If you want to get the most flavour out of your morning cup, using the best coffee beans is the way to go. Whether you have a coffee machine at home or you prefer to use a Moka pot on the hob, grinding your own coffee will give you a fresher, tasty cup of coffee.
Coffee starts to lose its flavour once it’s ground, which is why the packaging of ground coffee is so important to lock in its taste and aroma, so using whole beans means you get that hit of flavour and it will last for longer as it’s straight from the bean. Plus using a coffee grinder is surprisingly satisfying!
You can also get bean to cup coffee machines to save yourself doing the grinding, if you’re concerned about the extra time it’ll take to prepare coffee from the bean before your morning commute.
Best coffee beans at a glance:
• Top pick: Paddy & Scott's Chit Chat Coffee - view on Paddy & Scott's**
•** Best light blend coffee beans: GRIND coffee - view on GRIND
• Best medium roast coffee beans: STARBUCKS Pike Place Roast Coffee Beans - view on Amazon
• Best dark roast coffee beans: Union Revelation Espresso Coffee Beans - view on Amazon
Another benefit of using coffee beans is you can try out and play around with different brewing methods to see which you prefer the most. You could even experiment with perfecting your own personalised blend! Here are the best coffee beans to buy, from supermarkets, online plus independent companies.
Best coffee beans
Top pick
paddyandscotts.shop
Description
Paddy & Scott's signature blend medium roast, is described as "perfect for sharing with friends…
Pros
- Coffee beans and ground coffee available
- Suitable for all coffee equipment
Cons
- Small bag, but subscriptions are available
Best light blend coffee beans
grind.co.uk
Description
The Grind Coffee light blend is designed to be fruity and balanced. Grown in Colombia and Rwanda,
Pros
- Comes in tin, with refills available
- 5 different blends to choose from
Cons
- Some reviews said they couldn't taste the difference between the blends
Best medium roast coffee beans
Description
Enjoy coffee-shop quality coffee at home with the Starbucks Pike Place Roast Coffee Beans as our
Pros
- Great if you know you like a Starbucks coffee (and cheaper to do yourself!)
- Work really well with a bean to cup machine
Cons
- Packaging not resealable
Best dark roast coffee beans
Description
Union's most popular espresso coffee bean is bold with hints of chocolate and treacle. Not only is
Pros
- Speciality Grade
- Ethically Sourced
Cons
- 500g bag - make sure to store this correctly for longevity
Best decaf coffee beans
Description
Made from Brazilian Arabica decaffeinated beans, Presto's silky smooth blend boasts honeyed peanut
Pros
- Silky smooth
- Nutty and floral
- Recyclable packaging
Cons
- Some reviews mentioned they preferred the old packaging
Best budget coffee beans
Description
Suitable for all preparations, this coffee is 100 per cent Arabica and Rainforest-Alliance
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Rainforest Alliance Approved
Cons
- Unsure when they're roasted
Best coffee bean bundle
www.illy.com
Description
Discover illy's authentic aroma and blend with this whole-bean coffee bundle. It includes two of
Pros
- Great value
- Can try all the different roasts
Cons
- Make sure to store correctly for coffee to last
Best fruity coffee
www.pactcoffee.com
Description
Pact's Fruit and Nut Espresso blend is a "modern twist" on the traditional Italian espresso blend.
Pros
- Ethically Sourced
- Creamy
Cons
- May be too sweet for some tastes
Best healthy coffee bean blend
balancecoffee.co.uk
Description
Coming with great reviews, this small business has a wide range of coffees of all blends and
Pros
- Contains disease-fighting antioxidants
- Claims to help improve memory and cognitive function
Cons
- Only available online
Best coffee bean for cold brew
fireheartcoffee.com
Description
Firehearts' catalogue of coffee is diverse and interesting with a huge range of flavour profiles
Pros
- Sweet
- Unique flavour profile
Cons
- Made with honey - not suitable for vegans
Best coffee beans FAQs
What are the main coffee bean types?
The four main coffee types are Arabica, Robusta, Excelsa, and Liberica and all four of them have radically different taste profiles. Arabica coffee beans are easily the most popular type of beans, making up about 60 per cent of the world's coffee production. These beloved beans originated in Ethiopia, where they're still grown today. They offer a sweet, complex flavour and are known for their smoothness.
What’s the difference between a blend and single-origin?
A coffee blend is a mixture of two or more different origin coffee beans that are mixed together. The idea behind blends is to take the best qualities from different origins to create a smooth, well-balanced-tasting coffee. You can also get coffee called single-origin, which means it uses beans from one location.
What does light, medium and dark roast mean?
Light roast coffees are less bitter, more sweet, and often tea-like. They also often have the highest acidity. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as acid carries flavour. The presence of acid in coffee is often described as bright.
Medium roasts are the healthiest roast of coffee, being most potent in the polyphenol chlorogenic acid (CGA), a powerful antioxidant that gives coffee its health-boosting benefits. CGA helps with everything from reducing inflammation to repairing cell damage, lowering cholesterol and improving your complexion.
Dark roast coffees are dark brown, even close to a blackened colour with a gloss to the surface. Coffee made from a Dark roast has a robust, full body. The flavours from the coffee's country of origin are almost entirely roasted out, taking on a very bold and smoky taste.
Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Digital Editor of Yours.co.uk. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness. She has a house full of pets with two dogs and two cats.