The Ultimate Ranking Of Kirkland Brand Coffee

The world of coffee beans is much more vast than you might think, especially if your frame of reference for caffeinated morning beverages is a trip through the Dunkin' or Starbucks drive-thru. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with fans loving its flavor, complexities, and ability to wake them up with a little help from everyone's friend, caffeine. It is a daily staple for many, which means that a trip to the grocery store almost always involves a trip down the coffee aisle for a restock of pods, grounds, or whole beans.

No matter how you prefer to buy your coffee in the grocery store, you are probably aware of just how many options there are in the market. If you are new to buying your own coffee, this can often feel like an overwhelming process in deciphering which blends, roasts, and styles are worth buying. And if you shop at Costco, that can be even trickier when you consider all of the Kirkland Signature coffees available for purchase. Like many other grocery stores, Costco offers a variety of products under its private-label Kirkland Signature brand, giving its members more options at more affordable prices. There are several coffee products to choose from, but they are not all created equal. Here is how they stack up against one another when you take into consideration factors like flavor, value, and mass appeal.

The advent of coffee pods has changed how many enjoy their morning brew. The convenience of simply popping a pod into a machine — like a Keurig or a Nespresso — and having your coffee ready in a matter of seconds has led many to ditch coffee beans altogether in favor of this ultra-streamlined process. Many brands, including Kirkland Signature, have hopped on board with this trend, selling a trio of K-Cup coffee pods in a Breakfast Blend light roast, Pacific Bold dark roast, and its medium Summit Roast. While it seems like the perfect solution for busy mornings, they are not the best for the environment, and on top of that, many Costco members seem to agree that the Kirkland Signature K-Cups are just downright skippable.

One Costco shopper shared their thoughts on Reddit noting that the coffee from the K-Cups seemed to give off a burnt aftertaste and advised other shoppers to select non-Kirkland brand K-Cups. Another Reddit user suggested coffee fans invest in reusable pods, which opens the door to many more options for coffee grinds. If K-Cups are your preferred method of enjoying coffee, you might want to take their advice and purchase other Kirkland products that you can use in a reusable pod.

Costco sells multiple single-source coffee flavors under the Kirkland Signature brand. Whether you like these blends will come down to your personal taste and preference, but there are often other factors besides flavor that you may want to consider when determining which Kirkland coffee is the best choice. Sometimes, however, it may be a simple matter of whether the coffee tastes good — after all, if you are not going to enjoy it, it really does not matter how much it costs.

According to Purely Coffee Beans, if you are accustomed to buying your coffee from Costco, then the Kirkland Signature Rwandan Coffee may come as a bit of a shock. This particular blend sits very far on the dark roast side of the scale, so its bold flavor might come across as far too strong for some. However, if you are a dark roast fan, this might be up your alley. Iced coffee drinkers may also want to avoid this blend since it loses much of its unique flavor the moment it begins to change in temperature, per Purely Coffee Beans. Dark roast coffees are not for the faint of heart, and the majority of Costco members shopping for coffee will find much more success with a lighter blend.

Coffee connoisseurs will likely be able to tell a lot about where a cup of coffee originated simply by having a sip. Much like wine, the flavor of coffee can be heavily influenced by where its beans were grown and harvested. So when you spot labels on coffee packages mentioning countries like Colombia, Sumatra, Rwanda, and so on, those are not there accidentally — they inform the buyer of the country or region those coffee beans originated. And when it comes to the Kirkland Signature Organic Sumatra whole bean coffee, some may want to buy it straight away, while others are turned off — as one Redditor puts it, "Sumatra is my least favorite region for coffee."

Personal preferences aside, one major ding resulted in this coffee product falling fairly far down the list of rankings. As some point out on Reddit, the Sumatra whole bean coffee is sold without a roast date printed on the bag. A roast date, as one Redditor emphasizes, helps ensure that the coffee you are drinking is at peak freshness. The coffee will not be spoiled per se, but older beans will lose their flavor and come out bland if they were roasted some time ago. Most coffee drinkers would agree that the fresher the roast is, the better. So be on alert when you do not spot a roast date on your packaging.

Some of the more popular single-origin coffees are the ones that hail from Ethiopia. Coffee is a big part of Ethiopian culture, so much so that it is Ethiopia's national beverage. They take their coffee seriously, which is reflected in the popularity of Ethiopian blends sold worldwide. Costco has its own Kirkland Signature Organic Ethiopia whole bean coffee that truly lives up to the worldwide adoration of coffee sourced from that region.

If your taste in coffee is proficient enough to notice the often subtle differences between roasts, then you may find yourself loving Ethiopian blends. As one Costco shopper shares on Reddit, "I just love the flavors out of those regions. From Ethiopia, the naturally-processed beans that taste like blueberries are incredible." Coffee experts may read that sentiment and agree, running to their local Costco to pick up a package of the Organic Ethiopia whole bean coffee. If you are in the other camp that can hardly tell the difference between medium and light roasts, then it may not make a huge difference if you purchase a Kirkland Signature house blend or a single-origin. But for those who can taste the difference, the Ethiopian blend is worth trying.

If you are craving the taste of coffee, but you are closer to eating dinner than you are to breakfast, then a decaffeinated blend, or decaf, is the way to go. Decaf coffee is a great option if you are looking to cut back on your caffeine intake or if you like the flavor of coffee, but would prefer less of the bitterness that often comes with it. Costco sells a few versions of decaf coffee under the Kirkland Signature brand, and as far as coffee options go, its Kirkland Signature Decaf House Blend sits right on the line of not the worst, but not the best.

There is nothing particularly wrong with Kirkland Signature Decaf House Blend, but it will not be everyone's cup of tea, or coffee for that matter. Decaf fans seem to enjoy this particular blend, and even those who question the choice to switch from caffeinated to decaf coffee enjoy it. One Redditor shares, "I have to admit that I am extremely surprised at how tasty the decaf coffee from Costco is ... [I] tried a number of different whole bean blends and nothing stood out until my wife went to Costco ... I have to say this coffee is one of the best I've ever had." Decaf is not going to be for everyone, but if you ever find yourself looking to make the switch for any reason, the Kirkland Signature blend is worth trying.

Across most major coffee brands, you are bound to come across a French roast. The French roast is unique in that it is a dark roast, but not bitter. Rather, French roasts can come across as sweet for some coffee drinkers. That said, French roast coffee is so popular and widespread these days that many brands may slap the label on their dark roast coffee and call it French roast while it is really just a generic dark roast, so proceed with caution the next time you go shopping for one at the store. At Costco, members can keep their eyes peeled for the Kirkland Signature French Roast whole bean coffee to start their mornings.

If you already know that French roast is your preferred style of coffee, then you will likely be a big fan of Kirkland's version. That is potentially because, as one Redditor points out, you have to roast the coffee bean quite a bit to achieve French roast status "because at that extreme French roast profile, you've roasted away any possible variability in flavor ... [so] one French roast is going to taste a lot like any other French roast." If you are on the fence regarding darker coffees like French roast, then you may be better off trying a more neutral flavor like a house blend.

If you are new to drinking coffee and you are not sure where to start, a house blend will almost always be a safe bet. In many instances, house blend is synonymous with a medium roast, as is the case with the Kirkland Signature House Blend coffee from Costco. Among all of the coffee products you can buy at Costco — and there are a lot considering the number of brands they sell — the House Blend by Kirkland Signature is a top pick, according to Bit of Cream.

Another tempting point of interest if you are a fan of Starbucks: The coffee chain roasts the Kirkland Signature House Blend. Whether that matters at all to you or not, it is hard to argue with satisfied customers. One Costco member shared on Reddit how the Kirkland House Blend has been a pantry staple thanks to its consistent flavor. Another Redditor mentions how the House Blend has always been a go-to when looking for tasty, yet affordable coffee. A coffee that's affordable, crowd-pleasing, and carrying the Starbucks branding? It is no wonder the Kirkland Signature House Blend coffee is as popular as it is.

When you need that extra jolt of energy to get you through your day, espresso may be just what the doctor ordered. Espresso is essentially highly-concentrated coffee, often served by itself in a small cup. The ultra-strong roast is also added to coffees when looking for that added caffeine boost. Whether you enjoy espresso by itself or as the base for your favorite coffee drink, Costco has its own Kirkland Signature Espresso blend coffee that you may want to consider adding to your cart the next time you go on a grocery run.

Not only is this espresso tasty, as many shoppers report, but it is also a great value. One Costco customer shared on Reddit, "This is the exact coffee I always buy. The taste is pretty good, but the main reason I buy it is the price ... It's a good buy." Another customer doubled down on how good this espresso is, leaving a review on Amazon noting, "So glad I've been getting my favorite espresso coffee offered through Kirkland! The coffee is fresh and well-packaged. You can't go wrong when Starbucks partners with Kirkland. My morning latte is incredibly delicious! [It's a] very reasonable price."

When it comes down to the fundamental basics of a good cup of coffee, it often does not matter where the coffee bean originated or what kind of roast it is. Unless you are very particular about those details, all one really needs is a high-quality bean to serve as a great start to your day. To improve your chances at a quality cup of coffee, look for USDA organic beans, like the ones found in the Kirkland Signature USDA Organic Whole Bean Blend at Costco.

The movement toward adopting more organic products into one's diet has brought to light how many foods are chemically treated, and coffee ranks high on that list. Shopping for organic beans gives you a cup of coffee that is both tasty and better for you overall. The beans used in the Kirkland Signature Organic Whole Bean Blend hail from South and Central America. And since organic products can often come with a bump in price, it is worth mentioning that the Kirkland Organic Whole Bean Blend is noted by some as a good value, including one repeat customer who left their thoughts in a review on Amazon.

If there ever was a single Kirkland coffee product worth trying, it has got to be the Kirkland Signature Colombian Supremo. Its packaging is instantly recognizable with the eyes of a leopard printed on a silver backdrop, making it easy for fans to spot when picking up groceries. Time and time again, this coffee received glowing reviews from Costco members. This is no new phenomenon either, with one Reddit user sharing how the Colombian Supremo has been their go-to coffee, stating that it "Has been a standard daily driver in our house for a few years."

One Redditor noted that the flavor of the Colombian Supremo seemed to be a bit bolder than the Kirkland House Blend, which is something to keep in mind as you assess your personal coffee preferences. But if a strong cup of coffee is what you are looking for, few products will do better than the Colombian Supremo. As one reviewer on Amazon notes, this blend is also a great value, sharing, "I have been drinking this coffee now for two years ... The coffee is really good and the price for 3 pounds is really good."