Updated March 2025
Coffee Brand Reviews 2025
We've reviewed 18 coffee brands across the US and UK — mushroom coffee, concentrates, Italian espresso, specialty roasters, and flavoured coffee. Here's what's genuinely worth buying.
🇺🇸 US Coffee Brands Reviewed
Mushroom coffee, concentrates, strong coffee, and specialty roasters from across the United States.
Best liquid coffee concentrate
Javy Coffee
Ultra-concentrated cold brew. 1 teaspoon makes a full cup — hot or iced.
Best value mushroom coffee
Ryze Mushroom Coffee
6 functional mushrooms per serving. The most popular mushroom coffee brand in the US.
Best veteran-owned coffee
Black Rifle Coffee
Military-founded, small-batch roasted. Just Black dark roast is the standout.
Strongest coffee available
Death Wish Coffee
~300mg caffeine per cup. USDA Organic, Fair Trade, and surprisingly smooth.
Best flavoured coffee (US)
Bones Coffee
30+ dessert-themed flavours. S'morey Time is the one to start with.
Most complete mushroom latte
Everyday Dose
Lion's Mane + Collagen + L-Theanine. The premium alternative to Ryze.
Original mushroom coffee brand
Four Sigmatic
The brand that started the mushroom coffee category. Think Coffee instant packets are the easiest entry point.
Best tasting concentrate
Jot Coffee
Single-origin Colombian at 20x concentration. Better flavour than Javy, higher price.
Best biohacker coffee
Danger Coffee
Dave Asprey's remineralized, mycotoxin-tested coffee. The cleanest sourcing on the market.
Best specialty roaster (US)
Stumptown Coffee
Portland's finest. Hair Bender remains one of the best espresso blends in the country.
Best organic coffee (US)
Kicking Horse Coffee
USDA Organic + Fair Trade at mid-range prices. Kick Ass dark roast is exceptional value.
🇬🇧 UK Coffee Brands Reviewed
Italian espresso, Yorkshire organic roasters, London specialty cafes, and flavoured instant coffee — the best UK brands tested.
Best sustainable pods (UK)
Grind Coffee
London's B Corp roaster. Home compostable Nespresso-compatible pods that actually taste good.
Best UK specialty roaster
Rave Coffee
Cheltenham's finest. Signature Blend for espresso; Ethiopia Natural for pour-over fans.
Best Italian espresso (UK)
Lavazza
Italy's most recognised brand. Super Crema for espresso machines; Qualità Rossa for moka pots.
Best Yorkshire organic roaster
Grumpy Mule
Organic and Fairtrade from Harrogate. The Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is a genuine surprise at this price.
Best climate-certified coffee
Löfbergs
Swedish Climate Certified organic coffee. The strongest environmental credentials at a mainstream price.
Best flavoured instant coffee (UK)
Beanies
40+ flavours, ~2 calories per cup. Caramel Latte is the bestseller for good reason.
Most authentic Italian espresso
Kimbo
Naples' most celebrated espresso brand. Darker and bolder than Lavazza — the real southern Italian style.
How We Review Coffee Brands
Every brand on this list has been tested by our team. For coffee bags and beans, we brew using multiple methods — espresso machine, French press, pour-over, and AeroPress — to understand how the roast performs across different extraction styles. For concentrates and instant coffees, we follow the recommended preparation and compare against direct competitors.
We look at four things: flavour quality, value for money, brand transparency (sourcing, certifications, roast dates), and who the product is actually best for. We don't accept payment for placement in these reviews.
US vs UK Coffee Brands — What's the Difference?
The US specialty coffee market has exploded with functional coffee (mushroom, adaptogen, remineralized) and concentrate formats — Javy, Ryze, and Everyday Dose are all products with no UK equivalent. The UK market is more traditional, led by Italian espresso brands (Lavazza, Kimbo) and independent specialty roasters (Rave, Grind).
For UK readers: the US functional coffees ship internationally, but at significant cost. Our UK picks give you the best of what's accessible and affordable in Britain.