My coffee machine is put to work multiple times a day which means it gets through a lot of beans. And while repurchasing beans is hardly a downside of owning one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines, I can find it a bit of a minefield as I try to pick a variety to try out.
To get to the bottom of how to choose the right coffee beans, I asked three expert baristas for their take on the matter, from subscription services to advice for beginners. Here are the things that they swear by, so that we can all brew a better cup in the mornings.
1. Look local
Your new favourite coffee beans could be closer than you think. Searching for local roasters is tip number one of Aidy Wragg, of 47degreescoffee, in Derbyshire.
'If you are new to the coffee game,' says Aidy 'I would certainly look to see if you have a local independent coffee roaster in your area or look online for UK based coffee roasters (if they are winning awards for their coffee from the likes of the Great Taste Awards, that will be a good indication that you will be getting a great quality product). These will offer you a much better coffee experience than shop brought coffee from the main supermarkets!'
Plus, seeking out a local roaster is an excellent weekend activity if it means you can grab a coffee while you're at it.
This map from Batch Coffee of local roasters across the country is a great place to start if you're not sure of your local, though it's not exhaustive – my nearest roastery Bad Hand Coffee doesn't appear, but is a great location on the South Coast.
2. Buy and spend enough to suit your needs
Keeping your beans as fresh as possible is crucial to the process of making coffee at home. That means the regularity of your bean buying needs to match up with how much coffee you're actually drinking. But that all begs the question, how much should the average person be spending on beans?
'It depends on how serious you are about coffee,' says George Warner, Head of Coffee at Jaunty Goat. 'But for beginners I would say to spend between £10 - £12 for a 250 gram bag of coffee.'
George goes onto say 'Something to bear in mind is that the more complex the processing method is, and depending on whether it is a limited edition release, you can expect to pay £4 to £5 more than some medium to dark roasts. For those who are more advanced in specialty coffee, they might spend on average between £12 - £30 per month on coffee beans.'
Aidy Wragg agrees that costs can vary. 'Buying coffee from an independent roaster, will cost you slightly more than getting it from a supermarket, but the difference in taste will be massive!' he says. 'Look to spend from £8.50/ £9 for a 250g bag which will give you around 15 cups of coffee or a 1kg bag which will cost between £25/£30 + and give you around 60 cups of coffee.'
As for how much you should be buying and when, Aidy finishes by saying 'The important thing is to buy enough to suit your needs. Don’t buy a 1kg bag if you are only having 2 or 3 cups a week!'
3. Explore a subscription service
If you can't shop locally or you'd prefer the convenience of beans to your door, then there's a whole world of subscription coffee out there to explore. On subscriptions, George Warner says 'I think they're great for the consumer, as they usually offer the coffee beans at a discounted rate for being a repeat customer.'
He adds 'It also works well because it allows the customer to chop and change which beans they would like to be delivered on a weekly or monthly basis to explore new flavours and roasts. From a business point of view, having consistent customers means they're providing top-quality products and services.'
Aidy Wragg adds 'Coffee subscriptions can be a great way to explore the wonderful world of coffee.'
'Many of them work with well established roasters and will help select coffees to suit your taste. They also offer different delivery options and allow you to pause your subscription if you get a build-up of it.'
Subscriptions are also a great gift idea for other people in your life who love their coffee machines. Here are a few of my favourite subscriptions.
Direct from their London Fields roastery, Café Direct offers a chance to have a discovery pack delivered to your door every month. You can pick up this brand in your local supermarket too.
If you want to follow Aidy's advice and try some award winning coffee, my favourite ever roaster is Lost Sheep Coffee. This Get To The Hopper blend in particular!
Into your iced lattes this year? Head to Pact Coffee's website, where there's a whole section on cold coffee picks.
If you do get through plenty of beans a week, you can also pick up bundles on Amazon, like this one from L'OR for £17.02. For Prime members, that's a quick way to refill the coffee cupboard.
However you like to shop for coffee beans, remember there's a whole world of choice out there and plenty of roasters and baristas ready to help you discover something new!
