For their morning brew or as a beverage in the afternoon or evening, many coffee drinkers choose decaf. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find decaf options that taste like “the real thing.” This is due to the fact that some decaffeination processes1 can remove important coffee flavors and leave you with a bag of beans that isn’t very flavorful.
We can now enjoy coffee at our own pace and avoid the caffeine buzz thanks to safe and efficient decaffeination techniques.
We compiled our top picks for the best decaf coffee. To help you make the best purchasing decision possible, the various decaffeination procedures are also explained in more detail.
Our Top Picks For Best Decaf Coffee
- 1. Best Overall: Kicking Horse Decaf Dark Roast Coffee
- 2. Best Budget: Seattle’s Best Coffee Decaf Portside Blend
- 3. Best High End: Volcanica Coffee Company House Decaf Coffee
- 4. Best Instant: Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Instant Decaf Coffee
- 5. Best Organic: Jo Coffee No Fun Jo Decaf Medium Dark Roast
- 6. Best Coffee Pods: The Original Donut Shop Decaf Medium Roast K-Cup Pods
- 7. Best Light Roast: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend Decaf Coffee
- 8. Best Dark Roast: Peet’s Coffee Decaf Major Dickason’s Blend
- 9. Best Half-Caffeinated: Stone Street Coffee Company Mayan Water Half-Caff
- 10. Best Medium Roast: Koffee Kult Colombian Decaf Coffee
- 11. Best Single Origin: Coffee Bros Decaf Roast Coffee
- 12. Best For Espresso: Irving Farm Decaf Blackstrap
- 13. Best Flavored Decaf: Lifeboost Hazelnut Decaf
Best Decaf Coffee Review
1. Best Overall: Kicking Horse Decaf Dark Roast Coffee
Every coffee enthusiast wants their decaf to taste authentic, and Kicking Horse Coffee is up to the task. Customers frequently cite richness, robustness, and flavor when describing the company’s dark roast decaf blend. Every sip has hints of milk chocolate and roasted hazelnuts.
Kicking Horse roasts all of its beans on-site in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and is recognized as an organic2 and fair trade3 company. Its coffee, including the decaf variety, costs a little bit more than a typical supermarket brand, but it is simple to locate both in-person and online. Additionally, you have a choice between a 10-ounce bag and a 2.2-pound bag.
2. Best Budget: Seattle’s Best Coffee Decaf Portside Blend
Strong ratings for flavor and value for money have been given to this well-balanced medium roast. It is made entirely of Arabica beans, all of which come from Latin America. It’s simple to locate the decaf and other Seattle’s Best coffees online or offline. The main disadvantage of this blend is that, unlike larger bags of whole beans, it is only available in 12-ounce bags of ground coffee. In addition, Seattle’s Best, a subsidiary of fellow Seattle native Starbucks, decaffeinates the beans using chemicals rather than the chemical-free Swiss Water Process.4 It is marketed as a hearty, everyday coffee that keeps things simple.
3. Best High End: Volcanica Coffee Company House Decaf Coffee
The rich soil and high altitudes of volcanic mountains are used by Volcanica Coffee Company to produce delicious coffee, as the company’s name suggests. Its beans are sourced from nations all over the world and then roasted in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of Volcanica. The brand also employs the Swiss Water4 method, which preserves the flavor of the bean while removing caffeine with the fewest chemicals possible.
Although Volcanica produces a variety of delicious caffeinated blends, it stands out for producing more than a dozen decaf options, including this House Blend. Though there will be a subtle sweetness present, this coffee will still have the traditional balance of a medium roast. Try the well-known Costa Rican and Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Decaf flavors from Volcanica if you’re looking for something different.
4. Best Instant: Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Instant Decaf Coffee
It’s organic, fair trade, and scrumptiously delicious to drink Mount Hagen Decaf Instant Coffee. Customers describe instant coffee as having a well-balanced medium roast that is pleasantly robust but not overly acidic.
The product is available in a 3.53-ounce jar or a box of individually packaged servings, the latter of which is perfect for coffee drinkers who are frequently on the go. One thing to keep in mind is that using a single-serve packet won’t allow you to control the strength of your brew as easily, so if you like a big cup of coffee or a stronger brew, opt for the jar.
5. Best Organic: Jo Coffee No Fun Jo Decaf Medium Dark Roast
You’ll struggle to find a more flavorful alternative to Jo Coffee if you’re trying to go organic and give up caffeine at the same time. Its decaf blend combines sweet blueberry and milk chocolate flavors for a robust flavor you can’t get enough of.
Coffee from No Fun Jo is decaffeinated using the Swiss Water method, giving the beans a richer flavor. Additionally, the beans have fair-trade and organic certifications.
You have a choice of a 12-ounce bag, a 2-pound bag, or coffee pods for the decaf blend. It is also available whole and ground.
6. Best Coffee Pods: The Original Donut Shop Decaf Medium Roast K-cup Pods
The Original Donut Shop, accessible both in-person and online at numerous well-known retailers, is a favorite among Keurig users and is adored by many for offering quick cups of superior coffee. The best decaf coffee pods on the market are made from the same fantastic coffee after the caffeine has been removed.
The Original Donut Shop’s decaf roast is smooth and flavorful, with even more Arabica beans than in its regular coffee. In addition, this product has won widespread praise for being just as full-bodied as regular coffee, despite the fact that tastes vary and coffee preferences can be divisive.
7. Best Light Roast: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend Decaf Coffee
It’s common for coffee drinkers to brew their first cup as soon as they awaken in the morning, so keeping a tasty breakfast blend on hand is always a good idea. Breakfast blends typically have mild flavors and a roast that leans toward the light, making them perfect for people who prefer a more mellow cup to ease into the day rather than the more robust flavors that come from dark roasts.
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters produces our go-to decaf breakfast blend. Like many light roasts, these beans have a smooth, slurp-friendly finish and subtle sweetness and nuttiness that are both discernible. The brand is widely accessible online and offline at neighborhood grocers and big-box stores. In 12-ounce bags of whole and ground coffee, as well as a variety of K-Cup boxes, The Breakfast Blend Decaf is available for purchase.
8. Best Dark Roast: Peet’s Coffee Decaf Major Dickason’s Blend
Many people already adore Peet’s Coffee because it is widely available in grocery stores and comes in a large selection of blends. The Bay Area company produces several varieties of decaf coffee, with Major Dickason’s Blend being one of the most well-liked varieties and also being offered caffeine. It has an intensely dark roast and a flavor that is slightly spicy and smoky.
You can buy bags of 10.5 or 16 ounces of the coffee, which is available in whole bean, ground, and K-cup varieties. Just keep in mind that it tends to be more expensive and maybe a little more difficult to locate than the caffeinated blends that are more widely available. Check out Peet’s other decaf dark roasts, such as House Blend and French Roast, if you don’t like this particular flavor.
9. Best Half-Caffeinated: Stone Street Coffee Company Mayan Water Half-caff
“Half-caff” refers to a mix of regularly caffeinated beans and decaffeinated beans, resulting in a coffee with half the typical amount of caffeine. It’s a fantastic alternative for those who are trying to wean themselves off of caffeine or who prefer a little zing to their coffee without getting the full jolt.
Stone Street Coffee Company’s Mayan Water Half-Caff is a premium iteration. The fact that this medium roast is simple to drink at any time of day makes it a good choice for coffee drinkers who find themselves having a cup just before going to bed. Three sizes—1, 2, and 5 pounds—as well as whole bean or pre-ground bags, are offered. Customers can choose the grind size that best suits their brewing device, from fine to coarse, when placing an order directly through Stone Street’s website. The Mayan Water Half-Caff is more expensive, which is one of its few drawbacks.
10. Best Medium Roast: Koffee Kult Colombian Decaf Coffee
Koffee Kult offers a wide variety of coffees, including several decaf options, because it sources its beans from more than 50 nations. Colombian decaf is one of our favorites. It’s a medium roast that’s adaptable enough to be enjoyed throughout the day, but it stands out thanks to its undertones of dark chocolate and its sweet, syrupy finish.
It is made with beans that are decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process4 and are obtained directly from Colombia. Depending on how hands-on you like your coffee making to be, you can buy the coffee as whole beans or pre-ground.
11. Best Single Origin: Coffee Bros Decaf Roast Coffee
Artisanal roasters The Coffee Bros. are based in New York. They provide a variety of ethically sound single-origin coffees in addition to their own expertly crafted blends.
Single-origin beans from Colombia are used in Coffee Bors’ Decaf Roast Coffee. They come from Huila, a region renowned for its high-altitude, premium coffees. These beans undergo natural processing, which gives them a naturally sweet and fruity flavor and are then decaffeinated at the source using the ethyl acetate method.
Coffee Bros is suggested by Home grounds. because they roast in small batches to ensure consistency. We appreciate that they work to achieve carbon neutrality and support One Tree Planted.
The shipping options for these Colombian decaf coffee beans are limited to the United States of America, which is a drawback. This decaf whole-bean coffee might not be the best choice for you if you’re looking for a true medium roast because they also roast lighter than other brands.
12. Best For Espresso: Irving Farm Decaf Blackstrap
The roaster’s house espresso, the Irving Farm Blackstrap, has long been available at all of their cafes’ espresso bars. The beans’ fantastic versatility makes them top sellers for home brewers as well. For those who want all the flavor without the jitters, they have now released a decaf version.
Although it comes from a variety of sources, all of it has undergone natural processing and decaffeination using the Swiss Water method. Since no additional chemicals are used, this method is typically regarded as the cleanest for decaffeinating coffee. Compared to other methods, it more closely preserves the beans’ original character.
The end result is an inviting brew that works well in both an espresso maker and a drip coffee maker. You’ll taste sweet flavors like maple, raisins, and brown sugar, but these flavors are nicely counterbalanced by notes of barley’s earthiness and ripe, vibrant berries. It has a full body, creamy mouthfeel, and is a smooth coffee. The following information will help you make decaf espresso.
13. Best Flavored Decaf: Lifeboost Hazelnut Decaf
Due to its dedication to producing coffee as healthily as possible, Lifeboost Coffee is a favorite brand at Home grounds. All Lifeboost coffee is low-acid, non-GMO, certified organic, and has never tested positive for mycotoxins or pesticides.
Single-origin Arabica beans from Nicaraguan high-altitude farms are the foundation of the Lifeboost Hazelnut Decaf. The beans are hand-picked, hand-washed, and shade-grown.
This organic decaf coffee is an excellent choice for anyone who needs to avoid caffeine and for anyone who has a sensitive stomach. It is significantly less acidic than regular coffee because of its pH level of 6, which is 6. The best-flavored decaf coffee is also the one that doesn’t contain the sugar and artificial flavors that are present in flavored coffee syrups.
The Lifeboost decaf coffee’s high price compared to the other decaf coffees on our list is a drawback.
Our Verdict
Coffee without caffeine does not mean that your taste buds will perish.
When avoiding caffeine, many coffee drinkers opt for Kicking Horse Decaf, which has received excellent reviews. It is reasonably priced and simple to locate both offline and online. Seattle’s Best Decaf Portside Blend is a great value and can be used as a less expensive substitute.
What Is Decaf Coffee?
Any coffee that has undergone processing to eliminate the caffeine that is present in the coffee bean naturally is referred to as decaf. Decaf coffee contains up to 97% less caffeine than caffeinated coffee, but it’s important to note that there is no utterly caffeine-free coffee.
A chemical solvent process, CO2 treatment, or the Swiss water method are all used to decaffeinate the beans when they are still in the green stage. The beans are then roasted and brewed as usual after that.
Is Decaf Coffee Good For You?
Yes, decaffeinated coffee is healthy. In fact, drinking decaffeinated coffee may even be healthier than drinking regular coffee. Decaf coffee has many of the same health advantages as regular coffee, including a lower risk of conditions like type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases. The best decaf coffee beans contain vitamins and minerals that are good for your health, like protein, calcium, and magnesium, and have the same nutritional value as regular coffee.
Read More:
How To Choose The Best Decaf Coffee For You?
What Varieties Of Decaf Coffee Are There?
There is a decaf equivalent for every style of regular coffee, so no matter how you like to make your coffee, there is a caffeine-free option for you.
- Instant: Granules of decaffeinated coffee that are packaged in a jar or canister. Just stir in some hot water.
- Ground: coffee that has been ground up and can be used in a filter coffee maker, French press, or Moka.
- Pod: single-serve coffee pods that are frequently made for machines of a particular brand.
- Beans: without the caffeine, whole, roasted coffee beans.
- Bag: coffee bags for single-serve brewing that let you adjust the flavor’s intensity.
Does Decaffeinated Coffee Really Have No Caffeine In It?
According to Healthline, decaffeination methods typically remove 97% of the caffeine from coffee, leaving only 7mg per 236ml cup. It may not be effective for you if you are trying to completely cut out caffeine even though that is still a lot less than zero because it is not zero. The amount of caffeine varies depending on the kind of bean and the decaffeination method employed, so keep that in mind as well.
How Is Coffee Decaffeinated?
Decaffeinating coffee can be done in a few different ways, some of which are more popular (and less expensive) than others. The raw green coffee beans are first soaked or heated to open the bean pores before any decaffeination procedure starts.
Contact-based: It involves combining chemicals (typically methylene chloride or ethyl acetate) with water to create a solvent that absorbs the caffeine. This is the most common method of decaffeination.
Swiss Water Process: a patented decaffeination process that uses just water and time to osmotically remove 99.9% of the caffeine from coffee beans. The Swiss Water Process is certified organic and uses no chemicals.
CO2 process: The CO2 process, which is the newest and most expensive decaffeination technique, uses the carbon dioxide present in coffee beans to effectively extract the caffeine without sacrificing flavor.
How Long Is Decaf Coffee Good For?
Coffee without caffeine should be just as potent as its caffeinated counterpart. The form that the coffee is served in ultimately determines how long it will last. For instance, freeze-dried instant decaf will remain fresh much longer than freshly ground coffee. Whole beans and coffee grounds can last for up to nine months when kept in an airtight container, but instant granules may last for years.
Is Decaf Coffee Cheaper Than “Real” Coffee?
Although decaf coffee has less caffeine than regular coffee, it actually costs a little more because it takes more work to make it. Unlike decaf coffee, which must first go through one of the above-mentioned decaffeination processes, regular coffee can be roasted and processed without much difficulty. Additional steps entail additional expenses, which raises the cost to the consumer.
Related Reading: Can You Drink Decaf Coffee While Pregnant?
FAQs
What Is The Caffeine Content Of Decaffeinated Coffee?
The majority of decaf coffee has a trace amount of caffeine. While some options have as little as 2 milligrams of caffeine per cup, others can contain up to 18 milligrams. Comparatively, a cup of regular coffee typically contains 100 milligrams of caffeine. Since caffeine is present in coffee beans by nature, it can be challenging to completely eliminate it without diluting the flavor of the coffee. Thus, during the decaffeination process, roasters typically remove about 97 percent of the caffeine from coffee. Consider coffee substitutes like chicory coffee, turmeric lattes, and others if you’re looking for a beverage that contains no caffeine at all. Even so, a lot of decaf coffees have a low enough caffeine content to help you avoid the jitters and enjoy a different coffee-drinking experience.
How To Make Decaf Coffee?
To decaffeinate coffee beans, there are four main methods.
The Swiss Water Process is one of the newest and most widely used techniques. Up to 99.9% of the caffeine can be eliminated using this method without the use of solvents. First, raw coffee beans are soaked in hot water to remove caffeine and create a “Green Coffee Extract” or GCE, which is then circulated for several hours around a fresh batch of raw coffee beans to infuse them with oils and flavor but not caffeine. The GCE then passes through a carbon filter to remove the caffeine. Thereafter, the beans are dried, roasted, and prepared for brewing.
Read More: How Is Decaffeinated Coffee Made?
Does Decaf Coffee Taste Different From Coffee With Caffeine?
There is no definitive answer to this, but you might discover that decaf coffee tastes a little different from regular coffee, even if it is the same blend from the same manufacturer. As a result, the oils and flavors present in coffee beans are changed during the decaffeination process. Having said that, it can be difficult for even trained taste buds to distinguish between flavors. There are some decaf varieties of coffee that taste even better than some caffeinated varieties. Everything comes down to personal preference, and fortunately, there are many delicious decaf options to pick from.
Does Decaf Espresso Exist?
Although we frequently associate espresso with the quick bursts of caffeine that keep us awake all day, decaf espresso is a real option and is not dissimilar from decaf coffee. Any coffee bean can be used to make espresso; however, some beans work better for espresso than others. The same procedure we described above is used to decaffeinate espresso beans, which are once again regular coffee beans better suited for espresso.