Skip to content

The best ground coffee

Pre-ground coffee for drip, pour-over, French press and moka pots, scored on flavor, freshness and value per cup.

8
products scored
7.2
average score
29
video reviews
Browse all 8 Our top picksBuying guide

Top rated

The podium.

1
Peet's Coffee Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)
7.5

Peet's Coffee

Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)

Good
2
Café Bustelo Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)
7.5

Café Bustelo

Espresso Style Dark Roast Ground Coffee (10 oz Can)

Good
3
Community Coffee Café Special Medium-Dark Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)
7.4

Community Coffee

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

Good

Ground coffee trades some flavor for convenience. The roaster grinds and packs the beans so you can brew without a grinder, but grinding exposes far more of the coffee to air, and aroma fades faster once the bag is open. The National Coffee Association suggests moving opened ground coffee into an airtight container and using it within one to two weeks.

The best ground coffees are packed soon after roasting in valved or nitrogen-flushed bags, carry a roast or pack date, and say which brewers the grind suits. Grind size matters as much as the beans. Drip machines and pour-over want a medium grind, similar to kosher salt; French press and cold brew want coarse; espresso wants fine, like table salt. A mismatch shows up in the cup: too fine tastes harsh and bitter, too coarse tastes thin and sour. If you brew with a moka pot, look for a grind a little coarser than espresso.

Our Cup score weights flavor 30%, quality and freshness 20%, value 20%, sourcing and transparency 15%, and community love 15%. For ground coffee we look hard at packaging and dating, since they decide how much flavor reaches your cup, and we calculate value per brewed cup.

All ground

Filter, sort, compare.

8 products

Peet's Coffee Big Bang Medium Roast Ground Coffee (1 lb)
Trending Trending

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.

4$0.72 / cup
Lavazza House Blend Perfetto Ground Coffee (12 oz)
Trending Trending

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.

3$0.57 / cup
Starbucks Pike Place Roast Ground Coffee (12 oz)
Trending Trending

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.

3$0.56 / cup

Buying guide

How to choose ground.

  1. 01

    Buy the grind for your brewer

    Look for bags that name a brew method or grind size. Medium suits drip and most pour-over, coarse suits French press and cold brew, and fine suits espresso. Espresso-fine coffee in a French press over-extracts and slips through the mesh.

  2. 02

    Check the date and the packaging

    A roast or pack date tells you more than a best-by date. One-way valves and nitrogen flushing slow staling while the bag is sealed; once you open it, the clock speeds up. Resealable bags or cans make daily storage easier.

  3. 03

    Buy what you'll use in two weeks

    The NCA puts opened ground coffee at about one to two weeks of peak freshness at room temperature in an airtight container. Smaller bags you finish quickly usually taste better than a bulk can that lingers. Keep it away from heat, light and moisture.

  4. 04

    Pick the roast for how you drink it

    Medium roasts are the safest all-rounder for drip. Dark roasts stand up to milk and sugar, while light roasts show more origin character but need hot water and the right grind to avoid tasting sour.

  5. 05

    Compare cost per cup

    Ground coffee comes in everything from 10 oz bags to multi-pound canisters, so divide the price by cups brewed. At 15 g per 8 oz cup, a 12 oz (340 g) bag makes about 22 cups. A cheap giant canister is poor value if the last third goes stale.

  6. 06

    Try the whole-bean version later

    If you find a ground coffee you like, the same roaster's whole beans and a burr grinder will usually taste brighter and more aromatic. Until then, ground coffee with a recent date is a perfectly good way to brew.

Video reviews

Watch before you buy.

All videos

FAQ

Questions, answered.

How long does ground coffee stay fresh after opening?

The National Coffee Association's freshness guide puts opened ground coffee at about one to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container. It won't spoil in that time, but aroma fades steadily. Sealed, valved or nitrogen-flushed bags keep longer, so check the date on the package. Store it away from heat, light and moisture, and don't keep an open bag in the fridge, where it absorbs odors.

Can I use regular ground coffee in a French press or espresso machine?

You can, but results suffer if the grind doesn't match. A standard drip grind is finer than ideal for a French press, so the cup can taste muddy and bitter, and much too coarse for espresso, which then runs fast and sour. Look for bags labeled for your method or ask a roaster to grind for it. Pressurized espresso baskets, common on entry-level machines, are more forgiving with pre-ground coffee.

Should I store ground coffee in the freezer?

Only for longer-term storage, and only in a truly airtight container. The National Coffee Association advises taking out no more than a week's worth at a time, because coffee absorbs moisture and odors from the air around it. For coffee you'll finish within two weeks, an opaque, airtight canister in a cool cupboard is the better choice.

How much ground coffee should I use per cup?

The National Coffee Association's standard for drip is 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per 6 oz of water. By weight, 15–18 g per 8 oz (240 ml) of water is a reliable range for most brewers. Start in the middle and adjust: more coffee if it tastes weak, less if it's too intense. For French press, the NCA allows a wider 1:10 to 1:16 ratio by weight.

Community

Talk ground.

No discussions yet.

Own ground coffee? Ask a question or share your recipe — you’ll be the first.

Read next