Coffee sales are on the rise, with most people buying blended coffees, those that are a combination of two or more varieties of beans. To find the best-tasting brews, Consumer Reports prepared more than a hundred pots of coffee in its labs. Then it brought in a pair of professional “cuppers”—highly trained coffee experts. They blind-tasted 37 kinds of blended coffees. The test included ground, whole-bean, and single-serve coffees.
None of the single-serve products got high marks from taste testers. What about whole-bean and ground coffees? Some of the big names, such as Folgers and Maxwell House, were outdone by coffees that cost a little more but really ruled the roast.
Topping the list Blue Bottle Company’s beans, Three Africans, available online and at some coffee shops. It has a complex flavor, with citrus, floral, and berry notes. It’s $19 per pound.
The best ground coffee is Allegro Organic Continental Blend from Whole Foods, for $12 per pound. Tasters found it to be complex, with chocolate and smoky flavors. Another great grind is Starbucks House Blend, a dark roast with hints of chocolate and fruit, for about $11 per pound.
Those prices may sound pretty pricey, but that Starbucks works out to 25 cents for a 6-ounce cup—far less than buying a cup of its brewed coffee.
