What’s The Best Cheap Coffee? | James Hoffmann Blind Taste Test

[@TheDiaryOfACEOClips]

Check out the full episode here ➡kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqKxo32EnciZa8k

[@ibate9833]

I think what viewers who don’t know James Hoffman need to know is his scale: he has tasted pre ground that is almost 70 years old and amazing coffees that sell for hundreds-thousands per 100g. So his 0-10 is very different to normal and he is being very kind here attempting not to discourage people not in the coffee world

[@urouroniwa]

"Kind" is an appropriate word, I think. When I watch James Hoffmann, it's always obvious that he is thinking very hard and trying to choose his words incredibly carefully. The kindness he shows is almost palpable. I think about some of the apologies that he's had on his channel when he's said something that he later regrets. I've learned a lot from watching him speak. I don't know anything about him as a person, but I completely respect how hard he works to be kind when he speaks in public.

[@themoodyteam]

‘his scale’ 😂 Fanboy

[@dumelisdumelis]

@@themoodyteam yes, I am a James Hoffmann fanboy. Why? 😌

[@paddyotoole2058]

We did know.

[@gregoriusandrianto6130]

yes. The variance is certainly higher than the average. He already tasted the worst and the best there is.

[@Ryees9]

Watching James try not to shit on these and be pragmatic is the best part.

[@xbriskx]

Hahahah

[@IrregularTangent]

Epic comment 😂. I read that in Hoffman voice lol

[@adamhardy8690]

He's scared the Starbucks hit squad track him down

[@MettleHurlant]

Watching his gravity-defying hair is the best part for me.

[@ulercobra]

😅I know right. I laugh immediately after his first cup. as someone who follow his channel, you'll know he's trying his best not to. LMAO

[@miroslavk7298]

I like the way how James H. described this. He is very professional and honest. Thanks for inviting him for a blind taste to this channel.

[@Will140f]

My favorite part of the pandemic was getting high and watching James Hoffman review every piece of coffee equipment that IKEA sells. I must’ve rewatched that video 25 times.

[@paradise_valley]

love that video too, done same during then without even getting high, so you're not alone in liking it!

[@TheGregcellent]

Replace "high" with "absolutely smashed out of my skull on Peroni Red" and I have a very similar experience to you 😂

[@Will140f]

@@TheGregcellent I don’t know where you live but I have never seen or heard of peroni red. Would love to try it though!

[@TheGregcellent]

@@Will140f i live in the UK. If you do too, you can get it from Costco and a lot of cornershops. Nice malty lager

[@Will140f]

@@TheGregcellent ah, I’m in Canada unfortunately. The beer selection isn’t great but there is a weed shop on every corner these days (frankly I don’t know how they all stay in business)

[@andyatch33]

I love how James is not anti-chain but is very pro-independent. The way he talked about number 4 screamed Starbucks but it was pret. I also love how he wants to encourage people to see coffee differently

[@magnusbruce4051]

To me, when he said the 5th was taste "vegetable-y" that made me think of Starbucks. There's a Starbucks near my office that I go to maybe once or twice a week and I'm not really a fan of the coffee there for this reason. Especially compared to what I bring in a flask (Lavazza made in my cheap espresso machine at home, so not great beans and not an amazing setup), Starbucks has a weird "vegetable" taste to it. But preferences are of course personal, I wouldn't think for a minute that my nose for coffee is even close to James's. Considering the Lavazza beans cost £12/kg in Costco and make what I consider to be a perfectly acceptable everyday espresso, they are fine for my purposes.

[@cybertonto72]

@@magnusbruce4051 next time you go ask what beans they have on rotation, and try a different bean. I find that some places I go the coffee can have that slightly veg/weird taste, and if I try a different bean its fine.

[@wooders0123]

Exactly. A lot of people don't like coffee or only have it with loads of sugar because they've only had over roasted chain stuff or instant.

[@SeiphersZone]

I love James and how he talks about coffee and perspective depending on the target audience

[@darkmage7771]

It’s impossible to watch James and NOT have an overwhelming urge to brew a cup!

[@LurkerPatrol]

I just had cold brew but now I want to make aeropress 😂

[@cybertonto72]

Just home after a shift and thinking about making some nice filter ...

[@iFreshCrispy]

Abolsutely, I can't finish a video of his without a nice hot cup in hand!

[@Schmiddis_focus]

I could listen to James talking about coffee all day long. He is like the dumbledore of coffee.

[@solidandsoiled]

omg u got me at dumbledore

[@adamhardy8690]

He speaks as if he has written his script already a script I would spend days trying to write well. Very eloquent.

[@PipeScholar]

@@adamhardy8690 Especially in interview form. You never know how many takes he does on a video, but to see him just riffing like that is insane. He's an incredible speaker and mind.

[@mftmss7086]

more like dumb and hwore

[@britneyserrano8908]

Best comparison ever!

[@dhichkuaoo]

James got me into brewing coffee at home. Started with cheap Ikea french press, then a few moka pots, one aeropress, and finally a delonghi machine. There is nothing better than finding an independent shop and try their beans and realising how different coffee can taste when u stop drinking the chain coffee. Probably have tried 16-17 different brands on the last one year and only thing i buy in my foreign travels now a days is beans.

[@Spartan-sz7km]

Honestly it's ruined coffee chains for me. I cannot justify buying a cappuccino for like 5-6usd a cup. For speciality coffee chains, definitely still but I'd definitely go for hand brewed coffee or espresso. Nothing with milk anymore

[@aaronboggs5799]

James got me into espresso and specialty coffee as well. I love sampling new coffees and am really glad I took the plunge this year in getting Onyx’s coffee advent calendar. It is by no means cheap, but when you consider you’re getting to sample 24 different higher end varieties and don’t have to risk buying a full bag of anything, the value proposition makes more sense. I’ve really enjoyed the experience this year and will continue to seek out opportunities to try new coffees and develop my palate.

[@wanaboed]

I know. But now I'm super broke right now. I can only buy $1 black coffee from cheap coffee shops. $2 is max of my daily coffee budget. I think I need to invest in simple pour over paraphernalia

[@robertmarsh8334]

In the coffee world, I feel like James Hoffman is the biggest guest anyone could hope for. I would love to meet him and have him try my coffee and give me some feedback or tips!

[@OldskoolCatflap]

James Hoffman IS coffee!

[@Showmetheevidence-]

Cos he is the best coffee guest….

[@datamusic4923]

Always prefer supporting independents - in most areas, local green grocers / butchers, and coffee. I still get a coffee from the big names, but its not my first option. Love James as always!

[@becbec3541]

Ok so I don’t even like coffee but I found this fascinating simple because of the knowledge and enthusiasm in this conversation.

[@gemmacruz8529]

He is fascinating and very entertaining. Check his YT channel. He won't disappoint you even if you do not like coffee.

[@owensparks5013]

A word of caution. Whether you're a coffee drinker or not, if you watch his yt channel you will wake up in a year's time with a plethora of 'wierd coffee person' gadgets, along with at least two coffee grinders.

[@sharpe8888]

​@@owensparks5013haha, so true

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@owensparks5013I had 2 grinders before watching his channel. Now I have 6🥴

[@DaveJ188]

​@@owensparks5013yeah, I've got a French Press, Aeropress and espresso machine. He does a really good job of speaking to the target audience.

[@Showmetheevidence-]

Don’t love McDonald’s coffee myself, and I’ve never been a Starbucks fan… but love learning more every time I see or hear something from James.

[@timo7641]

what James said about Starbucks its true, the beans quality themselves is not that bad, but the dark roasting profiles, non traceable beans and the grocery store no roast date regulation is what makes Starbucks below average. For starters I experimented on buying French Roast (yes their darkest beans to date) and even brewing them with Moka Pot, there is still some sweetness to it (tho smell quite rancid because its a 2 months old coffee, backdate 6 months on the best before date and you will likely get the roast date) because the Arabica beans is quite intact even tho pretty much burnt

[@kuriusly23]

I've had wonderful success with their limited releases and reserve roasts. Often single origin or even single estate and very good compared to their usual fare

[@yskuzi]

The problem is our equipment Starbucks Beans are great for home brewing but we at Starbucks are offen disappointed with the shots that the mastrana pulls can't do much about it it's about making people happy a great cup of coffee helps but not always my main focus

[@alisonstevens2952]

Agree, Non corporate location here our mastrana machines which are getting on in age just can't pull good and consistent shots anymore. We have spent ages adjusting them to no avail and it's really hard for us to get replacement machines so we can see our shots are bad but we aren't able to do much about it. @@yskuzi

[@NoobieDoobieDo]

Got some fresh ground medium roast Starbucks from one of their locations. It was so bad that I had to throw it out after about a week of trying to make it work. Lots of coffee nerds think that Starbucks is subpar. Seen that kind of sentiment many times on social media from coffee lovers.

[@tommyfreckmann6857]

​@@yskuzimissed a few commas there. I had to read that several times.

[@phil8528]

Caffè Nero is probably the best large chain coffee in my experience. I’m surprised that it wasn’t included in this test. It’s still not great, but by large chain standards I’ve found it to be the best.

[@Micha-mo5cq]

Totally agree; maybe they didn’t include cause it’s smaller chain, current only in some European countries; but yeah I think they’ve been improving their beans lately, also the inside designer of those cafes has a little soul sometimes, unlike the others like Starbucks or Costa

[@breathefitness]

Agree. I think Nero is the best out of the UK commercial chains as well. Personally Costa being the worst by some margin.

[@MrCostaC]

Pret is by far the worse, Nero is largely terrible.

[@phil8528]

@@Micha-mo5cq totally agree on the design of their cafes being better stylistically as well. They often have nice sofas, and just little extra touches like ornaments and paintings e.t.c instead of basically looking like an airport bathroom like every Starbucks I’ve seen.

[@adamcraig1468]

@@Micha-mo5cq Yea Nero has the nicest character to their interiors but often its not the cleanest or maintained as well. Starbucks has the minimalist look and costa is the cosiest but boring lol

[@bloochoob]

His hair is excellent, he looks like drawings of brainy profs in comics from the 1970s like the Dandy and Beano 😂

[@cctv5348]

Great comment 😊

[@Randomcharacters285]

Grow up man

[@slarter1]

Or “there’s something about Mary” 😂

[@kuriusly23]

He also roasts coffee occasionally

[@cctv5348]

@@kuriusly23 in a DeLorean 😉

[@Xanthopteryx]

Please come to Sweden and taste our coffee! The country where Starbucks failed.

[@alicew349]

I wish you'd included Caffè Nero as well, independent is always far superior but I do think it's the best of the chains in the UK

[@the_once-and-future_king.]

I've tried Nero and found it very bitter.

[@SurreyAlan]

​@@the_once-and-future_king.But it does taste of something. I have bought some Nero beans from Waitrose and enjoyed them at home

[@jamesmorgan9474]

Fully agree. Costa comes second, Starbucks....🤢

[@wastedtime101]

​@@jamesmorgan9474I don't think I've ever had a good Costa coffee.

[@ResevoirGod]

Nero tastes like cat piss. By far the worst of the big chains.

[@TRJx86]

Thing is about the chains is that they are there when you want a coffee , especially Mcdonalds, many a nightshift have they brought joy even if i know its not that great

[@rideitalia]

The difference in price / culture and flavour is so striking compared to here (Italy). Fascinating.

[@Deathtaxesandrussell]

I don't buy coffee when put in England unless as a treat in independent shops - in Italy I'm buying 1 every hour 😂😂

[@gravelrhoads]

I've been on a journey of discovery this year when it comes to coffee and James Hoffman has been a large part of it. My coffee game has definitely been elevated.

[@PinkSheep2005]

My mom is allergic to citrus (lemon,lime/orange) and now I KNOW why she cannot have COKE from a comment James made in this Coffee video! 🤯

[@MrTaylork1]

Yeah, orange growers for juice sell almost all their orange peels to Coke for the orange oil

[@CB-ys3wy]

Starbucks coffee tastes awful and it's over priced!

[@winterbird4447]

Was recently on a long weekend in London. Went to all different coffee chains. The only drinkable was Cafe Nero and some independent special coffeeplaces.

[@Brookes79]

Caffe Nero is usually a decent coffee, especially some of their single origin specials

[@wooders0123]

Next time just go all independent places. There's so so many incredible cafe's in London, if you like coffee it's a wasted opportunity just going to poor chains

[@specteramber]

Chain cafes have their benefits 100%. About a year ago, I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and I wanted a coffee. Very cartoonishly, I found two cafes side by side. One, a romanian chain called 5 to go, very much built on the Starbucks model, and the second was an independent shop. I went into the second, there was no line either, so why not? Well. The barista inside had his picture on the wall, under a sign that read "unqualified personnel", as a joke, of course, but it was foretelling. I ordered a cappuccino and he gave a Starbucks grande sized cup of bitter and watery tasting espresso mixed with a gallon of milk essentially. The foam was comparable to what you would get from a hand held coffee mixer. Also, the lid to the cup didn't fit well, so I spilled some on myself. And they had a very strange grinder as well. It had a collection cup attached to it, from which he dispensed into the portafilter. Instead of every coffee dose coming out straight from the grinder, into the portafilter, it collected in that container and sat there a while, before being brewed. I sincerely doubt it made much difference, but it was questionable design, unless any of you guys know what the benefit might be, I'd love to know. But, on the whole, moral of the story, I could have gone to the convenience store around the corner, and gotten a vending machine coffee that would have been better

[@veronica9634]

it's always interesting to see what james thinks of these various coffees, even though im one of those people who really enjoy earthy flavors. therefore we disagree a lot when it comes to subjective opinions of coffees

[@jamiepettengell1145]

Man I love James Hoffman

[@pavlovolegphoto]

If you would drop in Moscow (not recommended) you wouldn't find any of these chains anymore, but independent coffeeshops here is exceptional and cup of filter coffee would cost you no more than 3 pounds

[@Drenwickification]

Yeah you do they just changed name. Starbucks is now called stars coffee in Russia for example. I mean I don’t live there but it looks basically the same and is still a big chain. Not sure if they get their supplies from same sources or not tho.

[@pavlovolegphoto]

@@Drenwickification no, it's based on Starbucks of course but supplies are totally different. So we have what left of it of chains of course - it is ready to go business, but a lot changed inside, not just logo. McDonalds was rebranded better because supply chains (meat etc.) was local.

[@Showmetheevidence-]

2:00 that’s pretty fascinating!

[@joecalcagni9615]

This guys is perfection. The exact picture in my head of a walking, talking coffee shop. Love it!

[@Mark_Gibson]

What independent coffee shop was it?? Let’s big it up! ☕️

[@carlr3066]

I would always try and independent over a chain if I have the chance. Yes I’ll drink all of the chain store coffees but a good independent makes a huge difference

[@itspj]

2:29 "you don't know what brand these are, neither do I" they are literally written on his cups or on his notepad.

[@ronnieyuen4309]

James got me into the hobby way back, now I'm running a $30k machine and 3 different grinders at home, drinking the best coffee the world has to offer.

[@melmel2500]

😂😂😂😂

[@shelistens123]

The best coffee I ever had was from Nude Espresso when I was on a trip to London . It was so good I wrote a poem about the experience!

[@lukasruzicka4984]

Post poem here i want to read it

[@Tuck-Shop]

​@@lukasruzicka4984If you want a coffee, there's one place to go. To shelistens favourite coffee shop, Nude Espresso. I tried it once, I was really happy. But nobody else was nude, only me.

[@burgers8]

Those last comments about the risk of going to an independent coffee shop vs the chain you've been to before is so real. I try to convince my wife to go to independent shops to get her favourite beverage, but she's always more inclined to get the familiar Starbucks flavor.

[@rosa__lux692]

Thing with any of these chains is that you also get a completely different experience whichever one you go to based on the skill of your barista. Because the often don't get good training and have to educate themselves a lot

[@TheHomeExpert5]

It is an absolute necessity to cleanse your palate after sampling each coffee. Otherwise, the coffees that follow will have a different taste.

[@gohkairen2980]

ordered a latte from starbucks for 5 pound and that's the very last cup of coffee i bought from starbucks

[@Gixer750pilot]

Best coffee I’ve ever had was served in a Co-op in Venice . Cost €1 . It was amazing

[@stephenwabaxter]

In my opinion Cafe Nero has the best tasting coffee of the chains.

[@Trebor74]

If you go to a certain supermarket their coffee shops have been taken over by carluccios. Much better coffee than Nero's.

[@ResevoirGod]

Disgusting coffees

[@Paulorrrrrr]

This is really interesting. For my taste, Costa is significantly more enjoyable than Starbucks coffee which I just cannot drink. Independent shops, I find, have noticeably better coffee but I've had lots of variance with the same shop - one day the coffee is great and the next is a bit dull.

[@JanusXX]

I grew up in Brazil, and I have lived in London for a while. I could not find a coffee that tasted "right" to me. In Brazil even the shittiest coffe have some smell other than burnt.

[@Eihei]

Absolutely agreed. I just can't stand Starbucks coffee, it tastes straight up bad. At least the Costa coffee tastes very neutral for me.

[@SquidandCatAdventures]

I enjoy very good independent coffee, but I also enjoy getting a giant "vat" of McD's coffee with lots of cream and sugar to sip over the entire morning at work. Cheap, fast to pick up (no lineup like Starbucks or Timmy's), smooth (less likely to be burnt tasting than both). I know that's because of the dairy and sugar, but I enjoy that mix. I love it when a quality cup is good enough to not need them, but I also enjoy the taste of coffee with cream. James was so respectful. I would have ended on something that he would consider an 8-10 just to leave him with a better taste in his mouth, lol.

[@northernfocusmcr]

I actually quite like McDonald's coffee! 😂 As long as i get a latte or cappuccino it tastes pretty good to my unrefined palate. But Starbucks always tastes really weird to me, at least it does in the one nearest to me.

[@jacintao6826]

Here in NZ the majority of us are coffee snobs and like our independent coffee shops. It’s no surprise that companies like Starbucks fail here.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

another reason i should move to NZ lol

[@eVerProductions1]

He made a really good point about the independent places trying to mark up their coffee based off the prices of chains, if your nobody and small you gotta grow from humble beginnings before trying to put yourself up there just cause your an independent shop

[@louischapman1209]

I have to agree I don’t like coffee until I go to an independent coffee shop. I can actually drink it and enjoy it

[@kenjudithglover]

Best part: I never knew anyone would spend 20 years tasting coffees; listening to the facts he has compiled during his lifetime was interesting, but what really made me glad I stumbled onto this episode was that after all the words were said the average coffee drinker may not especially care if they were drinking the absolute the best of the best coffee every morning. And, according to this speaker, the taste difference doesn’t remain sharp and clear over time. You may be drinking the best of the best this year, but by next year, your taste buds won’t notice much of a difference.😮

[@funtaril]

moscow example is ironic since there's no starbucks in russia anymore

[@skinwalker_]

I’ve always hated the taste is Starbucks and costa. Pret I could handle and it was also a lot cheaper at the time. Never been into a McDonald’s. It’s independents for me all the way.

[@shepshape2585]

The best cup of cheap coffee is in my kitchen. But other than that, there are these gas stations here in Florida called Race Trac and they have those machines that grind the beans for each cup of coffee and it's a pretty damn tasty cup of coffee.

[@jidduv]

Best cup of coffee I've ever had was a pour over from someones kitchen. Granted he was also a professional coffee roaster and he probably served me some specialty beans for his personal consumption. He told me nothing about it and didn't prime my head with any inputs, he let the coffee speak for itself and it was sublime. I could taste flavour notes in that cup that I had never thought about when tasting coffee. All that to say, homemade isn't bad if you start with good beans and a good grinder. It also isn't cheap if you ball out on high end beans.

[@Kandralla]

I've had the Race Trac coffee and I think what you're observing there is just how much grinding the coffee just before it's brewed improves the flavor. I tell people that if they can afford it, the easiest way to drastically improve your coffee at home is to buy a burr grinder and grind your own. 7/11 has those machines now and their coffee is pretty okay too. They're both workmanlike, which is fine... might actually be good for context making the truly excellent coffee taste even better in comparison. I also think something that is lost on a comparison like this is why you're getting the coffee. McDonalds coffee isn't the best but I'm not going there for the best; I'm going there because I'm hungry, and in a hurry and for that application McDonalds coffee is really good (assuming they've descaled their machine in the last five years and I can get them to not put random amounts of cream and sugar in it). It's certainly better than Dunkin's which is what people in the US think of when they think good, fast food coffee.

[@shepshape2585]

@@Kandralla I agree on the grinding bit. Sam’s club used to have a commercial grade grinder in the coffee aisle, and I would buy a decent bag of beans and grind it there, not having one at home. I really do need to buy a grinder, not sure why I haven’t as of yet.

[@stephencharles6932]

Cafe Nero, recommended in England. Get a loyalty card too. One free cup after ten.

[@rninness]

Having listened to a lot of James, this made me wonder if there is (or should be) a trend of BYO EQ. I wonder if people listen back to the audio of themselves on shows and think: "That's not how I sound, or not how I would like my self to sound". I guess you're at the mercy of the editor and the limits of the setup (mic, dac etc) but still something I thought about when listening to this. Not that this sounds bad, it's just a very different sound stage/mix that I'm used to hearing James' voice come out of.

[@ry5szkj]

I miss being on holiday in Portugal and getting an espresso for 70cents and not really caring how it tastes because it cost 70cents.

[@Ichibuns]

We have a nice little Italian café in town. Awesome coffee. Awesome Crepes. Some of the best gelato. Independent shops are often much better. The big turn off for the majority in the US is that they typically do not have drive-thru windows.

[@MRtwister88]

Those tiny nuances between the chains is what gets you addicted to them, so when you go literally anywhere else it’s not what you’re used to, and that’s when you know they got ya!!

[@brekkoh]

I specifically refuse to go to ichains when I'm abroad, the whole point of traveling is for experience, why would i forfeit that by going to something familiar

[@astb01]

I feel like Nero coffee offers a better quality but again it comes down to personal preference. One thing is for sure that they shouldn’t be priced that highly…

[@laurah2831]

It’s the double espresso as standard in all drinks. They were the first ones to do it, when everywhere else serving large American size drinks were single shot. Think the cups might be slightly smaller too which adds to that. Caffè Nero mocha / hot choc is insanely good.

[@dogflirt]

Love watching James :) Just because a place is independent, it definitely does not equal good coffee, or experience. I've traveled all over the US for work the last 6-7 years, and had such bad coffee at a lot of independent places, I rarely even risk it anymore. Even the ones who price high. I know people love to jump on the "hate big brands band-wagon", however Starbucks has always been a consistent place for a good americano or flat white. I'd say 9 out of 10 times. And unlike some of the independent places, they are always happy to correct or remake anything I don't like. No hassle.

[@stoovurns73]

In Australia, it's essentially the opposite. We have such a strong coffee culture that most people will go to any independent cafe before a chain, to the point that chain shops are getting harder to find, and many have slowly died out over the last few years. Starbucks particularly famously failed when they tried to move in over here. Traveling in the UK, I've been a bit culture shocked to see so many chains, and many of them do charge more than the smaller cafes, for an inferior product.

[@egodreas]

I must say that I do not agree with any of that. I find Starbucks next to undrinkable, and your typical independent coffee place generally beats them by a mile. Although I must say that coffee in the US is not quite as good as most other parts of the world (as far as I can tell from just a couple of years spent in NY, LA and SF). The UK isn't all that remarkable either, except for some of the many awesome specialty coffee places you can find in London. Nothing like the coffee you get in Scandinavia or New Zealand and Australia. They take their coffee much more seriously there. More so than even Italy.

[@bobbyiv9335]

If your go to is black coffee I’ve found that places who make pour overs almost always offers better product than places who don’t. I’ve traveled quite a bit and I’ve found this rule to be nearly fool proof. But I also prefer black coffee and a lighter roast.

[@wastedtime101]

That is quite a damming review of North American coffee culture.

[@RobinHartJones]

I agree. I have excitedly tried a new independent shop a few times and had a terrible coffee. My favourite coffee establishment is the Hog & Hedge just past Exeter on the way to Cornwall. They don't make any claims for their coffee and mostly push their home made food but their espresso is sublime. Shame I live 200 miles away but I always try to visit if I am leaving Cornwall. 😏

[@jontymo]

What a great and fascinating film, love watching James being nice but very honest!!!!!!

[@tonylawlor8833]

We dont have Pratt but I agree Costa is the best of the rest, esp when it comes to a Flat White or Cappa, the cup of black I dont know.

[@brandon3872]

Out of the big coffee chains in the UK, my favourite coffee is from Cafe Nero. Independent coffee shops are definitely better.

[@themoodyteam]

Defo go for the independents. Invariably more interesting.

[@oliver.gilbert]

I agree, I think it is because Cafe Nero is built on the italian style of coffee drinking and therefore has fairly high standards to begin with- unlike the more North American standard of weak filter.

[@brandon3872]

@@oliver.gilbert That makes sense, and I think because Starbucks is the most successful coffee chain in the world, a lot of others try to imitate them, rather than do better than them.

[@laurah2831]

Starbucks is the McDonalds of coffee chains. It does what it aims to which is sell milkshakes with a bit of coffee in. At least McDonald’s is cheap tho.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

There are definitely bad roasters at independent shops, just as their are bad plastic surgeons but requirements to be a roaster are significantly lower

[@GoombaTheCat]

My suppression response is somehow broken. I can smell myself well before anyone else. It may sound helpful, but it just leads to a lot of anxiety because even a brisk walk can bring out an odour that doesn't go away for the rest of the day 😕

[@MMircea]

Costa Coffee is daylight robbery. £4+ where I live for that garbage. I'd rather drink tap water

[@Pebb86]

When Costa put a design featuring a certain demographic where heathy human assets were ripped out of their body on their company vans. I refused to buy anything Costa related until they apologised to everyone who saw the truth and were offended by Costa. But since they refused to say sorry, which shows they don’t know human biology. Now when I see Costa products on deal I am like. Nope. And while supermarkets stocking their products would want me to buy their stock since no money is going directly to Costa. What Costa did is immoral and offensive to people who aren’t confused when it comes to biology. So buying said products would be against my morales and would show. I am mentally weak by not boycotting Costa after they refused to say sorry. Shame most of the British population aren’t willing to boycott Costa. All because the Costs Express coffee machines found in shops are a convenient way to get their coffee fix. Now if they made their own coffee or purchased multi-packs of good coffee, like Jimmys canned protein coffee. It would begin to impact Woke Costa to the point they might finally apologise after a boycott began to impact their income stream which would also scare their owners who are Coca-Cola. Plus the low sugar content and added protein is a good way to wake up. Or if someone wants a way to combat a headache. Said people can buy black coffee or cold brew coffee in a can/bottle with no sugar added. Or brew coffee at home after using freshly ground coffee if a person wants more antioxidants.

[@christianvoller5275]

I always choose Pret as my go to coffee when I'm out and about. Prefer the taste to other chains

[@GoombaTheCat]

I've been telling people that Starbucks is terrible coffee forever. Thank you, James ❤️ *sips on A&W free refill*

[@FleccaRobinson]

Im new to your channel (coming from james' channel), just wanted to say you have an elegant set.

[@steveymoon]

Thats interesting. My experience has always been that Pret is far nicer than Starbucks or Costa.

[@HowItsEvenPossible]

10:15 I wish James could come to Saint Petersburg, we have a lot of great coffee shops here. At my favorite local place there is his book proudly standing on the shelf

[@tiaanbeukes]

Love you guys!! Looking forward to listening to the whole thing. Keep it up!

[@Ergilion]

It's the same deal in Moscow. Only in Moscow Starbucks (and whatever it is that now replaced it) charges almost double what the independents charge and its coffee sucks. Independent coffee shops in Moscow shred chains to pieces both in terms of quality and price.

[@c0mbat15]

No matter where I go to in the world, the first thing I do is research all of the best independent coffee shops and how far they are from my hotel or from the places that I will visit. Most of the time they become the focal point of my trip 😂. There's no way I would buy a coffee from a chain unless I really have to, which is typically at the bookends of the trip in the airport 😂.

[@pigeonsareugly]

I'm of the exact same opinion

[@curseyoujordanshow]

I think global chains must have totally different suppliers depending on where in the world specific franchises are located, because where I live in Ontario Canada, McDonalds coffee is considered to be really good. At least, as good as you could hope for from drive-thru coffee. Tangentially, I'm always amused by the difference in how "McDonalds" gets pronounced; in North America, we say "Mick", but Brits put a heavy emphasis "Mack".

[@misomicro]

The correct pronunciation is "Mac", meaning "Son" in Scots and Irish Gaelic.

[@L337Dratini]

In Ontario, I feel that McDonald's is considered really good because people are used to drinking Timmies. My American friends (one of whom is a competitive barista) are appalled that I enjoy Starbucks but they really have no idea how awful the other options are - there are no good independent coffee shops in my area, either.

[@stuartpenney9717]

Hoffman is a legit legend 🙏🏻

[@DM-kv9kj]

I got a really fancy light roast bag of beans for christmas from my brother and the bag said notes of apricot. Usually I find these notes vague at best, but damn that stuff actually reeked like sour molding apricots in baby poo! It's absolutely vile by itself but in a tiny amount blended in with my usual dark roast stuff it adds amazing complexity and zest.

[@doc8125]

Did it say something "anaerobic" or "natural" at the front? A lot of werid fermentation processed coffees can remind me of rotting fruit

[@Violet-ui]

The one that tastes the best to you, regardless of what some guy on the internet says

[@ChadWinters]

I don’t think being able to charge more than Starbucks is a good thing. What I loved about traveling in Europe was a good espresso was always easily in reach for 1-2 euros

[@Madkingstoe]

My personal favorite is McCafe coffee in Canada (I'm not sure if they use different beans elsewhere in the world)

[@r2skyvader]

I enjoy it here in the States too. Notes on the nose like pancakes and syrup. Maybe how it was made too.

[@bubba_sawyer]

The best coffee is the one you enjoy most.

[@gregorymoats4007]

My understanding is when Starbucks bought Seattle’s Best they eventually cut a deal with MD’s. Don’t know if that was a regional move

[@kwong6884]

The most exciting coffee I’ve ever had abroad has always been independent coffee shops

[@sparkey196]

Of the high street chains, Nero with speciality blend is the best by a wide margin. Loads of discounts around too. James for the win!

[@flymdjets]

Revealing the identity of some before the end skewed the results.

[@igottmituns]

New viewer here - love the platform for James and our growing coffee community! Heads up that it's Hoffmann* with the extra "n"

[@jadondoesthings]

Pepsi would rank higher on a blind taste test due to it being slightly sweeter, however people tended to prefer Coke when drinking a full serving (at least during the time of the Pepsi challenge)

[@leedawson8438]

Listening to James talk about coffee is so interesting

[@xc43t]

The only reason to go to places like Starbucks or Costa is that they have wifi. They all sell same product for prices that make no sense. The risk of going to an independent/ specialty coffee place always makes sense to me. I will find something new and most of the time something good. Nothing good can be found at Costa and I would only go there if they were the only coffee shop in town and there was a blizzard outside.

[@JWSoul]

Costa, to me, is a very strong caffeine content drink. The best I've had is one I had in a garden shop in the Midlands. Had it once never to have it again.

[@lusteraliaszero]

it's likely not the caffeine you're tasting

[@Jadamson321]

You are not tasting caffeine, you are probably tasting roast level i.e. bitterness and collating the two. James Hoffmann has some good videos on how to taste and describe coffee.

[@jca111]

Roast level and caffeine are NOT the same.

[@Jadamson321]

re-read my comment because that is not what I said at all. @@jca111

[@trevorgwelch7412]

Tim Hortons , Starbucks Verona , McDonalds High Mountain Organic .

[@martinguy7609]

James: This one's fuller than number 1 Stephen: "It's fuller isnt it?"

[@Subsonic-g2n]

I subscribed. Good video and excellent conversations. Love from Texas

[@tiresais]

Sounds about right - i stopped going to Costa due to the quality falling off. Try Nero next!

[@gmo4250]

Revealing the brands before the test was complete was a lousy thing to do.

[@michelles2299]

Why

[@gmo4250]

​@@michelles2299 Because I think it's better to blind taste all of the coffees before the brands are revealed. If you disagree, fair enough. It's no big deal.

[@ScoobGruber]

I don't get big chain coffee shops. The coffee is always horrible.

[@egodreas]

Wish this had included _Caffè Nero, Black Sheep_ and _Blank Street_ as well. Maybe _Greggs_ as well, as I believe they actually sell more coffee than even Starbucks or Pret.

[@hurley2609]

Greggs is surprisingly good

[@loganholmes2991]

​@@hurley2609I find Greggs coffee rancid. Tastes like an ash tray to me. I love a pasty tho 😂

[@rantingwrench]

Greggs coffee is somehow worse than Starbucks... possibly on a par with McDonalds but I haven't had their coffee in years because it is rank.

[@sigh_anna]

Never heard of those

[@christopherbuck7679]

I guess like lots of folk who watch this make good coffee at home, or at least try. I personally think I make a better cup of coffee than high street chains…..by a big gap. I recently went into a small independent shop in Lewes, best coffee I have had out and about for years. My point being that why can’t the chains not brew decent coffee, they have the ability to buy great coffee, they have very expensive grinders, great machines. So it must be the staff not giving a monkeys. Having luckily worked around Italy you do seem to get a superb Coffe (espresso) in coffee shops all over, because they care.

[@laowai2000]

As someone who has likely consumed a lot of the nicest coffees in the world, this test must be absolute torture for James.

[@pulver67]

But it isn't. That is what is so engaging about James. His earnestness. Certainly not coffees he would consume by choice but he does see value not only in this kind test but in information sharing. There are interesting discoveries to be found everywhere....even in sub-par coffee.

[@doc8125]

James is a masochist, he likes the pain of bad coffee, just watch him taste old ridiculously old coffee over and over 😂

[@laowai2000]

@@doc8125 i just add more milk. Seems to mask a bad shot quite well. The caffeine still there

[@ilushk]

This mans knitwear game is unbeatable

[@cosmodoc]

I like the fact that James sits in front of a camera even on a bad hair day!😆

[@RobinHartJones]

I watch all his videos and the hair does not get much better than that. Good on him His hair is not 'bad' it's just 'individual' 😊

[@cosmodoc]

@@RobinHartJones well, thankfully I am a person who thinks that brains are far more important than styling!

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

Actually the coffee in petrol stations are often better than in many restaurants lol. at least in the Netherlands. i like my new found coffee from a local producer, hilariously cheaper than a supermarket these days, like 50% even.

[@paulas_lens]

Be careful if you try petrol/gas station coffee here in the States! Sneak a swig before you buy a cup.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

@@paulas_lens swig?

[@KyleMcNamara-w9c]

@@CyberBeep_kenshi a small sip

[@mattjwayad9639]

Best pitch for subscribing, ever. "The bigger the channel gets the bigger the guests."