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Buying guide · Updated October 2026

The Best Ground Coffee

Our top-rated ground after weighing flavor or performance, quality, value, sourcing and what the community says.

  1. Best overallCafé Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)
  2. Runner-upPeet's Coffee Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)
  3. #3Community Coffee Café Special Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)
  4. #4Dunkin' Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee (30 oz Canister)

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1Best overallCafé Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)

Café Bustelo

Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)

7.5Good

The yellow-can Latin espresso grind: dark, bold and cheap, built for moka pots, cafecito and milky drinks.

  • Roasty
  • Earthy
  • Very low cost per cup
  • Fine espresso grind works in moka pots, AeroPress and espresso machines
  • Strong, dark flavor that stands up to milk and sugar
  • Origins, bean species and roast date are not disclosed
  • Almost powder-fine grind, far finer than French press brewers expect
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$7.59
Read the full review 4 video reviews$0.40 / cup
2Runner-upPeet's Coffee Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)

Peet's Coffee

Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)

7.5Good

Peet's best-selling medium roast: brighter and fruitier than most grocery blends, with a chocolate-graham finish.

  • Milk Chocolate
  • Graham Cracker
  • Livelier, fruit-toned medium roast with chocolate sweetness
  • Roast and brightness levels published on the product page
  • Sold direct as whole bean or ground for drip, press pot or espresso
  • Costs more per cup than most supermarket medium roasts
  • Some drinkers find it too light, others too roasty
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$21.95
Read the full review 4 video reviews$0.72 / cup
3Community Coffee Café Special Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)

Community Coffee

Café Special Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)

7.4Good

Louisiana's family-roasted medium-dark blend: full-bodied, low-acid and nutty, with caramel and cocoa notes.

  • Caramel
  • Cocoa Powder
  • Smooth medium-dark roast with low acidity
  • 100% Arabica from a family-owned roaster
  • Sold direct and in bulk 20 to 40 oz bags
  • No origin details or roast date on the bag
  • Full body and medium-dark roast may be too heavy for light-roast fans
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$9.99
Read the full review 4 video reviews$0.44 / cup
4Dunkin' Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee (30 oz Canister)

Dunkin'

Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee (30 oz Canister)

7.3Good

The donut-shop medium roast in a big canister: smooth, mild and easy to drink, at well under 50 cents a cup.

  • Toast
  • Cereal
  • Almond
  • Caramel
  • Smooth, low-bitterness medium roast that most people like
  • 100% Arabica at a supermarket price
  • Large 30 oz canister keeps the cost per cup low
  • Simple flavor that lacks depth compared with specialty coffee
  • No origin details, certifications or roast date
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$24.99
Read the full review 4 video reviews$0.44 / cup
5Lavazza House Blend Perfetto Ground Coffee (12 oz)

Lavazza

House Blend Perfetto Ground Coffee (12 oz)

7.2Good

Lavazza's 100% Arabica drip blend for American coffee makers: smooth, low-bitterness and caramel-sweet at a mid-range price.

  • Caramel
  • Smooth, low-bitterness 100% Arabica cup
  • Caramel sweetness that works black or with milk
  • Made for drip, Chemex and French press
  • Lighter body than some drinkers expect from an Italian brand
  • Only broad origin regions disclosed
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$12.99
Read the full review 3 video reviews$0.57 / cup
6Starbucks Pike Place Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)

Starbucks

Pike Place Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)

6.9Fair

Starbucks' everyday house coffee at home: a smooth, cocoa-toned Latin American blend roasted darker than most 'medium' coffees.

  • Cocoa Powder
  • Caramel
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Smoky
  • Consistent, familiar Starbucks café taste at home
  • 100% Arabica with low acidity
  • Easy to find in 12 oz and 28 oz bags
  • Roasted much darker than most medium roasts, so smoky and bitter for some
  • Coffee Review found the cup flat with little nuance
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$12.79
Read the full review 3 video reviews$0.56 / cup
7Chamberlain Coffee Social Dog Organic Medium Roast Blend (Ground, 10 oz)

Chamberlain Coffee

Social Dog Organic Medium Roast Blend (Ground, 10 oz)

6.9Fair

Emma Chamberlain's organic medium roast: smooth and chocolatey, with origins on the label, but priced like specialty coffee.

  • Milk Chocolate
  • Graham Cracker
  • USDA-organic, 100% Arabica blend
  • Origins (Peru, Papua New Guinea) printed on the bag
  • Smooth, low-bitterness medium roast with chocolate notes
  • Expensive per cup for a ground medium roast
  • Only 10 oz per bag
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$20.00
Read the full review 3 video reviews$1.06 / cup
8Best valueFolgers Classic Roast Medium Roast Ground Coffee (25.9 oz Canister)

Folgers

Classic Roast Medium Roast Ground Coffee (25.9 oz Canister)

6.6Fair

America's default diner-style cup: mild, smooth and predictable, at roughly a third of a dollar per cup.

  • Roasty
  • Very low cost per cup
  • Consistent, familiar taste that works in any drip machine
  • Sold everywhere in sizes from 9.6 to 43.5 oz
  • Flat, simple flavor with little sweetness or complexity
  • No disclosure of bean species, origins or roast date
Check price on AmazonBRBuy from the brand$16.69
Read the full review 4 video reviews$0.34 / cup

At a glance

How they compare.

ProductScoreFlavorQualityValueSourcingCommunity
Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)7.57.66.89.24.58.9
Peet's Coffee Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)7.57.98.16.96.47.8
Community Coffee Café Special Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)7.47.57.48.36.07.6
Dunkin' Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee (30 oz Canister)7.37.46.98.45.08.3
Lavazza House Blend Perfetto Ground Coffee (12 oz)7.27.67.47.45.67.6
Starbucks Pike Place Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)6.96.97.17.35.87.3
Chamberlain Coffee Social Dog Organic Medium Roast Blend (Ground, 10 oz)6.97.27.85.47.46.9
Folgers Classic Roast Medium Roast Ground Coffee (25.9 oz Canister)6.66.26.09.34.07.3

Community

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