Good Coffee that Doesn't Cost a fortune?

[mamamia88]

I've just been getting into the world of good coffee. I picked up some kona coffee the other day and while it is good it's not 2.5x better than all the other coffees that I have bought from Trader Joes. Any suggestions on good coffee that doesn't break the bank? I am using a french press and my own coffee grinder if that helps

[Foxcow]

How much is too much?

[johnnybgoode83]

I prefer good scotch

[Ric_NYC]

Trader Joe's has good coffee.


I also like these brands:

Maxwell House Original Roast

Folgers 100% Colombian

[mamamia88]

Trader's Joe has good coffee.


I also like these brands:

Maxwell House Original Roast

Folgers 100% Colombian
exactly. i got the kona from trader joes for $20 when all their other coffees are in the $8-10 range for same amount

[Ric_NYC]

exactly. i got the kona from trader joes for $20 when all their other coffees are in the $8-10 range for same amount



Yes. I think Trader Joe's is the best place to buy coffee.

[el_koraco]

It's in the preparation. Start drinking Turkish coffee.

[Bandit]

Trader Joe's has good coffee.


I also like these brands:

Maxwell House Original Roast

Folgers 100% Colombian

Yea drinking Maxwell House now.

[BeachBuddah]

There's a chain called Peet's on the west coast. They recently started packaging beans and ground coffee. I am able to buy it in NYC at Stop & Shop for $10/lb. Amazon and eBay have it, but they're surprisingly more expensive. Cheers!

[kaldor]

I find Maxwell House and Folgers to be way too watered down and bitter. When I was in the Dominican Republic for a bit, I loved their "Santo Domingo Cafe Molido" brand or whatever it was called. Tasted really strong, but it wasn't bitter.

If you want really good tasting coffee, though, it'll cost more than average.

[Ric_NYC]

I find Maxwell House and Folgers to be way too watered down and bitter. When I was in the Dominican Republic for a bit, I loved their "Santo Domingo Cafe Molido" brand or whatever it was called. Tasted really strong, but it wasn't bitter.

If you want really good tasting coffee, though, it'll cost more than average.

So... You like Bustelo, too?

[Bandit]

I find Maxwell House and Folgers to be way too watered down and bitter. When I was in the Dominican Republic for a bit, I loved their "Santo Domingo Cafe Molido" brand or whatever it was called. Tasted really strong, but it wasn't bitter.

If you want really good tasting coffee, though, it'll cost more than average.

I make mine double strong, then add 2 tblspoons of sugar and 2 tblspoons of creamer. So I am prob not really tasting the coffee.. hehe

[forrestcupp]

You could try out Kopi Luwak. It's pretty good stuff.

[kaldor]

I make mine double strong, then add 2 tblspoons of sugar and 2 tblspoons of creamer. So I am prob not really tasting the coffee.. hehe

Hah, I always drink black coffee. Something about sugar + cream that takes away the taste for me.



So... You like Bustelo, too?

Never heard of it until now :)

[mamamia88]

Hah, I always drink black coffee. Something about sugar + cream that takes away the taste for me.




Never heard of it until now :)

same i drink mine straight black

[Ric_NYC]

never heard of it until now :)

:)

[josephpmh]

I prefer good scotch

Too much is just enough -Mark Twain on whiskey.

[Ric_NYC]

Mixing hot milk with the coffee makes it taste much better.

[josephpmh]

I've just been getting into the world of good coffee. I picked up some kona coffee the other day and while it is good it's not 2.5x better than all the other coffees that I have bought from Trader Joes. Any suggestions on good coffee that doesn't break the bank? I am using a french press and my own coffee grinder if that helps

If you really love coffee, the best coffee for the value is Equal Exchange's Mind Body & Soul. If you drink a lot, get it direct from them in 2 x 5 lb bags (whole bean).

[josephpmh]

"A Mathemetician is a device for turning coffee into theorems." Paul Erdos

[drawkcab]

I like Guatemalan coffee for some reason. Central Organics (if your supermarket carries that brand) has a pretty good Guatemalan. Target too.

For really, really good coffee check around to see what local roasters are offering. Surprisingly, the best coffee I've ever had was roasted up in a little shop in College Station Texas.

[Foxcow]

This is what I drink almost exclusively. Its fair trade, $9 per bag, and the best I've ever had.

http://www.singingrooster.org/

[solitaire]

Although i'm no coffee aficionado I like some of the Lava Coffee blends.

Though as you're in the US give these guys a try! (Heard good things about them!)
http://8thsincoffee.com/

[mkendall]

good coffee

No such thing.

[Ric_NYC]

No such thing.


Caffeine

Your daily intake of coffee or tea contributes to Alzheimer's prevention, according to an analysis published in "The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease" in 2010. Caffeine intake can improve cognitive decline and may even prevent dementia or Alzheimer's, but more studies are needed. In fact, drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day may decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by nearly 65 percent. For individuals at high risk for developing Alzheimer's, such as the children of those with the disease, this evidence is very encouraging.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/378668-food-vitamins-and-alzheimers-prevention/#ixzz1UZNq2wZu

[KiwiNZ]

This is my set up. it is awesome. After my son showed me how to use,( he is a part-time Barista/ student) it makes awesome Coffee. I buy my bean from a local boutique supplier usually enough for a couple of days, I like them fresh.

[Ric_NYC]

The Bialetti makes good espresso coffee:

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/8577/209bialettime.gif (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/819/209bialettime.gif/)

[wewantutopia]

Can't afford the shade grown, organic, fair trade, rainforest alliance certified, etc. coffee that I used to buy right now.

Folgers French Roast is a pretty good tasting, cost effective alternative.

Oh yeah, I drink it black and strong (just like I like my beer) too.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

You could try out Kopi Luwak. It's pretty good stuff.

I knew somebody was gonna suggest that!:biggrin:
Not exactly cheap, though. And then there's the ewww factor for some...

Anyway, OP, if you want to try something new, and really cheap, try garbanzo coffee. I prepared some myself, roasting chick peas in the oven. It tastes surprisingly good, although doesn't have the aroma of real coffee...

[cloyd]

I like Eight O'Clock Bean. Also, Community is good and readily available if you live a little farther south in the US than I do. Good dark roasts are available in most Wal-mart stores in their Sam's Choice coffees. In the Sams, the Sumatra is the best. I prefer whole bean coffee unless I'm brewing in a French press . . . my grinder leaves me with too much mud in the bottom of the cup on the French press. And, if you like good coffee that is not bitter, I highly recommend a French press. Makes good coffee, but is very reasonably priced.

If you like a very mild (but not weak) tasting coffee, try Gevalia. You have to order it on a subscription basis, but it is good.

I could not survive without my coffee. Folger's is anathema and an abomination. Dark Roast Sumatra is the best of all coffees . . . (and that is an opinion. We all have opinions.)

[PCaddicted]

Coffee damages health. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure and causes some addiction. Never drunk it, never will.
Coffee, alcohol and tobacco are the trio that wreck your health.

[forrestcupp]

I knew somebody was gonna suggest that!:biggrin:
Not exactly cheap, though. And then there's the ewww factor for some...Somebody had to do it. :)


Anyway, OP, if you want to try something new, and really cheap, try garbanzo coffee. I prepared some myself, roasting chick peas in the oven. It tastes surprisingly good, although doesn't have the aroma of real coffee...
That doesn't sound good at all.

[Cope57]

Though it has not been mentioned here yet, have you tried a better tasting water to make your coffee?

Try different filtered water, you will notice a difference even with the current coffee you use. Brita and PUR are the first ones that come to mind, however they do not remove the fluoride in the water. Fluoride, chlorine and other contaminants are not good to consume, but that is another topic.

Change your water, and your coffee can only get better.

[forrestcupp]

Fluoride, chlorine and other contaminants are not good to consume, but that is another topic.

The dentist might disagree with you about fluoride.

[Cope57]

The dentist might disagree with you about fluoride.

According to the toothpaste container, swallowing more than a pea size, you should immediately call poison control. Fluoride, it is that poisonous. Chlorine is a great disinfectant, but you should not consume it, or wash your skin with it.

You should look up the history of fluoride, and what its purpose was intentionally used for. The key ingredient in making the atomic bomb was fluoride, go do some research before posting media hyperbole about what is good for you.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

Somebody had to do it. :)


That doesn't sound good at all.

Try it. You'll be surprised.
It's a coffee substitute, very popular among people that can't take caffeine, and don't like decaf. The aroma is pretty bitter, but it tastes really good.

And, if you want to try it, you just have to put some chick peas in the oven, and roast them at 300*F, until they have a medium tan color. Then let cool and grind. :)

[mamamia88]

Coffee damages health. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure and causes some addiction. Never drunk it, never will.
Coffee, alcohol and tobacco are the trio that wreck your health.

i'll take my chances. you only live once

“I have something to tell you non-smokers that I know for a fact that you don't know, and I feel it's my duty to pass on information at all times. Ready?. . . . Non-smokers die every day . . . Enjoy your evening. See, I know that you entertain this eternal life fantasy because you've chosen not to smoke, but let me be the 1st to POP that bubble and bring you hurling back to reality . . . You're dead too.” -- Bill Hicks

[Inodoro Pereyra]

According to the toothpaste container, swallowing more than a pea size, you should immediately call poison control. Fluoride, it is that poisonous. Chlorine is a great disinfectant, but you should not consume it, or wash your skin with it.

You should look up the history of fluoride, and what its purpose was intentionally used for. The key ingredient in making the atomic bomb was fluoride, go do some research before posting media hyperbole about what is good for you.

You are mistaking chemicals.
Fluoride is an anion of fluorine, and it's present in toothpaste in extremely small amounts. You could ingest a full tube of toothpaste, and not be at risk.
The "key ingredient" in making the atomic bomb was uranium hexafluoride, while the ingredient used in toothpaste is either sodium fluoride or monosodium fluorphosphate. Comparing the 2 is like saying you shouldn't drink water because hydrogen is the main component of the "H" bomb.

Chlorine is not a disinfectant. Chlorine is a poisonous gas. Sodium hypochlorite is the disinfectant, which, while not something you should be drinking at dinner, it's nowhere near as toxic as chlorine, and it's actually being used all around the World as a bactericidal in potable water.

[KiwiNZ]

I agree with the notion of using filtered water in coffee. Not because of fear of the chemicals but for taste. I changed to using filtered water and there was a definite taste improvement.

Also buy good quality beans and do not keep them long. I buy just enough for a couple of days. Keep them in a paper bag and in a dark cupboard.

[KiwiNZ]

Coffee damages health. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure and causes some addiction. Never drunk it, never will.
Coffee, alcohol and tobacco are the trio that wreck your health.

It's called moderation.

Increasing Heart rate and blood flow is a good thing, what do you think happens when you exercise.

I do not smoke
I do not drink Alcohol
I do not eat junk food

I do drink two to three cups of coffee per day.

[cloyd]

1

[cloyd]

"Coffee damages health. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure and causes some addiction. Never drunk it, never will.
Coffee, alcohol and tobacco are the trio that wreck your health."



To paraphrase Mark Twain, you will not live forever, but it will seem like it.

[krapp]

In response to the original post, French Presses are, like most things in the coffee world, great if you get a good one.

If you have $25 to spare, get an AeroPress from Amazon or a similar retailer. It's a wonderful invention. Coffee takes 5 minutes to make including heating water (if in a microwave). Don't take my word for it. I've spoken to plenty of the so-called baristas employed throughout NYC and the AeroPress is popular with them because it's 1) cheap 2) reliable and consistent and can be washed in the dishwasher 3) usable with different grinds 4) produces great tasting, creamy coffee.

Bottom line, however, the key to good coffee is fresh coffee. Forgo Starbucks and anyone else who thinks consumers deserve months old ground burnt beans and start buying from small coffee shops that roast small batches a couple of times a week and grind the beans in front of you (unless you have a fancy $300 grinder, that is). Starbucks even manages to ruin the cups they make on their newly acquired Clover machines!

Also, stay away from the espresso scene unless you're willing to pay $300+ for a machine.

P.S. I love great coffee, but most days are instant coffee days which is miles ahead of most drip coffee and drip coffee contraptions.

[forrestcupp]

According to the toothpaste container, swallowing more than a pea size, you should immediately call poison control. Fluoride, it is that poisonous. Chlorine is a great disinfectant, but you should not consume it, or wash your skin with it.

You should look up the history of fluoride, and what its purpose was intentionally used for. The key ingredient in making the atomic bomb was fluoride, go do some research before posting media hyperbole about what is good for you.

It's the job of the city water department to regularly test the water and make sure the fluoride levels are not at toxic levels. There is a small city that is near mine that does not put fluoride in their water. My dentist said that their patients from that town, and from the country on well water have a higher rate of cavities than patients in my town.

But like KiwiNZ, I'll definitely agree about the taste of filtered water. We have a reverse osmosis system in our house, and all the water we drink comes from that. The water in the bathroom that we brush our teeth with still has fluoride in it.

[BeachBuddah]

It just occurs to me, another great blend is Cafe Le Monde - it's coffee and chicory. That may sound strange, but when made into a nice cafe au lait with warm milk it's delicious. It's a fave down in New Orleans with beignets.

[Splintah]

I really like Peet's coffee here in San Francisco. Much more than Starbucks.