Supermarket Coffee

Which coffee is best? We sipped through dozens of choices from the grocery store to figure out our favorites.

BEST INSTANT: Maxwell House Instant Coffee
Our tasters described this dark-colored quickie as full, smooth and nutty. “It tastes like coffee!” enthused one surprised cynic; another called its vanilla zing “heavenly.”

BEST DECAF: Dunkin’ Donuts Dunkin’ Decaf
Tasters commented on its “nutty, round” and even “cake-ish” flavor, calling it a “sweetie-pie pick-me-up” and the “perfect sip.”

BEST CLASSIC: Starbucks French Roast
Our panelists would brew this blend anytime of day, claiming it’s a “solid wake-me-up coffee,” perfect for “some midday oomph” or a “delightful nightcap.”

BEST ORGANIC/FAIR-TRADE: Allegro Coffee Company Rwanda Karaba Whole Bean
This earthy blend is a “full, serious coffee—not for wimps,” warned one panelist. The beans, produced by the Koakaka cooperative outside the village of Karaba, would pair irresistibly with any doughnut. (at Whole Foods Markets)

BEST FLAVORED: Community Coffee & Chicory New Orleans Blend
In a fiercely competitive category, the deep Arabica beans and bittersweet chicory of this chirpy NOLA favorite made for a “smooth finish”; one panelist found it “bold, rich and classy.”