11 Best Cheap Coffee in 2024 (Beans, Brands, Grounds & More)

This is our review of the best cheap coffees in 2024. 

Hi, I’m Tim, and I’m a former barista. I’m always looking for ways to be more frugal with my coffee hobby. This has led me to try many different cheap coffees. 

And my top choice of low-cost coffee is the Amazon Fresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee, Medium Roast. It has a great flavor, consistent quality, and a good roast level. 

That said, coffee is subjective and you might like a different coffee better. For example, you might prefer dark roasts or decaf. 

So, to cover all bases, I compiled a list of the top 11 cheap coffees. 

Keep reading to find the best one for you. 

Top 11 Cheap Coffees

1. Amazon Fresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee – Best Overall
2. Dunkin’ Original Blend Ground Coffee – Runner Up
3. Kicking Horse Coffee – Best Medium Roast
4. McCafe Ground Coffee – Best Decaf
5. Maxwell House The Original Roast – Best Supermarket Grounds
6. Cold Brew Organic Coffee, Dark Roast – Best for Cold Brew
7. Eight O’Clock Coffee Whole Bean – Best Espresso 
8. Lavazza Perfetto Ground Coffee Blend – Best Dark Roast
9. Maxwell House Instant Coffee – Best Instant Coffee
10. Illy Ready to Drink Coffee Cold Brew – Best Ready-to-Drink Coffee
11. Cappio Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate – Best Concentrate

11 Best Cheap Coffees in 2024

Here are longer reviews of the best cheap coffees,

1. Amazon Fresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee – Best Overall

The Amazon Fresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee is our top choice for cheap coffee because you get a lot of coffee with good quality beans for a low price.

These whole beans are medium-roasted to achieve a balanced acidity with tasting notes of citrus, cocoa, and brown sugar. Its flavor is well-balanced and smooth, without any bitterness.

This Amazon Fresh coffee is made from 100% high-quality Arabica beans that the company imports from Colombia and roasts in the US, resulting in a consistent flavor and texture.

I recommend these Amazon Fresh whole beans to anyone who wants a balanced and fresh cup of coffee with a full body.

However, it is a whole-bean coffee, so you will need to grind them yourself to your desired grind size. For example, if you’re making cold brew or brewing in a French press, do a coarse grind. 

But, if you’re making drip coffee, grind to a medium size. 

Grinding the beans yourself means more prep time and cleaning than pre-ground coffee, but you get a fresher, better-tasting brew. 

Plus, it adds the fantastic smell of fresh ground coffee to your home.

One potential drawback is that this coffee is exclusively sold in a large 32 oz bag, which may be excessive for individuals or families that don’t drink a lot of coffee.

Additionally, there have been reports of customers experiencing inconsistent roast levels between two bags.

However, this appears to be an isolated incident– I haven’t experienced that myself. And based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews, most customers haven’t either.

Perhaps you’d prefer coffee from a top morning coffee staple instead. In that case, consider the Dunkin’ Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee instead. It tastes just like what you get in the drive-thru. 

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2. Dunkin’ Original Blend Ground Coffee – Runner Up

The Dunkin’ Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee is best suited for people you want Dunkin’s familiar coffee at home. It tastes nearly identical to the coffee your local Dunkin’ serves. 

This medium roast has a subtle strength with a rich and smooth flavor profile. It is robust and has that distinct Dunkin’ taste. 

That said, some find the taste too bland. I don’t fully agree, but will concede that there are more flavorful coffees out there. 

It is inexpensive, but it only comes in a large, 30 oz container. This might be too much for some people to consume before it goes stale. 

This Dunkin’ Original Blend is pre-ground, meaning you can load it directly into your coffee brewer and not worry about grinding it yourself. 

It is a multi-origin coffee made from 100% Arabica beans. This gives it a consistent flavor profile and quality. 

Looking for something stronger? If so, check out the Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass, Medium Roast. 

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3. Kicking Horse Coffee – Best Medium Roast

The Grizzly Claw ground coffee by Kicking Horse Coffee is my recommendation for an affordable medium roast due to its distinct flavor, superior quality, and consistent grind size.

This coffee is a well-balanced dark roast with a rich taste.  It is not bitter and always smooth with tasting notes of cacao nibs, dark chocolate, roasted hazelnut, and brown sugar.

This makes it a choice for those who want a strong cup of coffee.

Grizzly Claw, along with other Kicking Horse Coffee coffees, is affordable and of great quality. But, even with its lower-than-average cost, it is one of the more expensive coffees on this list. 

This coffee is Fairtrade certified,  indicating that it supports farms that invest in the local community. It is also certified organic by USDA, meaning it uses sustainable farming methods.

Grizzly Claw coffee’s taste can vary from person to person. Some may find it slightly bitter, while others, including myself, enjoy it. Tastes vary from person to person.

Or these individuals are brewing their coffee incorrectly. Both could be true.

A potential drawback of this coffee is its strong sealing adhesive, which may make it a pain to open. I just use scissors now instead of pulling too hard to avoid accidental spills.

If you need an inexpensive decaf coffee instead, read on to learn about the McCafe Medium Roast Decaf Ground Coffee.

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4. McCafe Ground Coffee – Best Decaf

McCafe Medium Roast Ground Decaf Coffee is a cost-effective and flavorful choice for those seeking an affordable decaf coffee option.

This medium roast coffee has a smooth and bold flavor profile that is nearly identical in taste to McDonald’s famous caffeinated coffee.

These medium grind grounds come in a 12 oz bag and are suitable for drip coffee, pour-over, or cold brews.

McCafe Medium Roast Decaf Ground is sourced from farms with ethical and environmentally friendly growing standards, ensuring responsible growing and sourcing practices.

The price of this decaf ground coffee is significantly lower than other decaf coffees, making it a great choice for budget-conscious decaf drinkers.

McDonald’s uses 100% Arabica beans for their decaf grounds from various sources worldwide, but does not provide specific information about which countries and regions.

One potential drawback of these McCafe decaf grounds is that the taste may not always match the coffee ordered in person at your local McDonald’s.

Some individuals taste a difference, although I personally did not notice any. They may just be brewing it differently. 

The McCafe Decaf grounds are affordable and have a pleasant taste, but they may not be suitable for everyone. According to some online reviewers, they consider this decaf coffee too bland.

If you’re looking for a coffee available in your local supermarket, look at the Maxwell House The Original Roast coffee instead. 

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5. Maxwell House The Original Roast – Best Supermarket Grounds

The Maxwell House The Original Roast is the top choice for coffee grounds available at most US supermarkets because of its consistent quality and flavor.

The coffee has a mild flavor and is a medium roast, which isn’t overpowering. However, if you prefer stronger coffee, you may find it to be too weak.

The Maxwell House coffee offers a well-balanced flavor and strength that you can enjoy either on its own or with milk, creamer, and/or sugar.

But be careful– using excessive creamer or sugar can quickly overpower the flavor of this coffee.

When comparing ground decaf coffees, including Starbucks, illy, Lavazza, etc., this Maxwell House coffee is more affordable.

For instance, a 30.6 oz of Maxwell House decaf is priced similarly to a 12 oz of Starbucks ground coffee.

For individuals with a limited budget and a frugal mindset, this coffee is a great choice that is widely available at most supermarkets. Additionally, due to its large container size, it is the perfect option for cafeterias.

This Maxwell House The Original Roast coffee grounds has a resealable lid, which helps “lock in freshness”. This keeps the coffee fresher for longer.

However, for many coffee drinkers,  30.6 oz of coffee grounds might be excessive and could potentially result in the coffee going stale.

If you want an affordable cold brew coffee instead, the Cold Brew Organic Coarse Ground Coffee, Colombian Supremo, Dark Roast is a great option. 

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6. Cold Brew Organic Coffee, Dark Roast – Best for Cold Brew

The Cold Brew Organic Coarse Ground Coffee by Cold Brew Labs is a ground coffee is the most affordable cold brew speciality coffee due to its perfect grind size and excellent tasting notes. 

The coffee is a dark roast with hints of chocolate and nuts, and has a smooth texture. It is made from 100% Arabica, Colombian Supremo coffee beans.

This coarse-ground coffee is suitable for various cold brewing methods, such as French press (plunger), mason jars, and pitchers with a coffee filter.

The coffee comes in 16 oz and 32 oz bags that are nitrogen-sealed and competitively priced compared to other brands. It is also certified USDA organic.

One potential downside is that its delicate flavor can be easily overpowered by milk or cream. So, unless you drink it black or with only a small amount of cream, you may find it to be lacking in taste.

The Cold Brew Organic Coarse Ground Coffee uses specialty Colombian Supremo beans, known for their high quality.

This ground coffee is one of the most affordable options for cold brewing.

If you’re in the market for espresso beans instead, you can’t go wrong with the Eight O’Clock Coffee Dark Italian Espresso whole bean coffee. 

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7. Eight O’Clock Coffee Whole Bean – Best Espresso

The Eight O’Clock Coffee Dark Italian Espresso, Dark Roast Whole Bean Coffee is my top espresso choice due to its affordability and exceptional taste.

The Eight O-Clock Dark Italian Espresso is sourced and farmed ethically, ensuring no negative impact on the environment or the local community.

It is a dark roast produced in Maryland and is ideal for espressos.

This coffee has a strong and rich flavor, which complements well with milk or creamer, and is also enjoyable when you drink it black.

This coffee is whole-bean, requiring you to grind it to a fine size for your espresso machine. This may be more time-consuming, but it will result in a fresher cup of espresso.

This Eight O’Clock Coffee Dark Italian Espresso, Dark Roast coffee is more affordable than other whole-bean coffees for espressos.

You can purchase it from your nearby grocery store and from various online retailers as well.

One drawback is that it is only available in a large, 32 oz bag.

This amount of coffee would be difficult to consume before it becomes stale unless there are multiple daily espresso and coffee drinkers in your household.

However, its large size makes it a good choice for cafeterias and large families.

Looking for the best dark roast instead? The Lavazza Perfetto Ground Coffee Blend is what I recommend for those on a budget. 

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8. Lavazza Perfetto Ground Coffee Blend – Best Dark Roast

Our top dark roast coffee is the Lavazza Perfetto Ground Coffee Blend, Dark Roast, due to its ideal roast level, pleasant flavor profile, and strong taste.

The dark roast coffee has a balanced flavor with subtle caramel notes and a slightly higher acidity than medium roasts. It is robust without bitterness, making it a great everyday coffee.

Lavazza’s dark roast is made from 100% Arabica beans they source from multiple regions including Africa, Central America, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Due to the blend of beans from various origins, this coffee possesses a distinct flavor profile that cannot be replicated by single-origin coffees.

The Lavazza Perfetto grounds are quite strong, as is typical of a dark roast. Thus, they may not be suitable for those who prefer a milder taste.

The Lavazza coffee is pre-ground to a coarse grind size, making it suitable for French presses, cold brews, and pour-over brewers. While this provides convenience, it may not be as fresh as grinding it yourself.

The coffee is available in two sizes, 12 oz and 20 oz bags, that you can buy on Amazon, other online retailers, and local grocery stores.

The grounds are packaged in sealed bags to ensure their freshness.

If you want a quick cup of coffee with minimal prep time, consider the Maxwell House The Original Roast Instant Coffee.  

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9. Maxwell House Instant Coffee – Best Instant Coffee

The Maxwell House The Original Roast Instant Coffee is the top instant coffee because it is quick and easy to make and provide the nearly the same taste as Maxwell House’s grounds. 

That said, you will likely be able to tell it is instant coffee when you taste it. Still, it is one of the better instant coffees available. 

If you’re not familiar with instant coffee– here’s how it works. All you do is scope 1 tbsp of instant coffee into 6 oz of hot or cold water, stir until it dissolves, and drink it. 

That’s right, no brewing (and no clean up) necessary. 

This Maxwell House instant coffee has a classic and smooth flavor profile, which isn’t too mild or too strong. 

It is affordable and comes in an 8 oz and 12 oz jar. 

Maxwell House uses 100% Arabica beans sourced from multiple regions to create this coffee. 

One drawback of this instant coffee is that it does not taste as good as drip coffee. However, the same can be said for any instant coffee. 

But to many coffee drinkers, its convenience outweighs this downside.

Looking for a ready-to-drink coffee? We recommend the  Illy Ready to Drink Coffee CLASSICO Cold Brew. 

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10. Illy Ready to Drink Coffee Cold Brew – Best Ready-to-Drink Coffee

The Illy Ready to Drink Coffee CLASSICO Cold Brew is the best ready to drink coffee because it has a smooth texture and excellent taste. 

It is a ready-to-drink cold brew coffee, which means it comes in a can that you can crack open and drink on the go. 

This is the most convenient coffee and best for people who are constantly on the move and don’t have time to make their own coffee. 

That said, ready-to-drink coffees are not the most cost-effective option. If you want the lowest-cost coffee possible, brew it yourself. 

Still, this Illy cold brew offers excellent tasting notes and a smooth texture that goes down easy. And it has the great quality that Illy is known for. 

Most people enjoy it black, but you can pour it into a glass and mix in some milk and creamer if you please. 

It comes in an 8.45 oz can, which is the perfect size for a single serving– you’ll definitely feel the caffeine. 

If you’re looking for a coffee concentrate instead, look at the Cappio medium roast Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate up next. 

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11. Cappio Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate – Best Concentrate

The Cappio medium roast Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate is the top coffee concentrate because of its affordability, great flavor, and convenience. 

As its name implies, it is a coffee concentrate. In essence, it is strong coffee flavoring that you can add to hot and cold water to make a cup of coffee.  

The best thing about this Cappio medium roast is that you can use it to make great tasting cold brew and hot coffee in seconds. 

Just add one part of concentrate to two parts of hot or cold water, mix, and your cup of joe is ready to go. 

You can also use it as an ingredient in desserts like ice cream and baked goods. 

If you enjoy cold brew and don’t have the time to make it and clean everything, you should try this concentrate. 

That said, some people find that it tastes “fake,” in other words, not like real coffee. I don’t agree, but we all have different tastes. 

Another potential downside is that this concentrate is good for only 30 days after you open it. 

That sounds like plenty of time, but you can easily forget about it in the back of your fridge. 

Still, the Cappio medium roast Liquid Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate is a great option for making cold brews on the fly. 

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Cheap Coffee Buying Guide

Here are the top things you need to think about when you’re selecting a low-cost coffee. For more information, see our complete coffee-buying guide.

What to consider	Why it’s important
Roast	Roasts vary in intensity, ranging from blonde/light to dark/espresso roast.
Coffee Type (whole bean, pre-ground, instant, ready-to-drink, concentrate)	Whole-bean coffee has the longest shelf life, but ground, instant, and concentrate are usually cheaper.
Grind Size	The grind size required varies depending on the brewing method used, such as French press, cold brew, drip, pour-over, espresso, Moka pot, etc.
The right type for your beverage	The coffee bean species, caffeine level, growing region, and other factors all contribute to the taste of your coffee.
Certifications	Organic, fairtrade, and other certifications, may be important to you.
Price/Budget	You can find a cheap brand of coffee for most roasts, blends, and grind sizes.
Single vs. multi-origin	Single-origin coffee beans typically have a more consistent flavor compared to multi-origin beans. Multi-origin blends are usually cheaper.
Packaging/roast date	A recent roast date means the coffee is fresh.

Roast

The roast level of coffee can vary, with options ranging from blonde, light, and medium to dark. Typically, you can find inexpensive options for any roast level and one roast is not always the cheapest.

One option is a light roast, which has a subtle strength and flavor. On the other end of the spectrum, a dark roast is intense/strong and has more flavor. 

You can also get an espresso dark roast, which is usually the “darkest” you can get. This roast level is the strongest and is ideal for making espressos or strong coffee beverages.

You can use any type of roast level in any type of coffee beverage. However, certain roasts are best for certain brewing methods. Here is my recommendations.

Roast	Flavor	Best for
Light roast	Weak	Coffee drinks (drip brewing, pour-over)
Medium roast	Medium	French press, Coffee drinks (drip brewing, pour-over), cold brew,
Dark roast	Strong	French press, Coffee (drip brewing, pour-over), cold brew, and espresso drinks
Espresso roast	Very strong	Espresso drinks

Coffee Type

When selecting a cheap coffee, it is important to consider the type of coffee you buy. The main options are whole-bean, ground, instant, ready-to-drink, and concentrate coffee. 

Whole-bean coffee has the longest shelf life, but you have to grind it yourself. More often than not, it is more expensive than other options. 

Pre-ground coffee is usually less expensive than whole bean coffee and you can often buy it in bulk. For example, you can find 30 oz containers at most grocery and online retailers. 

However, ground coffee goes stale faster. Plus, most ground coffee is only available in a medium grind size. Which is not suitable for some brewing methods, like espresso machines and Moka pots. 

Instant coffee is one of the cheapest options available. You just add it to hot water, stir, and drink. However, the taste and lower quality usually leave you craving something better. 

Ready-to-drink coffee, i.e., bottled coffee, is usually the most expensive type of coffee since it is more expensive and time-consuming to manufacture. That said, it requires no prep time beyond opening the bottle.

Coffee concentrate, which you add to hot or cold water and stir to make your drink, is cheaper than ready-to-drink coffee. It also requires minimal work to prepare your coffee beverage. 

Coffee Type	Benefit	Drawback
Whole beans	Best tasting coffee	More prep and cleaning time
Grounds	Less cleanup, cheaper	Goes stale faster, not as much taste
Instant	Fast prep time, affordable	Lacks in tastes and flavor
Concentrate	Easy preparation	Short shelf life, expensive
Ready-to-drink	Zero prep time	Expensive

Grind Size

The grind size of coffee affects the brewing process by impacting the speed and how completely the coffee grounds and hot water mix. 

This impacts the process of extracting flavor from the beans into your cup of coffee or espresso.

Various brewers and brewing methods require specific grind sizes. For instance, French presses require coarse grinds, while espresso machines require fine grinds.

Using an incorrect grind size can result in grounds in your coffee or potential damage to your brewer.

But if you buy instant coffee, ready-to-drink coffee, or coffee concentrate, you don’t have to worry about this.

For more information, refer to our coffee grind size guide, which outlines the appropriate grind size for different brewing methods.

Grind Size	Best for
Fine grind	Moka Pots and espresso machines
Medium grind	Drip machines, cold brew, and pour over
Medium-coarse grind	Drip machines, pour over, cold brew, and French press
Coarse grind	French press and cold brew

Certifications

When selecting a cheap coffee, you might want to avoid certifications such as Organic and Fair Trade.

Why? Typically coffees with these certifications cost more and won’t be the cheapest. That said, you might be able to find affordable ones. 

A Fair Trade certification indicates that the coffee was produced and harvested sustainably, and that the farmers and communities involved received fair compensation, support, and supervision.

A USDA-certified organic coffee does not contain artificial preservatives, flavors, colorings, or other additives.

Rainforest Alliance certification ensures the surrounding rainforests are not harmed in the growing regions. 

If you want the most natural and ethical coffee, you should select a brand that possesses these certifications. But if you want the cheapest possible coffee, you might not get these certifications. 

Learn more about coffee certifications in our guide here. 

Certifications	What it means
USDA Organic	Cruelty and chemical free and transported safely.
Fairtrade	Protects the farmers who grew the coffee beans.
4C Certification	Protects the farmers who grew the coffee beans.
Rainforest Alliance Certification	Ensures no deforestation.
Smithsonian Bird Friendly	Looks after the birds living in the coffee farms.

Price/Budget

When you shop for cheap coffee, price is the most important factor. 

Lower-quality coffee is often priced at a lower cost, while higher-quality coffee is usually priced higher. Nonetheless, there can be occasional opportunities to find good deals.

For example, you can usually find a 12 oz bag of whole-bean coffee starting at $5 to $8, depending on factors such as quality and brand. 

As you compare pricing, remember to look at the volume of coffee you’re getting, too. 

Type	Cost range per 6-oz cup of coffee (budget to high-quality)
Instant coffee	$0.13 to $0.25
Ready-to-drink coffee	$2 to $5 (per bottle)
Pre-ground coffee	$0.16 to $0.32
Single-origin whole-bean coffee	$0.32 to $0.54
Multi-origin whole-bean coffee	$0.22 to $0.41
Specialty pour over coffee	$0.29 to $0.51

Single-origin Vs. Multi-origin

You should consider the origin of the coffee before you purchase one.

Single-origin coffees come from beans sourced from only one country, region, or farm.

Single-origin coffees can offer a range of distinct flavors, tasting notes, and textures, as they highlight specific coffee bean varieties and their respective growing regions.

Single-origin coffees typically have a strong and consistent flavor profile, making them more expensive than blends from multiple regions, although they can occasionally be more affordable.

On the other hand, multi-origin coffees utilize beans sourced from multiple locations, often involving different countries or regions, and occasionally various bean species.

Due to the various sources and types of beans, there is a wide range of combinations available, resulting in a greater variety of flavors.

However, certain multi-origin blends may display inconsistent flavors and unappealing tastes.

But if you want the cheapest coffee, you will find that multi-origin coffee is usually less expensive.

Hint– most lower-cost coffees don’t even indicate where the beans come from. In that case, it is almost certainly multi-origin. 

Single Origin Coffee Benefits

Here are the benefits of single-origin coffee beans/grounds:

• Consistent flavors
• Robust textures and tasting notes
• More strength/boldness

Multi-origin Coffee Benefits

​​Here are the benefits of multi-origin coffee beans/grounds:

• Usually cheaper
• Different bean combinations can yield unique flavors
• Can blend tasting notes from different regions

To learn more about this, see our complete guide on single-origins and coffee blends. 

Packaging Date/Roast Date

When choosing a cheap coffee, you should consider the packaging and/or date.

Certain coffee brands include either a packaging date or a roast date on their packaging. Generally, the packaging date coincides with or is within one day of the roast date.

For optimal taste and quality, I recommend choosing a coffee that has been freshly roasted. 

This only applies to pre-ground and whole-bean coffee. But for some lower-cost coffees, you may not find a packaging or roast date at all. 

And if you order online, verifying the packaging or roast date can present a challenge. 

But you can always reach out to the seller and inquire about obtaining a fresh batch instead of one that has been stored for an extended period.

Best Brands

As you browse for inexpensive coffee consider some of the most cost-effective brands–Amazon Fresh, Dunkin’, McCafe, Maxwell House, and Illy.

All of these brands offer a variety of whole-bean, pre-ground, instant, ready-to-drink, and concentrate. They also offer several roast levels, grind types, and flavors. 

Moreover, these brands are accessible in various retail outlets, including supermarkets, grocery stores, and online retailers like Amazon.

Our Verdict

Here are our top 3 cheap coffee recommendations. All of them taste great, have good quality, and will give you wonderful cups of coffee. 

• Our top choice is the Amazon Fresh Colombia Whole Bean Coffee, Medium Roast because it has great quality, excellent cacao and brown sugar tasting notes, and an affordable price. 
• Our runner up is the Dunkin’ Original Blend Medium Roast Ground Coffee because it tastes identical to Dunkin’s drive-thru coffee and comes pre-ground, ready to load in your brewer. 
• The Kicking Horse Coffee, Smart Ass, Medium Roast is our third choice because of its perfect medium roast level, USDA Organic certification, and fair price.