Decaf coffee is great if you like a cup of coffee before bed or you’re avoiding caffeine during pregnancy. And luckily, many well-loved brands offer decaffeinated versions, such as Folgers and Mount Hagen. However, decaf coffee often has a reputation for having less flavor and richness than the real thing.
We've compared 7 of the bestselling decaf coffees available online and put them to the test to recommend the best ones for you.
We tested each product for the following:
Taste (Coffee Expert)
Taste With Milk (Our Testers)
Taste With Milk and Sugar (Our Testers)
Which product ended up being the best of the best? Read on to find out. We'll also tell you how to pick the best decaf coffee on your own in our buying guide.
Mieko has participated in and won several awards at numerous barista championships and is now a judge herself. She won the 2006 Japan Barista Championship's Syphon Division and was runner-up for the 2013 Japan Coffee In Good Spirits Championship. While she's not training other aspiring baristas at her seminar Coffee Academy, she also supervises coffee-related books and produces coffee beverages.
For seven years, Daisuke has served specialty coffees as a barista and taught hand-drip latte art seminars. Currently, at mybest, he conducts the verification for all coffee-related products and equipment, including major manufacturers such as Kalita, Hario, and De'longhi, and specialty coffee brands such as Starbucks, UCC, Maruyama Coffee, and Blue Bottle Coffee. He creates content with the motto of "making ordinary coffee more delicious" by utilizing his experience as a barista. In addition, he also operates his own coffee roastery.
The most important point to consider when choosing a decaffeinated coffee is how it tastes with nothing added. Six testers, coffee drinkers themselves, evaluated the flavor of each product to find which were closest to the flavor profile of regular caffeinated coffee. The following four points were considered:Depth of flavorBalance of tasteSensation when drinkingQuality of aroma and flavorThe drip coffee makers used in the testing were the Melitta Aroma Filter Series AF-M1, and the filters we used were Melitta Aromatic FSC Mix. The brewing procedures using beans and grounds were as follows:Coffee beans were medium-ground with a Coffee Mill BM-250N at setting 4 for medium grind, using one ounce of grounds.Two fluid ounces of Kirkland Signature Spring Water (medium-hard) was heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The first pour of two ounces was left to steep and moisten the grounds for 30 seconds.When the water visibly reduced by one-third, another cup of hot water was added at a 90-degree angle from the center.After steeping, water was added again in three stages, starting with eight ounces, followed by four and then two ounces.The coffee was taste-tested immediately after this process.The brewing procedure for instant coffee was as follows:For one teaspoon of instant coffee, five ounces of water was heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The coffee was stirred about 10 times and taste-tested while still hot.
The opinions of professional baristas are crucial when evaluating the taste and quality of coffee. A barista assessed each decaf coffee based on aroma, balance of flavor, and sensation when drinking, according to the six points outlined below. The brewing methods were identical to the processes described in the first test.Points tested: FlavorBodySweetnessBitternessAcidityAftertaste
The taste and quality of a decaf coffee with milk added is also important to take into consideration. Our testers used the following four points to evaluate whether the aroma and taste of café au lait made with decaf coffee was comparable to that made with regular coffee.Flavor balance between the milk and coffeeIs the bitterness or acidity too pronounced?Does it taste mild, with the sweetness of the milk apparent?Does it leave any roughness on the tongue or an astringent aftertaste?We prepared the drinks in the following way for testing:Five ounces of whole milk was poured into 10 ounces of coffee, which was prepared using the same procedure as in the first test above.The coffee was thoroughly stirred five times before taste-testing.
Testers then evaluated the coffees after adding both milk and sugar to them. We wanted to find which product had the best balance of flavor between coffee, milk, and sugar to achieve a creamy, mild café au lait. We asked testers to consider the following:Balance of sweetnessDoes it become too sweet?Does the bitterness or acidity overpower the sweetness?We prepared the drinks in the following way for testing:One tablespoon of sugar was added to five ounces of coffee with milk, made in the same way as in the "Taste With Milk Added" test above.Taste-testing was performed after stirring the mixture until the sugar was completely dissolved.
All product tests
were conducted in-house at mybest
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.The mybest team independently conducts its own tests to rank products.
We do not guarantee any of the results or features explained in our buying guide. Please reference each product's official description when making your purchase.
You may have heard that decaf coffee is unhealthy, so let's take a closer look and find out.
Caffeine is a stimulant that wakes us up by temporarily raising blood sugar levels. Thanks to its very low caffeine content, decaf does not have the stimulating effect that regular coffee does. It’s less likely to cause light-headedness, spikes in blood glucose levels, and the inevitable slump once it wears off. If you find regular coffee too stimulating or a little hard on the stomach, decaf may be a better choice for you.
Decaf coffee contains less than three percent caffeine, so it's much better for drinking during pregnancy. In the U.S., it is recommended to limit your daily caffeine intake to 200 milligrams during pregnancy. Since a one-teaspoon serving of instant coffee contains around 80 milligrams of caffeine, that’s just two cups a day.
Decaf, on the other hand, contains around six to nine milligrams per cup, so you could drink up to 22 cups a day if you wanted to!
There are three main techniques for removing caffeine from coffee: dissolving the caffeine in water, dissolving it in carbon dioxide using the supercritical CO2 method, and extracting it through a chemical process using an organic solvent.
The water process is the most well-known method of removing caffeine. Coffee beans are soaked in water, then taken out and dried after the caffeine has dissolved. This process is relatively inexpensive, making the end product more affordable, too.
A more recently developed process is the supercritical CO2 method, where the coffee beans are infused with supercritical carbon dioxide. This technique is said to be the easiest way to remove caffeine while still preserving the flavor of the beans.
Unfortunately, the decaffeination process takes away some of the flavor and subtlety of the original coffee. The aroma is subdued, and the resulting coffee is usually weaker and less satisfying overall.
When we asked baristas to compare a series of caffeinated and decaffeinated products, the consensus was that decaf lacked the aroma of regular coffee, had a weaker flavor, and just didn't taste as good. A number of the products we tested, however, managed to maintain some of the taste qualities of regular caffeinated coffee. Don’t miss our selection process and recommendations below to find out which came out on top.
Here are the points to keep in mind when choosing the best Decaf Coffees.
Amazon Fresh's Decaf Colombia earned our highest score for taste. It was the only product rated as having the same flavor qualities as a regular, full-bodied coffee. Their Decaf Colombia is both aromatic and smooth when served black.
With its pronounced flavor, testers said that the bitterness of the coffee was well-balanced with milk and sugar. Its deep flavor is a stark contrast to the usual assumption that decaf coffee is weak and bland. This Colombian decaf is the perfect choice if you’ve been looking for the taste of regular coffee in a decaf variety.
Just like regular coffee, you can choose between beans, grounds, and instant decaf varieties.
If you have hot water ready to go, instant coffee only takes around 10 seconds to make. And while brewing with beans and grounds requires multiple steps involving grinders, filters, and machines, all you need is a cup for instant. For those who don't have a coffee maker or don’t have much time in the mornings, instant coffee is a no-brainer.
On the downside, instant coffee has an inferior taste profile compared to beans and grounds. Our testers reported the instant decaf as having a grainy mouthfeel and aftertaste.
As for flavor and taste, the instant coffees were also very bitter and lacking in other areas, such as sweetness and acidity. This resulted in a noticeable flavor imbalance. Instant coffee is made by dehydrating brewed coffee until it becomes a powder. This explains its downsides compared to regular coffee, which loses flavor when exposed to air.
We do not guarantee any of the results or features explained in our buying guide. Please reference each product's official description when making your purchase.
Products | Image | mybest Score | Click to purchase | Key features | Main Score | Details | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Taste (judged by our testers) | Taste (coffee expert) | Taste with milk(our testers) | Taste with milk and sugar(our testers) | Variety | Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Packaging | Number of cups per package | Decaffeination method | Roast | Taste | Flavor notes | Origin | Certified organic | Bitterness | Acidity | ||||||
1 | Amazon AmazonFresh|Decaf Colombia | ![]() | 4.40 | mybest's Top Choice: As Aromatic and Rich as Regular Coffee | 4.38 | 4.65 | 4.35 | 4.29 | Arabica | Ground | Bag | unknown | unknown | Medium roast | smooth finish | cocoa and brown sugar | Colombia | 5 | 3 | ||
2 | Seattle's Best Coffee Decaf|BHBUSWA4517 | ![]() | 4.26 | For Fans of Strong, Bitter Blends | 4.18 | 4.29 | 4.26 | 4.41 | Arabica | Instant | Canister | 6cups | unknown | Medium roast | mild taste | Decaf Portside Blend | Latin America | unknown | 6 | 2 | |
3 | LifeBoost Medium Decaf | ![]() | 3.99 | A Unique Flavor that Goes Well with Milk | 4.02 | 3.57 | 4.23 | 4.20 | Arabica | Whole bean | Bag | unknown | Water process | Medium roast | low acid | almond, maple syrup | unknown | 2 | 2 | ||
4 | Mount Hagen Organic-Cafe|SYNCHKG070625 | ![]() | 3.80 | Sour and Astringent, Best with Milk and Sweetener | 3.55 | 3.57 | 3.99 | 4.58 | Arabica | Instant | Canister | 60cups | Supercritical CO2method | unknown | mild | nutty | unknown | 4 | 3 | ||
5 | Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Breakfast Blend|5000198873 | ![]() | 3.71 | Flavorless, Weak, and Unpleasant Even when Sweetened | 3.81 | 3.22 | 3.93 | 3.99 | Arabica | Ground | Bag | unknown | unknown | Light roast | bold | nutty flavor and a silky | unknown | 2 | 4 | ||
6 | Costa Rica Tarrazu Decaf Coffee | ![]() | 3.59 | Grassy and Weak, Lacking Richness | 3.72 | 3.22 | 3.66 | 3.72 | unknown | Whole bean | Bag | unknown | Water process | Medium roast | vivacious, smooth, bright | clean body, apples, nuts | Costa Rica | 4 | 3 | ||
7 | The J.M. Smucker Folgers|Classic Decaf | ![]() | 3.40 | Bitter and Astringent No Matter How It's Served | 3.42 | 3.22 | 3.48 | 3.46 | unknown | Ground | Canister | 240cups | unknown | Medium roast | unknown | whisky | unknown | 5 | 2 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Ground |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Amazon Fresh's Decaf Colombia is made with medium-ground Arabica beans. Served black, it has a richness and sweetness similar to chocolate or maple syrup. It’s full-bodied and bitter, its mild sweetness adds balance. All in all, testers found this coffee to be enjoyable in a way you would not normally expect for a decaf coffee.
With milk added, we found the taste was well-balanced between the bitterness of the coffee and the sweetness of the milk. Adding sugar enhanced the richness even further, with one tester mentioning that it tasted just like a caffeinated coffee.
Whether prepared black or as a café au lait, Amazon Fresh's Decaf Colombia has a full-bodied flavor that might make you forget you're drinking decaf. We highly recommend it if you're looking for a decaf coffee comparable in taste to regular coffee.
Variety | Arabica |
---|---|
Packaging | Bag |
Number of cups per package | unknown |
Decaffeination method | unknown |
Roast | Medium roast |
Taste | smooth finish |
Flavor notes | cocoa and brown sugar |
Origin | Colombia |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 5 |
Acidity | 3 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Instant |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Seattle's Best Coffee's Decaf is another ground option made with medium-roasted Arabica beans. As a black coffee, it gave off an aroma reminiscent of honey and dark chocolate, with a smoky accent. It is strong, full-bodied, and rich, despite being decaffeinated, and mainly bitter with hints of acidity and sweetness. This is a good choice for coffee fans who prefer a more bitter blend.
The addition of milk balanced out the strong bitter taste and overall flavor, while sugar gave it a creaminess without being overly thick. If you find this coffee to be too bitter, add milk and sugar for a better depth and aroma.
Variety | Arabica |
---|---|
Packaging | Canister |
Number of cups per package | 6cups |
Decaffeination method | unknown |
Roast | Medium roast |
Taste | mild taste |
Flavor notes | Decaf Portside Blend |
Origin | Latin America |
Certified organic | unknown |
Bitterness | 6 |
Acidity | 2 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Whole bean |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
This USDA-Certified Organic Medium Decaf by Lifeboost is a whole-bean blend made with medium-roasted Arabica beans. It has a mellow aroma with hints of almonds and maple syrup. The flavor itself is powerfully sweet, with an astringent taste and aftertaste that make it difficult to drink. Overall, the flavor is weak and lacks the bitterness and acidity of regular coffee.
Adding milk weakened the aroma of the coffee, but managed to subdue the astringency and improve its drinkability. Sugar added a moderate creaminess and body, making Lifeboost's coffee a possibility for drinkers who like a lot of milk and sugar.
Variety | Arabica |
---|---|
Packaging | Bag |
Number of cups per package | unknown |
Decaffeination method | Water process |
Roast | Medium roast |
Taste | low acid |
Flavor notes | almond, maple syrup |
Origin | unknown |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 2 |
Acidity | 2 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Instant |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Mount Hagen's Organic-Cafe is an instant decaf made with Arabica beans, which are decaffeinated using both water and carbon dioxide methods. The initial aroma has a sweetness reminiscent of burnt sugar. Immediately after brewing, the flavor came across as weak and harshly astringent, although there was a good balance between bitterness and acidity.
After it had cooled down a little, the acidity became unpleasantly pronounced, so we recommend brewing only enough to drink while it's still hot. However, the bitterness was more prominent when we added milk and the astringency disappeared completely, resulting in a mild and full-bodied brew. Taste testers enjoyed it as a café au lait, commenting that sugar gave it an added richness. This instant coffee is good for sweet variations of milk-based coffees.
Variety | Arabica |
---|---|
Packaging | Canister |
Number of cups per package | 60cups |
Decaffeination method | Supercritical CO2method |
Roast | unknown |
Taste | mild |
Flavor notes | nutty |
Origin | unknown |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 4 |
Acidity | 3 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Ground |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Made with lightly roasted Arabica beans, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' Breakfast Blend is a ground decaf coffee. Initial impressions about the aroma were that it had a vanilla sweetness and an almost grassy smell, like hay. But the dominant taste was acidic, lacking in richness or bitterness. This coffee seems to fit the stereotype that decaf coffee is flavorless and difficult to drink.
Milk added some creaminess, of course, but testers noted that there was still a bitter aftertaste. Adding sugar didn't help. Testers felt this product wasn't suitable for anyone looking for a decaf that tastes similar to regular coffee.
Variety | Arabica |
---|---|
Packaging | Bag |
Number of cups per package | unknown |
Decaffeination method | unknown |
Roast | Light roast |
Taste | bold |
Flavor notes | nutty flavor and a silky |
Origin | unknown |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 2 |
Acidity | 4 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Whole bean |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Costa Rica Tarrazu's Decaf Coffee comes as whole, medium-roast beans that have been decaffeinated using the Swiss Water Process. This coffee has a grassy aroma, similar to hay or grain. It is medium-bodied with a primarily bitter flavor. Unfortunately, the overall taste was weak, with a heady sweetness that made it difficult to drink.
Adding milk made the coffee less bitter, but didn't add to the body. Taste testers thought that even with milk and sugar, it lacked the richness of a café au lait. The sugar also didn't offset the bitter taste.
Variety | unknown |
---|---|
Packaging | Bag |
Number of cups per package | unknown |
Decaffeination method | Water process |
Roast | Medium roast |
Taste | vivacious, smooth, bright |
Flavor notes | clean body, apples, nuts |
Origin | Costa Rica |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 4 |
Acidity | 3 |
Type (whole bean, ground etc.) | Ground |
---|
What we loved
What we didn't love
Folgers' Classic Decaf is made with 99.7 percent decaffeinated grounds. It comes in a large 30.5-ounce container, enough to brew approximately 240 cups of coffee. Initial impressions of the aroma were that it had a whiskey-like smell of grain. The strength of this aroma upon opening the container was off-putting.
Though full-bodied, the flavor was oily and very bitter, with little sweetness or acidity. Even when testers added milk, the intense bitterness was overpowering. Both this and its astringency were strong enough to make the drink unenjoyable. Sugar gave the coffee a rougher texture, and the astringency was still pronounced. If you're looking for an aromatic, rich coffee, this may be a product to avoid.
Variety | unknown |
---|---|
Packaging | Canister |
Number of cups per package | 240cups |
Decaffeination method | unknown |
Roast | Medium roast |
Taste | unknown |
Flavor notes | whisky |
Origin | unknown |
Certified organic | |
Bitterness | 5 |
Acidity | 2 |
We analyzed seven of the best-selling decaffeinated coffee varieties from Amazon, Walmart, Target, and similar stores and have determined our recommendations based on our testing process. When choosing the best decaffeinated coffee, we examined how similar each product tasted to caffeinated coffee and how it tasted when sweetened. We evaluated each product under the same conditions, immediately after opening the package.
We looked at the following points:
Taste, according to our testers
Taste, according to a coffee expert
Taste with milk added, according to our testers
Taste with milk and sugar added, according to our testers
Products we tested
The most important point to consider when choosing a decaffeinated coffee is how it tastes with nothing added. Six testers, coffee drinkers themselves, evaluated the flavor of each product to find which were closest to the flavor profile of regular caffeinated coffee.
The following four points were considered:
Depth of flavor
Balance of taste
Sensation when drinking
Quality of aroma and flavor
The drip coffee makers used in the testing were the Melitta Aroma Filter Series AF-M1, and the filters we used were Melitta Aromatic FSC Mix. The brewing procedures using beans and grounds were as follows:
Coffee beans were medium-ground with a Coffee Mill BM-250N at setting 4 for medium grind, using one ounce of grounds.
Two fluid ounces of Kirkland Signature Spring Water (medium-hard) was heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The first pour of two ounces was left to steep and moisten the grounds for 30 seconds.
When the water visibly reduced by one-third, another cup of hot water was added at a 90-degree angle from the center.
After steeping, water was added again in three stages, starting with eight ounces, followed by four and then two ounces.
The coffee was taste-tested immediately after this process.
The brewing procedure for instant coffee was as follows:
For one teaspoon of instant coffee, five ounces of water was heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The coffee was stirred about 10 times and taste-tested while still hot.
The opinions of professional baristas are crucial when evaluating the taste and quality of coffee. A barista assessed each decaf coffee based on aroma, balance of flavor, and sensation when drinking, according to the six points outlined below. The brewing methods were identical to the processes described in the first test.
Points tested:
Flavor
Body
Sweetness
Bitterness
Acidity
Aftertaste
The taste and quality of a decaf coffee with milk added is also important to take into consideration. Our testers used the following four points to evaluate whether the aroma and taste of café au lait made with decaf coffee was comparable to that made with regular coffee.
Flavor balance between the milk and coffee
Is the bitterness or acidity too pronounced?
Does it taste mild, with the sweetness of the milk apparent?
Does it leave any roughness on the tongue or an astringent aftertaste?
We prepared the drinks in the following way for testing:
Five ounces of whole milk was poured into 10 ounces of coffee, which was prepared using the same procedure as in the first test above.
The coffee was thoroughly stirred five times before taste-testing.
Testers then evaluated the coffees after adding both milk and sugar to them. We wanted to find which product had the best balance of flavor between coffee, milk, and sugar to achieve a creamy, mild café au lait. We asked testers to consider the following:
Balance of sweetness
Does it become too sweet?
Does the bitterness or acidity overpower the sweetness?
We prepared the drinks in the following way for testing:
One tablespoon of sugar was added to five ounces of coffee with milk, made in the same way as in the "Taste With Milk Added" test above.
Taste-testing was performed after stirring the mixture until the sugar was completely dissolved.
No. 1: Amazon|AmazonFresh|Decaf Colombia
No. 2: Seattle's Best Coffee|Decaf|BHBUSWA4517
No. 3: LifeBoost|Medium Decaf
No. 4: Mount Hagen|Organic-Cafe|SYNCHKG070625
No. 5: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters|Breakfast Blend|5000198873
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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