Reply #25: There are even better choices out there [View All]

[Major Nikon]

I have no doubt consumer reports did a great job of testing coffees that are distributed either nationally or over a large regional area. Most people who want better quality than Folgers or Maxwell house are going to look to local big box retail outlets, so I don't really fault their methodology. However, the truly best coffees are those which are roasted in small batches and available within days of roasting, instead of weeks or months. For that you have to look to micro roasters that are either local or work via mail order. There's a big difference between coffee that has been roasted a week out vs a coffee that has been roasted a month or more out. The differences become readily apparent when proper coffee preparation methods are used. If the coffee doesn't have a roast date on the bag, you just don't know when it was roasted, and chances are it's going to be a month or more out.