It’s hard to pinpoint the best places to buy coffee online, but if we have to choose, we will only do so with the companies we bought from with our own money.
Why buy coffee online?
Ever wondered why your homemade coffee doesn’t smell or taste as good as coffee in specialty coffee shops?
Just up until three years ago, I had always yearned for a cup of coffee outside of home because the intoxicating fragrance in the shop enticed me and the coffee always tasted better. I could smell the strong aroma and taste the distinct flavors of the coffee. That changed when I discovered the difference between “roasted” date and “best by” date on the package of the coffee I bought.
During my three-month stay in Sunnyside New York in the summer of 2014, I came across Baruir’s Coffee, a shop that sells freshly roasted coffee beans. I bought a half-pound bag and began brewing coffee using the Moka pot provided by my Airbnb host.
I had a great awakening!
The smell of the freshly ground coffee and daily cup of espresso or French press with Baruir’s Coffee was far more superior than the glossy packaged coffee I used to buy from grocery stores. I had the habit of adding sweet creamers to my coffee. Not anymore! It was easy to wean myself from the need to add artificial flavored hazelnut and “Irish cream” creamers.
Did you know that the freshness of coffee is not determined by the “best by” date? Most of the well-designed packaged coffee in the supermarkets or grocery stores have a long shelf life, some as long as one year after roasting! Usually, it is hard to tell how long the packaged coffee has been in the supermarkets.
Therefore, the only way to get the freshest is to buy directly from a coffee roasting company. If you live near one, you’re in luck. I’m one subway ride away from one of the La Colombe coffee shops in NYC and I’ll pick up a bag occasionally. What if you can’t find one in your town? Where would you go to get the best coffee beans you deserve?
Buy your coffee online! It can be from the United States and Canada. You can even order from London, Lima, Quito, Kuala Lumpur or Tokyo if you want to. Chances are those from roasters in London or Lima are fresher than the supermarket shelves.
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co.
Anodyne Coffee Roasting Company is a small batch roasting company based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You can pick up your supply of coffee from the cafes or shop online. When you buy from Anodyne you don’t have to sign up for a monthly membership. Just select the coffee you like, add it to cart and pay with your credit card.
Choose from the single origin, blend or decaf. Their selections come from many parts of the world, namely Costa Rica, Colombia, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Mexico. I like Ethiopian coffee and recently bought the Ethiopia Sidami Ardi whole bean coffee for $19.45 per pound. Do take note that some coffee roasting companies sell coffee in 12 oz instead of one pound (16 oz) packages.
There is a flat rate of $5 for shipping.
Piping Rock
While doing my research on Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee, I came across Piping Rock, an online store selling vitamins, essential oils and coffee. I got on a live chat with them and soon had my credit card ready to purchase the Arturo Rudolfo Ethiopian Yirgacheffe medium roast coffee. The price surprised me most and made me a little skeptical at first – $8.88 per 16 oz bag, a July 4th special deal!
Anyhow, I paid $8.88 and $3.95 for shipping (flat rate) and received the coffee in 2 days since I live within a 3-hour drive from Piping Rock’s office. The thing is, Piping Rock’s coffee does not have the “roasted” date, though there was a lot # on my bag of coffee.
I’ve been drinking Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee for the last six months, and if I had to rate Piping Rocks from 1 to 10, it would be an 8. So, go check it out! They have a refer and earn program that you can sign up for (I did and the link is here).
La Colombe Coffee Roasters
There are eight La Colombe cafes in New York City and once in a while I head over to pick up a bag of coffee from their SoHo location. But to send La Colombe coffee beans as gift to a friend in California, I bought it online. You have to pay for shipping if your order is below $30. It’s $3 for US Standard (5 to 7 business days) and US Express is $10 (2-3 business days).
La Colombe‘s creative packaging design makes it a very presentable gift for friends and family during special occasions.
Lavanta Coffee Roasters
Lavanta Coffee Roasters, Inc has been in the specialty coffee business since 1975. They offer custom selected and custom roasted coffee from over 40 different origins. Coffee is roasted upon order and shipped within 24 hours of roasting. There is no minimum purchase to deal with and shipping is always free throughout mainland U.S. It usually takes around two business days to receive the coffee.
I highly recommend Lavanta. Give it a try especially their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Mocha Java. You have a choice of light, medium, dark and espresso roasts when you place your online orders. It’s only $13.25 per pound!
Driftaway Coffee
Driftaway Coffee is one of the many monthly coffee subscriptions companies in the U.S. I’m not a fan of monthly subscriptions but sometimes Driftaway Coffee offers past customers and email subscribers a one time purchase. They had the 11 oz bag of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee known as Ethiopia Celinga Foge (ETC). I bought it back in December 2016 for $16 including shipping. I had many cups of Ethiopian coffee and Driftaway’s ETC was one of the most superior of the lot.
This is what Driftaway wrote about ETC:
Yirgacheffe is one of Ethiopia’s four main coffee-growing regions. The region’s iron-rich soil and high elevations make it one of the best-known coffee regions in the world. Yirgacheffe coffees are known for their: brightly acidity, clean profiles, floral notes and complex aromas.
Be on their mailing list and they will notify you when they are selling coffee by the bag. Or get hassle free monthly subscriptions.
Bean Box
Our options are unlimited when it comes to trying out coffee, but when Bean Box offered free shipping for any purchase, I didn’t even think twice about hitting the buy now button. With a MasterCard in hand, I ordered a pack of 12 oz Middle Fork Ethiopia Sidamo whole bean coffee.
The description by Bean Box was truly enticing with phrases like “classic earl grey character” and “a hint of bergamot” ― I was sold immediately. Shipping for a 12 oz. bag of coffee usually costs $2.99, but I had a promo code for shipping and paid a grand total of $12.00 for the coffee. It pays to be on their mailing list.
Amazon.com
Another place to buy coffee online is Amazon.com. Coffee roasting companies like Bean Box offer their coffee on Amazon too. For example, you can get their Bean Box Gourmet Coffee and Biscotti Gift Box for just $36 (shipping is free with Amazon Prime).
Stone Street Coffee Company’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe 1 pound (16 oz) coffee from Amazon.com is just $14.24. Stone Street is a coffee roaster in Brooklyn.
Note: CoffeeSphere.com is not compensated from all the coffee roasting companies listed above except the referral program by Piping Rock (if you buy through that link we shared). However, we are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for blogs like CoffeeSphere.com to earn a small fee when you buy through our Amazon.com link. Thanks to you if you do. It will encourage us to work harder and provide useful free content for you.
