Whole Bean VS Ground Coffee

There’s an endless debate among coffee lovers between choosing a whole bean coffee or ground coffee. Well, there’s no right or wrong choice as long as it meets your needs, right?

But if you’re confused about what to choose and what you need to consider, then you’re in the right spot. In this article, we’re going to talk about the pros and cons of whole bean coffee and ground coffee. Also, when should you choose one over the other. Sounds good? Read more.

Like you, we’re also coffee lovers. We love both the freshly ground coffee and the whole beans. We like to share our thoughts about it and hope that would help you too.

Without further delay, let’s start!

Freshness and Expiration

The first thing we’ll compare these two is in terms of freshness and expiration. So, which one do you think would last longer? Bean coffee or ground coffee?

The answer is bean coffee. A whole bean coffee can last for a month than a pre ground coffee. That’s because the former is less exposed to moisture and oxidation since it has less surface area than ground coffee.

Also, the carbon dioxide present inside the coffee beans helps preserve their freshness. When bean coffee is grounded, the carbon dioxide inside the bean comes out. As the particle size decreases, the surface is exposed to air, and moisture is increased. This speeds up the oxidation of your ground coffee. That’s why it loses its freshness faster than coffee beans.

If you have ground coffee, you need to store them inside an airtight container to preserve its freshness.

For your bean coffee, you can still place them inside an airtight container. But you have fewer worries about expiration than ground coffee.

Flavor

Among coffee connoisseurs, there’s also a debate between the flavors of fresh coffee beans and coffee grounds. That greatly depends on the freshness of the coffee used for brewing.

For avid coffee drinkers, whole coffee beans taste more flavorful and full bodied than ground beans. Well, that also depends on the quality of the whole bean. But so far, in general sense, whole bean has more flavor and aroma than coffee grounds.

You can try having a cup of coffee from these two and then compare which one is more delicious.

Time

Whether you choose ground beans or a whole bean, brewing process will always be there. We mean to say that preparing your fresh cup of coffee takes time. So, do you have enough time to brew coffee before heading to work?

If you choose whole beans, that means you need to have time for grinding the beans and for the brewing process. For grinding your coffee beans that can take around 2 to 3 minutes. You can use a burr grinder or the simplest coffee bean grinder in the store.

For brewing methods, that’s another 3 to 5 minutes. That’s the average time for any brewing method. And whether you’re using drip brewers or an espresso machine.

If you choose ground coffee, then you can save time grinding your whole beans. That’s one main benefit of having ground coffee.

Grind Size

Whether you have a whole bean or ground coffee, the grind size matters. Having a uniform grind size is good since that results in a good thickness of your coffee.

When you buy a pre ground coffee that doesn’t meet the grind size of your coffee maker, that can result to a bad taste. For instance, a coarse grind will result to a coarse coffee.

The grinding process matters in ensuring you have fine grinds for your perfect cup of joe. If you want to ensure you have the correct grind size, buying a burr grinder is best. You are confident of having a uniform grind size for your coffee.

If buying a burr grinder is painful on your pocket, then go for blade grinders. They are your cheaper alternatives for grinding your whole beans.

A Turkish grind is when your ground coffee has the grind size of baby powder. This ensures you have a smooth and uniform taste in your coffee.

To further guide you, below are grind sizes for your coffee beans:

• Extra coarse: It has the size of a small pebble.
• Coarse grind: The size of coarse table salt.
• Medium grind size: The ground coffee size is the same as your table sugar.
• Fine grind size: The same size as your fine table salt.
• Extra fine grind size: Similar size as your finely ground white table sugar.
• Turkish Grind: Baby powder size.

Brewing Method

There are different kinds of brewing methods you can do for your ground coffee or whole beans. But most of them will use ground coffee since it has a smaller grind size.

If you have whole coffee beans, no worries since you just need to have a burr coffee grinder. There are many coffee grinders in the market. You can choose one that fits your need and budget.

In terms of the brewing method, the machine you’ll use also matters. Some of these appliances are french press, espresso maker, moka pot, and drip coffee makers.

There are different coffee experience for each type of brewing method you’ll do.

Price

When comparing whole beans vs ground coffee, you cannot help but look at the price as well, right? We understand you, considering that it’s not the only thing you’re paying monthly.

In a general sense, whole bean coffee has a higher price than ground coffee. That’s because of the overall benefits of whole beans over pre ground coffee. Well, you can have both of these two and just vary on the volume you’ll be buying.

Many coffee drinkers would buy both and use them alternately during the week. If they don’t have enough time in the morning, they just go with pre ground coffees. On a weekend, they can spoil themselves with a delicious cup of whole bean coffee.

Coffee Consumption

The number of times and how much you consume also matters. This is something you need to consider in the whole bean coffee and ground coffee debate.

If you can consume a bag of coffee for a week, then having a pre ground coffee would be fine. You won’t notice any sour coffee taste since you can consume a bag in a week. But if you consume a bag of coffee in two weeks, then you need to own whole beans. That ensures you get a delicious coffee in your morning routine.

Which one is better? Whole bean coffee or ground coffee?

We hope to have helped you see the benefits and setbacks of a bean coffee or a pre ground coffee. There is no right or wrong choice for this debate. All you need to think about is choosing the one that best fits your needs.

When choosing your coffee, here are the essential things you need to look into:

• Coffee consumption
• Preparation time
• Budget
• Preference for coffee taste
• Storage
• Coffee grinder
• Brewing method

We hope you have a fresher cup of coffee always by choosing the right coffee beans. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We will do our best to give a response within 24 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a pre ground coffee work for your coffee maker?

Yes, that’ll work since most pre ground coffee have grind sizes that fit the regular drip coffee makers. Before buying your pre ground coffee, make sure to know what is the brewing method you’ll use.

If you go for a French Press for instance, then you’ll need a coarse grind size. If you go for an Aero Press, then that requires a finer grind size. The brewing method will also dictate the coffee maker you need to have.

Will grinding your own coffee beans guarantee a delicious cup of joe?

For more coffee lovers, they will answer with a big yes! That also means you need to have a quality coffee grinder for the grinding process.

Grind size matters but the overall quality and freshness of your beans is the greatest factor. That being said, having them vacuum packed is the best way to store your beans.

Which lasts longer, whole beans or ground coffee?

Typically, whole bean coffee lasts longer than pre ground coffee. If you don’t mind the extra time for grinding and brewing, then whole beans is your best choice. But if you want a cheaper option and that you consume coffee fast, then a pre ground coffee won’t be a problem.

When do you need to buy a whole bean coffee?

When you want the freshest cup of coffee always, then go for a whole bean coffee. It might cost a little higher but for the quality, it’s unbeatable.

If stored properly, your whole beans can taste great all the time. Store them in an airtight seal container to reduce oxidation which can spoil them fast.

Is it worthwhile to buy a burr coffee grinder?

When it comes to consistent grind size, a burr coffee grinder is your best choice. Compared to other blade grinders, you won’t get the same consistency with the former.

Is whole bean stronger than pre ground coffee?

Definitely! Most coffee lovers can attest to this, but that would also depends on the type of coffee beans you’re having. But in general sense, whole bean coffee is stronger than pre ground coffee.

Moreover, you can also adjust the amount of beans you want to brew and the water used. If you have Robusta beans, then that can give you a strong cup of coffee.

Takeaways…

Having less water can help improve the strength of your coffee. Less water means less dilution. Also, the amount of other ingredients added to your coffee matters. If you put more steamed milk or foam milk, that can dilute the strength of your coffee.

For more coffee guides and fascinating knowledge, read our blogs.