Coffee is the most popular drink worldwide and, in the UK, we drink almost 100 million cups per day! Whether you need it to start your morning or you simply enjoy the taste, it's hard to find the time to grind your own beans and prepare a pour-over. You can, of course, wait around in an expensive cafe for your morning joe, but that can easily feel like more hassle than it's worth. But that doesn't just leave you with the instant option.
A considerably more enticing option than instant is the coffee bag, a sustainable way to enjoy barista-quality coffee without the cost and time spent waiting around. They work exactly the same as a tea bag: simply pop it in a mug, pour in hot water, and wait for it to brew - easy as that! We've picked some of the best coffee bags from top brands like Taylors and Lyons, which are all available from online UK sites such as Amazon, Waitrose and Tesco.
Quick List - Top Coffee Bags
Taylors of Harrogate
A Nicely Balanced European-Style Coffee for a Very Reasonable Price
Presto
A Single Origin Option with Notes of Chocolate, Cherry, and Marshmallow
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Many would argue that taste is the most important thing to go by when deicing on a coffee bag. A lot of a coffee's flavour is down to how the beans are roasted before being ground, and there are three types of roast to look out for: light, medium, and dark.
Consider picking up some ground coffee if you really want to step up your brewing game!
Alongside the way the coffee is roasted, the region it originates from is the most significant factor in its flavour profile. Coffee is grown all across the coffee belt. However, the different regions tend to have different tasting coffee, with each country having its own specific tastes. While there are too many to go into detail, these are the main ones:
If you're looking for some bolder options, consider trying a flavoured coffee!
While the quality of coffee is incredibly important, you'll also want to ensure that you're getting the best value for money possible by checking the amount of bags you get per box. This is also a good way of getting an idea of the quality of the beans used, as getting a bargain lot of 50 bags may not result in the best brew.
You can expect to pay just under £1 per bag for more speciality beans, which may seem expensive but is far cheaper than a coffee shop brew. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option as an upgrade to instant, there are bags available for half that cost at around 50p per bag.
If you want to try espresso at home, you'll want to pick up an easy-to-use Moka pot!
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Taylors of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee Bags | ![]() | A Nicely Balanced European-Style Coffee for a Very Reasonable Price | |
2 | New Kings Coffee Organic Light Roast | ![]() | A Light Roast That’s Prefect for Those That Want a Delicate Cup | |
3 | Real Coffee Bag Co Red Blend | ![]() | A Nice Bridge Between Medium and Light Roasts for Those Curious to Try | |
4 | Presto Smooth Italian Coffee Bags | ![]() | A Single Origin Option with Notes of Chocolate, Cherry, and Marshmallow | |
5 | New Kings Organic Dark Roast | ![]() | A Decadent Dark Roast for Fans of Rich Flavours Looking To Indulge | |
6 | Taylors of Harrogate Hot Lava Java Coffee Bags | ![]() | An Interesting Taste for Fans of Black Coffee and Darker Roasts | |
7 | New Kings Coffee Organic Medium Roast | ![]() | A Classic Medium Roast That’s Something of a Crowd-Pleaser | |
8 | Real Coffee Bag Co Emirates Blend | ![]() | A Bargain Bag of Traditional Coffee With a Honey-Like Sweetness | |
9 | Ueshinma Fuji Mountain Coffee Bags | ![]() | A Dark Roast Japanese-Inspired Coffee With a Bold but Smooth Taste | |
10 | Lyons Go-Joe No. 3 | ![]() | A Widely Available Option That’s Cheap and Cheerful |
If you're looking to switch from instant coffee to something with a richer taste and fuller body, the Rich Italian Coffee Bags from Taylors of Harrogate are a fantastic choice. The coffee is also certified by the Rainforest Alliance, and carbon neutral.
As a medium roast, this coffee is nicely balanced, with the classic flavours of chocolate and nutty almond you'd expect from a European-style coffee. You get 30 bags in total, meaning that, for the price, this is a massive step up from an instant option without much of an investment.
While most coffee drinkers like a strong kick in the morning to wake them up, most speciality coffee shops offer a more acidic drink with fruitier flavour notes. The Organic Light Roast from New Kings Coffee is a great way to enjoy a lighter and more delicate cup at home.
You can expect a crisper mouthfeel rather than something more viscous, which is more in line with a fruit tea than an espresso. If you're a fan of speciality coffee or simply want to try something a little different, this is well worth the price of admission!
This lightly roasted coffee from Real Coffee Bag Co is a good bridge between more traditional flavours and something with a more fruity taste. It has the chocolaty, nutty, and caramel notes you would expect but also a tangy hint of grapefruit acidity.
Real Coffee Bag Co are a UK-based, family-run company that uses sustainable and biodegradable recycled bags and is both Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certified. So, if you're after quality coffee from a reputable source, the Red Blend fits the bill.
The Presto Coffee Bags make for a delicious treat as well as your morning wake-up call, with a smooth Italian style and tasting notes that remind you of a black forest gateau. This is a strong and flavoursome cup that is great, both black and with a splash of milk.
It's a single-origin coffee, meaning all the beans come from the same lot in Mogiana, Brazil - single-origins have a much more distinct flavour allowing you to really experience the whole cup. All the packaging is also either recyclable or compostable, so you won't have to worry about your waste!
The first dark roast on our list is this organic and Fairtrade offering from New Kings that boasts dark chocolate, peach, and spice flavours. This is a rich, indulgent, and full-bodied cup that's almost on the decadent side!
Like other New Kings coffee, it comes in fully recyclable and eco-friendly packaging and is 100% plastic-free. Each bag is also individually wrapped for maximum freshness making them a great choice when travelling or on the road.
The Hot Lava from Taylors of Harrogate definitely lives up to its name! It has that peppery, smokey taste that's unique to dark roasts and features beans from South-East Asia. If you're a fan of earthy and bitter flavours, this will be right up your street.
While it is an interesting dark roast, it won't be to everybody's tastes, and we wouldn't recommend drinking it with milk. If the flavour notes sound appealing though, and you take your coffee black, you may have found your new favourite brew!
The third and final coffee from New Kings is their Organic Medium Roast which is a great all-around option to have with milk or take black. It has classic flavour notes of almond, and sweet toffee, so it is also something of a crowd-pleaser.
While it is a popular option, it's also not the most interesting choice considering the price per bag. If you're happy to pay for a classic, quality coffee, this is well worth it, but if you're after something a little more unique, there are much more daring options available.
If you're the sort of person who doesn't care about flavour notes or delicate fruity acidity and just want your coffee to be coffee, then the Emirates Blend from Real Coffee Bag Co hits the nail on the head. It's a medium to dark roast that has some caramel and honey-like sweetness to it that plenty appreciate.
It's something of a bargain, with 50 bags available around the £10 mark, making it the closest in price to an instant coffee. It's also not particularly exciting and primarily functional, which is great for those that want it, but a little boring for those after an experience.
The Fuji Mountain Coffee Bags are the perfect afternoon pick-me-up to counter the lethargy that comes with a large lunch. This dark roast is bold and full-bodied but also has a smoothness that makes it pleasant to drink.
While this ranks highly with many reviewers, it's hard to place something in the top spots when you don't know where the beans come from. Still, they are Rainforest Alliance certified so at least you know they are sustainably sourced.
If the majority of the coffee you drink is instant and you don't want to rock the boat too much, these bags from Lyons are a nice step up without sacrificing convenience. They're widely available and relatively cheap.
In terms of flavour, these coffee bags are not going to blow you away, and there's little information about their sustainability and origin. If you don't mind that and just want a cheap and cheerful option that you can have with milk and two sugars, this is a fine choice.
Written and researched by David Sexton
No. 1: Taylors of Harrogate|Rich Italian Coffee Bags
No. 2: New Kings Coffee|Organic Light Roast
No. 3: Real Coffee Bag Co|Red Blend
No. 4: Presto|Smooth Italian Coffee Bags
No. 5: New Kings|Organic Dark Roast
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