Have you ever been standing in front of the coffee aisle at Trader Joe’s, absolutely perplexed by all the different choices? If so, you’re not alone. What of these will go to the trash as soon as you open it, and what will serve you well for those early mornings? No worries, we got you!
We’ve tested 17 products (yeah, it was harsh) and made a list of the 8 best Trader Joe’s coffees. The Trader Joe's Shade Grown Ethiopian Coffee took our Editor’s Choice nomination. These all are made of Arabica beans that are of sweeter, softer taste, with tones of sugar, fruit, and berries than strong, harsh Robusta with a grain-like overtone. They have a sturdy package design with a good, tight seal to keep your beans fresh and not stale.
Other features: caffeinated, medium-bodied floral aroma
Trader Joe’s shade-grown Ethiopian coffee may not be the best coffee recommended by baristas, but it is pretty close. For people who like light roasts and floral hints, this could be the cup of coffee you treat yourself to when you need a pick-me-up.
To be sure, this coffee has a sophisticated flavor profile that makes it a bit too rich for when you simply want a big shot of caffeine. It’s better suited for those who pause and enjoy certain moments in life, preferably in a posh place because this coffee is expensive! To be fair (and this coffee is fair trade), this coffee comes from one of the most acclaimed places for coffee and is shade-grown, which means 100% organic.
Other features: caffeinated, medium-bodied, sweet caramel notes and floral overtones
If average was a coffee, this would be it. Trader Joe’s organic fair trade Breakfast Blend is exactly what you expect your morning coffee at home to taste like, except with a bit more complexity in flavor and a surprisingly mellow aftertaste.
Being exactly average, the Breakfast Blend should be perfect for the average person. It is a medium roast, but it does have a more throaty flavor with genuine caramel and fruity undertones. For those who like a pot of instantly good coffee, this makes a great option for pour-over coffee at any time of the day or night.
Other features: 1-pack
The Trader Joe’s Colombia Supremo is one of Trader Joe’s most preferred coffee selection. It goes way back, but its packaging got a makeover recently. The label on the packaging is super-attractive as it is brightly colored and adorned with tropical flowers, toucans, and tree frogs.
The Colombia Supremo is a medium roast, thus can appeal to virtually all kinds of coffee drinkers. Compared to many other Colombian beans, Colombia Supremo’s beans are larger and more flavorful. You will enjoy its cocoa background flavor and smokiness. Moreover, the coffee is a bit on the light side of the medium roast spectrum. This means it is a tasty black but you may want to brew it a little stronger if you want it to be dark enough for using with plenty of creamer.
What’s more, Colombia Supremo is competitively priced and offers excellent value for money for the amount you get. If you love to make your coffee in different ways or you make coffee for several people with different tastes, the Colombia Supremo is your prime choice because of its versatility.
Other features: caffeinated, USDA organic
This coffee couldn’t be more appropriately named. Trader Joe’s Wake Up blend hits like a wet slap on the face, the kind that drives out sleep with the first three sips. Luckily, it is also very smooth and flavorful, not like the liquid abomination served in styrofoam cups in every auto dealership ever.
If you enjoy good coffee and have friends who enjoy good coffee, you can enjoy the Wake Up blend together. Alternatively, you can have this in your office to keep everyone alert, even though we may not guarantee the “friendly part.”
Other features: exceptionally smooth
The Joe Medium is a true medium roast, with no hints or charring or overly bitter aftertaste. The only word for the Joe Medium coffee is “decent.”
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys instant coffee, this is a treat. If you are accustomed to grinding your own Rwandan Isimbi or Kenyan AA, you will find it dark and uncharacteristic. For us average folks who take pleasure in simple, affordable coffee, it is just right.
Other features: caffeinated, rich, and flavorful
Joe’s Dark coffee blend is a generic coffee blend roasted and blended by Trader Joe. It is one of the bottom-barrel choices, but that’s what makes it affordable and popular. This coffee is a hit with some people, but many of our colleagues thought it was appalling. That could be due to the after-effects of drinking so much good coffee previously.
Anybody who enjoys dark coffee and thinks that subtle flavors are for sissies will feel right at home with this coffee. It is especially generous with its dark tones, but it is exactly the kind of coffee broke students and cheap employers stock up on by the canister. For those who prefer a bold, earthy coffee, this is likely the best Trader Joe’s coffee for French press.
Other features: caramel-like aroma, Kosher certified
We normally wouldn’t give an “Instant Cold Brew” coffee the time of day on an illustrious list like this one, but the Trader Joe’s Instant cold brew coffee is bold enough that we did. For one, why would an instant coffee claim the rights to the term “cold-brew”?
This coffee is not special by any stretch of the imagination. It is meant for those mornings when you simply cannot summon the patience or energy to make something better. As far as instant coffee goes, however, it tastes just fine.
Other features: USDA Organic, full-bodied
Trader Joe’s has a good number of premium, small lot coffees for the really discerning coffee lover. Big names like Rwandan Isimbi aren’t even on generic lists like this one, the Cafe Pajaro is right up there with these speciality coffees.
For those days when you just want something extra, this is your coffee. Frab this Cafe Pajaro from Trader Joe’s. That goes for everyone, not just dark coffee lovers.
In many cases, Trader Joe’s is the place you go to when you don’t want to have to deal with a dozen possible choices. Coffee is not one of these things, so you really have to know what you are looking for before you go shopping.
Why go to Trader Joe’s for coffee in the first place? While the chain has its share of good and bad coffee, most of it is actually very good. It has some of the most acclaimed small-lot coffees around, but these tend to come and go. However, Trader Joe’s has a robust department that makes in-house brands, including coffee.
Many of these coffee blends are actually really good, besides being affordable. If you don’t buy your coffee from Trader Joe’s for the quality, do it for the experience.
Buying your coffee from Trader Joe’s is very similar to buying from any other place. You want to make sure you get the right roast, type of beans, blend, etc.
You could have whole beans coffee like the most products on our list, pre-ground coffee, instant coffee, coffee concentrate, among others. Trader Joe’s has a wide variety of all these, so knowing what you want will help to narrow the pool significantly.
We recommend that you get whole-bean coffee whenever you can. That way, you can preserve its freshness and flavor for much longer. The best coffees at Trader Joe’s like Shade Grown Ethiopian Coffee, Trader Joe’s Dark Coffee and many more are available as whole beans that you can grind at home.
The type of roast really comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Again, the taste profile you choose is down to personal preference. You can have coffee with bright floral accents, coffee with warm nutty flavors, all the way to straight classic coffee. Our only recommendation here is: be adventurous and don’t be afraid to try new Trader Joe’s coffee blends.
For many people, the type of coffee you can actually buy is limited by the type of brewing you can do. For those with drip machines, this expands your options significantly. Other options include French Press coffee, cold brew bottles, pour-over stand, among others.
For the sake of your health, always insist on organic coffee. This is coffee that is grown with no synthetic chemicals and fertilizers, which means the farmers have to adopt natural means of pest control and fertilization.
Ethiopian Shade-Grown Coffee is one of the best examples of this, but plenty of other premium coffee is certified organic as well.
Some regions are well known for the high quality of their coffee. Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica, Colombia, and countries in the Arabian Peninsula are well respected in this regard.
In addition to organic certification, it is important for many coffee aficionados to only purchase Fair Trade coffee. This means that is has been produced and sourced responsibly, and that all workers and farmers along the value are adequately compensated and protected.
Fair-Trade certified coffee should be traceable all the way to the source, even though many Trader Joe’s blends are opaque on details.
You can go for decaffeinated coffee if that’s your thing, and Trader Joe’s has a very good selection of this. For conventional coffee, though, caffeine quantity will vary.
Trader Joe’s coffee is quite pricey, especially the premium types. Most of the packs will indicate how heavy the weight of coffee beans or ground is, so you can measure by weight and determine how many cups you can get out of the pack.
Trader Joe’s is one of the best places you can reliably buy premium coffee, whether online or in-store. Our own review process took us through tens of different types of coffee, ending up with this fine selection.
Our Editor’s Choice, Trader Joe’s Shade Grown Ethiopian coffee, took the cake for its all-around delicious flavor, smoothness, and quality of beans. Our Best Value Breakfast Blend is only a little lower on the ratings but gives the best pop for your dollar.
The Trader Joe’s Colombia Supremo was a special one in every way, but there are other premium coffee brands you can find as well. Even after all this exhaustive review, our only advice is: be adventurous and try new things. You will be surprised at the quality of coffee to be found at Trader Joe’s.
