Comparing Coffee Prices & Quality
April 15, 2009 by Karen Weideman
Filed under food, product reviews
If you’ve ever shopped for coffee, then chances are you’ve noticed the many different brands and prices. If you’re trying to comparison shop, then you want the best price for the taste. The problem I have is, what is the difference between them?
Millstone is a popular coffee. I like that you can buy it by the pound. I don’t brew a lot of coffee, so I like that I can purchase 1/4 lb if I choose. It also allows me to try different flavors and bean types without feeling stuck with a whole pound of something (if I don’t like it). The problem I have with Millstone is that I find it to be incredibly bitter. I have yet to find a Millstone flavor that I really like. Any suggestions?
The Juan Valdez coffee is a more affordable option. The price is pretty good and we’ve heard the Juan Valdez name for years, but I have never tried their coffee. If anyone has tried it, please let me know what you think of it.
A few months ago, Wal-Mart began carrying a less expensive by-the-pound coffee. At $6.54/lb, Veneto’s is an affordable alternative to Millstone. I found that Veneto’s has a similar taste to Millstone.
A few other coffees I have tried are Folgers, Maxwell House, and Starbucks. Folgers is ok, Maxwell House seems to taste good for a few days and then loose its intensity, and I have yet to find a Starbucks flavor that I enjoy. They’re too strong, too bitter, or something just isn’t right. I don’t mean to be so picky, but if I’m going to have coffee I want it to taste right. Know what I mean?
I was getting very frustrated at my coffee experiences and so I asked my friend Marye at Kettle & Cup which coffee she recommended. Her top recommendation was Ugly Joe’s. I was giving thought to trying Ugly Joe’s (and still am), but then I came across Caribou Coffee while I was shopping at Target. 
I probably wouldn’t have bought the Caribou Coffee, but it was 50% off. The $4 price tag made it hard to pass up, plus I had tried the Caribou Coffee granola bars before and they were quite tasty. I decided to give it a try and got the Sumatra blend. Let me just say, I am pretty happy with this purchase. It is creamy and not bitter and the earthy taste is delicious. I don’t know that I have found the “perfect coffee” for my personal taste, but this is pretty close.
Some of you may have no problem drinking inexpensive coffee such as Maxwell House, Folgers, or S&D. Unfortunately, I have developed a preference for a certain taste. In areas such as this, it is difficult to use coupons and buy whichever brand is the cheapest. It is, however, thrifty to find something that you like and not waste hard earned money searching for something that meets your preferences.
If you enjoyed this article you may also enjoy 20 Ways to Save on Coffee.
Which coffees are your favorite?
Disclaimer: These thoughts are only opinions and should be treated as such.Images 1-3 by Karen Weideman. Image 4 from Caribou Coffee.
Most coffees have sat in warehouses for who knows how long before being shipped. And I agree many coffees are bitter. Here is a cure for that; grind your own beans, so you can control the bitterness. The longer you grind the more bitter the coffee becomes. Also, make sure the beans are shiny and not dull. Coffee beans have natural oils in them unless they are old. These old beans taste like you have sifted ashtray ashes.
Now within the “good” fresh bean categories there are several good choices. Starbucks is not bitter if ground and brewed properly. My favorite Starbucks was Yukon; a bold smooth flavor, but Starbucks recently discontinued this product, and I have not found any other that even comes close. S & D beans are great, but I go to the S & D retail store in Concord, NC, to purchase them and they are fresh and shiny. I am not a big flavored coffee person, but they have a couple that make great dessert coffees; creme’ brulee and snickeroo. Saving the best for last — My all time favorite coffee is Coffee Fool. You purchase it online from http://www.coffeefool.com. This is definitely not an “inexpensive” coffee, but it is a great treat. They ship their coffee straight from the roaster and they are environmentally conscience. Once you drink their coffee, you will not be satisfied with any other. When we go out of town, we take our beans and grinder with us. Hope this helps in those coffee choices.
I started grinding my own beans about a year ago. The flavor is so much better. Finding beans that aren’t bitter has been a real challenge though.
Thanks for the tip on the luster of the beans. I’ll have to pay more attention to that. I’m sure many of them have sat around a while.
I love McDonald’s coffee……….I’m addicted to the hot non fat mocha’s.
Can’t drink Starbucks after these! YUM
I enjoy stopping for coffee too, but it can get so expensive! I treated myself last night to a caramel macchiato and it set me back about $4. Ouch!
I personally think you have become a coffee snob
Guilty!
My mom and girlfriends are addicted to Dunkin Donuts coffee. They like it from the retail location, but you can also find it at Target and other grocery stores. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I’ve had DD coffee and it was pretty good…for coffee.
My husband is a self described coffee snob. That being said, he really enjoys the 8 oclock coffee whole bean (he also grinds his own). Recently, Publix had a 3 lb. bag for eleven dollars, so I bought it to try. He thinks it is great and that was quite a savings!
Great choice! Caribou all the way!!! Plus, they claim their decaf has little to no caffeine in it (verses 20% caffeine like other brands such as Starbucks) because of their unique extraction method. Check their website.
Thank you for purchasing Sumatra Coffee. I just started to explore our precious coffee in my blog. Waiting for your visit yaa
I am addicted to CoffeeFool.com! For a super caffeine boost try the Fool’s House American. A big surprise to me was enjoying their flavored coffees. I had ordered some for my Mom and when I tried it was shocked to find that it wasn’t syrupy sweet, overflavored, or odd tasting. My favorite is the Caramel Nut which is not something I would normally try myself. I haven’t tried it yet, but people rave about the Snickerdoo flavor.
After trying my Mom’s Caramel Nut, I ordered some in decaf (you can get it both ways) and enjoy that as an afternoon treat a few days a week. You can get it whole bean or in different grinds, and for a dollar more you can get fair trade beans.
My Mom and I now order together to get free shipping (orders of $48 or more get free shipping though the shipping is reasonable if you order less). They are prompt and my order is always right. If you find that you like it you can set up automatic ordering (they are not one of those companies that trick you by doing it automatically) and you get a 15% discount for all automatic orders.
After 2 years as a Coffee Fool customer I have a hard time drinking anything else – they have turned me into a coffee snob!
Recently Walmart in my town recently remodeled their store taking out the Veneto’s Coffee beans. I didn’t buy it because it was a less expensive coffee but because the taste was fantastic and also the smell. I have been on line trying to find it………..any help out there would be greatly appreciated. I am so disappointed because I can not find this coffee…..help me please.