For many, a coffee in the morning is part of a good start to the day. But not every powdered coffee is convincing. As the results of ÖKO-TEST show, even well-known brands such as Dallmayr, Eilles and Jacobs Krönung cannot score in the test. Read here what the testers have to complain about and which coffee is the test winner.
Coffee should make you awake and of course taste good too. But between an aromatic, full roasted taste and a bitter-tasting disappointment, there is a wide range on the shelves of discounters and supermarkets.
In an examination of 20 medium-strength ground coffees by ÖKO-TEST magazine, the taste rating ranged from “very good” to “poor” (Issue 11/2021).
The study shows that well-known brand names are just as little a reliable indicator of the quality of the roasted coffee as the price. But the sensors were not the biggest point of criticism. Because twelve products – and thus the majority – impressed with good or very good partial marks in terms of smell, taste and balance. You can read the detailed test for a fee at ÖKO-TEST.
Coffee powder: This is the test winner
In all test criteria, i.e. taste, ingredients, coffee cultivation and transparency, only one product was good or very good: “Fair Pound Organic Fair Trade Coffee, ground” by Gepa (to Greenist). It was also the best coffee out of the six organic products in the test.
Among the conventional roasted coffees was “Amaroy Extra, ground roasted coffee” from Aldi Süd (to Aldi) at the very front. It scored “good” in terms of taste and ingredients and was rated “satisfactory” for coffee cultivation and transparency.
Ground coffee: These brands are not convincing
The magazine had much more to complain about when it came to pollutants. She assessed the acrylamide values measured for 13 products as elevated.
However, ÖKO-TEST sets a strict benchmark: In the study, it was considered higher if the applicable EU guideline values for acrylamide in roasted coffee were exhausted by more than half. The substance forms when the coffee beans are roasted and is considered a possible carcinogen.
The affected products include the following six coffees:
- Alnatura ground coffee
- Good & cheap gold aromatic roast coffee
- Melitta Selection Classic
- Jacobs coronation
- Dallmayr Classic
- Tchibo The hearty one
- Eilles coffee gourmet
The latter scored only “inadequate” in the test overall and failed. The product is also not convincing in terms of cultivation and transparency.
Read the detailed test for a fee at ÖKO-TEST
Exploitation and Deforestation: The Downsides of Coffee
ÖKO-TEST criticizes the lack of transparency with regard to cultivation conditions and supply chains for many roasted coffees. The magazine had asked the providers whether they were actively trying to ensure that the people on the coffee plantations were paid decently. The magazine also asked whether producers can prove that the cultivation of their coffee beans does not involve the destruction of forests.
According to the report, the answers were sometimes comprehensive and sometimes poor. These ecological aspects are difficult for consumers to understand anyway.
Advice from ÖKO-TEST: Anyone who values that nature in the country of cultivation is not unduly damaged and that the local people are not exploited for the sake of enjoying the coffee should make sure that the coffee package has an organic label and a certificate for fair trade, for example Fair trade or hand in hand. That is at least a good sign for appropriate efforts.
The best filter coffee machines
Good coffee not only requires good coffee powder, but also a good filter coffee machine. Stiftung Warentest tested a total of 15 devices. The test winner delivers the best smell and taste and can also score with a fair price. We show you the best four models here in a quick overview. You can find more information in our detailed purchase advice.
The best fully automatic coffee machines
Fully automatic coffee machines conjure up a particularly good coffee. However, the selection is large and finding the right machine for your own requirements is not that easy. We will therefore show you five short questions below. After answering the questions, we will show you the machines that best suit your needs.