Picking your coffee is very overwhelming and we know it. There are just countless types of beans, roasts and grinds, so where should you start? Well, we went through the painful process of understanding what makes a great cup of coffee and have the answer. Let's get crackin'.
Our Favorite Coffees on Amazon
You never know if the ground coffee you buy from the supermarket is fresh and that's why the best coffee is non ground. We decided to get on Amazon and try all the coffees with good reviews and made a list that will help you choose the best beans for you.
Coffee Bros. Medium Roast Coffee - Best Whole Bean Coffee on Amazon
The Coffee Bros. Medium Roast Coffee is literally what the name says. Medium roasted coffee beans made by two brothers - Nick and Dan Hunnewell. Based in Brooklyn to be exact, and both of them are massive coffee enthusiasts. They roast the beans with a light hand, allowing the natural flavors to stay in the coffee.
Founded in 2019, the Coffee Bros. coffee company offers a delicious line up of beans that would pleasantly surprise even the most hardcore coffee aficionado. The medium roast is made of Ethiopian and Brazilian beans with a hint of brown sugar, hazelnut and red fruits. The coffee has an intense aroma and will give you a smooth rich-tasting cup of delicious brew. Additionally, it's all ethically sourced, freshly-roasted and comes right to your doorstep if you order it on Amazon.
Speaking of Amazon, Coffee Bros. only ships small quantities to them, making sure that the beans you will receive are all freshly roasted, and haven't been sitting in a warehouse for ages. What's even better is that they only sell whole bean coffee, which will preserve more of the taste. If you don't own a grinder, you'll have to purchase one though.
The medium roast comes from pure Arabica beans from Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia and Minas Gerais, Brazil, which gives it a perfect balance between sweet and bitter. You might be interested in knowing that coffee actually originates in Ethiopia and Brazil is currently the biggest producer of the beans in the world. It's fair to say that they will know a thing or two about coffee in both countries.
This delicious blend allows your cup of coffee to have the unique Coffee Bros. taste, that will help you get a great start of the day. Another great touch by the company is that they have added the roasting date of the coffee on the bag, so you can be sure it's all fresh.
Kicking Horse Coffee Smart Ass - Runner Up
As you will have guessed from the name, the Kicking Horse Coffee Smart Ass packs quite the caffeine punch. For that reason (and not only) it came very close to being our top whole bean coffee choice on Amazon.
Kick Ass is a brand that became well known in the past few years in the coffee circles and there's a good reason. The coffee has strong smoky, sweet overtones that offset its rather bitter taste. Even though the coffee is strong, it has a smooth taste. Even though the blend is a medium roast, it comes close to a darker roast, which gives it a subtle but refreshing aftertaste. A teaser for the high amount of caffeine.
This coffee is great for a slower brew like the drip coffee, French press or pour over. It will even work for cold brew. No matter what you go for, you can expect a hint of a tobacco flavor with a finish that's reminiscent of black licorice.
In 2017, Kicking Horse received a certificate for organic and fair trade. A part of the reason for this, is that the beans, grown in Indonesia and South America are shade-grown, which doesn't only improve the taste of the coffee, but is more environmentally friendly and easier on the gatherers.
Kick Horse offers two different packages on Amazon - 10 ounces and 2.2 pounds. This makes it great if you're unsure whether this is the right coffee blend for you. You can simply go for the smaller option, brew a few rounds of coffee and see for yourself. What we can promise you, is that the name of the coffee company will stay equally funny no matter how long you've been drinking it.
Lavazza Super Crema Coffee - Best Crema
If you are a coffee enthusiast or have simply been to a coffee shop in Europe, you will know Lavazza. It's an Italian brand founded more than 120 years ago which is enough to learn how to make fantastic coffee. For good or bad you won't find single-origin or third-wave Lavazza coffee but what's certain is that the Italians that make it take great care to offer you a carefully crafted blend which will give a delicious cup of coffee.
The fact that this Lavazza blend of coffee is one of the best sellers on Amazon is no coincidence. As the name suggests, the beans are best suited for espresso or any espresso-based coffee drink like latte or macchiato. The blend is a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans, roasted in Italy. When you brew your first coffee, you can expect some nutty and caramel flavors with a touch of honey and dried fruit. If you're not used to stronger coffee, you might notice a hint of bitterness. Just the right amount though, which you can expect from a medium roast coffee.
In 2017, Lavazza joined the United Nations Global Compact, the program that sets standards for global business in human rights, environment and anti-corruption. This should help you enjoy your coffee even more, knowing that you have made the socially conscious choice.
Death Wish Coffee - Strongest Coffee Out There
Another one that the name gives away. The Death Wish Coffee is the strongest blend you can currently find on Amazon. The caffeine kick that their coffee gives is taken very seriously by the company. Instead of digging into single origins and exclusive coffee beans, Death Wish Coffee have geared up to give you the original, top of the line coffee beans. They are using the best coffee beans grown in India and Peru to balance the flavor out.
Yes, you can affect the strength of your coffee during the brewing process, but the Death Wish beans provide a whole lot of caffeine directly. So much so, that the company promises that if it's not the strongest coffee you've tasted, you can get your money back. If that's not confidence, we don't know what is.
Even though the beans offer strong coffee, the taste is smooth and highly drinkable, even if you don't like your brew bitter. The Death Wish coffee has a surprisingly soft taste with a note of cherry and chocolate. The caffeine can and probably will hit you like a freight train, so you should be warned. It's not for the faint of heart. You might start tasting colors and smelling sounds, but you will have enough energy to run a marathon (or at least start your day and not fall asleep in the afternoon).
The best thing about this coffee is that the beans are sourced only from Fair Trade plantations and it's all organic. This is what helps the dark roast keep the bold flavor. Despite the badass name, Death Wish is also USDA certified for their coffee beans.
The only downside to this blend is that your wallet will take a hit. This is the coffee with the highest price on our list but the good news is that if you're not happy with the blend, you can get your money back.
Café Don Pablo Colombian Coffee - Best Decaf Coffee
Don Pablo (no, not that one) used to only make blends of Colombian coffee but this one was outsourced to Honduras' Marcala region. The nights there are cold, which makes the beans need longer to grow, but as a result, they will give you a sweeter cup of coffee with a soft, almost velvety body. In addition to the coffee being decaf, this is great news for coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs.
When you brew your Don Pablo decaf coffee you can expect a strong, rich flavor with some notes of milk chocolate, caramel and even honey, giving a more subtle and even sweet taste with low acidity. You can find these beans on Amazon as a light, medium and dark roast, giving you the freedom of choice.
The coffee blend is perfect for a drip coffee maker but you can also try it for pour over or even a round of Moka pot brew. Its versatility made it come very close to becoming the best coffee on Amazon but we thought it wouldn't be fair to give the number one spot to a decaf blend.
Nevertheless, decaf has come a long way. Don Pablo is advertised as using the Swiss Water Process which means that you can expect a deeper flavor than other decaf options. The company tried to get it as close to the caffeinated version through a chemical-free process and got very close. We would most accurately describe this coffee bean as a medium roast with a lighter flavor. To get it right though, you might want to try a few different grind sizes.
The only major downside that we found is that it only comes in packs of 2 pounds and more. If you're worried that your coffee might have expired, you can always try making cold brew. Using fresh coffee beans is a bit of a waste anyway. This method is good for the hot summer days that are coming up and is very forgiving for freshness, as long as you get the grind right.
To balance this out, this blend comes with an average price for decaf coffee. Additionally, the company promises that all beans were freshly roasted, which should postpone the expiration date.
Eight O'Clock Whole Bean Coffee Blend - Budget Pick
Founded in 1859, Eight O'Clock is one of the oldest coffee companies that sells their beans on Amazon today and this is actually their original recipe. At some point they were the biggest coffee seller in the US, owning around 25% of the coffee market. What makes it even more impressive is that for more than a century they only sold whole bean coffee and not pre ground coffee, introducing it to their line-up in 2003.
The Eight O'Clock light to medium roast coffee beans won't give you the robust flavor of a darker roast, but a rather smooth and mild taste. The coffee has a rather sweet and fruity flavor, that's well combined with the drier notes of the Colombian beans they use to make it. While the flavor is far from bitter, there is a touch of bitterness which might not be to everyone's taste.
While the Eight O'Clock coffee is still many Americans' daily choice, it might not live up to your expectations if you're an I-only-take-my-coffee-black kind of coffee drinker.
The company has managed to find the balance between a low price and responsible sourcing. Getting their Arabica beans from Latin America and East Africa, they have partnered up with a few organizations that help improve the lives of the workers in the coffee industry. Additionally they are Kosher certified and are a partner of the International Women's Coffee Alliance that empowers women working in the coffee industry.
Now, to the reason why the Eight O'Clock Coffee beans made it to our list - the price. A 40 ounce pack of this coffee has a very good price of just under $22 on Amazon.
Koffee Kult Coffee Beans - Best Medium Roast Low Acidity Coffee Beans
The Koffee Kult coffee company is a family-owned business that started in 2010. They roast their beans in South Florida and are constantly selling a lot of coffee on Amazon and one of the reasons for that is the wide variety of brewing methods you can use it for.
Their dark roast is actually closer to a medium roast and has hints of chocolate and cinnamon, which makes it an even more popular choice for coffee enthusiasts. The Arabica beans are sourced from Brazil and Colombia and will give your coffee a smooth and robust flavor, with a low acidity, which is great on its own or with a drop or two of milk or creamer.
Just like the other coffees on our list, the Koffee Kult beans are USDA organic certified, but unlike all the others, the beans are grown from small coffee farmers. While it has a rather high price, there's a guaranteed money-back offer.
The only downside, as we mentioned, is the rather weak, for a dark roast, flavor. That's why we put it under medium roast, not to upset any coffee enthusiasts among you.
How Do You Pick The Best Coffee on Amazon?
There are multiple factors that can help you pick the right coffee for your taste on Amazon. They all mostly depend on your taste and how you like taking your coffee but there are a few things that make a key difference. We went through a few sections, starting with whole bean versus ground coffee. Let's dig into it.
Ground Coffee vs Whole Bean Coffee
As you will have guessed, both whole bean and ground coffee have their pros and cons. They mostly vary according to your free time in the morning, your budget and your taste.
Ground Coffee
The biggest advantage of ground coffee is that it's cheaper and takes significantly less time to make. If you have decided to go for that option you won't have the time to grind it yourself before making coffee, which can save you a lot of valuable time over months of use.
Moreover, you'll also be saving money on your ground coffee. Even though that might seem a little counter intuitive (why would grinding the beans make it cheaper?), it makes a lot of sense. There is a significantly higher demand for ground coffee than for whole bean. As one of the main principles of Economics says, with every manufacturing process you have diminishing marginal costs. This means that the more coffee is produced, the less each unit costs.
In addition, ground coffee is not as high quality as whole bean. Coffee manufacturers can get away with having some additives into the ground. This might deteriorate the taste of the roast, and give you a slightly worse cup of coffee.
Another disadvantage that ground coffee has is that it's not nearly as fresh as whole bean. As soon as the coffee is ground, it starts losing its freshness. This is also the main reason why most coffee enthusiasts decide to go for the whole bean option.
One more reason why they would do that is the grind size. Depending on the brewing method you choose, the perfect grind size for the perfect coffee varies. When it comes to ground coffee you can find on Amazon (or anywhere else), there's no freedom to choose the right size. You get what you're given.
Whole Bean Coffee
Whole bean coffee is definitely the option that more hardened coffee enthusiasts choose. By buying coffee beans and grinding them yourself, you know you're going to get a fresh grind for every round. While coffee tastes best if it's also a fresh roast, this is as close as you can realistically get to the best coffee flavor.
Furthermore, if you grind your coffee beans you will be able to get the right grind size for your preferred brewing method. This can make a big difference to the flavor of your coffee, as if the grind is too fine or too coarse your coffee might be bitter or bland.
Now, to the disadvantages. Whole bean coffee is significantly more expensive. You won't only have to spend some more money on the bean itself, but will also have to buy a grinder. A decent burr grinder starts around $50 on Amazon and can cost you as much as $250 if you want it to have some more features.
Additionally, making your own grind is a lot more time consuming. If you're not a morning person, or simply don't have a lot of time for your coffee during the day, this might make a massive difference.
Light vs Medium vs Dark Roast Coffee
There are three main types of roast in the coffee world and they each have their unique flavor characteristics.
Light Roast Coffee
A light roast is made by roasting the coffee beans only to the first crack. Just like popcorn, when you heat coffee beans, they eventually start cracking. When the first crack is heard, the roasting process is stopped.
The roast will give your coffee as much flavor as you can get. What we mean by this is that you're going to taste all the floral and citrus tones of your coffee. This is why this type of coffee is mostly drunk black, so you can completely enjoy the flavor.
Another reason you might want to try this roast is that it's very strong. It's normal if that sounds somewhat counter intuitive to you. The reason why the light roast is significantly stronger is that, as the coffee beans are roasted, the caffeine inside them burns and makes your coffee weaker. As this roast is light, less caffeine is lost and you get a more robust cup of coffee.
Medium Roast Coffee
Medium roast beans are the most widely spread and most often bought on Amazon. Here the idea is that when the coffee is roasted, it's left for a little longer after the first crack. This gives the beans a darker color and an extra layer of flavor. This longer roast takes away more of the caffeine so if you don't like your coffee as strong you might want to consider a medium roast.
You can expect your medium roast to be slightly bitter and have less of a floral flavor. Additionally, the coffee is going to have a thin sheen of oil, so if you like your coffee that way, go for it.
We should also mention that a medium roast goes a lot better with additives like milk or cream. It also might have a somewhat nutty or chocolaty flavor.
Dark Roast Coffee
A dark roast is made by leaving the beans in the burner significantly longer. This way they develop an oily layer on the outside and are significantly less acidic. This also means that there's significantly less caffeine in the beans. For this reason a dark roast is often used to make espresso or Moka pot coffee, as these methods extract a lot of flavor and caffeine out of the coffee.
When it comes to taste, the dark roast tastes somewhat burnt and bitter but you might also feel some caramelized or chocolaty sweetness. Nevertheless, this type of coffee has a more generic taste than a light or a medium roast.
Just like the medium roast, dark roast is easily combined with cream, sugar, milk and even honey. If you're not fully sold on the more bitter flavor, you can easily change it.
Organic vs Non-Organic Beans
One more category that we can use to separate the different beans is based on them being organic or non-organic. Organic beans are grown naturally with no pesticides or chemical fertilizers. They are usually grown in the shade, which also provides significantly better working conditions for the workers on the plantation. As a result of the smaller exposure to direct sunlight, these beans are considered of higher quality and also have a stronger flavor.
In a nutshell, organic is better but also comes at a higher price. This doesn't always mean that non-organic coffee beans are full of chemicals or unhealthy for you. It simply means that this plantation is not fully organic or simply not certified.
How Growing Conditions Affect the Taste?
As you now know, there are many factors that are going to affect the flavor of your coffee. Other than the roast and the grind, the growing conditions also take their toll on how your coffee is going to taste.
The altitude at which the beans are growing can affect the acidity of your coffee. The higher the coffee beans grow, the more acidic they will be. These types of beans are generally considered better quality, especially by coffee aficionados that like their coffee more acidic. Moreover, high-altitude coffees need more time to grow which lets them develop a more intense flavor.
If you're not one of them, though, you should go for lower grown coffee beans. You might want to look into beans grown closer to sea.
The temperature where the coffee beans grow is another factor that can affect its flavor. Hot areas give perfect conditions to the coffee beans which lets them over grow and they don't develop such an intense taste. One of the ways that coffee producers adopt to slow down the growing speed is growing them in the shade.
You probably remember from school that volcanic soils are more fertile. This is because it's full of minerals, potassium and phosphorus which lets your coffee have a better aroma, acidity and flavor.
Final Thoughts on Buying Coffee on Amazon
Here you go. Now you know what makes coffee great and how you can find the best beans on Amazon. If you like strong coffee, you should go for a light roast and grind it yourself. If you'd rather have it more bitter and less caffeinated, go for a dark roast. What you should remember is that whole bean coffee is fresher and has a richer taste.
To have a delicious cup of coffee you shouldn't only take the beans in mind, though. The brewing method is just as important and you should pick the right one for you. If you like strong and delicious coffee, you might want to go for a Moka pot. The LuxHaus stainless steel Moka pot comes with a money back guarantee so if you're not fully satisfied, you can get a full refund. Get yours now.
