11 Best Whole Coffee Beans Of All Times To Buy Online
There are thousands of choices when it comes to choosing best tasting coffee beans. But if you make the wrong choice your cup of Joe is doomed and your money wasted! The good news is: we tried and tested dozens of coffee bags so you don’t have to. We’re sharing our list of the world’s best coffee beans so you can start drinking better coffee at home.
At A Glance:
- BEST ‘WORLD COFFEE TOUR’ Atlas [$10 OFF]
- RARE PICK: Coffee bros. Gems of Araku
- ORGANIC PICK: Lifeboost Organic Beans [50% OFF]
- MOST SUSTAINABLE: Driftaway subscription [50% OFF]
In this guide, Home Brews Coffee will also show you the 3 simple questions that you should ask yourself when choosing the best beans. It will make choosing easy, and your caffeinated nectar will taste so much better. We’ll also reveal the common ‘choosing beans mistake’ that most enthusiasts make when ordering online. I made this mistake for years.
Top 11 Whole Coffee Beans in the World
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Atlas Coffee Club |
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Coffee Bros Gems of Araku |
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Blue Mountain |
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Driftaway Subscription |
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Hawaiian Kona |
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LifeBoost Medium Roast |
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Kenyan AA Beans |
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Sumatra Mandheling Beans |
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Nepal Coffee Himalayan |
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Central American Geisha Beans |
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Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Beans |
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A list of eleven picks of the best coffee beans in the world that I wholeheartedly recommend:
1. Best Single-Origin World Coffees
Atlas Coffee
- Arabica
- Various origins
- Single origin, micro-lot
- Various flavor notes
- Various aromas
- Various brewing styles
If choosing one bean origin as the world’s best sounds limiting to you, then consider signing up for Atlas Coffee Club’s coffee of the month club. We signed up for their coffee subscription service and we were able to try their sample premium coffees from all over the world. We found it much simpler and more affordable than buying them individually.
Each month, they’ll ship a new coffee from a different growing region right to your door. You can specify your roast preference, but other than that, your coffee selection is in the hands of the experts at Atlas. You can even opt for their recent novelty – cold brew. And they haven’t let us down yet!
Atlas sources exclusively single-origin specialty beans, always traceable to a particular region and sometimes right to a specific farm. You’ll get to enjoy the best quality beans from a diverse set of growing regions – some well-known and some just emerging on the specialty coffee scene.
We particularly liked their Ecuador and Papua New Guinea beans. Using the inverted Aeropress method, brewing their Ecuadorian beans resulted in a cuppa that has notes of cocoa powder and a thick, jammie mouthfeel. Using the same brew method, we found the PNG beans tasty with chocolatey and nutty notes. Overall, we found both coffees tasty and truly freshly roasted.
Home Brews Coffee readers have an opportunity to get $10 off first bag with code HOMEGROUNDS.
2. Araku Coffee
Coffee Bros.
- Arabica
- Araku, India origin
- Single origin, natural anaerobic processing
- Big fruit bowl flavor profile
- Sweet and fruity aroma
- Pour over
This new limited-edition coffee from Coffee Bros. holds the distinction of having one of the highest cupping scores (91!) of any coffee we’ve tried at Home Brews Coffee – certainly the highest-scoring top coffee beans we’ve encountered from India. The name Gems of Araku is well earned, as this is truly a precious jewel of a coffee.
The Gems of Araku Coffee combines Arabica beans from seven small farmers from the region of Araku, India. Achieving this level of quality has been a decades-long process, a result of increasing NGO support and farmers working diligently to improve their crops year after year. The results are outstanding, and we are excited for the future of Araku coffee!
After harvest, the beans undergo natural anaerobic processing, a unique oxygen-free fermentation process. It’s a new method that is growing in popularity for specialty coffee due to the incredible flavor profiles it allows.
This is a vibrantly fruity modern coffee, not one for the old-school traditionalists. We tasted plums, ripe berries, orange marmalade acidity, and a rich caramel sweetness. The aroma was equally sweet and fruity, with hints of milk chocolate. We loved this one brewed with a Chemex to tease out all its subtleties, but those of us who enjoy a fuller-bodied brew raved about it in the French press.
3. Koa Coffee
Kona
- Arabica
- Hawaii, USA origin
- Single origin, medium roast
- Sweet herbs and floral, with overtones of nuts notes
- Mild, smooth with vibrant acidity aroma
- Drip and French press
Kona is the largest Hawaiian island and is the best for growing high-quality coffee. With an excellent micro-climate, the perfect blend of rain and sun, and fertile, volcanic soil, the slopes on the big island just happen to be perfect for growing coffee.
Kona is just a growing region in Hawaii; there are other good coffee beans available from the Hawaiian chain of island.
A high-quality Kona is worth the money as long as you buy the real thing. Avoid Kona blends only 10% of the blend could be true Kona. Always buy Extra Fancy as that is the highest quality. With a medium body, low acidity, and rich, smooth taste, this coffee will be an excellent addition to your auto-drip or pour over routine. Koa coffee offers medium roast beans or dark roast depending on how you’re brewing.
4. Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamaica
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Jamaica origin
- Single origin, medium roast
- Sweet herbs and floral, with overtones of nuts notes
- Mild, smooth with vibrant acidity aroma
- Drip, French Press (black)
Jamaican Blue Mountain is extremely limited in production and about 80% of each year’s crop goes to Japan. These beans are extremely labor-intensive to produce, needing to be handpicked from the mountain slopes. The high elevation, cool temperatures, and volcanic soil helps result in a harvest that takes nearly 10 months, which is much longer than that of other coffee growing regions.
The resulting cup of coffee will be well balanced with a full-body, medium acidity with a mildly sweet taste. Some say blue mountain is the smoothest brew they’ve ever enjoyed. The profile of this coffee will make for an excellent drip coffee, whether pour-over or automatic. Drink it black and enjoy one of the most sought after coffees in the world.
Many brands will mislead you into buying their coffee. Avoid blends and any Jamaican coffee priced less than $20/lb.
5. Most Sustainable Coffees
Driftaway Coffee
- Arabica
- Various origins
- Single origin, various roasts
- Various flavor notes
- Various aromas
- Pour over, French press, cold brew
Driftaway Coffee has revamped their subscription service for 2022, and we are thrilled with the updates. But before I talk about what’s changed, let’s talk about what’s the same. Driftaway still offers exclusively high-quality, single-origin Arabica beans accompanied by colorful info cards. We like that they still maintain close ties with farmers and pay them well above Fairtrade prices. And they are still one of the most sustainable coffee brands on the planet – purchasing carbon offsets, roasting energy-efficiently, and using 100% compostable packaging.
Home Brews Coffee readers who sign up for a Driftaway subscription can get 50% OFF their first box, using the code HG50.
So what’s new? The user experience is better than ever! When you sign up for a Driftaway subscription, you’ll receive five unlabeled sample coffees and exclusive access to a coffee professional to walk you through a guided blind taste test. This establishes your preferences and dictates what you’ll receive in future shipments.
6. Organic Medium Roast Coffee
Lifeboost Coffee
- Arabica
- Nicaragua origin
- Single origin, medium roast
- Rich, full bodied, earthy notes
- Hints of caramel and woody aromas
- French press, Pour over, espresso
If you’re looking for great coffee with all-round smooth taste but are concerned about potential health implications associated with coffee, Lifeboost is a brand worth considering.
The mission and vision behind the company revolves around providing healthy, organic coffee that benefits the farmers, the drinkers and the environment. And it tastes great too! We recently reviewed a few bags ourselves:
They offer a whole range of coffees, but this organic medium roast is where you should start. Our writer, Scott Fisher, says Lifeboost Coffee’s medium roast “really hits the spot when it comes to a classic, rich, full-flavored cup of coffee.”
Lifeboost also has an impressive number of certifications claims (USDA certified organic, mountain shade grown, spring water washed and 3rd party tested for Mycotoxins) and taste great when brewed with most brew styles.
7. Kenyan AA Beans
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Kenya origin
- Single origin, light roast
- Sweet fruit notes, a wine-y acidity, and syrupy body notes
- Fresh and floral aroma
- Pour over, drip machine
Kenya beans are among the finest in the world. The effort that farmers go through cleaning and processing these beans is unmatched.
Perhaps one of the greatest contributors to the quality of Kenyan coffee is the fact that the farmers are rewarded for better coffee. The government runs an auction in which all the coffee in Kenya is sold. Higher quality coffees sell for a higher price, giving farmers an incentive to improve their crop (1).
‘AA’ is the largest-sized bean, followed by ‘AB’. In Kenya, the bigger the better. Always look for ‘AA’. These coffees are characterized by sweet fruit notes, a winey acidity, and a syrupy body. Due to the processing, they are among the cleanest-tasting in the world.
As you’ll see in our guide to Kenyan coffee, they make for excellent drip coffee, pour-over or automatic. I’ve been personally using this almost every morning since 2020 as its medium-full body and bright fruit notes are sure to leave me smiling with each cup.
8. Sumatra Mandheling Beans from Indonesia
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Sumatra, Indonesia origin
- Single origin, dark roast
- Lower acidity with a sweet, smooth body notes
- Earthy, mossy, funky aroma
- Manual brew styles (eg moka pot) and espresso brewing
This coffee is named after the Mandheling people who once farmed the coffee in northern Sumatra. What we like about it is that it is a low-acid coffee with a sweet, smooth body. We also found that this coffee can vary in taste, ranging from dark chocolate and tobacco to earthy and herbaceous.
Coffees from Sumatra as a whole are typically processed with a hybrid method, akin to wet-hulling. This processing method is perhaps the largest factor in the outcome of the coffee.
Sumatra Mandheling beans are one of the great controversies in coffee. Coffee drinkers tend to love it or hate it. What about you?
Due to its full body and minimal acidity this coffee does very well in a french press or pressure style brewing method.
9. Nepal Coffee Himalayan
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Rasuwa District, Nepal origin
- Single origin, medium roast
- Nuts, cranberry, prunes, and orange notes
- Earthy and fruity aroma
- French Press, Espresso, Drip Coffee
The beans come from pristine Himalayan mountains in Rasuwa District, located at an elevation of 13,000 feet.
The coffee has a well-balanced profile, earthy and rich flavor notes, with hints of herbs and spices. Earthy notes are characteristic of Himalayan coffees due to the rich soil and mountainous terrain the coffee grows in. Cranberry notes contribute to a nutty and roasted taste. Finally, citrusy and fruity undertones provide a refreshing element to the cup.
The processing is done using a washed process, where the fruits are placed in water, and the outer pulp is removed. The beans are then dried. The result is a bright cup with balanced flavors-just the way we like it.
10. Central American Geisha Beans
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Costa Rica origin
- Single origin, medium roast
- Natural tea-like body, sparkling flavors like citrus, mango, peach, and jasmine notes
- Floral and lemony aroma
- Pour over and filter
Geisha beans are among the most unique in the world.
What makes the Geisha bean unique? It has a natural tea-like body with a ton of clear, bright, sparkling flavors such as citrus, mango, peach, and jasmine. You may also pick up on some bergamot or vanilla notes. This is a tough coffee to find and few cafes serve it because it is an extremely expensive coffee.
Mellow flavor lies within the Monsooned Malabar beans from India given their name because of how the wind disperses them during the monsoon season. The beans expand with moisture and create a rich finish – so we recommend trying them if you live in a humid environment to get the most out of the experience.
Try brewing these in a french press, Moka pot, or espresso machine of any type.
11. Yirgacheffe Beans from Ethiopia
Volcanica Coffee
- Arabica
- Ethiopia origin
- Single origin, light roast
- Light body, with complex fruit and floral notes
- Earthy, with cinnamon and strawberry aroma
- Drip and pour over
Yirgacheffe is regarded as holy among the global coffee community. Ethiopia itself is the birthplace of coffee and beans from Yirgacheffe are its pride and joy. The best Ethiopian coffee beans are typically wet-processed, producing a light-bodied, almost tea-like coffee, with complex fruit and floral notes. Go into any specialty coffee shop and you are likely to find coffee from this region on the shelf. It’s easy to see why these coffees are known as the gateway to great coffee.
When roasted lightly, these coffees are excellent in an automatic drip or pour-over. They also make for a refreshing iced coffee or cold brew.
Where Do You Buy Your Beans?
The best coffee comes from people who care about coffee. And stop for a moment and ask yourself: who cares about coffee MORE than you do?
Local roasters
The FIRST answer is local roasters. When you buy coffee directly from a (good) local roaster; you’re buying a high end, fresh roasted product from someone who cares. Your first step in buying great coffee is to start exploring any roasters nearby and trying their coffee.
Subscription services
Another great option is a coffee subscription service. Through ‘coffee of the month’ club you can sample some of the nations best local roasters, without having to do hours of research.
To stand out from the crowd, subscriptions services offer interesting options for trying new coffees. Some will surprise you with a different coffee each month, others will offer a virtual coffee tasting. You will become part of a larger coffee experience – from learning where your coffee comes from and how the farmers are treated, to honing your taste preferences by trying different beans.
Online roasters
If you don’t have access to a great local coffee roaster, the next best thing is ordering from an online roaster.
It’s important you choose a company that clearly says they only roast coffee AFTER it’s ordered.
This also saves you time from searching for the best local roaster, if that’s what bothers you.
Where not to buy Coffee Beans
And here comes the biggest mistake when choosing coffee online. There are a few places that you should definitely NOT buy coffee from. Avoid the temptation to buy from:
- The Grocery store (often sell low-quality beans with a long shelf life…the exception here is Whole Foods and other artisan stores)
- Amazon – Yes, thats right. It’s a question of freshness. It is often roasted ahead of time so it could be packaged, shipped and stocked in the warehouse. Just do your research. Even if the Amazon listing says “Fresh Roasted,” it might be 6 months old, as that is fresh in comparison with many of the other store-bought beans. Yikes!
How to Choose Whole Bean Coffee Beans
As we know, there are thousand of options online when trying to choose the best coffee. By asking yourself one of these three simple questions your decision will be much easier.
What Type Of Brewer Are You Using?
This is a simple, yet overlooked fact about choosing the best whole coffee beans. Which coffee brewing method are you going to use? This will influence your choice of beans. You should get familiar with your brewing style of choice, and learn which beans are the best match.
What Flavors and Characteristics are You Seeking?
The second question you should ask is an obvious one: what do you want? Some coffee lovers seek wine-like floraly coffee flavor profiles, while others want a full-bodied, dark chocolate earthy and bold coffee to which they can add milk. Then there’s the option for flavored, organic, decaf, low-acid and, more.
If you wanna know why does coffee taste sour, watch our fun video:
Final Thoughts
I f is no verdict because the ‘best coffee’ is a totally subjective matter! By now you should have some beautiful arabica coffee. It’s time to brew it, and don’t forget to store it properly – use a storage canister and keep it out of direct light.
FAQ’s
The number 1 coffee in the world is Arabica coffee, the bean variety known for its sweet and complex flavors. There are many sub-varieties of Arabica with different flavor profiles that appeal to different palates. Some of the top rated coffee beans in Arabica coffee varieties are Jamaican Blue Mountain, Geisha, and SL-28.
Ethiopia makes the best coffee in the world, which is no surprise given that it is the homeland of Arabica coffee. Thousands of heirloom coffee varietals grow are found there and nowhere else on Earth. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans are especially prized for their complex fruit and floral flavors and bright acidity.
The country with the best coffee bean is Panama. Geisha coffee from Panama scores extremely high in cupping tests, is consistently the most expensive coffee at auction, and is regularly used by winners of the World Brewers Cup. Geisha beans are grown in other countries in the region, but Panamanian Geisha remains the most prized.
References
- Kenya. (n.d.). Retrieved From https://library.sweetmarias.com/coffee-producing-countries/africa/kenya-coffee-overview/
