Ground Coffee vs Whole Coffee Beans: Which is better?
I never saw any difference between whole beans and ground coffee until I became interested in the quality of the cup of coffee that I drink daily. Yes, there is a difference between whole beans and ground coffee. Sometimes this difference is in favor of the ground coffee, and sometimes it is in favor of the whole grain of coffee. Today I am going to try to put an end to this controversy between whole beans and ground coffee.
You find some people prefer whole beans, while some prefer ground coffee. This controversy led to many poor and inaccurate advice that led to the poor quality of a cup of coffee. To know which is better, you must know the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. Yes, they both produce the same cup of coffee at the end, but would this cup be better if you used whole beans or ground coffee?
There are many factors that you must take into consideration before purchasing ground coffee or whole beans. These include expiration date, versatility, ease of use, and price. I will talk in somewhat detail about each of these factors separately. At the end of this article, I will collect them all in one table so that it will be easier for you to know the differences between ground coffee and whole beans.
Do not expect in this article to tell you that one is better than the other. According to my experience, both types of whole coffee and ground coffee have advantages and disadvantages. Your knowledge of these advantages and disadvantages will determine for you whether you should buy ground coffee or whole beans.
Ground Coffee: Easy To Obtain With Various Flavors
Ground coffee is most popular around the world due to the ease of obtaining it. Others prefer it because they do not have a coffee grinding machine, or they do not think it is feasible to have a coffee grinding machine. And this is one of the most important advantages of ground coffee that you do not need to buy a coffee grinder and it will save you some money. But is this really true?
The ground coffee comes packed in sealed and laminated bags. This coffee is pre-roasted in varying degrees from light to dark roast. Some of them come in different flavors prepared in advance. This of course will make the process of brewing coffee much faster and easier. But what if you want to change the flavor of the coffee, in this case you should buy another ground coffee prepared in advance for your favorite flavor.
One of the main problems with ground coffee is that you do not have the freedom to choose. That is, you will be confined to one flavor of coffee and when you want to change you must spend some money. For some, this is a perfectly suitable option because they want a specific flavor and do not think about changing it in the future, or rather for a long time.
Advantages:
- Easy to prepare.
- Ease of obtaining it.
- Prepared in advance with most known flavors of coffee.
- Its price is always affordable.
- You don’t need a toaster or a coffee grinder.
Disadvantages:
- Its validity date is short.
- Check the flavor of the coffee quickly.
- Affected by moisture quickly.
- It should be stored well so that it is not exposed to contaminants.
Whole Coffee Beans: Have More Control of Your Coffee Taste
Whole coffee beans are sold in sealed and laminated bags, but this does not mean that it is similar to ground coffee. One of the most important advantages of whole coffee beans is that you can roast and grind it moments before preparing a cup of coffee. This method is the best ever to get very special coffee.
In order to be able to make the most of the whole beans, you must have a special toaster for coffee and a coffee grinding machine. This will increase the financial costs, but in the long run it will be of greater benefit. Because a coffee roaster and a coffee grinder are one investment in the long run.
Whole coffee beans have a long shelf life of up to 18 months before they lose the distinct flavor of the coffee. It is not recommended to use whole coffee beans that were picked more than three months ago. It is also characterized by easy storage, as the moisture does not significantly affect the beans of whole coffee in the short term.
Your use of a coffee grinder and a coffee grinder will provide you with a lot of options. You will be able to choose the coffee roasting degree and grinding method suitable for your coffee. This is very excellent and suitable for those who like to change their coffee from time to time.
Advantages:
- Always fresh.
- Ease of storage.
- Keep for a long time with the same quality.
- Multiple options for coffee.
- It is affordable and affordable.
Disadvantages:
- You need a toaster and a grinder for coffee.
- It will take some time in the beginning to master the process of preparing the right coffee.
- It takes longer to prepare the coffee.
Whole Coffee Beans Give You More Coffee Options
Grinding your own coffee gives you more options. You can grind as much as you want and enjoy the different flavors of coffee. And you can specify the degree of grinding or roasting that you want, and this is something that you cannot control when buying pre-ground coffee. In addition to that, your coffee will always be fresh. Thus, wholegrain coffee will be the best choice for many coffee options.
However, pre-ground coffee still has its uses. Especially if you want the kind of coffee you always drink. Especially if your type of coffee is prepared using regular coffee jugs. But if you want to prepare espresso or French presses, for example, wholegrain coffee is the best choice.
Currently, mostcoffee makers require a certain degree of grinding for some types of coffee. For example, to make espresso, coffee beans must be ground to a very fine degree, which is something that pre-ground coffee does not provide. As most pre-ground coffee has a degree of grinding less than fine or less than coarse. While grinding the whole coffee beans on your own will enable you to select the appropriate degree with great accuracy.
Whole Coffee Beans Last Longer
Companies that produce ground coffee and whole COFFEE beans pack them in tightly wrapped bags, usually in several layers. But is that enough to preserve the quality of the coffee for a long time? Of course not, because from the moment you open the coffee bags, many factors penetrate into the coffee, which therefore greatly affects its quality over the course of days.
Whole coffee beans have the advantage that they last longer than ground coffee. However, you should keep the whole coffee beans and ground coffee in a special airtight container. Ground coffee may last up to two weeks with excellent quality if stored in an airtight container. Whole coffee beans last for long periods of time, up to several months, and when ground it, the quality is much better.
The surface area of ground coffee directly causes it to spoil in a faster time than whole coffee beans. This area allows larger quantities of air, humidity and pollutants to come into direct contact with the particles of the ground coffee, and thus expose it to more spoilage.
The matter is completely different for the whole grain of coffee because it is characterized by the availability of an outer shell that prevents the penetration of air and pollutants quickly into the inside of the coffee bean. But remember when roasting these beans, their quality begins to decrease faster. Make sure to roast the coffee beans before grinding them and use them for your coffee shortly.
Moisture and heat, in general, are the reasons for the decline in the life of whole coffee beans and ground coffee. Even if a product has a specific expiration date on the label, don’t take it seriously. Rather, take into account your storage method and whether your product will expose you to moisture and heat.
Ground Coffee is Much Cheaper For Short Period of Time
Another important difference between whole coffee beans and ground coffee is the cost. You may think at first glance that the cost is close, since the offered prices are very similar. I mean here if you compare high-quality whole coffee beans to high-quality ground coffee. You will notice that the difference in price is not significant. But you forgot to take into account other unaccounted-for costs.
In the short term, the cost of whole beans is much more expensive than ground coffee. Because you need a toaster for coffee and a grinder for coffee in addition to a machine to make coffee in order to get the maximum benefit.
You can cut costs somewhat by using a regular roaster or by taking the beans of whole coffee to a grinding store. But the quality will not be the same or even close to your expectations for many reasons. For example, but not limited to, commercial coffee grinders shops mix different types of coffee to get somewhat strange coffee. And if you go to a professional commercial grinder shop, its price will be high.
As for ground coffee, it is cheap in the short term. Because you will continue to buy ground coffee packets, and often you will discard some of them before using them completely because the flavor has completely changed. Ground coffee is an excellent choice for those who are interested in details, and even want a quick, easy-to-prepare coffee.
Ground Coffee Will Save More Time
Pre-ground coffee will save you a lot of time. After purchasing it, all you need is a jug of coffee and start preparing your coffee. Ground coffee comes in different flavors and degrees of roasting that are suitable for a large segment of coffee consumers.
Whole beans need a coffee roaster and a coffee grinder. And often times you need a coffee maker because you will be able to make different types of coffee that are not provided by pre-ground coffee manufactures.
This process takes little time and effort. Remember, you will need to do these things every time you want to make a cup of coffee. Although this process of preparing a cup of coffee seems complicated and takes a long time. But do not worry, because with time you will get used to because there is nothing like a cup of fresh coffee.
Which One Give You More Coffee Volume
Ground coffee takes up the same space as whole coffee beans. However, the volume will be different depending on the degree of roasting, as well as the different degrees of grind, from fine to coarse. Also, the coffee beans differ from one crop to another. Some companies mix Arabica coffee beans with Robusta, and this will lead to a big difference in volume. So, you will never know exactly. It should be 1:1 ration. But after doing some experiments 1.2:1 is the more accurate.
Whole Beans vs Ground Coffee: The Differences Table
Here, I summarize the most important things that you should look to to know the differences between whole beans and ground coffee. Some of these things may seem unimportant in the short term, but they will be a real juncture in the long run.
| Whole Coffee Bens | Ground Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Freshness | 100% | 40% |
| Grind Options | Many. | Few. |
| Time | Slow. | Fast. |
| Volume | Same. | Same. |
| Price | Expensive (for short period) | Cheap (for short period) |
