Buying coffee at the supermarket is often disappointing. You head to the coffee aisle, grab a bag, and brew it up at home only to discover it tastes like ash and depression.
But sometimes you can’t afford to splurge on specialty coffee beans every week. What do you do?
We’ve assembled a list of best grocery store coffee bean brands for you to use.
Well, we’ve got good news. Whether you’re looking for a new daily driver or just need to supplement your specialty coffee addiction, don’t worry, you can successfully find good coffee at the grocery store.
You need to know what to look for, and it also helps to have reference points, so we’ve listed our 6 favorite supermarket coffee brands. Let’s get started on our list of the best grocery store coffee bean brands!
What to Look For
If you think grocery store coffee tastes bad, you’re not alone. There are many factors that contribute to poor tasting supermarket coffee, but you can avoid them if you pay close attention to what you buy.
One of the biggest reasons grocery store coffee tastes bad is because it’s usually pre-ground.
While no supermarket coffee is going to be as fresh as you’d get from a local roaster, buying pre-ground is a sure way of getting stale, lifeless coffee. If you buy whole bean and grind it at home, you’ll be able to make a much better cup of coffee.
For that reason, it pays to invest in a grinder. We recommend the Baratza Encore for a sturdy entry-level electric grinder. It’s one of the best grinders you can buy for its price point, and it will give you much more consistency than the blade grinder you probably already have.
There are a couple other things to look out for. Often, coffee bags will have flavor notes that tell you what the coffee will taste like.
Make sure to pick one that sounds good to you. Finally, check to see if the bag has a roast date on it. It should say “roasted on” followed by the date.
This is uncommon for grocery stores, but if you can find a bag with a recent roast date, you’ll score big. The fresher the coffee and the more recently it was roasted, the better it is.
With all of that in mind, let’s get into the best grocery store coffee brands!
The Best Grocery Store Coffee Bean Brands
Eight O’Clock Colombian Peaks
Eight O’Clock coffee has been a supermarket staple for decades, and many households have made it their daily driver. It’s the first coffee on our list of best grocery store coffee bean brands.
The brand’s Colombian Peaks coffee is one of the best grocery store coffee options, and you can even buy it whole bean (which we recommend).
The bag describes the coffee as tasting a bit like wine with a full-bodied taste. For the best taste, we suggest making this coffee in a French press to fully bring out the robust taste.
Peet’s Major Dickason Blend
Another brand that belongs on our list of the best grocery store coffee bean brands. Peet’s Coffee is a brand that’s important to coffee history.
Founder Alfred Peet inspired the original Starbucks founders, and the Peet’s brand is still popular in the northwest US.
You can find Peet’s at many supermarkets, and its Major Dickason’s Blend is one of its best sellers. It’s another rich and full-bodied coffee that tastes great brewed with a French press or regular drip machine.
Starbucks Breakfast Blend
Speaking of Starbucks, you can find their coffee just about anywhere. While Starbucks is known for its super dark roasts, it does have some lighter roast options that are much more flavorful.
The Breakfast Blend is a medium roast that balances flavor with that classic coffee taste so many people love.
It’s not a particularly complex coffee, but if you want an inexpensive caffeine fix that’s a step up from diner coffee, this is a solid option. This definitely belongs on our best grocery store coffee bean brands list.
Caribou Coffee, Caribou Blend
Caribou Coffee isn’t a household name like Starbucks, but you’ve probably seen it in the coffee aisle. The Caribou Blend is a medium roast with a syrupy body, and flavor notes include berry, cocoa, and cedar.
This is a great coffee for all brew methods, and you’ll still get a full-bodied taste no matter how you make it. Depending on which brewer you use, it will taste slightly different.
Brewed in a pour over device, the berry and cocoa notes will shine. If you use a French press, you’ll get heavier cedar and spice. If you’re looking to change up your coffee routine without breaking the bank, give this a try.
Cafe Bustelo
This is the only option on our list that cannot be found whole bean. So why include it? Well, Cafe Bustelo is somewhat of a mystical coffee.
It comes pre-ground in either bricks or big plastic tins, and its branding is straight out of the 1970s. While it doesn’t seem like a noteworthy product, its taste is revered by coffee lovers around the world.
Somehow, this stuff just tastes great. It’s not a delicate coffee––this is a “wake you up for the 5am shift” kind of coffee. But if that’s what you’re after, Cafe Bustelo will deliver. (NB: Even though it says “espresso,” it’s still great for making regular coffee.)
Final Thoughts
Ideally, coffee is best when it’s roasted fresh and purchased from a high quality roaster, but that can get expensive, and it’s not always practical.
If you’re low on cash or just in a pinch, these grocery store coffee bean brands have you covered.
Thanks for checking out our post on the best grocery store coffee bean brands!
image: Flickr