While most people associate pumpkin spice coffee with Starbucks, you don’t always need to go to their coffee shops to get the beverage. Instead, you can buy the flavored beans and brew the beverage in the comfort of your home. That said, pumpkin spice coffee varies from pack to pack.
When shopping for the best pumpkin spice coffee, make sure you pick the organic one. It’s usually more expensive than the non-organic alternative, but it’s healthier as there are no chemicals involved. Also don’t forget to opt for the Arabica beans, as they tend to convey the better aroma and taste. The list below consists of the 7 packs we view as the crème of the crop with the Lifeboost Pumpkin Spice Coffee as our Editor’s Choice.
Other features: low acid, shade-grown, non-GMO, Fair Trade, single-origin
The Lifeboost Coffee is one of the best pumpkin spice coffee packs in the market. It comes either as whole bean or ground coffee, depending on whether you have a grinder at home or not. Also, this low-acid, single-origin option is only available as medium roast coffee and thus is excellent for boosting your metabolism.
A couple of features differentiate this pack from other options, including the single-origin, fair trade, and non-GMO sourcing. Additionally, being available in both whole bean and ground configurations means it serves a broader range of preferences.
Other features: USDA organic, Fair Trade
If you want pumpkin spice coffee with more body, then the DEATH WISH COFFEE Organic Pumpkin Chai Coffee is an ideal pick. It’s dark roasted and packaged in 12 oz bags, just like the editor’s choice. Also, it’s both USDA organic and Fair Trade certified, and that should give you an idea of the sourcing practices.
The differentiating factors for this coffee are that it’s Fair Trade sourced, the beans are organic, and it’s dark roasted in addition to the pumpkin spice flavoring.
Other features: 100% Arabica, compatible with Keurig 2.0
If you have a K-cup coffee maker, one of the options you should consider is the Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Spice Coffee. It’s compatible with most Keurig coffee brewers, including the 2.0. Also, it consists of 100% arabica coffee and comes in a pack of 24. As for the roast, it’s medium-roasted.
This option differentiates itself by being compatible with K-cup coffee brewers, therefore guaranteeing a less messy brewing experience. Also, the grinds are kept fresher for longer, thanks to the seals in the K-cups.
Other features: 100% arabica, artisan roasted, vegan and keto-friendly, dairy-free
Another 12 oz pack to make it to this list is the Bones Coffee Jacked ‘O’ Lantern Pumpkin Spice. This pick is dairy-free in addition to being both vegan and keto-friendly. Also, if you prefer to keep it fresher for longer, you can get it as whole beans. Alternatively, if you don’t have a grinder, a pre-ground variation is also available.
If you’re a coffee enthusiast who prefers artisan roasted coffee, this is the option for you. Additionally, it’s excellent if you’re vegan or on the keto diet.
Other features: 100% arabica, naturally flavored
Another Keurig machine compatible pack is the Community Coffee Spiced Pumpkin Pecan Pie Coffee Pods. This option comes with 80 pods, each with 0.38 oz of coffee, and thus should last you longer than the Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin Spice Coffee. That said, it also uses Arabica coffee and is medium-roasted, so they have that in common with its predecessor on the list.
This pick is excellent if you have a K-cup compatible machine and want your purchase to last longer or you have a bigger household.
Other features: 100% Arabica, Kosher certified
The Volcanica Coffee Pumpkin Spice Flavored Coffee is the only kosher-certified pick listed. It’s less expensive while packing more coffee in the bag. As such, the value for money is excellent. Lastly, it’s similar to a few other pumpkin spice coffee pack options listed, given that it consists solely of arabica coffee.
If you’re a jew, this is the pumpkin spice coffee pack for you since it’s kosher certified. You can also stock this in your house to cater to your Jewish friends or family members.
Other features: 100% arabica beans
Given that the history of pumpkin spice coffee intertwines with Starbucks, it makes sense that Starbucks also sells the coffee for home use. The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Limited Edition is a 35 oz pack consisting of 100% arabica beans. This pack is also lightly roasted, so users will experience more than just the pumpkin spice flavors.
Users who prefer the brighter flavors of light roast coffee will be satisfied with the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Limited Edition.
Finding a great pack of pumpkin spice coffee isn’t as easy as you might think. There are multiple lackluster options that will have you regretting your purchase as soon as you taste the first cup. Thankfully you can learn how to shop for and pick these coffees with this buying guide.
If you’re going to pick the best pumpkin spice coffee, you will have to consider the variables below.
Notably, not all pumping spice coffee packs are the same as you’ve seen from the list above. The beans or grounds inside may differ in terms of the species, how they’re processed, and multiple other factors which can lead to variations in taste and experience.
For instance, you’re more likely to encounter either robusta or Arabica coffee in terms of the species. According to the World Trade Center Trusted Source 11.9.1-Coffee quality-Robusta - the species Coffea canephora, popularly known as robusta because of the hardy nature of the plant, was first discovered in the former Belgian Congo in the 1800s. It is also known to be indigenous to the tropical forests around the Lake Victoria crescent in Uganda. www.intracen.org , robusta or “Coffea canephora” represents between 30% and 40% of the world’s coffee production. On the other hand, Arabica makes up most of the difference, although there are a few other species that are not as common.
Depending on the source, Arabica has a sweeter and smoother taste with fruity, sugary, or chocolatey notes. Robusta has a harsher and stronger taste overall, and if you’re aware of this difference as well as your preference between the two, you’ll know which pack to pick.
Also, coffee is packaged either as whole bean, pre-ground or as pods. Whole bean coffee tends to preserve the flavor of the beans better than the other alternatives. However, it needs more equipment to brew and makes the brewing process more complicated.
With pre-ground coffee, you get control over the strength of your coffee, and it’s more convenient. However, it loses flavor and aroma much faster than the rest.
Ultimately each coffee variation has its pros and cons, and evaluating all of them as well as deciding your preferences will help you pick the right pumpkin spice coffee for you.
Another differentiator in coffee is whether it’s organic or non-organic. Organic coffee like the DEATH WISH COFFEE Organic Pumpkin Chai Coffee is generally better because there are minimal chemicals in the production process. As such, it’s healthier than the non-organic alternative. However, it’s often more expensive, and you might have to look at your wallet before deciding on the purchase.
You may also encounter both artificial and authentic flavoring. Authentic flavoring such as in the Community Coffee Spiced Pumpkin Pecan Pie Coffee Pods will typically incorporate natural spices. On the other hand, artificial flavoring may incorporate synthetically processed components made to mimic the pumpkin spice flavors. Both will give you pumpkin spice coffee.
Nevertheless, lab-made flavors tend to have a stronger smell compared to the taste. However, with natural or authentic flavors, you get the best of both worlds without ingesting chemicals. As such, if you can afford it, we advise going for authentic flavoring. However, the raw materials for authentic flavoring are expensive, and this is likely to reflect in the product’s pricing.
The National Coffee Association Trusted Source Coffee Roasts Guide Roasting brings out the aroma and flavor that is locked inside the green coffee beans. Beans are stored green, a state in which they can be kept without loss of quality or taste. www.ncausa.org classifies coffee into four major roast categories. Light roasts, medium roasts, medium-dark roasts, and dark roasts. This affects the strength of the coffee as well, with light roasts having the highest caffeine content. Darker roasts, on the other hand, have the least caffeine.
Additionally, there are flavor changes as well. Light roasts like the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Limited Edition have bright flavors, and you can taste the fruity or chocolatey notes in the brew. Conversely, darker roasts have bold, smoky flavors. They’re also less acidic.
Most coffee drinkers have a preference between these two, and deciding on yours will make it more likely that you’ll get pumpkin spice coffee that you enjoy. There’s also medium roast coffee like the Bones Coffee Jacked ‘O’ Lantern Pumpkin Spice which is the middle point between dark and light roasts.
As we’ve mentioned severally, the pack weight could also determine your enjoyment of the coffee. Large packs are great if you don’t plan on buying the coffee regularly or you have a large family. More miniature packs like the 12 oz Lifeboost Pumpkin Spice Coffee are preferred if you like your coffee fresh or you have a smaller household.
That said, it’s important to note that coffee quality deteriorates with time, even if it’s just sitting there without being used. As such, you don’t want to buy too big a pack.
Lastly, go for pumpkin spice coffee that you can afford as there are various options at different price points, and with enough effort, you should find one in your budget range.
To summarize, the Lifeboost Pumpkin Spice Coffee, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Limited Edition, and DEATH WISH COFFEE Organic Pumpkin Chai Coffee are our favorites. The Lifeboost option is our editor’s choice because of the quality of the beans. It’s a single-origin, non-GMO option that’s grown in the best conditions possible and with no GMO chemicals.
The DEATH WISH COFFEE Organic Pumpkin Chai Coffee is one of the best pumpkin spice coffee options for those who prefer dark roasts. In addition to being Fair Trade sourced, the coffee packed in these bags is also organic.
The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Ground Limited Edition gives buyers a first-hand taste of the flavors in the arabica coffee. The pack size is also impressive for those who want more coffee with their purchase.
