Last Updated on March 16, 2024 by brewthatcoffee
Searching for the best ground coffee for your morning coffee routine? Look no further, because we have the most comprehensive guide to ground coffee options.
Pre-ground coffee is a quick and convenient way to enjoy your morning pick-me-up without the tedious task of first grinding coffee beans. There’s something for everyone, from light to dark roasts, decaf to flavored, and espresso to cold brew.
Keep in mind that different coffee brewers – espresso, drip machine, French press, pour-over, and Chemex – require different grind sizes.
The best ground coffee brands include Lion Coffee, Kicking Horse, Koa Coffee, and Volcanica. Continue reading to find out which brand works for your specific tastes and needs.
Best Ground Coffee, By Category
Best Light Roast
Lifeboost Coffee Light Roast is one of the healthiest and most delicious light roast coffees worldwide.
The beans are grown and harvested on a tiny farm among the shady rainforests of Nicaragua, South America. They are Fairtrade, organic, and pesticide-free.
These organic beans are carefully hand-selected, sun-dried, and washed in spring water before they are roasted to ensure only the finest Arabica coffee beans. The lightly roasted beans are bright with naturally low acidity, allowing you to savor the authentic notes of the premium coffee.
The blonde roast beans are of a single origin with a nutty taste and notes of caramel and vanilla. The largest downside of Lifeboost coffee is its price. However, if your budget allows this gourmet coffee brand, it surely won’t disappoint!
- Size: 12 ounces
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Light Roast
- Origin: Single Origin South America
Best Medium Roast
Kicking Horse is a Canadian roaster that offers some of the most well-known roasts and blends. They are widely available online and in grocery and convenience stores.
According to Kicking Horse, their Smart Ass Medium Roast. Organic, Fair Trade, and shade-grown Arabica beans make them uniquely delectable and aromatic.
The beans come from Africa and Central and South America. The Smart Ass medium roast is a premium coffee with chocolatey flavors and hints of tart red currant and cane sugar. It also lends aromatic sweet syrup, vanilla beans, and stone fruit notes.
- Size: 10 ounces or 2.2 pounds
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Africa, Central America, South America
Best Dark Roast
Volcanica Sumatra Dark Roast – Mandheling Reserve is the dark-roasted version of the rare Indonesian bean hailing from the Island of Sumatra.
The Volcanica Sumatra Mandheling is roasted to perfection, delivering a smooth, full-bodied, and low-acidity taste. It also boasts rich, earthy flavors with an intense syrupy aftertaste. The potent flavors last, whether pre-ground or whole beans, making it our favorite ground coffee blend.
The Sumatra Mandheling roast is naturally low in acid. It is also roasted for long periods to produce a rich, dark roast coffee with a higher pH and lower acidity.
You can find this versatile organic coffee in three grind sizes – Drip, Espresso, and French press. It is organic, Fair Trade certified, and Kosher certified.
- Size: 16 ounces, 3 pounds, or 5 pounds
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Dark Roast
- Origin: Single Origin Indonesia (Sumatra)
Best Kona
Koa Coffee Kona Natural is a vibrant, gourmet medium roast. The award-winning coffee is naturally processed to retain its unique fruity flavors and aromas.
The Kona beans are grown on Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano. They are all handpicked to guarantee that every cup of coffee offers the best possible quality.
The naturally processed beans are sundried in their cherry skins. This allows the coffee bean to absorb more of its fruit qualities and natural sugars. The process ensures delicious coffee beans with smooth, delicate mouthfeel and fruity notes.
While Kona Natural is fairly priced, coffee lovers will appreciate the smooth, subtle notes that deliver a lingering sensory experience that will bring you back for more.
- Size: 7 ounces and 1 pound
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Single Origin Hawaii
Best Flavored
New England Coffee Blueberry Cobbler is a real treat inspired by the classic blueberry cobbler dessert.
New England Coffee’s signature coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans. The medium-roasted beans are infused with natural, sweet blueberry flavors and a hint of spices. It is a delightful treat for morning and mid-day refreshments.
Blueberry cobbler coffee can be poured over ice to cool those hot and sunny days and delight your guests. It has a distinctive yet never-overpowering flavor, making it an ideal choice for mild coffee lovers.
New England Coffee also sells delicious flavors like Butter Pecan, French Vanilla, Pumpkin Spice, and Pistachio Crème.
- Size: 11 ounces
- Available in: Ground and k-cup pods
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Central and South America, Eastern Africa, and East Indies
Best Budget
Lion Coffee’s Dark Roast is an intense, full-bodied brew created from premium Arabica beans.
Lion’s coffee beans are grown in Hawaii’s volcanic soil, giving it a distinctive, rich flavor. The beans are handpicked, roasted, and packed under strict standards to ensure a high-quality brew.
This classic French roast is dark and bold with notes of fruit and spices. You can enjoy the exotic flavors without the hefty price tag! The coffee comes in affordable, pre-ground bulk bags perfect for your convenience.
- Size: 10 ounces and 24 ounces
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Dark Roast
- Origin: Hawaii
Best Premium
Kaya Kopi Premium Luwak Ground Coffee offers a selection of coffee expertly ground from their freshly roasted Kopi Luwak beans.
The Kopi Luwak beans are ethically sourced from wild Asian palm civets in Indonesia’s Pangalengan Highlands. Only the ripest and tastiest coffee cherries are eaten by the civets. The enzymatic process is believed to improve the flavor of the excreted coffee beans.
Kaya Kopi guarantees 100% organic and environmentally friendly beans from wild palm civets. The coffee is perfect for the discerning coffee connoisseur. Its intense aroma, smooth, rich flavor, and pillowy texture justify the staggeringly high price of this premium coffee.
- Size: 0.4, 0.9, 1.8, 3.5, 7.1 ounces, and 2.2 pounds
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Light, Medium, and Dark Roasts
- Origin: Indonesia
Best Decaf
Every coffee lover desires their decaf cup of coffee to taste like the real thing – you will be hard-pressed to find a brand that kicks Kicking Horse Coffee.
Kicking Horse Coffee’s decaf blend is a dark roast with rich, robust flavors, definite notes of roasted hazelnuts, and a deep chocolate finish. This bold blend is sure to pack a punch!
The company is certified Organic and Fair Trade. The beans are from Central and South America and are roasted in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
Kicking Horse uses the Swiss Water Process to decaffeinate their beans. The coffee is slightly more expensive than most standard supermarket brands. However, it’s easy to find in-store and online.
- Size: 10 ounces
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Dark Roast
- Origin: Central and South America
Best Instant
Mount Hagen Instant Coffee is the epitome of what you could want in Instant Coffee. The single-origin Arabica beans are gently processed, lending a velvety smooth mouthfeel and rich, complex flavors unique to Papua New Guinea.
Mount Hagen Instant Coffee is available in glass jars, single-serve sticks, decaf, and ground coffee.
The coffee is Organic and Fair Trade. And their Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee’s reviews are overwhelmingly positive, scoring five stars from most customers.
- Size: 3.53 ounces, Single-serve sticks, or Doypack bag
- Available in: Instant or Ground Coffee
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Single Origin Papua New Guinea
Best For Health
Kimera Koffee is a long-time favorite Brazilian coffee blend than offers healthy and high-quality nootropics.
The company prioritizes infusing Kimera Koffee with ingredients that have real clinical studies backing their health benefits. The coffee includes brain vitamins – Alpha GPC, Taurine, DMAE, and L-theanine – that optimize focus, cognition, and athletic performance.
Kimera Koffee is equally delicious and effective. Enjoy a burst of energy while sipping on the medium, full-bodied roast. It has a sweet, balanced aroma with smooth, bold flavors and hints of mild chocolate, walnuts, and faint apricot. It has virtually no bitter aftertaste.
- Size: 12 ounces
- Available in: Ground and K-Cups
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Brazil
Best For Cold Brew
Stone Street Cold Brew Reserve is the best coarse-ground coffee for a refreshing cold brew.
Stone Street Coffee is a famous artisanal coffee roaster from Brooklyn, New York. The company has an unprecedented motto of hand-roasting and delivering only the freshest Columbian beans to their customers. They are also proud to source their beans ethically from coffee farms.
The Cold Brew Reserve blend features gourmet Columbian Arabica beans known as ‘supremo’ beans, thanks to their size and quality. After years of perfecting the roast, it guarantees the ideal cold brew blend of dark roasted beans with low acidity and bold, slightly sweet, nutty chocolate notes.
The beans are ground to the perfect coarseness for optimal cold brew extraction. The grounds are ideal for brewing in an at-home cold brew maker, mason jar, or French press.
- Size: 1, 2, and 5 pounds
- Available in: Whole and Course Grounds
- Roast: Dark Roast
- Origin: Columbia (various regions)
Best For Espresso
Illy Classico Espresso Ground Coffee is made from a unique blend of nine different Arabica beans from the finest coffee harvests. The Illy blend is available in three roasts: Classico, Intsenso, and Forte.
Classico is the mildest of the roasts. It boasts beautifully balanced flavors with subtle caramel, jasmine, and orange blossom notes.
The Intenso ground coffee is a bold roast jam-packed with intense and robust flavors and hints of deep cocoa. And the Forte, the darkest of the three roasts, is bold and intense with dark chocolate notes and a lingering aroma of toasted bread.
Illy Classico Espresso is ideal for moka, drip, or espresso coffee. Illy’s silver tins lock in the aroma and keep the coffee grounds extra fresh.
- Size: 8.8 ounces
- Available in: Whole, Grounds, K-cups, and Nespresso pods
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Rwanda, and Sumatra
Best For French Press
Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend is a delicious ground coffee perfect for a French press – and it won’t break the bank.
Named after a loyal customer of the original Berkeley shop, the Major Dickason’s Blend is Peet’s Coffee’s all-time best seller. The blend combines some of the best beans from premier growing regions. Each origin imparts distinctive characteristics while creating a well-rounded and smooth cup of coffee.
The deeply roasted coffee is rich and full-bodied with earthy and spicy notes. Consumers mostly enjoy it black, but it holds up well to a splash of milk or cream.
- Size: 10.5 and 18 ounces
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Dark Roast
- Origin: Americas, Indo-Pacific
Best For Pour Over
Fresh Roasted Coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere is an exceptional single-origin medium roast. It is perfect for a rich, creamy pour-over coffee. However, the beans pack enough flavor to use with a moka pot or cold brew.
Southern Ethiopia is famous for its Yirgacheffe-growing regions and high-quality coffee beans. The Fresh Roasted Coffee company is Kosher certified and sources the coffee beans with the environment and Kochere community in mind.
The coffee is well-rounded and floral-bodied, with fruit-forward flavors and hints of lemon and honey. It has a mild acidity compared to other African beans.
Yirgacheffe Kochere is a perfect choice for most coffee lovers.
- Size: 12 ounces, 2 pounds, and 5 pounds
- Available in: Whole and Ground
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Origin: Single Origin Ethiopia
Best For Chemex
Caribou Coffee Daybreak Morning Blend is an exceptional light roast blend formulated for drip or Chemex coffee.
Caribou Coffee is made from premium beans, only roasting the world’s top 1% of beans in small batches. The company sources its high-quality Arabica beans from East Africa and the Americas. The beans are Rainforest Alliance certified and small-batched roasted to ensure only the best ingredients.
The bright-bodied Daybreak Morning Blend boasts fruity and floral overtones with sweet caramel notes and a nutty finish.
- Size: 20 ounces
- Available in: Ground
- Roast: Light Roast
- Origin: East Africa and the Americas
Is It Better To Buy Ground Or Whole Bean Coffee?
Deciding whether it is better to buy ground or whole-bean coffee isn’t a simple open and closed case. The best fit depends on your taste preferences, which coffee maker you’re using, and what suits your lifestyle.
Most coffee connoisseurs recommend buying whole beans. They stay fresh for longer and offer a more intense, pronounced flavor. However, some prefer convenience over taste, making ground coffee beans their best bet.
There are several benefits to each option.
Reasons To Buy Ground Coffee
The benefits of buying ground coffee include:
Ground Coffee Is Convenient And Saves Time
Ground coffee is the perfect fit if you prefer convenience over flavor. If you’re a busybody and multi-tasker, you won’t have to struggle with the hassle of grinding beans every time you make coffee. The roasters already have you covered.
However, despite the convenience factor, pre-ground coffee may not stay as fresh as freshly grinding whole coffee beans.
Ground Coffee Is Cheaper Than Whole Beans
Despite going through more processing, ground coffee is cheaper than whole beans – thrift shoppers, it’s time to take advantage.
You Don’t Need A Coffee Grinder
Pre-ground coffee allows you to enjoy a tasty cup of Joe without purchasing an expensive coffee grinder.
Although cheap grinders are widely available, they lack the features vital for high-quality grinds.
Cheaper-blade coffee grinders tend to produce a poorer quality grind. The blades don’t grind the beans in a uniform consistency, producing different size coffee particles. When brewing, the particles extract at different rates, giving you a cup of coffee with uneven flavors.
There Is No Guesswork While Grinding
Different coffee makers – espresso, drip machine, French press, pour-over, and Chemex – require different grind sizes for the best-tasting cup of coffee.
Cheaper grinders do not have different grind settings, which can impact the taste of your coffee. Finding the appropriate grind for your coffeemaker can also take a lot of experimenting.
Skip tedious experimenting and purchase a bag of ground coffee in a suitable grind size. Then, add the grounds to your coffee maker and brew.
Ground Coffee Is Readily Available
Packaged ground coffee is readily available in supermarkets and online – in fact, it’s more readily available than whole beans.
You can choose from a variety of ground coffee flavors, including light, medium, and dark roasts, decaf and flavored coffee, and different grind sizes to suit your coffee maker.
Reason To Buy Whole Bean Coffee
There are several reasons why whole beans are more expensive than ground coffee. Let’s look at the advantages that justify paying a little extra for whole beans.
Superior Bean Quality
Roasters pay extra attention to packing whole coffee beans to ensure only the best quality goes into the bag.
When you open a bag of whole coffee beans, you can see the quality of the beans. Roasters can mask some lower-quality beans in ground coffee. However, companies diligently ensure that whole beans only include the best quality coffee beans.
Superior Flavor & Aroma
Coffee connoisseurs rely on whole coffee beans for the freshest flavors and aroma. These two components are critical for a memorable cup of coffee – you’ll be missing out on both if you settle for a bag of pre-ground coffee.
However, ground coffee can still brew a delicious pot if you’re content with sacrificing a little flavor.
Coffee’s taste and aroma come from the whole bean’s oil coating. Once the beans are ground up, the oils evaporate, and the coffee gradually loses its freshness and flavor.
Whole Coffee Beans Stay Fresher For Longer
Once opened, a pack of roasted whole coffee beans will stay fresh for up to a month. In comparison, freshly opened ground coffee stays fresh for 1 to 2 weeks.
Grinding coffee beans causes the aromatic molecules to fade, and the increased surface exposure results in faster oxidation. Oxidation causes the coffee to start losing its flavor and become stale.
You Have Power Over The Grind Size
Different coffee brewers require varying grind sizes and brewing methods for a well-balanced cup of coffee.
The grind size affects the flavor and texture of your brewed coffee. Too coarse grinds can cause under-extracted, weak coffee with bland, acidic flavors. Whereas too fine grinds yield over-extracted, bitter coffee with no complex flavors.
A packet of pre-ground coffee limits you to one grind size. It can also be challenging to find the correct grind in your favorite coffee bean variety. Purchasing whole coffee beans allows you to quickly adapt the grind size from fine grounds for espresso to course grounds for cold press and back again.
It can be the differentiating factor between a delicious cup of coffee and a bland, overly textured coffee.
How To Choose Ground Coffee
There are a few tips and tricks around choosing the best ground coffee to make your palate and preferences. Here’s what to look out for:
Packaging Date
Coffee producers indicate a clear expiration date on the product. The coffee’s expiration date starts ticking from the moment it is packaged.
The “Best By” date doesn’t indicate safety; it’s the manufacturer’s estimated duration that the coffee grounds will remain at peak quality. An unopened package of ground coffee can last three to five months past its expiration date if stored in a cool, dry, and dark area.
It is best to use ground coffee within two weeks of opening.
Roast
While the bean variety and quality matter, the coffee’s characteristics mainly rely on roasting. The roast can affect the body, acidity levels, aroma, and flavor of your coffee beans.
Here are the four primary types of coffee roasts.
- Light Roast: Light roast coffee beans – known as New England, Half-City, and Cinnamon roasts – are roasted just past the first crack. The beans are light brown or tan and typically contain the most caffeine and acidity. These bright, fruity beans are primarily used in single-origin coffees to showcase the unique origin flavors.
- Medium Roast: Medium roasts – known as Regular, City, and American – are slightly darker than their light counterparts. It features a less acidic and more balanced flavor with a bittersweet aftertaste. Medium roasts are ideal for filter-style brews and espresso and cold brew blends.
- Medium-dark Roast: The medium-dark roasts – known as Full City, Viennese, Light French, and Light Espresso – lie somewhere in between a medium and dark roast. The beans boast a rich, full flavor with nuances of cocoa and milk chocolate.
- Dark Roast: Dark coffee roasts – known as Espresso, Turkish, Dark French, and Italian – have an oily residue and a bittersweet flavor. The beans are low acidity and full-bodied, featuring rich, toasty flavors with hints of cacao, dark chocolate, and nuts.
Grind Size
The right coffee grind size is vital for brewing a well-balanced cup of coffee. There are seven primary sizes of coffee grinds, each suited to different types of brewers.
| Grind Size | Consistency Description | Best for |
| Extra-course grounds | The beans are only slightly crushed. They have a coarse texture similar to rock salt. You can still recognize the original shape of the bean. They are typically ground using the largest setting of a burr grinder. | Cold brew Cowboy-style coffee (boiled in a pan) |
| Coarse grounds | Coarse beans are ground into large, uneven chunks. The beans have a texture similar to coarse sea salt or Kosher. | French pressPercolators |
| Medium-coarse grounds | The texture of medium-coarse grounds can be compared to rough sand. The grounds are relatively coarse and require an extraction time of around 3 minutes. | Café SoloChemexDrip coffee maker |
| Medium grounds | Medium-ground beans are the most common pre-ground beans. They have a texture similar to smoother sand. It is slightly coarser than table salt. | Drip coffee makerSiphon brewerAeroPress (if left to brew for 3 minutes) |
| Medium-fine grounds | Medium-fine grounds have a texture like table salt or fine sand. | Siphon brewerCone-shaped pour-oversVacuum brewersMoka potAero Press (if left to brew for 3 minutes) |
| Fine grounds | Fine grounds have a smooth texture, similar to refined granulated sugar. These beans are also commonly available as pre-ground coffee, often labeled as an espresso grind. | Espresso makersMoka potAero Press (if left to brew for 1 minute) |
| Superfine grounds | Superfine grounds have a powder-like texture. They are also referred to as Turkish grind. | Turkish coffeeEspressoMoka Pot |
Packaging
An attractive, well-marketed coffee bag doesn’t necessarily guarantee a premium cup of coffee. With a few simple tricks, you can decipher the packaging and select the best coffee grounds.
Look out for the following:
- Roast Date: Coffee is at its very best within two weeks of roasting. Look for a bag that has a “Roast Date” to ensure optimal freshness. Most manufacturers include a “Best By” date; however, that can be 12 to 24 months after roasting.
- Whole bean or Ground: Whole beans offer fresher flavor for longer, while ground coffee offers convenience and saves time.
- Roast Level: The roast levels range from light to dark. They give you a general indication of the characteristics and flavors.
- One-Way Valve: A one-way valve is an essential feature of a bag of coffee. It allows the carbon dioxide to escape the bag without oxygen seeping in.
- Country & Region: The country and region will indicate the flavor profile you can expect.
- Farm or Producers: Premium coffee brands take it a step further and include the farm, washing station, estate, and owner. This typically indicates that coffee is Fair Trade and high-quality.
- Processing: Processing information gives you an idea of the coffee characteristics and the care provided during harvest, roasting, and packaging. Common processing options included washed or wet, natural or dry, and pulped natural or honey.
- Elevation: Coffee beans grown at higher elevations (above 1,000 MASL) generally are of higher quality and boast richer flavors. Look for the elevation indication on the package for flavor quality.
- Single Origin vs. Blend: While some blends are high-quality and delicious, single-origin roasts tend to be superior.
- Flavor notes: Flavor notes like chocolate, lemon drop, or nuts indicate what you will experience when drinking a cup of coffee.
- Certifications: Coffee certification implies that the coffee is high-quality and sustainably produced. Look for certifications like USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance, and Fair Trade.
Arabica
Arabica coffee plants unquestionably produce the world’s best beans.
Numerous Arabica cultivars – Typica, Kona, Bourbon, Caturra, Pacamara, and more – are available, each with unique characteristics. However, Arabica coffee generally offers a highly aromatic cup of coffee with low to medium acidity and a smooth, sweet finish. Some notes include nuts, coffee, caramel, sugar, and fruit.
Arabica beans contain up to 60% more lipids than Robusta coffee beans. As a result, they are richer and superior in aroma, mouthfeel, and flavor.
Origin
The bean origin impacts the end flavor and aroma of the coffee beans. The most popular coffee regions include Ethiopia, Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
- Ethiopia: Light to medium body with balanced and complex flavors. The beans are generally acidic and lend fruity citrus or berry notes.
- Brazil: Brazil offers a wide range of taste portfolios. The beans range from smooth and low-acidic to dark and bold. The flavor profiles can include nuts, chocolate, fruit, berries, and caramel notes.
- Colombia: Medium to full body and mild, smooth flavors with good acidity. Flavor profiles vary widely but can include sweet, citrusy, and fruity.
- Indonesia: Indonesian roasts are diverse and well-known. They can be full-bodied with intense flavors or low-toned with gentle acidity. You can expect flavors of earthy, woody, and spicy notes.
- Vietnam: Vietnam mainly offers cheaper coffee blends with higher caffeine. The beans are low acidic and deliver robust, bold, and bitter flavors with earthy, nutty, and chocolate notes.
How To Store Ground Coffee
Coffee grounds tend to turn stale more quickly than whole beans. Once opened, roasted whole beans can stay fresh for up to a month. Whereas ground coffee only stays fresh for 1 to 2 weeks.
Pre-ground coffee oxidizes faster than whole beans, causing the coffee to lose its flavors and turn stale.
Producers include a small, one-way valve on the coffee bag of coffee to release carbon dioxide without absorbing oxygen. This helps to keep the beans fresher for longer. However, once the seal is broken, the coffee grounds rapidly lose their freshness and trademark flavors.
Follow these storage tips to maximize the freshness of your ground coffee in the future:
- Check the packaging dates: Ensure the ground coffee is fresh before purchasing by checking the dates. Also, ensure that you use the coffee before its expiration and “Best Before” date.
- Avoid the fridge and freezer: Do not store your ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer. The humidity can cause moisture to infiltrate into coffee, leaving you with stale grounds.
- Avoid warm spots: Do not store your coffee next to or above the oven or in cabinets that heat up from sun exposure.
- Store your coffee grounds in a cool, dry place: Store your coffee in a cool, dark, and dry place, like the pantry or kitchen cabinet.
- Seal your coffee grounds in an airtight container: After opening the vacuum-sealed coffee packaging, store your coffee in an opaque glass or ceramic container with an airtight seal. If you use a clear container, ensure you store it in a dark location.
- Use the coffee within two weeks: Despite your storage attempts, ground coffee will eventually go stale and lose its flavor. Aim to use the coffee within two weeks of opening for optimal freshness and flavor.
Ground Coffee FAQs
Conclusion
We hope our guide on the best coffee grounds helps you narrow down the endless options and helps you find the perfect bag of coffee for you.
Resources
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-store-ground-coffee
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-long-does-coffee-last