From whole bean to instant coffee: what form should you buy your coffee in?

When buying ethically sourced coffee to prepare at home, there are many forms that you can buy your coffee in. Some are cheaper and more convenient to prepare. Others taste fresher and richer. This post compares some of the main different forms of coffee. 

Whole bean

Whole bean coffee consists of coffee beans that have been roasted but not ground. They are considered the freshest form of coffee and can often have the richest flavour.

You have to grind these yourself before you brew them. This involves buying a coffee grinder if you don’t already own one. There are manual grinders and electric grinders. A benefit of being able to grind the beans yourself is that you can choose the grind size that you prefer. You could even experiment with different grind sizes for different brewing methods (a coarse grind is typically better for a french press, while a fine grind is better for a moka pot). 

When choosing whole beans, look for ones that have been very recently roasted for the most flavour. To add some variety to your morning brew, look online for whole bean variety packs. Such variety packs can be very affordable while using ethically sourced coffee beans. 

Ground coffee

Many people buy pre-ground coffee. Such coffee can be added straight to a french press/cafetiere cold brew or moka pot without having to grind it yourself.

When buying ground coffee, you are limited to coffee in one grind size (unless you’re willing to buy multiple bags in different grind sizes). This may not matter too much if you only like to brew your coffee one way.

Ground coffee is less fresh than whole bean coffee. However, it is still more complex in flavour than instant coffee. As with whole bean coffee, try to look for ground coffee that is ethically sourced and comes from a sustainable coffee producer.

Instant coffee

Instant coffee is made from pre-ground, pre-brewed granules that have then been dehydrated to form a powder. This allows you to add instant coffee straight to a mug, pour hot water on it and drink it immediately. 

Most people drink instant coffee because it is affordable and convenient. You don’t have to grind beans or wait for coffee to brew. It’s ideal for preparing in a rush. On top of this, instant coffee has a longer shelf life than ground coffee – making it better suited to people that don’t have coffee often.

Instant coffee is much milder in taste than ground coffee. As a result, those looking for extra kick and flavour might want to ditch instant coffee for ground coffee or whole bean coffee.

Coffee pods

Coffee pods are used with coffee pod machines. These pods typically contain ground coffee that is often mixed with milk powder or syrups. This allows you to imitate coffees like cappuccinos, vanilla lattes and caramel lattes at home.

Once you’ve inserted the pod into the machine, it brews and pours it for you. This makes it a very convenient way to make coffee in the morning. Because coffee pods use ground coffee, they are also often fresher and richer in taste than instant coffee. It’s a fast way to make coffee that also tastes good.

One of the downsides of coffee pods is that you have to buy a pod machine to use them. Certain coffee pods have to be used in certain machines, so it’s important that you choose a pod machine from a well-known brand. The pod machines with the largest range of coffee pods to choose from can unfortunately be some of the most expensive machines. As for the cost of the pods themselves, these can vary a lot in price, but typically cost more per year than instant coffee, and many end up in landfill – There are coffee brands who make compostable pods, and companies who collect your aluminium and plastic coffee pods and recycle them here in the UK; cutting down waste and giving the materials a new life.

Coffee bags

It’s also possible to buy coffee bags. These are like teabags, but instead they contain ground coffee. To prepare, you simply leave a coffee bag in a cup of hot water to brew. It’s just like making tea.

This is a simple way to make coffee that can provide a much richer taste than instant coffee. It is a little slower than making instant coffee however – coffee bags typically need to be left in hot water for several minutes to fully brew. The longer you leave the coffee bag in, the stronger your cup of coffee will be.

One of the biggest downsides of coffee bags is that they can work out pricier than other forms of coffee. They’re a good option if you don’t have a french press and you want the taste of ground coffee. However, if you’ve got a french press, it may be better to simply buy ground coffee or whole bean coffee. 

This is a collaborative post.