Top 8: The best supermarket coffee that won't break the bank
Get a look at some of our favourite supermarket cups of coffee
Are supermarket brands of coffee beans worth the cost saving? We tested them against a few artisan roasted coffees also available in supermarkets. The results are for you to judge whether or not you are willing to pay for the difference. We tried 18 lots of beans which in most cases we ground and made for black coffee and cappuccino. An experienced barista was part of this team and she made all the coffee. Many brands have other blends with interesting choices of flavours, so our marks are based only on the variety we tasted.
The rejected brands were mainly too bitter with no back flavours to bolster them and provide an interesting experience. We could have tried already ground coffee, but the taste of freshly ground beans gave them all a better chance. We considered the tasting notes — generally, they were quite accurate. There are plenty of artisan roasted coffees not available in supermarkets but online and in their own outlets or cafés such as Soma, 3FE, Pónaire, Golden Bean, Mahers, Cork Coffee Roasters, West Cork Coffee, and Cloud Picker. We have tested them in the past, and they are still excellent.
