Buying guide
How to buy coffee beans: 6 honest tips
A beautiful bag says little about what's inside. These six checks help you buy better beans, in a shop or online.
1. Look for a roast date, not just a best-before date
Coffee changes fast after roasting. Sweet Maria's explains that freshly roasted beans release a lot of carbon dioxide, so in the first 24 hours espresso runs fast and tastes thin, the effect can last up to 72 hours, and many coffees taste wonderful after about 5 to 7 days of rest. After roughly 10 to 14 days the flavour starts to fade. A best-before date alone doesn't tell you when the coffee was roasted, so prefer bags that print the roast date and buy amounts you'll finish in a few weeks.
2. Whole beans beat ground coffee
Ground coffee has far more surface exposed to air, so grind just before brewing if you can. Even a basic grinder makes a big difference: see our grinder picks.
3. Beware the blend trap behind famous names
Famous origins attract blends. Under Hawaiian law a "Kona blend" needs only 10% Kona coffee, and in 2019 Kona farmers sued major retailers over coffees marketed as Kona; several settled in 2021 for more than 13.1 million dollars. Jamaica Blue Mountain is a protected certification mark. Look for 100% before the name, and read words like "blend", "style" or "type" as warnings.
Robusta is not a dirty word
Robusta has nearly twice the caffeine of arabica and more bitterness, and good robusta is added to traditional Italian espresso blends for body and crema. Just know what you're buying: "100% arabica" tells you the species, not the quality or the origin.
4. Store beans cool, dark and airtight
Keep coffee in an airtight container away from light, heat and strong smells. The fridge is not recommended, because moisture spoils coffee. Bags with a one-way valve let gas out without letting air in. See our coffee storage picks.
5. Read the label like a pro
- Country and region: the more precise, the more traceable (for example Yirgacheffe, Huehuetenango, Tarrazú).
- Processing: washed is usually cleaner and brighter, natural fruitier and heavier, honey in between. Every origin page shows its usual processing.
- Variety: names like SL28 or Bourbon show a roaster who cares about detail.
- Roast level: see our roast levels guide.
6. Single origin or blend?
Single-origin coffee lets you taste one place. Blends aim for a consistent taste all year; many espresso blends are built on Brazilian coffee for its chocolate, nuts and body. Neither is better. Start with a blend for milk drinks, and explore single origins when you want to discover new flavours.
Shopping online
Our buttons open a search in your local Amazon store, so you see the current offers yourself. Before you buy, check the listing or the photos for a roast date, the seller, and whether the beans are whole or ground. Search whole bean coffee on Amazon
Sources
- Sweet Maria's Coffee Library: Espresso freshness, fresh and too fresh
- Wikipedia: Coffee (storage)
- Wikipedia: Kona coffee (labelling law and lawsuits)
- Wikipedia: Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
- Wikipedia: Coffea canephora (robusta)
We checked these sources on the date above. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the contact page.