10 Best Espresso Beans For Every Roast Level

The best espresso beans are the ones that offer complex tasting notes, freshness, transparent sourcing, value for money, and suit your taste. Because espresso coffee beans vary in origin, roast level, flavor profile, price, and bean type (Arabica or Robusta), there is no single 'best' espresso brand that suits everyone's tastes.

Key factors for choosing the best espresso beans include roast date, cupping score and quality, bean variety details (altitude and processing), shipping time, and fees. Some Italian espresso beans brands are considerably more expensive than others, so comparing prices, knowing about on sale discounts, delivery fees, and best subscription deals on espresso beans is crucial for finding the best value.

With these factors in mind, consider these good quality espresso beans: Blue Bottle's Espresso is USDA certified and known for its smooth flavor. Costco's Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend provides an affordable local option. Colipse Espresso Blend offers freshly roasted specialty espresso beans. There are many other espresso beans which are best for specific circumstances, which we will discuss below. The 10 best espresso beans for every roast level can be found in this buyer's guide.

1. Colipse Espresso Beans
2. Starbucks Espresso Beans
3. Lavazza Espresso Beans
4. Blue Bottle Espresso Beans
5. Costco Espresso Beans
6. Illy Espresso Beans
7. Stumptown Espresso Beans
8. Dutch Bros Espresso Beans
9. La Colombe Espresso Beans
10. Peet's Espresso Beans

1. Colipse Espresso Beans

Description: Colipse Espresso Blend is a medium-dark roast, way better than anything at the grocery store. We use Bourbon, Ethiopian Heirloom, and SL28 beans from Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. These beans are grown, picked, and dried by hand on small farms by families who have been growing coffee for generations. This blend works great in espresso machines, French press, Moka pot, and cold brew. Get it online at Colipse's website.

Taste: Colipse Espresso Blend brings together the best of Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya for a bold, layered experience. Ugandan beans, grown with banana trees at 2,500 meters, are handpicked and washed, adding rich body, earthy cocoa, and sweetness. Ethiopian beans, sun-dried at 2,200 meters, bring berry and floral notes. Kenyan beans, wet-processed after fermentation, add crisp acidity with blackcurrant and citrus flavors. Many small African farmers use traditional methods, organically growing coffee on small plots, often intercropped with food crops for natural shade and soil health.

About Colipse Coffee Brand: Colipse is a team of coffee fanatics obsessed with bringing you the perfect espresso. Colipse was established in 2024 and built on direct relationships with the farmers who make our coffee exceptional. We source only specialty-grade, ethically grown beans—because exceptional coffee starts with respect for the land, the farmers, and the meticulous care they put into every harvest.

Colipse Espresso Beans Availability: You can buy Colipse Espresso Blend coffee exclusively on the Colipse website. Each 12-ounce bag is freshly roasted to order (with free U.S. shipping and no minimum orders) for maximum freshness and flavor and arrives within 5 business days. Our Espresso Blend beans is currently on sale for $20.99.

Colipse Espresso Beans Pros: Specialty-grade medium-dark roast espresso blend is roasted fresh on the day you order. Subscriptions are available with 10% off and include complimentary shipping for added convenience.

Colipse Espresso Beans Cons: Slightly higher price compared to some store-bought espresso beans and limited to online availability.

Recommendation for Colipse Espresso Roast: Colipse Espresso Blend is one of the best espresso beans under $25. It offers a delicious balance of flavor and is easy to use in your home espresso machine. This medium-dark roast creates rich, full-bodied shots without excessive bitterness. The beans have a non-oily surface, so you don't need to worry about clogging your grinder.

2. Starbucks Espresso Beans

Description: Starbucks® Espresso Roast coffee beans are a dark roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Latin America, Africa, and Asia/Pacific. These dark roast espresso beans are readily available at many grocery stores like Walmart, Target, or Kroger.

Taste: Starbucks espresso beans offers a deep, rich flavor profile with prominent notes of molasses and caramelized sugar. The coffee has a full body with a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Its bitterness is balanced by a lingering sweetness, ideal for espresso or milk-based drinks like lattes.

About Starbucks Coffee: Starbucks was founded in 1971 in Seattle's Pike Place Market, originally selling coffee beans, tea, and spices. Over the years, it has grown into a global coffeehouse chain, with Howard Schultz joining in 1982 and introducing the Italian coffeehouse experience to its stores.

Espresso Beans Availability: You can find Starbucks espresso coffee beans at many local supermarkets, like Safeway and Sam's club. You can also buy Starbucks espresso beans online from places like Amazon. Starbucks espresso coffee is available in 40-ounce bags of whole beans or ground coffee, and costs around $18.98, which is about $0.47 per ounce.

Starbucks Espresso Roast Pros: Good and affordable espresso beans under $20 from a well-known brand that work well for different brewing methods.

Starbucks Espresso Roast Cons: Lack of transparency on bean varietals, farms, or processing methods, unknown roasting dates, and inconsistent freshness.

Recommendation for Starbucks Espresso Roast: Starbucks espresso beans are among the best store-bought espresso beans options for home at a competitive price.

3. Lavazza Espresso Beans

Description: Lavazza Espresso is a medium roast made from 100% Arabica beans from Central and South America. These beans are found at many stores like Amazon, Walmart, or Target.

Taste: Lavazza espresso beans have a rich, aromatic flavor with fruity and floral notes. The body is medium, smooth, and balanced, with mild bitterness and subtle sweetness. Lavazza has some of the best Italian espresso beans that work well for traditional espresso, pour overs, and milk-based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes.

About Lavazza Coffee: Lavazza was founded in 1895 in Turin, Italy, originally selling coffee beans. Over the years, it has grown into a globally recognized coffee brand, with Luigi Lavazza pioneering the concept of coffee blending to create unique flavors from beans sourced from different regions.

Espresso Beans Availability: Lavazza espresso beans are available at many supermarkets, including Walmart and Target, and online at Amazon. Lavazza espresso coffee is available in 35.27-ounce bags of whole beans, and costs around $17.99, which is about $0.51 per ounce.

Lavazza Espresso Beans Pros: Lavazza is globally recognized as one of the best espresso brands, offering affordable, versatile options for brewing methods beyond espresso, including French press and cold brew.

Lavazza Espresso Beans Cons: Mass-produced blends often lack important information, like the roasting date, origin, and flavor profile. This means the beans might be stale, and you won't know much about the coffee's nuances compared to those from local roasters.

Recommendation for Lavazza Espresso Roast: Lavazza espresso beans is among the best Italian coffee beans for espresso, lattes, pour over, Americanos, and flat whites.

4. Blue Bottle Espresso Beans

Description: Blue Bottle's 17ft Ceiling Espresso Whole Bean Coffee is a dark roast blend of Ethiopian Arabica and Indian Robusta beans. The Robusta component adds body and structure, making it a crema-rich espresso with minimum acidity.

Taste: Blue Bottle espresso beans offer a bold, robust flavor profile with prominent notes of caramel, almond, dried cherry. The body is full, with a creamy, rich mouthfeel, while the bitterness is mild and complemented by a subtle sweetness from brown sugar.

About Blue Bottle Coffee: Blue Bottle was founded in 2002 in Oakland, California, originally selling single-origin coffee beans. Over the years, it has grown into a globally recognized specialty coffee brand, with James Freeman focusing on sourcing high-quality, organic beans from trusted producers to create exceptional, traceable blends.

Espresso Beans Availability: The best place to buy Blue Bottle espresso beans is directly from their website. This guarantees the freshest beans and the newest edition, as some online platforms may sell older stock. Blue Bottle coffee for espresso are available in 12 oz bags of whole beans, typically priced at $21 USD, and 6 oz half bags for about $13 USD.

Blue Bottle Espresso Beans Pros: Highly regarded organic espresso beans known for their rich, full-bodied flavor with sustainable sourcing from Southeast Asia and East Africa.

Blue Bottle Espresso Beans Cons: Limited details on roast dates, occasional reports of beans arriving stale after long storage periods, and some users find it less suited for achieving ideal espresso shots without proper equipment.

Recommendation for Blue Bottle Espresso Roast: Blue Bottle espresso beans are among the best organic espresso blend coffee beans for those who are environmentally conscious and value sustainable practices.

5. Costco Espresso Beans

Description: Costco's Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend Whole Bean Coffee is a dark roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Latin America. These dark roast espresso beans are on sale through Costco's website, as well as in Costco warehouses.

Taste: Costco espresso beans have a classic "dark roasted" taste offering a bold (bitter) flavor with an intense, smoky character. It has a full, smooth body, typical of a dark roast espresso. The crema may vary based on the espresso machine.

About Costco Coffee: Kirkland Signature Coffee is roasted and packaged by Costco Wholesale, a company founded in 1976 by James Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman. Costco operates over 850 warehouses worldwide, including locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, and Spain.

Costco Espresso Beans Availability: You can find Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend Whole Bean Coffee at Costco stores and online through Costco's website. These popular espresso beans are sold in 2.5-pound bags of whole beans, typically priced around $12.99, which is approximately $5.20 per pound.

Costco Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: Affordable dark roast espresso blend with a rich and intense profile, made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Latin America, and roasted in the USA.

Costco Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: Beans have inconsistent quality, lack a roasting date, and can be over-roasted, making them too harsh and unsuitable for traditional espresso machines.

Recommendation for Costco Espresso Roast: Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend is among the best grocery store espresso beans under $15 per bag, providing budget-conscious espresso drinkers a bold, classic dark roast flavor.

6. Illy Espresso Beans

Description: Illy Espresso Whole Bean Coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans, sourced globally, with a signature Italian roast that delivers a balanced flavor. Illy espresso beans are carried in various roast profiles such as Classico (medium "breakfast" roast) and Intenso (dark "Italian" roast).

Taste: Illy espresso beans provide a smooth, rich flavor with nuanced notes depending on the roast level. The Intenso espresso beans offers a bold, intense profile with deep cocoa notes, while Classico has a balanced taste with hints of caramel and chocolate.

About Illy Coffee: Illy is an iconic Italian coffee brand, founded in Trieste, Italy in 1933 by Francesco Illy. Today, it's a global brand with a strong presence in cafes, supermarkets, and online, but it doesn't publicly disclose the exact number of its locations.

Illy Espresso Beans Availability: Illy espresso beans are available at various retailers, including Whole Foods Market, Aldi, and H-E-B. Sold in 8.8-ounce cans, these beans are priced around $10.99, which translates to approximately $1.25 per ounce.

Illy Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: Illy espresso beans produce excellent crema in well-calibrated espresso machines, vacuum-sealed packaging, sustainable sourcing.

Illy Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: Lack of origin transparency and freshness, and the flavor doesn't live up to the bold and robust description.

Recommendation for Illy Espresso Roast: Illy Espresso Beans are among the best dark roast coffee beans for Italian espresso as they offer an authentic taste experience perfect for many espresso drinks.

7. Stumptown Espresso Beans

Description: Stumptown's Hair Bender Espresso Blend is a medium roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Latin America, East Africa, and Indonesia. These medium roast espresso beans are accessible through various retailers, including Stumptown’s website and grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger, or Safeway.

Taste: Stumptown espresso beans offer a balanced flavor with bright citrus notes, dark chocolate, and caramel undertones. The coffee has a medium body with a complex, harmonious profile, delivering a smooth espresso shot with a creamy texture and consistent crema.

About Stumptown Coffee: Stumptown Coffee Roasters was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1999 by Duane Sorenson. They have cafes in Portland, Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles, known for their high-quality espresso beans and commitment to ethical sourcing.

Stumptown Espresso Beans Availability: You can find Stumptown espresso beans at select grocery stores and online through retailers like Amazon and the Stumptown website. These coffee beans for espresso are typically sold in 12-ounce bags of whole beans, priced around $15.99, which is approximately $1.33 per ounce.

Stumptown Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: Unique and balanced flavor profile, commitment to Direct Trade, long-term relationships with producers, and has several organic options.

Stumptown Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: These espresso beans sometimes lack freshness when purchased from third-party retailers, leading to a dull or stale taste.

Recommendation for Stumptown Espresso Roast: Stumptown espresso beans are among the best non-oily beans to make espresso coffee with complex notes of citrus and dark chocolate.

8. Dutch Bros Espresso Beans

Description: Dutch Bros Private Reserve espresso beans are a medium roast blend made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Central and South America. These espresso beans are available for purchase online through Dutch Bros' website, as well as at Dutch Bros coffee shop locations.

Taste: Dutch Bros espresso beans have a rich, bold flavor with smooth chocolatey undertones and a hint of caramel sweetness. The dark roast creates a full-bodied experience with a pleasant balance of intensity and smoothness. The crema varies depending on the espresso machine used.

About Dutch Bros Coffee: Dutch Bros Coffee was founded in 1992 by brothers Dane and Travis Boersma in Grants Pass, Oregon. As of 2024, they have expanded to over 700 locations across 14 states.

Dutch Bros Espresso Beans Availability: You can find Dutch Bros espresso beans online through Dutch Bros' official website. These beans are typically sold in 12oz bags of whole beans, with a price of around $15.95 per bag, which translates to about $21.27 per pound.

Dutch Bros Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: A versatile medium roast espresso blend, reliable coffee, consistency in flavor across batches.

Dutch Bros Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: Roast levels closer to medium-dark rather than medium, fresh batches are not widely available outside of Dutch Bros' own stores and website.

Recommendation for Dutch Bros Espresso Beans: Dutch Bros espresso beans are among the best espresso beans on Amazon for those seeking a bold and consistent quality roast at a reasonable price.

9. La Colombe Espresso Beans

Description: La Colombe's Nizza Espresso Blend is a medium roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These medium roast espresso beans are available online through various retailers, including La Colombe's website and major grocery stores like Whole Foods and Target.

Taste: La Colombe Nizza espresso beans offer a balanced flavor with notes of milk chocolate, toasted hazelnuts, and a hint of honey sweetness. The coffee has a smooth body with a rich, nutty profile, delivering a consistent crema and a well-rounded espresso experience.

About La Colombe Coffee: La Colombe Coffee Roasters was founded in Philadelphia in 1994 by Todd Carmichael and JP Iberti. They now have cafes in numerous cities across the United States, including Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C.

La Colombe Espresso Beans Availability: You can find La Colombe Nizza espresso beans at select grocery stores and online through retailers like Amazon and the La Colombe website. These coffee beans for espresso are typically sold in 12-ounce and 24-ounce bags of whole beans, priced around $14.00 for a 12-ounce bag, which is approximately $1.17 per ounce.

La Colombe Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: Balanced and sweet flavor profile, sustainable sourcing practices, and long-standing relationships with coffee producers.

La Colombe Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: These espresso beans can sometimes vary slightly in flavor consistency across batches.

Recommendation for La Colombe Espresso Roast: La Colombe Nizza espresso beans are among top rated coffee beans for espresso for those who prefer mild acidity and a rich body.

10. Peet's Espresso Beans

Description: Peet's Espresso Forte is a dark roast made from 100% Arabica beans sourced from the Indo-Pacific and the Americas. These dark roast espresso beans are in stock online through various retailers, including Peet’s website and grocery stores like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

Taste: Peet's espresso beans deliver a bold and rich flavor with deep notes of dark chocolate and hazelnut, balanced by a subtle hint of citrus. The coffee has a full body with a velvety mouthfeel, providing a smooth, robust espresso with a thick crema.

About Peet's Coffee: Peet's Coffee was founded in 1966 by Alfred Peet in Berkeley, California. Today, they have over 200 locations and are known for their high-quality, dark-roasted Arabica coffee.

Peet's Espresso Beans Availability: You can find Peet's espresso beans at select grocery stores and online through retailers like Amazon and Peet’s website. These coffee beans for espresso are typically sold in 32-ounce bags of whole beans, priced around $28.99, which is approximately $0.91 per ounce.

Peet's Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Pros: Affordable prices, strong and rich flavor profile, solid availability through a wide range of retailers.

Peet's Whole Bean Espresso Coffee Cons: Inconsistent freshness, especially when purchased through third-party retailers.

Recommendation for Peet's Espresso Roast: Peet's espresso beans are among the best for producing a bold, robust espresso with rich chocolate and hazelnut notes.

What Are Espresso Beans?

Espresso beans are coffee beans roasted darker and ground specifically for espresso machines. Espresso machines force hot water through tightly packed, finely-ground coffee at high pressure. Darker roasts help quickly extract oils and flavors, making a concentrated shot in 30 seconds. Darker roasts are less dense and more soluble, which is important for espresso. Any bean can be used, but the best espresso beans usually means a darker roast.

Espresso beans are roasted longer and hotter to enhance caramelization, reduce acidity, and create bold flavors like chocolate, nuts, or caramel. Not all espresso beans are the same. Some mass-produced espresso brands may use very dark roasts, which can sometimes mask certain flavor characteristics. It is also possible to find coffee beans past their 'best by' date on some large online retailers. In contrast, buying small-batch, freshly roasted espresso beans from specialty brands like Colipse ensures peak freshness, transparency, and direct trade support for coffee farmers.

How to Choose the Best Espresso Beans for Every Roast Level?

To choose the best espresso beans for different roast levels, follow these five steps below.

1. Look for Bean Origin: Single-origin espresso highlights the unique flavors of a specific region. Modern espresso often uses lighter roasts, especially with African or Central American beans, to bring out bright acidity and fruity notes. In contrast, espresso blends offer a deeper, more consistent flavor, particularly with darker roasts. A good espresso blend needs a base for body (often Brazilian or Colombian), an acidic component for brightness (like a Central American or African coffee), and sometimes Robusta for crema and caffeine.
2. Consider Flavor Profile: Espresso beans offer distinct flavors based on their origin. Brazilian beans are nutty and chocolatey, while Colombian beans are sweet with caramel notes. Ethiopian beans can be fruity or citrusy, and Guatemalan beans offer cocoa and citrus flavors. Costa Rican beans are sweet and fruity, while Sumatran beans are earthy and spicy. For bright, fruity espresso, use lightly roasted beans from Panama or Kenya. For a balanced espresso, choose medium roast beans from Colombia or Guatemala. For a bold, rich espresso with low acidity, select dark roast beans from Sumatra or Brazil.
3. Choose Processing Method: Choosing the right processing method helps you fine-tune the espresso's body, acidity, and balance. Different methods, like wet, dry, or honey, change the bean's density, moisture, and oils, impacting the grinding, extraction, and taste of the espresso. For example, dry-processed beans create more crema, wet-processed beans have stronger aromas, and aged coffees have an earthy flavor.
4. Check Freshness: To get the best espresso, use freshly roasted beans and let them rest after roasting: 10-14 days for light roasts, 5-7 days for medium, and 3-5 days for dark. This "degassing" is important because fresh beans release CO2, which messes up water flow and results in a weak shot.
5. Adjust Grinder Settings: The roast level of espresso beans affects grinding. Darker roasts, being more brittle, shatter easily and produce a finer grind with more fines. Lighter roasts, being denser, require more effort to grind and result in coarser particles. So, adjust grinder settings based on the roast level to achieve the desired grind size for optimal extraction.

Colipse's espresso blend features high-altitude Ugandan, Ethiopian, and Kenyan Arabica beans, medium-dark roasted to highlight notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar, and caramel. This unique East African blend, though roasted darker, retains a sparkling acidity with hints of red berries and lemon.

What are the Best Dark Roast Espresso Beans?

The best dark roast espresso beans are the ones that come from South America, Indonesia, or Africa. This is because these regions offer diverse climates and soil conditions that cultivate beans with the rich, bold flavors characteristic of a dark roast, such as chocolate, spice, and dark fruit notes.

What are the Best Medium Roast Espresso Beans?

The best medium roast espresso beans are the ones that come from countries in Latin America such as Colombia, Guatemala, and Brazil. This is because they tend to offer a balanced flavor profile with a good mix of sweetness, acidity, and body, ideal for espresso.

What are the Best Light Roast Espresso Beans?

The best light roast espresso beans are the ones that come from countries in East Africa such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. These high altitude regions are known for producing denser beans with bright acidity, complex flavors, and a delicate body, which are often preferred in light roast espresso.

What are the Best Espresso Grounds?

The best espresso grounds are freshly roasted, specialty-grade, Arabica grounds that are ground immediately before brewing. The best espresso grounds don't differ greatly from freshly roasted espresso beans. However, coffee grounds have a different surface area to coffee beans and oxidize faster. The best choices are the grounds that are uniform in size, smell fragrant and fresh, are free from clumps, and match your roast preference.

• Freshly roasted: Freshly roasted beans retain more of their complex flavors and aromas, crucial for a flavorful espresso.
• Specialty-grade: This classification guarantees high-quality beans that meet rigorous standards for size, defects, and cup quality.
• Arabica beans: Arabica beans are known for their nuanced flavors, sweetness, and balanced acidity, ideal for espresso.

What Coffee Beans are Not Good for Espresso?

Excessively oily or flavored coffee beans are generally not ideal for espresso because they can make it difficult to achieve a balanced and flavorful shot.

Excessively oily coffee beans: Oily coffee beans grind unevenly, clog espresso machines, and hinder proper extraction.

Flavored coffee beans: Flavored coffee beans hinder clean espresso flavor and can leave residue in espresso machines.

What are the Prices for Espresso Coffee Beans?

At Colipse, a 12 oz bag of espresso coffee beans costs between $20.99 and $21.50. Prices for single-origin espresso beans vary based on origin and rarity. All orders include free shipping.

Where to Buy Espresso Coffee Beans?

You can buy a wide range of freshly roasted espresso coffee beans right here at Colipse. We offer specialty grade, Arabica beans in medium to dark roasts, with a great selection of grind sizes available online. Visit our website to browse our selection and place your order.

What are the Best Decaf Espresso Beans?

The best decaf espresso beans depend on your preference for flavor profile, the decaffeination method used, and whether the beans are roasted for espresso. Decaf espresso beans are type of coffee beans that have had at least 97% of their caffeine removed. None of the decaf espresso beans are completely caffeine-free.

The different methods of decaffeination include Swiss Water® Process, chemical solvent methods (European method), carbon dioxide extraction, and triglyceride process. While all decaf espresso beans remove most of the caffeine, some decaffeination processes retain the rich flavors and aromas of regular espresso better than others.

For espresso, the Swiss Water® Process or Sugarcane Process are generally preferred as they tend to preserve the delicate flavor compounds and result in a cleaner, more flavorful cup. At Colipse, we offer a wide variety of Swiss Water® Processed decaf espresso beans, freshly roasted to order.