The Best Coffee Beans In 2023

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

From espressos and lattes to cold brews, coffee is a subject that could divide a nation. Some people love dark roasts, others swear by lightly-roasted beans. For some, sustainable bean cultivation practices and fair trade principles are a priority, while others select their brews based on price. This is precisely why choosing the best coffee beans is such a tall order.

While coffee enthusiasts can disagree about their choice of beans and coffee preparation methods, there's one aspect they all agree on: When it comes to brewing coffee, not all beans are created equal. Aside from the fact that most coffee is made from either Arabica or Robusta beans — each with its own flavor profile — there are several other factors that can influence aroma and taste. The most important being the region where the beans are sourced, as well as their processing and roasting methods (via CoffeeAM).

With so many variables, it's no wonder that many people are confused about their coffee choices. While we realize that coffee is a very subjective topic, we've picked our top choices for the best coffee beans of the year by category, to make your decision process simpler.

Smooth yet robust, the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain is a full-bodied blend that might just make you ditch your local barista. Highly approachable, the medium roast fuses the chocolatey flavors of South and Central American coffees with the bright crispness of East African beans (via Stumptown Coffee). Co-founder of the Coffee Review, Kenneth Davids, describes Holler Mountain as a "strong-gestured" brew with notes of "nut, citrus, fresh-cut fir, and a deep, apricot-like sweetness." Packaged in brown paper bags of yesteryear, the beans are a great option for any brewing method from espresso to French press.

Stumptown's Holler Mountain is produced from Arabica coffee beans sourced from organic-certified farms around the world. In fact, since setting up in 1999, the boutique Portland-based roaster has built an international reputation not just for its incredible coffee but for its direct trade business practices as well (via Seattle Coffee Gear). These are based on three main principles: building fruitful partnerships, paying good prices for quality beans, and developing long-term relationships with producers.

Purchase the Stumptown Coffee Roasters Holler Mountain from Amazon starting at $13.49 for a 12-ounce bag.

While coffee purists might argue that there's nothing better than a classic cup of coffee, others — particularly those with a sweet tooth — swear by flavored java. After all, there's a good reason why coffee chains such as Starbucks stock an array of flavored syrups to add a personal touch to any beverage. True to its name, the Lifeboost French Vanilla Coffee is a creamy medium-roast brew infused with a natural French vanilla essential oil extract. The single-origin coffee is both mold- and chemical-free, and non-GMO. And to ensure the highest possible quality, it's third-party tested for heavy metals, mycotoxins, and over 400 other toxins (via Lifeboost Coffee).

Lifeboost Coffee is a company with a conscience that promotes fair trading practices. In fact, the founder Charles Livingston launched the brand after one of his customers — a small coffee farmer in Nicaragua — sent him some of his beans in 2015. In an interview with Inc., Livingston raved about the richly flavored coffee. Today, Lifeboost buys beans from small farmers around the world who use sustainable farming methods, paying them fair prices for their products. Additionally, Lifeboost Coffee donates a part of its profits to two organizations that are making the world a better place: Rainforest Trust and Project Alianza.

Purchase the Lifeboost French Vanilla Coffee from Amazon starting at $29.95 for a 12-ounce bag.

Positioned at level three on the brand's grading system, Seattle's Best Coffee Portside Blend is a medium-roast brew that's both smooth and affordable. At around $8 for a 12-ounce bag, these beans are guaranteed to kick start your morning and keep you going all day long without breaking the bank. And if the balanced flavor of the Portside Blend doesn't hit the right notes with your taste buds, you can always try Seattle's Best Breakfast Blend — a brew that's crisp, light, and citrusy. Alternatively, opt for Seattle's Best Post Alley, which is bold, strong, and intense (via Coffee Stylish).

Ideal for most methods of coffee preparation, Seattle's Best Coffee Portside Blend is an all-purpose coffee characterized by an aroma of sweet vanilla and a nuanced flavor of chocolate and fruit. And while the flavor of the beans tends to fade if the coffee is mixed with milk, the brew does retain some of its appealing fruity chocolate taste profile (via Coffee Review). 

If you're still unsure whether the Portside Blend is for you, the brew is very similar in taste to Starbucks coffee — in fact, it's manufactured by the coffee chain (via Business Insider). One coffee enthusiast compared the blend to Starbucks' offerings saying that "it's less than half the price and tastes almost exactly like it, if not exactly like it."

Purchase Seattle's Best Coffee Portside Blend from Amazon starting at $11.89 for a 12-ounce bag.

With the tagline, "The World's Strongest Coffee," Death Wish Whole Bean Dark Roast Coffee contains twice the caffeine of the average brew. While this may not be everybody's cup of tea, it does make for a great morning wake-up call. Although the company has not shared the coffee's exact caffeine content, Wirecutter reports that it's somewhere in the vicinity of 650 to 728 milligrams of caffeine per a 12-ounce cup. To put this in perspective, the assorted Starbucks roasts range from 193 milligrams of caffeine per cup to 270.

Made with USDA organic and fair trade certified Arabica and Robusta beans sourced from across the globe, the brew exhibits notes of dark chocolate and black cherry. And thanks to the company's small-batch roasting policy, the beans are lower in acid than many other blended coffees on the market. So does the Death Wish Whole Bean Dark Roast Coffee stand up to the taste test? According to Roasty Coffee, the bold brew tastes "fresh and rich without the excessive bitterness of other high-caffeine alternatives."

Purchase the Death Wish Whole Bean Dark Roast Coffee from Amazon starting at $17.48 for a 16-ounce bag.

While you can use any coffee beans in a French press, it's generally agreed that medium to dark roasts work best with this method of coffee preparation. This is because placing coffee beans in a French press tends to bring out their full flavor and reduce any residual bitterness. The oilier quality of dark roasts also tends to create a wonderful crema, adding to the coffee's final texture (via Coffee Break Lovers).

One coffee that is particularly well suited to the French press preparation method is the Wild Foods Mexican Chiapas Dark Roast Coffee. The single-origin beans are not only rated Premium Grade 1 — the highest coffee rating out there — but are both organic and fair trade so you can feel good about your next caffeine hit. So what about the taste? Exuding a strong chocolate aroma, the mildly acidic coffee is characterized by the flavors of Baker's chocolate with hints of nuts and caramel. To finish, a smooth and creamy after-taste completes each appealing cup (via Try New Coffee).

Purchase the Wild Foods Mexican Chiapas Dark Roast Coffee from Amazon starting at $19.99 for a 12-ounce bag.

At $60 for a one-pound bag, the Kona Gold Trading Medium Dark Whole Bean Coffee sets high expectations. And the award-winning brew might just be worth its steep price tag. Cultivated on a family-owned single-estate farm on the volcanic slopes of Hawaii's Big Island, Kona Gold beans have been rated Extra Fancy by the Hawaii Agricultural Society –- the highest grade of Kona beans available. Better still, the hand-picked beans are sun-roasted and air-dried just as nature intended (via Coffee Maven).

In the flavor department, Kona Gold Trading Medium Dark Whole Bean Coffee is characterized by apple, peach, and strawberry with hints of brown sugar, cloves, melon, and molasses. And the charms of the medium-dark roast — as well as its price — haven't gone unnoticed by coffee enthusiasts. Perhaps one Amazon reviewer sums it up best, saying, "excellent strong coffee smell with a smooth and very succinct taste. A bit expensive for an everyday coffee, but very appropriate for a 'special' pot."

Purchase the Kona Gold Trading Medium Dark Whole Bean Coffee from Amazon starting at $80 for a one-pound bag.