Is it better to buy whole coffee beans and grind them, or buy ready ground?

These two options are, to some extent, a matter of efficiency, time constraints and how much of a coffee lover you are.

A quick search online through the many coffee websites out there will reveal that the majority will advise buying whole beans and grinding them, but further examination will also reveal that many sites are in the business of trying to sell you their coffee.

However, to be fair, even some of these will give you a decent analysis of the pros and cons of the two choices.

Are you a coffee lover?

The consensus seems to be that if you fall into this category, you are likely not only to enjoy the ritual of grinding beans and preparing coffee to your taste, but your consumption of coffee means that there will be no time for beans to go stale.

Once coffee has been ground, it will start to oxidise and lose flavour. Not only that, but pre-ground coffee doesn’t work for 95% of coffee makers.

This argues in favour of buying beans whole.

A fresher bean means improved aroma and taste.

Most coffee enthusiasts will also tell you that coffee from beans you grind yourself tastes much better. This is partly because of the speed with which grounds start to go stale – as little as half an hour after grinding, according to some experts.

If you have ground more than you need, be sure to store the surplus in an airtight container away from light.

Grinding whole beans yourself also means you have more control over the flavour you prefer.

Grind size determines brewing speed. Small grounds extract fast, large ones take longer. So whether you use an espresso machine, percolator, or French press, you can grind for your requirement each time!

So what, if any, are the benefits of buying pre-ground coffee beans?

It is largely a matter of convenience over flavour.

Given that as we have already indicated, coffee starts to go stale from the moment the beans are ground, you could argue that even a freshly-bought pack of ground coffee is already stale.

But there is no doubt that for many, the early-morning cup of “wake-up” coffee when you are rushing to get to work or get on with your day, the time taken to grind and prepare a cup may be too long.

Equally, if you take a lot of sugar and milk in your coffee, you are already obscuring the subtle tastes and flavours that many dedicated coffee lovers appreciate.

How much coffee do you drink a day?

If you want to ensure that your coffee, even pre-ground, is as fresh as possible, you should:

• Buy smaller batches of pre-ground coffee to keep your cup tasting fresh and delicious. Most ground coffee tends to lose a lot of flavour after two weeks.
• Store your grounds properly away from heat, moisture and light.

So there we have it.  For the truly dedicated coffee lover, there is nothing to beat buying whole beans and grinding them yourself to ensure that the result is coffee to make you smile.

Ready to discover your perfect cup? Explore our selection of both whole beans and ground coffee in our Coffee Shop. Whether you’re a lover of the grinding ritual or prefer the convenience of pre-ground, we have something for every taste. Elevate your coffee experience with Christopher Montrose Coffee today!