The best coffee beans – Comparison and buying guide

Sooner or later, the palate of every good coffee grower becomes demanding. If you have already reached this point, I can understand that you are no longer satisfied with any supermarket coffee and have set out to find the best coffee beans on the market, right? If so, keep reading, you are in the right place.

Having a good coffee maker is decisive, but the greatest impact on the flavor and aroma of the drink falls on the raw material. Therefore, choosing a quality grain is crucial to obtaining the desired result.

To find an excellent bean, you have to take into account some aspects that will be decisive: flavor, aroma, roasting, variety, and origin, among others. In this article, I present the best coffee beans that I have found and tell you where you can buy them.

The 5 best coffee beans of 2022

Let’s get to the point, never better said. After trying dozens of brands, I present a list of the 5 best brands of coffee beans that I have found.

1. Lavazza Quality Gold

Lavazza Qualità Oro is a blend with a selection of 100% Arabica coffee, mainly from Central America and Brazil.

Did you know…? The Lavazza brand is one of the best Italian coffee brands and, among all its varieties, experts stick with the Qualitá Oro appellation.

Eye, it is a soft and aromatic coffee. With an intensity of 5 out of 10 and a medium roast, the result is a full-bodied coffee with a flavor that claims to be unmistakable, with fruity and floral notes (chocolate, nuts, spices, caramel, malt, honey, and wood).

Its price and excellent quality have made this coffee one of the best sellers and best value on Amazon.

2. Guilis from Mocatán farm, Colombia

A single-origin specialty coffee from Finca Mocatán, in the state of Belén de Umbría, Colombia. Of course, it is a 100% Arabica grain and naturally roasted.

Take note: The exceptionality of the Guilds brand is that it imports raw materials from the best coffee regions in the world and it is roasted in Madrid (Spain). This guarantees a fresh coffee, with all its essence, aroma, and flavor, preserving all its properties.

Consumers highlight the freshness and aroma of the Guilds farm premium beans, resulting in a coffee with a lasting aftertaste of fruity and floral notes.

The price is quite adjusted for the quality of the product, so we can treat ourselves and prepare an exclusive cup of Colombian premium coffee whenever we feel like it.

3. Saula Premium Original Coffee

The Gran Espresso Premium Original is a coffee made from a selection of 3 varieties of 100% Arabica beans from small mountain plantations in places as diverse as Peru, Indonesia, and Central America.

Saula is a Catalan company that mixes this selection according to an old family recipe, resulting in one of the best coffees in Spain. It is a very special coffee, with aromas of vanilla, hazelnut, and toasted bread. You will get an aromatic cup, with an intense flavor, full-bodied and fine acidity.

Note: If you are an ECO Foodie you also have the Premium Organic version, a product certified by the CCPAE (Consell Català de la Producció Agrària Ecològica) which guarantees that the grains have been grown without using fertilizers or chemical fertilizers.

One point in its favor is that it is packaged in airtight cans with a one-way degassing valve, which guarantees that the coffee does not oxidize and retains its original freshness.

4. Lucifer’s Roast Espresso by KIQO

The Italian Lucifer’s Roast Espresso from the KIQO brand is a different coffee, and it boasts of being one of the strongest sold in Europe.

It is not an industrial coffee, its 100% Robusta variety beans are harvested by hand and roasted in small drums to guarantee uniform roasting, a strong body, and an unmistakable aroma.

It stands out for its strong and full-bodied coffee flavor, with a fruity touch, and for its fine cream. The absence of Arabica beans produces a coffee with a low acid content and at the same time invigorating due to its high caffeine content.Take note! It is a powerful coffee and that is why I only recommend it if you enjoy this type of flavor. It sounds like a joke, but it has an intensity level of 6 out of 5.

5. Starbucks Pike Place

Of all the varieties of Starbucks, the smooth and balanced Pike Place is undoubtedly a hallmark of the chain.

In a recipe that claims to be perfect for everyday use, 100% Arabica beans of Latin American origin are harmoniously blended to achieve a drink with a subtly intense flavor of cocoa and roasted nuts.

Did you know…? It is one of the drinks served every day in cafeterias all over the world. It’s like having a Starbucks in your house!

If your palate asks for softer or more intense flavors, you have a whole range of roasts to choose from, but the best-sellers are this Pike Place, the Espresso Blonde, and the Espresso Dark.

Best value for money coffee beans: Guilis from Finca Mocatán, Colombia

Each of the coffees that I have presented in this article would be a good option, but if I had to choose one in particular, I would choose the premium coffee beans from Finca Guilds, a premium pure Arabica coffee from Colombia.

Beyond its flavor and aroma, which is excellent, what I like the most is that it is roasted in Alcorcón and distributed directly, ensuring a roasting date very close to consumption, and this shows in the quality.

Every good coffee grower knows that good coffee is bought in the form of beans. This is because much of the flavor in a cup comes from the oils in the bean, which are very volatile and will start to degrade when the coffee is exposed to oxygen and this guild knows all too well.

Its price is not exaggerated and you pay for what you get. You will be able to enjoy a specialty coffee comparable to other much more expensive options. Consumer reviews back it up too, and for all of this, it’s my go-to choice.

What are the prices of coffee beans in the market?

The price range of this type of specialty coffee is very varied and there are many factors that can make a difference. In this article, I have focused on coffee beans with a good value for money, and for this reason, the price range is between 18 and 25 euros per kilo.

It is true that you have cheaper options, including supermarket coffee, but many fail in some of the characteristics that I consider essential, such as roast profile, roast date, flavor or aroma.

You can also find much more expensive grains but, in some cases, the justification for their high price derives more from their low production or processing methods and not so much from their quality.

But, where do I recommend you buy coffee beans?

Where to buy the best coffee beans?

Shop at local stores

If you have the possibility, always buy from a local store, where you know they roast their own beans. If they are also the ones who import the green fruit, much better, since you will be able to explore new flavors and mixtures based on their recommendations.

By local store, we do not mean just any grocery store or supermarket.

In some specialty grocery stores, you can find delicious coffee beans, ask because they may have a good deal with a local roaster.

How do I find a good coffee roaster?

It’s not always easy and it depends on where you live. I recommend that you ask in a small traditional cafeteria. If they don’t sell the beans themselves, they may be able to direct you to a local roaster they trust.

Another great advantage of buying in a local store is that you can guarantee the roasting date. Coffee beans begin to lose their flavor from the moment they leave the roaster.

If you ask the roaster about their roasting schedule and buy the beans as close to that date as possible, you will get a fresher product.

To buy online

If you are not lucky enough to live near a good coffee roaster or prefer to buy online, you also have good options. I recommend looking for a company that ships to your area. Nowadays there are many roasters that accept orders online and you would have the same advantages as buying in a local store.

A good example of an online store is Guilds, which are imported from the best coffee regions in the world and are sold on their website.

In Amazon Spain, you will also find a wide variety of coffee brands, and there are many good options if you know how to search, like the ones I have presented in this article. The advantage, is good prices and high confidence in its authenticity.

Guide to choosing, buy and preparing the best coffee beans

Which variety is better? Arabica or Robusta?

To begin with, we are going to spend a few seconds talking about the two most cultivated coffee species in the world: Arabica and Robusta. If you do not understand their differences, it will be difficult for you to choose a quality coffee.

Arabica beans comprise around 75 to 80% of world production. In terms of flavor and quality, they are far superior to a Robusta, their flavors are more fruity and sweet.

By contrast, Robusta beans are stronger, earthier, and bitter. Its cultivation is usually much cheaper and is used for the production of lower-quality coffees, such as instant or blends.

Did you know…? The Arabica variety gives rise to the best coffees in the world, although in recent years high-quality Robusta coffees can also be found.

Single Origin or Blend?

While single-origin coffee is coffee that is not blended (from a specific region), blended coffee combines different origins.

There are many variables that alter the flavor of the resulting coffee. For this reason, each cultivation region, due to its climatic circumstances and its processing techniques, produces a coffee with very specific characteristics in terms of flavor and aroma.

Blends, in many cases, are used to get the best of both coffees. But this is not always the case, it is possible that they are mixed to hide the beans that are poorly roasted among the normal ones. This practice is common in the industry with the desire to further stretch profits.

One of the reasons coffees are blended in the commercial world could be the use of lower-quality coffee in the blend. 

Sweet Marias, Coffee Library

How many coffee beans should I buy?

The coffee bean is a very delicate product and, once roasted, it loses aroma and flavor as the days go by. It will not expire, nor will it cease to be suitable for consumption, but it will lose its organoleptic properties.

One piece of advice: Buy the coffee as fresh as possible, as soon as it has been roasted and consume it within three weeks. The optimal point in terms of flavor is usually between 7 and 14 days from the date of roasting.

My recommendation is that you do not buy more coffee than you can consume in that time. Calculate how much coffee you consume in a typical week and adjust your purchase so as not to accumulate coffee for more than three weeks.

Coffee is usually sold in 250g, 500g and 1kg packages, so you won’t have any trouble finding the right size.

For example, at home we consume around 200 grams of coffee a week (we are both very coffee lovers) and we usually buy 500g packages to last us between two and three weeks. If you don’t drink much coffee, the 250gr packets are ideal.

Where is the best place to store coffee beans?

Once you have bought just the right amount of the best coffee beans, you have to pay attention to where they are stored. This is important to preserve the freshness of the product for longer.

Roasted coffee beans are very sensitive to humidity, heat, sunlight, strong odors and sudden changes in temperature. In addition, they can absorb external aromas from other foods with which they come into contact.

The fridge is often thought of as a good place to store coffee, but it’s generally not a good idea. The refrigerator has a high degree of humidity and the coffee beans could absorb aromas from other foods.

Take note : An alternative, if you are going to take a long time to consume it, is to vacuum pack the grains and if we could refrigerate or freeze them.

In the end the answer is easy. Store coffee in a cool, dry, dark place. The best place to store coffee is in a cupboard or pantry, as far away from heat and humidity as possible.

It goes without saying that in kitchens there are usually places more exposed to the heat produced by appliances or by stoves.

How to preserve coffee beans once opened?

We already know that grains are very sensitive to heat, humidity, and odors. For this reason, it is important to choose the container in which to store it well to prevent it from losing aroma and flavor over the days.

If your coffee beans come in a vacuum-sealed aluminum foil container, you can keep it in the original container if you’ll be using it within a week or two.

These bags are designed to keep all the coffee aroma fresh during this time, so you’ll have plenty of leeways.

If your beans come in a paper bag, transfer them to an airtight container as soon as you get home. Choose a completely clean container, without odors, made of some resistant and preferably opaque material.

The best materials are ceramic, metal or glass. If you can buy a container designed specifically to store coffee, even better.

Advice! You can also use the typical transparent glass jars as long as you store it in a completely dark, dry and cool cabinet or drawer, away from sources of heat in the kitchen, as we have explained in the previous question.

What is the best coffee brand for an espresso machine?

This is a frequently repeated question but one that has an easy answer: the coffee grind has to be fine. It will not depend so much on the type of coffee you use. Of course, I will always recommend a good 100% Arabica natural roast bean.

But… why should it be ground fine?

The thickness of the grind will affect both the quality of the beverage obtained and the proper functioning of the coffee maker and its possible breakdowns. Express machines work by injecting water at very high pressure through a filter with the coffee.

If the coffee is coarsely ground, the water does not soak the mixture as well and not all the flavor of the coffee is extracted

In short, to make espresso you need a fine ground coffee, even finer than those commonly used for other types of coffee machines.

But be careful, don’t over-grind it to the point of floury texture because you might have trouble getting it out of the filter.

Is it better to buy the coffee beans or already ground?

It is true that buying coffee already the ground has its advantages, we are not going to deny it. However, if you are reading this page it is because you appreciate the quality of coffee, so I am going to reveal the two main reasons why you have to buy coffee beans.

1. The coffee begins to release its aromas and flavors, which are highly volatile, immediately after it has been ground. The ground grain is more exposed to air and light, and its properties begin to degrade greatly. It would be a shame to buy good coffee and that after a few days it has lost part of its aromas due to being ground before its time.
2. Each type of coffee maker requires a different type of grinding that suits its characteristics. An espresso machine does not require the same degree of grinding as a plunger coffee maker, for example. Therefore, an advantage of buying coffee beans is that you can adapt your grind to your coffee machine by grinding it yourself.

Take note : If you want to have a coffee with all the aroma and flavor, choose a coffee bean and grind it at home just before going to drink it, either with a coffee grinder or with a coffee grinder.

How to grind the coffee yourself?

If you have come this far, I have probably convinced you that you have to buy coffee beans and grind them yourself, but how do I do it?

Coffee grinding has to be done correctly, it is not complicated, but you have to take into account two basic tips.

☝️ It is essential to grind the grains just before extracting the infusion. Once ground, the coffee loses properties quickly. Grind the right amount that you are going to consume, and do not make the mistake of grinding a large amount of coffee to store it and spend it little by little.

✌️ The size of the grind matters, and a lot. Do not forget that the grinding of the grains should be different for each preparation method. Each coffee maker requires a different grind thickness to extract all the qualities of the coffee.

As a general rule, the longer the coffee extraction time lasts, the coarser the grind should be.

This should be the type of grinding depending on the coffee maker you use.

• Express or professional coffee machines: fine grinding.
• Moka or Italian coffee pots: between fine and medium.
• Filter, chemex or plunger coffee makers: medium grind.
• For stew or pota coffee: coarser grind.