Buying coffee at the grocery store can become monotonous when there are only so many brands on the shelf. In an effort to explore both new and familiar styles, I tried over 15 coffee options available at national grocery chains and local stores. If you want to pick up a solid coffee option at your local grocery store, read on for my top selections — and the roasts to avoid.. I tested grocery store coffee to find the best budget-friendly beans to brew your morning pot. Katherine Peach/CNET. As a former barista-turned-coffee writer, I’ve sampled a multitude of excellent and disappointing coffee bought from major retailers such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Target. I’ve also tried regional rosters and specialty blends, some of which couldn’t stand up to canned coffee brands.. After previously testing more than 40 K-Cups to find the best pods for those with a Keurig, I’ve turned my attention to more traditional bagged beans and grounds.. Here are five coffee blends I recommend buying straight from the shelf, and five you might want to avoid.. Five best grocery store coffees. Café Bustelo is a mainstay on grocery store shelves for a reason. The ground coffee I tested maintained a robust yet smooth flavor, thanks in part to its “best buy” date, which allowed for another 21 months of shelf life. Its flexibility, dark roast and affordability are hard to beat in a ground coffee straight from the shelf. Seeing that Café Bustelo is a deep espresso roast, I wasn’t surprised to find some bitterness and acidity in a couple of my less precise brews.. The Cuban-inspired coffee, founded in New York City by a Spanish immigrant, has the mystique of an imported product. This branding might explain why it was a couple of dollars more expensive than other canned coffees at my local grocery store. Whatever the reason, the investment paid off compared to the slightly cheaper canned coffees I tried.. … Show more. Stumptown Holler Mountain organic coffee offers a distinct and robust flavor, characterized by a pleasant acidity and a lingering caramel finish. The whole beans I tried maintained strong flavor even seven months past the roast date. Listing a roast date shows the brand stands by its product — bonus points for transparency.. This coffee also has notable body that allows for versatility, claiming it can be used for both drip coffee or espresso preparation. Holler Mountain remains light enough to be appealing to a broad demographic. It possesses a well-balanced mouthfeel, ending with a slight acidic kick. Plus, with widespread availability in grocery stores such as Whole Foods, it should be an easy find. If you see it, I’d say bring it home.. … Show more. The Whole Foods Early Bird Blend’s profile includes notes of cocoa, with a mellow flavor that falls into the medium roast category. Upon opening the bag, I was pleased by the beans’ rich aroma and oily appearance, even though the “best by” date was only three months away. Once or twice, I fo
