Starbucks And Dunkin' Come Nowhere Near Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Coffee

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If you want to make a great cup of coffee at home, Consumer Reports' highest-rated brands are not coming from big chains like Starbucks and Dunkin'. That's not to say you'll make a bad cup of coffee at home with bags from those brands — Dunkin' is actually rated decently by the popular consumer watchdog — but if you want the best, you need to look to the third-wave coffee brands and beyond. These are the true artisanal roasters, who rose up in the '90s and 2000s to challenge the bland coffee that had become the norm in the U.S. And one of the most famous of those coffee shops, Intelligentsia, makes what Consumer Reports thinks is the best coffee blend you can buy for your home.

The publication has reviewed over two dozen popular options to come up with the highest quality grocery store coffee brands, which are based on blind taste tests, and Intelligentsia was one of only six brands to score in the excellent range. It narrowly edged out another big name of the third wave — Counter Culture Coffee — for the number one spot, and finished far ahead of bigger, older brands like Starbucks, Peet's, and Folgers. Consumer Reports taste test evaluation says it looks for smooth coffee with a nice balance of acidity and bitterness, along with complex tasting notes, and Intelligentsia hit the mark. Intelligentsia's popular House Blend is ideal for people who prefer black coffee, as it has a light flavor, with mild bitterness and a unique, citrus-forward flavor profile.

Intelligentsia Coffee started in Chicago back in 1995 and has mostly stayed a small, artisan roaster on the ground, with locations in only five cities in the U.S. However it has become a nationwide brand in retail, with most major grocery stores and even Walmart carrying the Intelligentsia House Blend for home brewing.

In that way, it's a true cousin of Consumer Reports' number two-rated coffee from Counter Culture. Also founded in 1995, the still independently-owned company has also slowly expanded to become a major nationwide brand, and Consumer Report's review of Counter Culture's flagship Big Trouble blend calls it "delicate-tasting" with "mild fruit and floral flavors with just a touch of bitterness." However, if you opt for Big Trouble, do note that unlike Intelligentsia's blend, it's only available as whole beans.

The one downside to the highest-rated coffees on Consumer Reports is that they can be pricey. But a surprise finish at number three is perfect if you are looking for a more budget brand: Tim Hortons. That's right — Tim Hortons, Canada's powerhouse coffee chain and convenience store, makes one of the best store-bought coffee blends in the game, according to CR, finishing ahead of bigger name premium brands like Stumptown and Blue Bottle and blowing other cheaper coffee options out of the mug. It's described as full flavored and nutty, with chocolate flavors and not too much bitterness. And it's half the price of Intelligentsia and Counter Culture. So pricey or cheap, Consumer Reports has a coffee to recommend for you.