While drinking coffee may be enjoyable, brewing a cup for yourself gives a different kind of joy. You can completely control and dictate your coffee just the way you like it.

There are different products you can use to brew coffee. However, many baristas and coffee connoisseurs agree that coffee beans kept in a good container to store ground coffee are the best way to go. 

Coffee beans can be bought whole or ground. You can always choose to grind the beans by yourself. Nevertheless, ground coffee beans are convenient for those who tend to rush in the mornings. With ground coffee, they can just pour it straight into their coffee maker and wait for it to brew. 

Of course, to brew a delicious cup of joe, you will need to use the best ground coffee on the market. However, this cannot be easy due to an extensive and versatile selection. 

You do not have to worry. This article will outline relevant information regarding coffee grounds. It will also contain both a review section and a buying guide to help you get started. 

10 Best Ground Coffees

Kicking Horse Coffee- Kick Ass Dark Roast Ground

The Kicking Horse Coffee Kick Ass is one of the company’s most popular products. Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, this organic ground coffee is sourced from Indonesia and South America. 

Moreover, Kicking Horse Coffee’s products are all USDA-organic and have Fair Trade certification. This ground coffee comes in a 10-ounce pack, making it easy to store. 

This ground coffee blend has a dark roast, providing a smoky and sweet taste. Consumers describe it as having an earthy taste with hints of chocolate, malt, molasses, and licorice. Its full-body flavor is soothing to sip on and gives you enough energy to tackle the day. 

To get the best flavor, it is best to brew this ground coffee using a pour-over or a drip machine. The Kick Ass blend also tastes good as a cold brew. 

Pros 

• Dark roast coffee 
• Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans 
• Has a full-body and soothing taste

Cons  

• Quickly gets stale 

Lavazza Intenso Ground Coffee Blend, Dark Roast

The Lavazza Intenso ground coffee blend is made from a mixture of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans sourced from the finest coffee farms in Southeast Asia, Brazil, and India. With this composition, you get the unique flavors from both coffee beans. 

Lavazza is a known company in the coffee industry, providing fresh and delicious roasts since 1895. The Intenso blend comes from a traditional Italian recipe, resulting in a bold and full-bodied coffee drink. 

The Intenso ground coffee comes in a dark roast with an intensity level of 9 out of 10. Boasting smoky and caramelized notes, this ground coffee also comes with aromatic hints of dark chocolate. 

With its flavor profile, the Lavazza Intenso is a ground coffee for French press, drip machines, pour-overs, and cold brews. 

Pros 

• Has smoky and caramelized notes and hints of chocolate 
• Made from Arabica and Robusta coffee beans 
• Has a 9/10 intensity level 

Cons 

• Inconsistent flavor

Starbucks Medium Roast Ground Coffee, Breakfast Blend

Being a popular coffee chain, Starbucks has cemented its place in the coffee industry. Aside from their drinks, their coffee packs are known for their high-quality. 

The Starbucks breakfast blend is made from 100% Arabica beans. Its coffee bean origin is a mystery, but it is roasted in Washington. This ground coffee comes in a 20-ounce pouch, giving you a decent amount of servings. 

The Breakfast blend comes in a medium roast, which is known for its bright and tangy flavors. Compared to the company’s other mixes, this one is lighter-bodied and has a mellower taste. 

Many consumers describe it as having a mild taste with hints of nuts and cocoa. This product is known for being Starbucks best ground coffee in a medium roast with its unique flavor profile. 

Pros 

• Has a mild taste with hints of nuts and cocoa
• Lighter-bodied and mellow taste 
• Gives a light kick to energize you 

Cons 

• Has an average aroma 

Dunkin’ Donuts Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee

Dunkin’ Donuts is more predominantly known in the donut industry; however, their coffee blends and grounds are also a force to be reckoned with. 

The Dunkin’ Donuts ground coffee is made from 100% Arabica coffee sourced from Rainforest Alliance certified growing countries. It comes in a pouch and has different sizes you can choose from. 

The Dunkin’ Donuts Original blend comes in a medium roast, providing a delicate and subdued taste. Consumers describe it as having hints of sweetness with floral, nutty, raisin, and dark chocolate undertones. 

Moreover, the original blend is gentle and soothing to drink. It also provides enough energy to help you through the day. 

The Dunkin’ Donuts original blend is the best ground coffee for iced coffee. The company even posts recipes online that you can try. 

Pros 

• Has a delicate and subdued taste 
• Has a floral, nutty, raisin, and dark chocolate undertones 
• Comes in a medium roast 

Cons 

• Inconsistent taste 

Seattle’s Best Coffee Post Alley Blend

Amazon product

This Seattle’s Best Coffee was previously known as Signature Blend No.5; however, it rebranded this product, giving it a new name and look. 

Made from 100% Arabica coffee beans, the Post Alley blend is sourced from different Latin American coffee farms. It comes in a vacuum-sealed pouch in 1.25 lbs and 12 oz variants. 

Seattle’s Best Coffee Post Alley blend comes in a dark roast, containing about 21.67 mg of caffeine per fluid ounce. It’s a bit lower than a standard espresso drink, but it still has that distinct smoky flavor. 

Consumers describe it as having a fantastic aroma. Despite its dark roasting, this ground coffee goes down smoothly and has no bitter aftertaste. 

The Seattle’s Best Coffee Post Alley blend as the ground coffee for espresso drinks. It acts as an excellent base for other drinks. 

Pros 

• No bitter aftertaste 
• Has a smoky and robust flavor 
• Come in two different sizes 

Cons 

• Comes in a fine grind

Four Sigmatic Mushroom Lion’s Mane Ground Coffee

The Four Sigmatic mushroom ground coffee comes in a 12-ounce pouch, providing up to 16 servings per bag. Aside from Lion’s Mane, this ground coffee also comes in two other flavors: Adaptogen and Probiotics.

Four Sigmatic’s Lion’s Mane flavor is made from 100% Arabica coffee beans and 500mg of Lion’s Mane and mushroom powder. Its composition provides a healthy dose of nutrients and minerals, making it suitable for all diets and lifestyles. 

Despite its ingredients, Four Sigmatic’s ground coffee does not have a mushroomy nor herbal aftertaste. This product provides a robust and smoky flavor and is balanced with nutty and creamy undertones being a dark roast coffee. 

Many consumers recommend the Lion’s Mane flavor as the best ground coffee for Moka pots and French press since these brewing methods adequately extract its flavor. 

Pros 

• Suitable for all diets 
• Comes in a dark roast 
• No mushroomy taste 

Cons 

• Can be quite expensive

DEATH WISH COFFEE Dark Roast Coffee Grounds

The Death Wish Coffee ground coffee is made of Arabica and Robusta beans sourced from India and Peru’s finest coffee farms. 

All the company’s products are USDA-certified, ensuring high-quality. This product comes in 1-pound or 5-pound sealed pouches. 

Due to its composition, this dark roast ground coffee has a bold flavor with hints of almonds, blueberries, and chocolate. 

Death Wish Coffee’s dark roast is also known for its double caffeine content, or 728 mg per 12-ounce mug. One cup of this coffee is enough to energize and keep you awake for the day.

However, it lacks the usual bitterness similar products have, making it go down smoothly. 

As for its particle size, it’s akin to coarse ground coffee. However, it has a shorter brewing time.

Pros 

• Has 728 mg of caffeine per cup 
• Provides a bold flavor balanced with sweet undertones 
• Made of Arabica and Robusta coffee beans 

Cons 

• Is quite expensive

Peet’s Coffee French Roast, Dark Roast Ground Coffee

Amazon product

The Peet’s Coffee ground coffee is made from 100% Arabica coffee beans sourced from a remote province of Hilua. It comes in a sealed pouch with two sizes: 10 oz and 12 oz.

 Moreover, the product comes in twelve flavors you can choose from. The French Roast blend is one of the most popular.

Being a dark roast coffee, Peet’s Coffee French Roast blend has a bold and robust flavor. This blend is the darkest among the company’s dark-roasted coffees. 

In fact, the company describes the French roast blend as having a coffee-forward flavor. Essentially, this means that this blend has a smoky and bittersweet taste balanced with hints of caramel and dry fruit. 

Moreover, this full-bodied coffee drink goes down smoothly and provides enough caffeine to help you go through the day. 

Pros 

• Comes in different sizes and flavors 
• Has a dark and bittersweet flavor 
• Goes down smoothly 

Cons 

• Expires quickly

Cameron’s Coffee Roasted Ground Coffee

Amazon product

The Cameron’s Coffee ground coffee is made from 1000% Arabica coffee beans sustainably grown in the finest coffee plant farms. It comes in a 28-ounce sealed pouch. 

This light roast coffee presents a unique flavor as it is a blend of different Cameron’s Coffee products- Colombian Supremo, Kona Blend, and Gold Roast Breakfast blend. 

With this composition, Cameron’s Coffee has a clear and bright flavor. Consumers describe this ground coffee as light and mild with fruity undertones.

Moreover, Cameron’s Coffee Breakfast Blend is roasted in small batches then promptly cooled. This method fully extracts the coffee bean’s flavor as well as prevents over-roasting.

Cameron’s Coffee Breakfast blend ground coffee is also decaffeinated, which prevents the usual jitters. However, it still provides you with enough energy to get through the day. 

Pros 

• Sustainably sourced from coffee farms 
• Is decaffeinated 
• Has a light and mild flavor with fruity undertones

Cons  

• Inconsistent flavor

New England Coffee Blueberry Cobbler Medium Roast Ground Coffee

The New England Coffee ground coffee is made from 100% Arabica coffee beans and is sustainably sourced from Africa and South America. It comes in a vacuum-sealed pouch, with 11-oz and 10-oz sizes. 

You can also choose from fourteen different flavors. Its Blueberry Cobbler is one of the most popular ones. 

All the company’s products are roasted in small batches, ensuring high-quality and a full flavor. This method also prevents the beans from over-roasting. 

The Blueberry Cobbler flavor comes in a medium roast and has a unique flavor. The drink has hints of spices and other natural flavors and is balanced with hints of blueberry and chocolate. With this composition, this ground coffee also has an aromatic scent. 

Consumers recommend brewing New England Coffee’s Blueberry Cobbler in a cold brew or a drip maker. 

Pros 

• Comes in different sizes and flavors 
• Blend of spices and sweetness 
• Ideal for cold brews or in a drip maker 

Cons 

• Expires quickly

Buying Guide

Everyone knows that the secret to brewing a delicious cup of coffee lies in the coffee grounds used. However, choosing what brand to purchase is more complicated than it looks. 

For one, there are numerous different roasts and flavors to choose from. For a beginner, this can get confusing. 

You will also have to keep a keen eye when shopping as you will need to ensure that the grounds are fresh. Otherwise, your coffee will taste stale. Aside from this, the product must also fall within your budget range. 

Fortunately, you do not have to worry. This buying guide will give you some tips and will list down all the factors you will need to consider when looking for the best ground coffee brand in the market. 

Freshness Level 

Like all agricultural products, coffee beans are best when they are fresh. In this state, the beans provide more flavor and smell more, resulting in a more delicious coffee cup. 

However, coffee beans decay amazingly fast. After 2-3 weeks of peak freshness, the grounds start to deteriorate. As they decompose, the beans begin to give a bitter and stale taste. 

The best way to keep ground coffee fresh is to store it properly. To do this, make sure the grounds are kept inside an airtight container and in a cool, dry place. There are many containers to store ground coffee available in the market. 

Another way to get fresh coffee grounds is to purchase them directly from roasters. Most coffee grounds sold online or at stores are already well past their freshness level. 

Type of Coffee 

Coffee grounds come from various coffee plant species. However, these are the two most popular ones for coffee: Robusta and Arabica coffee. 

Robusta Coffee 

Robusta coffee plants are known for being extremely easy to take care of and grow. These plants have many branches, which in turn, produce many coffee cherries. 

Because of these numbers, Robusta coffee beans don’t have as many nutrients. As such, they are not flavorful and aromatic. Instead, these beans are more bitter and yield 5%-70% more caffeine compared to Arabica coffee beans. 

Most Robusta coffee beans are used in cheap ground coffee, instant coffee, low-grade blends, or artificially flavored coffee. 

Arabica Coffee 

Arabica coffee plants are a bit harder to irrigate and cultivate as they are more sensitive to environmental factors. They tend to look scrawny since they produce only several branches and cherries. 

These small numbers, however, mean that each coffee bean has a unique flavor to it. Arabica coffee beans have diverse flavor profiles, ranging from fruity to floral and the like. As such, the best ground coffees are made from Arabica coffee beans. 

Roast Profile 

Roasted coffee grounds add a layer of flavor to your drink. Here are different kinds: 

Light Roast 

Light roast coffees are dark tan and retain most of their flavors and aromas since they are the least roasted. 

Because of this, light roast coffees have a vibrant but crisp acidity. Sometimes, they even have floral and fruity undertones. While they may have high acidity, this coffee is never bitter. 

Medium Roast 

Medium roasts come in a light brown or medium-brown color. They still retain most of their aromas and flavors; however, the rougher edges are smoothed out. Instead, you will find them to have a more-rounded taste, which is easier to brew. 

As such, medium roasts are known for their caramel or honey flavor, balanced out with a slight bitterness. 

Dark Roast 

These roasts come in a dark brown color, and you can see a light layer of oil on its surface. Dark roasts have surprisingly broad and unique flavor profiles. 

While dark roast ground coffee can be bitter, this is balanced out with hints of chocolate, earth, spice, or nuts. 

Super Dark Roasts 

Anything darker than the previous roast levels will result in a harsh bitterness as most of the coffee’s flavor and aromas are already stripped away. As such, we recommend you stay away from these types. 

Grind Type 

Ground coffee is classified into three main groups, which are used for different purposes. Here they are: 

Fine Grind 

Fine grind coffee grounds easily blend into hot water due to their size. They are further classified into pulverized and espresso ground coffee. 

Pulverized ground coffee is the finest, only having a particle size of 100 microns. One example of this is the Turkish ground coffee. 

On the other hand, espresso ground coffee has an average size of 200 microns. To get the most out of this, purchase the dark roast variant. 

Medium Grind 

Medium grind coffee has a brewing time of 3-8 minutes. They are further classified into automatic drip grind, drip grind, and vacuum grind. 

The drip and vacuum grinds have more or less the same particle size. However, the former only requires 3 minutes for brewing, while the latter needs 4-6 minutes to extract its flavor fully. 

On the other hand, the automatic drip grind is more massive, with a particle size of 800 microns. Brewing time ranges from 6-8 minutes. 

Coarse Grind 

Coarse grinds are more extensive, with an average size of 1,000 microns. Most liken their appearance with sea salt. As such, they brew the slowest with 8 minutes or more. 

While that may be so, coarse grinds are the ground coffee for cold brew or cowboy coffees. 

Single Origin vs. Blends 

Single Origin 

Single-origin coffees come from a single farm. As such, all of them present the characteristics unique to that farm.

However, single-origin coffees rarely come by since they’re seasonal. They are also inconsistent due to flavor diversity. 

Coffee Blends 

Coffee blends are a mixture of coffee beans coming from different farms. Mixing coffee beans with another helps round out the flavor and aroma of the whole. As such, you will have a more consistent flavor profile, making it easier to brew.  However, you won’t get the same flavor diversity in single origins. 

How to Store your Ground Coffee 

To keep your coffee grounds fresh, you must store them properly. The best way to store ground coffee is to keep them inside a sealed container and place it in a cool, dry location. 

Here is a video that will give you some tips and tricks on how to do it. 

Our Pick

The Kicking Horse Coffee- Kick Ass Dark Roast Ground is the best brand of ground coffee to purchase. 

For one, all of Kicking Horse’s products are USDA-organic and Fair Trade-certified. With these, you’ll know your ground coffee is of high-quality. 

Kicking Horse Coffee’s Kick Ass blend is also made from 100% Arabica beans from Indonesia and South America. It comes in a dark roast, which is known for its distinct smoky and robust flavor. 

Many describe it as having an earthy taste, balanced with chocolate, malt, molasses, and licorice undertones.  The recommended brewing methods for this product are cold brew, pour-over, and a drip machine.