
The sad truth about the bulk of readily available mass-market brands of ground coffee (for drip coffee makers) is that they almost universally suck.
I made a discovery upon returning to NYC a few years ago that I wanted to share.
If you live anywhere near where Dominicans, Mexicans, or other Caribean/S. American people live, check out the coffee aisle of their local supermarket.
I bought a vacuum brick (~9 oz) of ‘Cafe Supremo’, labelled ‘Espresso’.
It is a dark roast coffee, but not that finely ground as the ‘Espresso’ designation would imply.
It’s perfect for any simple drip coffee maker, and yields, hands-down, the best coffee I’ve had anywhere.
They charge $3.00 for 2 bricks; I usually buy 10 at a time, keep them in a freezer.
Perhaps they distribute beyond the NYC-metro area.
The company is ‘Coffee Holding Co’: coffeeholding.com.
Similar roasts may be available under different names: investigate, and be rewarded!
Deb says
I’d agree with DN909, drinking freshly made coffee brewed in a good machine makes a difference. Nabob has a darn good Full City Dark coffee that is not only sustainably grown, not as strong and burnt tasting as Starbuck’s French Roast and 1/2 the price! Nabob is getting into organics too. Check out http://www.nabob.ca
DN909 says
For most coffee lovers (who aren’t coffee connoisseurs) most of the major store brands are more than sufficient, providng one brews their coffee properly (clean machine, quality paper filter, cold tap water, etc) and doesn’t leave it sitting on the hotplate. My favorite is Chock Full O’Nuts New York Roast (arabica, dark roast) as well as their French Roast Decaf which is much tastier than most other decafs.
lynn says
I live in Houston and recently tried coffee from an brewer right here in Brenhem, Texas. It’s Independence coffee co and the name of the coffee is Jet Fuel. It’s dark, robust and the smoothest coffee ever. Has great flavor!
jacquelyne jackson says
have had a oster for about a year now love the coffee maker but i am noticing a change of colour where my coffee maker sits counter top about a year old and now like a burn mark in that area not impressed with this at all counter top was not cheap and neither was the coffee maker
Kelly says
There is a great family-owned roaster in Austin, TX who grows their own beans in Nicaragua and sells their coffee retail under the name FaraCafe. This stuff is phenomenal! It is smooth, well-balanced, yet full of flavor. Not only is the coffee produced in an environmentally friendly way, its sells for $6-7 a pound! If you do not live in the Central Texas area—try some off their website http://www.faracafe.com
Tia Heckstall says
I found the best coffee club… try Camano Island Coffee Roasters (http://www.camanoislandcoffee.com). Probably the best coffee I’ve ever had after switching from Gevalia. I signed up for the coffee club and will let you know as I’m trying several of the international gourmet beans they are sending…
Kirah says
Gobean Coffee has great coffee. I love both their “OC” and “Decaf”
Find them online, they are a new Orange County/Family based company.
Gary says
It’s interesting that I just tried to find reviews online for SAVARIN that I just bought at my local Pathmark and can’t find ANYTHING! The can has two other names on it: Rowland Coffee Roaster & javacabana…but those names just brought up methods for buying it. Seems like Tetley owns it now. No ingredients on the can…is it 100% coffee? is it part arabica, robusto, sawdust?
Brian says
Hi, I just happen to love the coffee made by Dutch Bros. Does anyone know where to purchase the beans they use wholesale rather than retail?
Thanks
Joe Burgess says
Community Coffee Brand which is every bit as good if not smoother than Starbucks best Dark and Medium regular grinds and is far superior to all the others listed. It is the most consistant in my opinion and cost less than Starbucks.
Russ says
Cindy, most power cords are universal. Sears Appliance, Tru-Value, K-Mart, and older hardware stores usually carry them.
cindy mcfadden says
If anybody knows how to get a power cord for GE percolator coffee pot please let me know.
Dan Flint says
Love all World coffee!
Jon H. says
Target has fair trade coffees, and Trader Joe’s might have it as well.
srida says
There is this new convenient affordable gourmet coffee called Brew in cup “French Press”. Basically, gourmet coffee at home without the clean up. Bought it at Costcos and is manufactured by a company called Solobrew in houston, texas. check out the product at http://www.solobrew.com.
Russ says
Thanks, Paula. Someone else recommended Eight O’Clock as a decaf, too.
paula says
dunkin donuts has good decaf
Russ says
Can someone recommend a good decaf coffee?
Diane DF says
I came upon this website during a Google search about why fair trade coffee is so hard to find in local groceries. Does anyone know? I feel so much better drinking fair trade, but don’t like to go to an expensive organic store.
RobbS says
Sue, in Canada, McD’s touted their new brand of coffee as from Higgins & Burke. That company is owned by Mother Parker’s and it is that name that is listed on the Canadian McD website. It may be how it is brewed, but i find my local McD’s coffee to be weak and very bland.
However, the US McD website lists Gavi?±a Gourmet Coffee, located in Southern California. Haven’t been stateside in a while and don’t remember McD coffee from way back then. Hope that helps…
coffeerama says
It seems like a dependable rule with coffee (and other things too for that matter) that you get what you pay for… a ten dollar can of Folgers won’t taste as good as freshly ground beans
Benhameen says
If anyone has been to Key West, they may be familiar with Baby’s Coffee. Best. Coffee. Ever. Ever since vacation down there, I have ordered about a pound of various varieties of their roasts every month. They roast it and I recieve it in the mail a few days later. Every morning I have a few cups of it in my french press. For good coffee, definitely worth the price. Check it out!
Sue says
Does anyone know what brand or kind of coffee McDonald’s uses?
Jerry Delince says
Freshness is always a concern with coffee and supermarket brands are notoriously stale. All that said, coffee is a matter of taste and even I have been known to pick up a tin of Chock Full of Nuts every now and then in a fit of nostalgia. My proffessional advice to every coffee newbie looking for an affordable first step is to establish a relationship with a local roaster or reputable online retailer. Many roasters (myself included) sell quite reasonably priced sample sizes (typically 8 oz – 4 oz) that allow you to cost effectively sample a variety of coffees until you find one that suits your tastes.
Ryan says
I do not particularly like the taste of bad coffee. I am kinda a coffee virgin looking to try some good coffee that will not scare me from coffee drinks. Any suggestions as far as cheap brands go? Based on the above reviews, Millstone and Maxwell House caught my eye.
John says
Was recently in southern Italy and they served a Sense Appeal coffee which is from Toronto. Sounds bizarre but the locals swore by it. The most ridiculous espresso i have ever had. Where can i get this i live in NYC.
Barbara says
Where can I buy Chock Full of Nuts Coffee in Northern California?
blue mountain coffee says
I agree with the reviews on this page. Every so often I will purchase supermarket coffees and conduct some informal tests. I have yet to drink more than a single cup each time. It’s a shame that the physics of coffee works so hard against store shelf coffees.
sam franko says
Thanks Eric, I checked out the torrefazione de luca website and ordered a case of their coffee de luca beens. They arrived in two days and really fresh and good. great tip.
Jersey says
Can someone who administers this site or at contributes try coffee from coffeefool.com and put their opinion of it on here? The best thing about their coffee is that their coffee, when you finally get it at your house, is only days old after roasting, not weeks or months old. :)
eric fultan says
My local coffee shop has Torrefazione De Luca which is one grade better than Palombino. you can check them out at torrefazionedeluca.com
Patrick says
I reside in Northern California and recently returned from a trip to Rome, Italy.
While there I had the best coffee ever and learned that it was Palombino.
Thus far, I have not even had the slightest luck in finding out where I can purchase
this coffee. Have you heard of it? Do you have any idea how I might go about
purchasing some? Thank you in advance.