A good cup of coffee doesn’t necessarily mean a trip to your local coffee shop. You could have gourmet coffee in your home for a fraction of the price of a coffee shop. Starting with ground coffee is simple and cost-efficient.
Getting the best ground coffee is convenient and rewarding. You don’t have to go overboard, with expensive coffees. A good quality coffee and proper brewing method will do the trick.
You should consider getting the roast and grind size right. Picking these to suit your preferred brewing method will make a world of a difference in the flavor.
Editor’s Choice: Lifeboost Healthy Coffee
Lifeboost Healthy Coffee is healthy as its name says, it’s also a high-quality gourmet pick to liven up your cuppa. This is a single-source coffee sourced from Nicaragua. Grown at an impressive elevation of nearly 5500 feet the coffee beans also benefit from the shade of other plants and trees.
Being high-grown and shade-grown enables the coffee beans to be amongst the best in flavor and quality. Lifeboost says their beans rank in the top 3% of the world’s coffee supply.
Further care and attention is evident in all aspects of production and processing. Coffee cherries are carefully handpicked, dried, and processed. The beans are then roasted to the customer’s preferred level and given a consistent grind.
Lifeboost Healthy Coffee is certified USDA Organic and Fair Trade. Plus, it’s non-GMO, pesticide-free, and independently tested to be free of 200+ toxins, including mycotoxins.
Coffee Highlights
- 100% Arabica coffee sourced from Nicaragua (single source)
- High-quality ground coffee
- Available in light, medium, and dark roasts
- Gourmet coffee
See pricing options and read more details
Top Picks For Ground Coffee
- McCafé Premium Medium Roast Ground Coffee
- illy Intenso Ground Drip Coffee
- Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass
- Eight O’Clock Ground Coffee, The Original
- Valhalla Java Bagged Coffee Grounds
- Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee Blend
- Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Reserve
- WILD JO Dark French Roast Organic Coffee
- Melitta Colombian Supreme Coffee
- Peak Performance High Altitude Organic Coffee
- Folgers Noir True Dark Dark Roast Ground Coffee
- Death Wish Coffee Company Ground Coffee
- Maxwell House Dark Roast Ground Coffee
- Café Bustelo Espresso Ground Coffee
- Gevalia Colombian Medium Roast Ground Coffee
Reviews: Top Ground Coffee For You
1. McCafé Premium Medium Roast Ground Coffee
McCafé Premium Roast presents the classic taste of McDonald’s coffee. While it stands in its own right, the coffee chain and brand does benefit from the association. As the coffee started selling in supermarkets a few years ago, it proved itself an instant hit.
The coffee is available in several roasts and choices. This one is a “premium” medium roast that is made from Arabica beans sourced from different parts of the world. The coffee is smooth and is characterized by a rich aroma and clean finish.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Made from Arabica beans
- Certified by Orthodox Union Kosher
- Beans sourced from Central and South America
- Medium grind, best suited for drip coffee makers
2. illy Intenso Ground Drip Coffee
The intense flavor you can expect from this ground coffee is reflected in its name. illy Intenso Ground Drip Coffee is a dark roast with an intense and strong taste. If you like strong coffee, you’re going to love this one!
It is made from good quality Arabica beans sourced from all over the world. Roasted and ground, the coffee gets a special “pressurized” packaging that keeps the flavor intact until you open the box at home. Notes of deep cocoa shine in this intense and flavorful coffee.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- Made from Arabica beans
- Blend of beans sourced from around the world
- Grind best suited for drip coffee makers
3. Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass
A carefully crafted blend of top coffees, Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass is a brilliant choice. Its naming is unorthodox and highlights what you can expect from this brew. The blend is described as “bright and cheeky”, and the taste notes of milk chocolate make themselves apparent. Other notable flavors include tart red currant and sugarcane.
The flavorful coffee is a blend of beans sourced from Africa, Central and South America. A list of certifications come along with this coffee, including USDA Organic, Fairtrade, and Kosher. The medium roast coffee also has a medium grind, and is best suited for drip coffee machines, pour-over, and cold brew.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Blend of beans from Africa, Central America, South America
- Taste notes of milk chocolate and tart red currant
- Certified USDA Organic, Fairtrade, Kosher
- Medium Grind suited for drip machines, pour over, and cold brew
4. Eight O’Clock Ground Coffee, The Original
Eight O’Clock Coffee has a long history and some great roasts to show for it. “The Original” is their best-known roast and has been around for a long time. The company uses Arabica beans from around the world for this roast, with the aim of creating a robust and flavorful cup.
The Original is an enjoyable blend with a clean finish and good aftertaste. It’s not overly acidic, and the flavor is pleasing but not overbearing. Plus, it’s priced well, so definitely something to consider when buying coffee.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Blend of Arabica beans from around the world
- Certified Kosher
- Medium grind best suited for drip coffee machines
5. Valhalla Java Bagged Coffee Grounds
Death Wish Coffee Company is famous for its high-caffeine treats that also score well on taste. Valhalla Java is where they put taste and caffeine-strength together to brew a great cuppa. The blend is a mix of arabica and robusta beans sourced from Indonesia, Central America, and South America.
This is a pretty strong coffee that’s high on caffeine, but avoids going over to tasting bitter. The beans come together in excellent harmony to create a coffee that’s enjoyable and energetic. This is one of the strongest K cups and ground coffees available, so if a caffeine high is what you’re looking for, Valhalla is a great pick!
Coffee Highlights
- Medium-dark roast coffee
- Blend of Robusta and Arabica beans
- High-caffeine content
- Certified Organic and Fair Trade
- Best suited for drip coffee machines
6. Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee Blend
Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee Blend is a blend that has been favored and loved by espresso lovers for a long time. Well, no point changing preferences now! The blend is a full-bodied dark roast that’s strong and flavorful.
It offers an interesting aftertaste and notes of chocolate become apparent. Lavazza Crema e Gusto Ground Coffee Blend is inclined to deliver a creamy brew. So it pairs up really well with espresso makers and even Moka pots.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- Flavorful blend of beans sourced from different parts of the world
- Best suited for espresso machines and Moka pot
7. Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Reserve
Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Reserve is one of the most recommended coffees for making cold brew. The dark roast coffee is a coarse grind that makes it more suitable for cold brew. Its rich flavorful profile comes from being a Colombian Single Origin coffee.
The gourmet coffee is slightly sweet, very smooth, and has a low acidity. Yet, it shows off a remarkably bold coffee flavor that you can expect from Colombian Supremo beans.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- Made from single-origin, top quality Colombian Supremo Coffee Beans
- Coarse grind best suited for cold brew and French press
8. WILD JO Dark French Roast Organic Coffee
Wild Jo coffee can be wildly strong. Thankfully, it never stops being flavorful and avoids going over to being a bitter coffee. WILD JO Dark French Roast Organic Coffee makes a strong brew that highlights its intensity. You’ll find notes of dark cocoa and dark brown sugar in this coffee.
The company claims that the beans they use are amongst the top 2% of arabica beans grown in the world. That is believable, considering the intense and strong taste of this brew.
Coffee Highlights
- French roast coffee (dark roast)
- Made from a blend of high-quality arabica beans
- Certifications include USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and Kosher
- Best suited for drip coffee and cold brew
9. Melitta Colombian Supreme Coffee
Melitta Colombian Supreme Coffee is a high-quality coffee with a great flavor. To be clear, this is excellent Colombian coffee. However, it’s not made from beans graded “Supremo”, which are one of the best beans in Colombia.
The rich and flavorful coffee is enjoyable and brews a great cup. It has a (somewhat) fine grind, but remains suitable for drip coffee makers.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Excellent blend
- Certified Kosher
10. Peak Performance High Altitude Organic Coffee
Peak Performance High Altitude Organic Coffee is sourced from Guatemalan highlands. The coffee growing conditions in the region give this coffee a unique and distinct flavor. As a single-origin coffee, this is remarkably consistent and maintains a lovely flavor profile.
The company claims that they use “Strictly Hard Bean” (SHB) for their coffee. Peak Performance says they ensure that the highest quality of high-altitude grown beans find their way into this coffee. The medium roast is delicious, enjoyable, and made exclusively with coffee grown at a high elevation.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Single-origin coffee sourced from Guatemalan highlands
- Certified USDA Organic
11. Folgers Noir True Dark Dark Roast Ground Coffee
Folgers Noir True Dark Dark Roast Ground Coffee is a rewarding, delicious dark roast that could be considered the best store bought coffee at the moment. The dark roast is made from arabica beans sourced from different parts of the world. The strong and intense flavor is immensely enjoyable.
The rich and smooth finish of this coffee make it truly enjoyable. Folgers Noir works great with drip coffee makers. Interestingly, it’s also a remarkably good coffee for cold brew.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium-dark roast
- Coffee blend uses choicest beans from around the world
- Best suited for cold brew and drip coffee makers
12. Death Wish Coffee Company Ground Coffee
Death Wish Coffee Company Ground Coffee is famous for being one of the highest (if not the highest) caffeinated coffees in the world. The caffeine-rich blend is made from arabica and robusta beans. As such, the coffee has a strong, robust flavor. Yet, it’s remarkably smooth and enjoyable and successfully avoids tasting bitter or unpleasant.
A perfectly bold coffee, it carries undertones of cherry and chocolate and gives a clean finish. To hit the formulation right, the beans are carefully picked before being ground. The coffee is best suited for drip coffee makers.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- A blend of robusta and arabica beans
- Taste undertones of chocolate and cherry
- Certified USDA Organic and Fair Trade
- Best suited for drip coffee makers
13. Maxwell House Dark Roast Ground Coffee
Another famous supermarket coffee, Maxwell House Dark Roast Ground Coffee has plenty of dedicated users. An excellent dark roast, the coffee claims a bold and clean taste. The roast is the darkest the company has to offer. They characterize it as “intense and rich”.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- A blend of coffee beans from around the world
- Best suited for drip coffee makers
14. Café Bustelo Espresso Ground Coffee
Café Bustelo is a remarkably versatile coffee. It prefers to be brewed as an espresso, but you could use it for other purposes like Moka pot, drip coffee and pour over. Making Café Bustelo is easy as any other brew. And it can still be used to brew the traditional Cuban espresso, as it’s a cafecito at heart.
Plus, the uniquely bold taste and top-quality flavor make it a refreshing and immensely enjoyable brew. The blend is made from top-quality beans sourced from around the world. It has remained consistently bold and flavorful for a long time.
Coffee Highlights
- Dark roast coffee
- Blend of coffee beans from around the world
- Best suited for espresso, but works with most brewing methods
15. Gevalia Colombian Medium Roast Ground Coffee
A perfect presentation of the top quality Colombian coffee beans, Gevalia Colombian Medium Roast Ground Coffee is a great pick for your home. These coffee grounds are made from top quality Colombian arabica beans sourced from Colombian mountain slopes.
These grounds brew a delicious coffee with lovely flavor and an inviting aroma. The medium roast coffee is rich and bright, and offers first row seats to the great flavors of Colombian coffee.
Coffee Highlights
- Medium roast coffee
- Single-origin beans from Colombia
- Made from arabica beans
- Certified Kosher
A Buying Guide To Picking The Ground Coffee Best For You
Get The Right Grind Size
Coffee grind size matters and can be central to picking up the right coffee for you. Grind size is closely related to your preferred brew method. Making the wrong pick can unfavorably alter the taste of your coffee. For example, espresso is best tasting with finely ground coffee, while drip coffee requires medium grinds.
French press brewing prefers medium-coarse grinds and cold brew works best with coarse grinds. So before you buy a coffee, see the grind size and make a well-educated pick.
Best Ground Coffee Brand
There is no clear answer to this, though of course, most supermarket brands claim to be the best ground coffee brand. Brands like Folgers, McCafe, and Maxwell House continue to be popular with users. Supermarket brands like Kirkland from Costco are very popular too.
It’s okay to shop around a bit to find the coffee that you love best, rather than depending on brands.
Best Way To Store Ground Coffee And How Long Is Ground Coffee Good For?
When packed, manufacturers place coffee carefully in the container and seal it to ensure the grounds don’t lose flavor. However, once you open the coffee, this advantage goes away quickly. Since the consumer has no way to pack coffee the same way as a commercial/industrial facility.
The good news is that coffee can last for a substantially long time after being opened. Ground coffee doesn’t last as long as coffee beans, but it’s no slacker either. Theoretically, you can use ground coffee for 3-6 months after their printed “use by” date. It might be possible to go longer, but coffee taste and flavor will have seriously deteriorated by that time.
So, the answer to how long is ground coffee good for, is – a very long time. However, that doesn’t mean you should use coffee that’s so close to its use by date.
When using freshly ground coffee, the recommendation is to use it within 20 minutes. Of course, you can’t (and shouldn’t) empty a box of Folgers in the same time, but it makes sense to consider proper storage and use.
The best way to store ground coffee is in a cool, dark place that’s away from sunlight. The location should be dry and there shouldn’t be any threat of high humidity. Many store bought coffees come with their own containers that are airtight and opaque. In case your coffee doesn’t have a similar box, you should buy one for storage before opening the package.
Look At The Taste And Composition
Many coffees have taste notes that are highlighted as you drink it black. However, often flavors are also added to coffee. Remember that taste notes and flavors are different things. Flavors are often externally added and synthetic, while taste notes are inherent to specific beans.
Similarly, a ground coffee doesn’t have to be 100% coffee. Many famous companies and brands blend coffee with chicory. Speaking of blends, you might get coffee from a certain region or through blends that involve coffees from various coffee growing regions.
Each of these has an impact on the flavor and taste of coffee and therefore must be carefully considered before your purchase.
Best Ground Coffee For Cold Brew
Cold brew requires coffee that’s ground coarse. In some cases, medium ground coffee may also be acceptable. In my opinion, the best ground coffee for cold brew is the Stone Street Coffee Cold Brew Reserve that we see on this list.
Getting To Know Espresso Ground Coffee
Espresso ground coffee must be a fine grind. This is the best approach to getting the most out of flavors and taste for your espresso. A dark roast or Italian roast coffee is preferable, though other roasts can work as well.
FAQs Related To Ground Coffee
Is ground coffee the same as instant coffee?
No. Both these coffees are different and are prepared with different methods. Ground coffee, simply put, is coffee beans roasted and ground to a preferred grind size. Instant coffee, on the other hand, is prepared differently and is water soluble (unlike regular coffee grinds).
How do I choose the best ground coffee?
The first step to a quality coffee is picking one that suits your preferences and tastes. Pick a coffee that has the right roast to your liking. Similarly, the coffee grind size should be suitable to your preferred brewing method. When buying a coffee, put more weight on the date it was roasted or manufactured. Fresh roasted coffee always tastes better than one that has been sitting on the shelves for way too long.
Where should ground coffee be stored?
Store your coffee in a cool, dry place, in an airtight container. Your coffee grounds should not be exposed to the air, so an airtight canister really helps. Protect the coffee from humidity and direct sunlight, so it can be flavorful for longer.
Shopping For The Coffee Grounds You Want
Getting the best ground coffee can be overwhelming, given the large number of options and brands available. It doesn’t have to be! Feel free to experiment, and choose the flavor that works best for you. It’s also a good idea to consider your preferred brewing method and roast.
Our top choice for this category is Lifeboost Healthy Coffee, a gourmet coffee that’s flavorful and delicious. If you want other options, take a look at our list here to find the coffee grounds that are best for you.