Best Ground Coffee of 2024 [Tested and Reviewed] (2024)

Here are the points to keep in mind when choosing the best Ground Coffee.

Darker Roasts Carry More Flavor

Coffee's flavor profile is influenced by the roast level of the beans, of which there are three main types: light roast, medium roast, and dark roast. Roasting refers to the process of cooking the raw beans, and the degree of roasting changes the color, aroma, and taste.

Light roast has the shortest roasting time, and this leaves a lot of moisture in the coffee beans. The result is a slight bitterness and a more fruity taste. Dark roast, with the longest roasting time of the three, dries out the coffee beans and creates more elements that contribute to a bitter flavor. Medium roast falls between light and dark roast, allowing you to taste both bitterness and acidity.

These three roast levels each offer significant differences in flavor. Most often, our own coffee enthusiasts on the mybest team scored dark roast as the highest in terms of taste. But why? Let’s take a closer look.

Dark Roast Has a Bold Intensity

Dark roast coffee is made by removing more moisture from the beans compared to other roasts. It features elements like caramelization, the Maillard Reaction, surface oils, reduced acidity, bitterness, and smokiness that all contribute to its robust flavor profile. Dark roast coffees offer a rich and intense flavor, with some tried by our team even reminding them of chocolate.

These coffees feature a subtle acidity, with some of our tasters noting their enjoyable intensity, pronounced bitterness, and sweetness, making them an ideal choice for those seeking bold coffee flavors.

Head of Kitchen and Coffee at mybest

Daisuke Ainoya

One of the most appealing features of dark roast coffee is that it's hard to go wrong if you follow the recipe provided, as the bitterness is prominent. If you're new to pour-overs, start with dark roast coffee. We recommend a brewing recipe with a 13:1 ratio of coffee grounds to water for a truly satisfying flavor.

For Café au Lait, Dark Roast Works Well

Dark roast coffee also offers the advantage of maintaining a balanced bitterness that complements the sweetness of milk, resembling the flavor of a dark, milky chocolate bar. Our testers found that when prepared as a café au lait, they could distinctly savor both the bitterness of the dark roast coffee and the sweetness of the milk.

However, when making a café au lait with light roast coffee, the sweetness of the milk overpowered everything. Our testers reported that they could hardly taste the coffee's bitterness or richness—an appeal many coffee lovers enjoy. If you want to enjoy a café au lait with a distinct bitterness and richness, dark roast is the way to go.

Death Wish Coffee Co. Offered the Most Flavorful Dark Roast

Among the dark roasts, the one that stood out to our testers was from Death Wish Coffee Co. This coffee wasn't just strong in bitterness, but from the first sip we could taste flavors and sweetness reminiscent of dark chocolate and nuts.

It was delicious even as a café au lait, and many of our testers said they could taste the bitterness and richness in the coffee both black and with milk. The sweetness was also pleasant.

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Medium Roast Offers Acidity Over Bitterness

While dark roast is preferred for its bitterness, medium roast is a great choice for those who prefer a coffee more on the acidic side. Let's take a look at the characteristics of medium roast coffee.

Medium Roast Coffee is Refreshing with a Fruity Taste

Coffee beans come from the seeds of a fruit called a coffee cherry. Medium roast coffee, due to its higher moisture retention during the roasting process, allows drinkers to discern and savor the natural fruitiness of the coffee cherry more distinctly compared to a dark roast. It has a refreshing acidity and fruity aroma, giving it a clean taste that’s enjoyable to many enthusiasts.

Our testers also noted that it had a light mouthfeel, a fruity sweetness, and a calming effect. Compared to light roast, the bitterness is just right, and depending on the bean variety, you may even detect flavor notes of orange or cherry. If you want to try a coffee with a fruity acidity, go for a medium roast.

Medium Roast Café au Lait Resembles Tea with Milk

When you make a café au lait with medium roast coffee, the fruitiness combines with the sweetness of the milk, resulting in a rich and creamy flavor. Our testers commented that the fragrant aroma and creamy sweetness were delicious, and that the fruity flavor had a subtle taste like black tea with milk. We recommend adding milk to a medium roast coffee.

Illy and Starbucks Had the Most Delicious Medium Roasts

The medium roasts that received high praise in our tests were Illy's Ground Espresso Classico Coffee Medium Roast and Starbucks' Veranda Blend. Illy's Classico is not too acidic, and there's a good balance of bitterness. You can taste flavors like milk chocolate and orange. It also pairs well with milk, making it a product we recommend for those who want to try a coffee with acidity.

Starbucks' Veranda Blend has a distinctive fruity taste with a slightly acidic profile and a sweet and sour taste like cherries. We recommend this if you love acidic brews and enjoy exploring various types of coffee.