Starbucks Vs Dunkin': Which Chain Sells The Best Store-Bought Espresso?

What makes espresso beans different from regular coffee beans? It's all in the roast style and, when making espresso at home, there's only one type of bean to shop for — and that's espresso beans. As we all know, however, there are many, many brands to choose from. With Starbucks and Dunkin' being the two most recognized coffee brands in the U.S., those are, naturally, the most popular options to start with. But which of the two sells the best store-bought espresso? According to our taste tester's ranking of store bought espresso beans, that's Starbucks.

Tasting Table's taste tester tried 13 store-bought espresso beans in total, each from a different brand. Overall, Starbucks' Espresso Roast ranked fourth while Dunkin's Espresso-style ground coffee came in seventh — with our taste tester noting how bitter Dunkin's Espresso-style grinds came out, and how deep, smooth, and full-bodied Starbucks' Espresso roast did. Reviews for Dunkin's Espresso-style ground coffee beans note how underwhelming the brew is, with one customer writing, "This is not expresso coffee, nor even drip coffee that makes a strong, intense brew. It's ordinary "office" coffee with over-roasted, almost burned, beans. The result is a thin bitter brew with a lot of acidity but not much coffee flavor."

In comparison, people on Reddit say Starbucks' Espresso Roast "boasts a very full-bodied and syrupy mouthfeel." It also has a low acidity and flavor profile that holds true to its description. If you find yourself choosing between the two, the winner is clear.

Now that you know which brand of espresso coffee beans to buy from the store when choosing between Dunkin' or Starbucks, you can shift your focus to how you're preparing them. Espresso-style beans are roasted in a way that gives them their inherent concentrated flavor — a flavor that can only be extracted with a high-pressure method of brewing, and preferably that of an at-home espresso machine. However, a Nespresso or Keurig machine would also do the trick. Starbucks Espresso Roast is sold in both K-cup and Nespresso pod, and while they are good options, whole beans are always better. Firstly, that's because they retain their freshness best that way, but also because you can actually grind them the way they're intended to be.

Whether you have a coffee pod machine or a Nespresso machine, you'll want to purchase Starbucks Espresso Roast in the whole bean form for the freshest espresso possible at home. Ground evenly and extra finely and packed tightly into a reusable coffee pod or portafilter, fresh, whole bean espresso coffee will provide you with the absolute best results. Ground and brewed this way, you'll be able to enjoy and pick up on all of the Starbucks' Espresso Roasts' sweet and smoky flavors. With notes of cocoa, roasted hazelnuts, and pecans, plus bold molasses and caramel flavors, Starbucks Espresso Roast delivers a true espresso experience that Dunkin's Espresso-style beans simply can't compare to — and your preparation method shouldn't sacrifice that.