Which is the best inexpensive coffee?

by Lev
(Taos, NM)

Nabob coffee. Pretty good coffee for a reasonable price.

QUESTION:

My wife and I both love good coffee. Trouble is we have a big family, with two teenage boys who love coffee too. So we can’t afford the really good coffees we prefer.

And no, we don’t want to “make do” with Maxwell House or Folgers, or anything else that is cheap and nasty.

Can you recommend an inexpensive coffee that is still reasonably good?

Thanks,

Lev

ANSWER:

Lev, hi

Good question.

As you can imagine, you’re not alone in looking for that middle-ground, where the coffee is good but the price is still reasonable.

There are a few brands that jump to mind.

8 O’Clock Coffee is a big contender. As is Nabob. A lot of people also like Dunkin’ Donuts, Trader Joe, Tully’s and Chock Full O'Nuts.

The Kirkland brand from Costco gets good reports too. It is roasted, I believe, by Starbucks.

Depending on where you live, there are probably some good local choices too. In Canada, a lot of people swear by Tim Horton’s.

Anyway, I’m hoping a lot of readers will jump in and offer their own suggestions through the comments function below. Once we have enough suggestions, I’ll compile them and see if I can find a top three.

Best wishes,

Nick

Other pages on the site you might find interesting:

How much does a cup of coffee cost when I brew it at home?

Cheaper coffee – how to enjoy gourmet specialty coffee at reasonable prices.

How to save on the price of K-cup Coffee.

Comments for Which is the best inexpensive coffee?

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Great Value Colombian
by: Anonymous

Seriously I hate bad coffee and that includes any Folgers or Maxwell House. I have found over the years that hands down the best cheap coffee is Great Value Colombian not kidding. The other blends are not good but I’ve seen consistency in the GV Colombian and as I’m currently sampling great coffees from drinktrade.com, I still think GV Colombian is the best cheap coffee if you cannot afford anything else.

Java Time from Big Lots
by: Sandy R

Java Time, at Big Lots (if you have one in your area) is "good" coffee (not "gourmet") to drink at home. The 1 lb, 10 oz. bag retails for $5, and occasionally goes on sale -- or can be discounted with a coupon from Big Lots if you are a loyalty club member. Java Time sells for lots more online. It is 100% Arabica. Not bad, is our comment, and we drink Peet's when we want to splurge.

Best "less expensive " coffee
by: Marq

My favorite coffee is Seattle's Best #3 or #4. I get it at Wally World when I can. I agree about Maxwell House, Y U C K !
We now use it at the coffee bar at our church; so bad, I started donating coffee! (8 O'Clock or Community. Not fantastic, but better than Muckwell House!) Starbucks = Bitter- not worth- the - bucks in my opinion. And who drinks only 6oz of coffee? A mug is 8-12 oz. I think your price comparison should use a full 8 oz, or did I misunderstand something? That's still only about .40 per cup at home.

Two Good Options
by: Anonymous

I disagree with the recommendation of 8 O'Clock Coffee. I have had it in a drip maker and also in a K-Cup and both were bad.

I do agree with the Costco recommendation. On the 2 pound bag of Kirkland's whole bean coffee is a Starbucks logo. But it is better than a cup from Starbucks. :-)

The best inexpensive ground coffee I have found is the Wegman's brand large can of French Roast coffee from Wegman's supermarket.

Market Basket Coffeee
by: Anonymous

I find Market Basket original or donut shop blend to be very acceptable. The cost is $5.99 for 24 oz. I use a percolator so I buy the wjole bean and grind it on perc setting in store. I use 8.5 tbsp to 8 cups. Believe that equals .23/cup. I find the coffee shop coffee too strong for my taste and do not understand Starbuck's popularity to me their coffee tastes burned.