13 Store-Bought Espresso Coffee Brands, Ranked

Nothing beats an authentic espresso — like the kind you'd find in an Italian café or a place like Boston's North End. Crafting the perfect espresso shot is really an art. Not only do you have to select between a manual press or an automatic machine, but you also have to find the perfect water temperature, optimal extraction pressure, ideal grind size, and of course, an excellent roast to brew.

Espresso can be made with everything from light to dark roasts, but some brands on the market specifically produce espresso roasts. I decided to put some popular store-bought espresso coffee brands to the test to find out how well they delivered on an espresso shot. But since you can also enjoy an espresso roast as a regular cup of coffee, I tested that option as well. My results highlighted an array of different espresso roasts, including ones that were smooth, bitter, nutty, and chocolatey. I noted the depth, taste, and palatability of each coffee brand before ranking them from worst to best. After sampling all of these coffees, I knew one thing: I was very well caffeinated. 

Pilon, a dark roast coffee marketed for espresso, began its journey in Cuba. Although the product is available in whole beans too, I tested its ground espresso, which I found in red and yellow vacuum-sealed bags. Normally I stay away from vacuum-sealed bags because it's difficult to store the coffee once the seal has been broken. The bags are typically packed full, which is good, but if only a small amount of grounds are removed, there's really not enough extra packaging to adequately reseal the bag. In this case, the best way to store the coffee is to transfer grounds to an airtight, sealed bag or container.

I'm not a fan of this coffee, either as an espresso shot or brewed as a regular drip cup of coffee. It brews without issue, but I find it has a weird sour taste. The espresso is bitter and tangy, and I honestly couldn't finish it. The regular drip coffee isn't bad, but I wouldn't call it good either. Considering the sheer number of coffee brands to choose from in the stores, I can say that I wouldn't reach for this one first.

Medaglia D'Oro is an Italian espresso roast that's been around for 100 years. You can find cans of grounds, bags of whole beans, and jars of instant coffee — all decked out in the colors of the Italian flag. I purchased the ground coffee in a can for this taste test because that's what was readily available on the shelf.

I'm on the fence as to whether or not I like this roast as espresso. It's intense, but it comes off a little harsh. The liquid is somewhat thick and even after drinking half of it, I couldn't make up my mind. It did strike me as the type of espresso that would make a good addition to a dessert, like cake or ice cream. The richness has a little bit of sweetness to it. I also tested this brand brewed as a drip coffee and it's just okay. Given how underwhelmed I am by either brew option, it lands low on the list.

I had high hopes for a coffee named Mad Priest. This was the only brand on this list that was available as whole beans rather than just pre-ground. But like most coffee lovers, I have a coffee bean grinder on stand-by. And since espresso is made using a fine grind, I ground the beans as fine as the grinder would allow, which was pretty much on-par with the size of the other pre-ground coffee I tested.

The first thing I noticed was the light color of the grind. Espresso roasts are typically much darker, which is one feature you should look for when picking espresso beans. The roast has a light, refreshing aroma but the coffee itself tastes nothing like espresso. It's light, fruity, and tangy, but in a slightly off-putting way. I'm not impressed. 

As a drip-brewed coffee, the cup is more like a medium to dark roast. In all fairness, the bag does indicate this is a medium roast, though it's labeled as an espresso roast. The regular cup of coffee is smooth but also tangy. It's fairly tasty, but it's just not my kind of coffee. If you enjoy a fruity medium roast, then you'll probably like this brewed as a regular cup of coffee.

Lavazza has been around since 1895 and was named after the man who first opened the first company storefront: Luigi Lavazza. The company has morphed multiple times over the years, expanding and moving its operations from locale to locale. Today, it's still Italy's largest coffee company. 

Unfortunately, the Lavazza espresso, which I bought in a can, failed to deliver. The first noteworthy observation I made was that the coffee is very light in color. Though the brewed espresso has a deeper flavor than you would expect from such light coffee grounds, the taste is stale and burnt. It's worth mentioning this could be from shipping and storing, as opposed to stemming from the coffee itself. Regardless, I didn't enjoy the espresso at all. But the regular cup of coffee, brewed drip-style, is good, which is why Lavazza gets ranked a little higher than other options on this list. The brewed cup is smooth, resembling a medium to dark roast, and is not harsh or bitter.

Family-owned Community coffee is named after its purpose, to serve the community. It's been passed down through five generations and currently offers multiple roasts and blends. The espresso roast comes in an eye-catching red and black bag, aptly named "Dark & Bold." I'll admit, it is somewhat dark and bold. The espresso brew tastes more like a super concentrated cup of dark roast coffee, as opposed to an enjoyable espresso. It's tasty enough, though a smidge bitter. I would not rate this high for an espresso, but it is better than some of the lower-ranked brands.

Brewing the Dark & Bold espresso roast as a regular drip results in a pretty good cup of dark roast coffee. It has bite, which comes across as slightly harsh, but if you're looking for a dark roast that has oomph, this is it. It's a solid, go-to cup of coffee, which is why it lands in the middle of the list.

Café Bustelo is steeped in Latin roots. It was first made by a man named Gregorio Bustelo who first crafted the coffee in his East Harlem home. This Latin-inspired espresso ground coffee is available in striking yellow and red cans and vacuum-sealed bags. I sampled the bagged coffee because the price was slightly less than the canned version. 

Overall, this brand was one of the more budget-friendly ones on the list, which is worth noting because it fares better than some of the costlier brands. The flavor of the roast, when brewed as an espresso, is deep and rich with a fairly thick texture. The espresso is good enough to land in the middle of my list, even though it is a little bitter. The regularly-brewed version delivers a bold and rich dark roast cup of coffee. I did find it had a little bit of a burnt aftertaste, but it is otherwise enjoyable.

Dunkin' has long been known for its donuts, baked goods, and freshly brewed coffee. I too have enjoyed my fair share of Dunkin' coffee over the years. Among the many varieties of Dunkin' coffee flavors and blends is its espresso-style — an extra dark roast. It certainly tastes like an extra dark roast, but I found the espresso-brewed coffee to be a bit bitter. It's tasty enough, but it's not my top choice for an espresso shot.

I was curious as to how this blend would brew as a drip version. Would it taste anything like the Dunkin' I remember? It actually tastes better than the coffees of my past. Though the espresso is underwhelming, the regular brew is a really good, dark roast cup of coffee. It has a nice punch to it, but it doesn't come off as bitter as the espresso brew. 

I was excited to try illy since it's celebrity chef Bobby Flay's favorite coffee brand, but I was left a little disappointed. Its rich history, which involves the invention of the espresso machine itself, sets a high standard for an espresso roast that will knock your socks off. But my socks stayed firmly on my feet. That being said, it's far from bad. It's just that my expectations were set pretty high.

illy's espresso brew is smooth, with a deep, slightly-overdone roast taste. It features a nice dark, chocolatey undertone, which makes it ever-so-slightly bitter — and not necessarily in a bad way. Brewing it via drip style makes for a good cup of dark roast coffee. I understand why it's a favorite among coffee drinkers and I can think of a few other brewing methods I'd like to try this coffee with.

Fire Department Coffee is veteran and firefighter-owned, which makes it already a win in my book. What began in 2016 as a way to keep firefighters caffeinated and alert turned into a successful coffee endeavor. Beans are sourced from around the world and roasted in the U.S. There's a wide range of coffee roasts and flavors to choose from, and the company even offers more than one espresso roast. I chose Skull-Crushing Espresso. That sounds like my kind of coffee.

FDC espresso does not disappoint. The espresso is rich and smooth, and almost thick in texture. It has a light chocolate flavor that's both complementary and tasty. Fire Department Coffee is a solid top 5 choice. I also enjoyed the regular brewed version. It's on the lighter side, more like a medium to dark roast, but it's smooth and flavorful. I may try the drip brew using a higher grounds-to-water ratio for a deeper cup.

Starbucks is rated as one of the top coffee chains in the U.S., so it's no surprise it delivers a solid espresso. While you may not get the exact same coffee from visit to visit at your local store, when you brew coffee at home, you're able to get a consistent brew each time. Starbucks espresso roast is just about what you'd expect or want from a good espresso; it's deep, smooth, and full-bodied. It's tasty without any bitterness, and it admittedly went down pretty fast — just like a shot should. 

I regularly enjoy a Starbucks coffee when I'm on the road, but it's typically the Pike Place roast (a medium roast). This espresso roast, however, makes an equally-good cup of dark coffee when brewed via drip, though it isn't nearly as strong as some of the other dark roasts offered by Starbucks.

Death Wish is already one of the best grocery store coffee brands to drink black. Turns out, the company also offers a top-notch espresso roast. It uses organic and Fair Trade-certified coffee from a mix of Arabica and Robusta beans, the latter of which are stronger than the average coffee bean. Though there are reports that Death Wish coffee features a copious amount of caffeine per cup, the company assures its caffeine levels are within industry standards.

When it's brewed as an espresso shot, Death Wish espresso roast results in a rich and smooth cup. The roast features a pleasant taste that is slightly sweet, which makes it very enjoyable. The espresso roast also makes a tasty cup of dark roast coffee, but I would save it for strictly making espresso since the company offers other delicious dark roast coffees for drip brewing.

Café La Llave was started 140 years ago by two brothers in the mountains of Cuba. The brothers, who started out as coffee growers before graduating to coffee roasters, kickstarted the art of creating quality coffee. Though, the coffee wouldn't make it to the U.S. until 1967. Café La Llave is specially roasted to continue the tradition of Cuban coffee. It's available in cans or vacuum-sealed bags, the latter of which I selected for this review due to its availability at my local store. 

Café La Llava is one of the more budget-friendly espressos on this list, and it's one of the most impressive espressos as well. The espresso brew is smooth and rich and incredibly tasty. It does taste more like a dark roast coffee, but it's definitely one of the better ones on the list. I love this espresso roast brewed in the regular drip fashion. It makes for a smooth, but dark and rich, cup of coffee with a tantalizing nutty undertone. The price tag makes me love it even more.

I like being pleasantly surprised. Café El Aguila was the cheapest option on my list and hands down makes the best espresso shot. I was not expecting that. This brand offers a nondescript espresso roast packaged in a vacuum-sealed, orange bag. This coffee, which is sourced from the volcanic soil of El Salvador, delivers a thick espresso that's smooth and flavorful. It's a little milder in bite than a traditional Italian espresso, but I do recall saying "Wow, yum!" a few times while I was sipping it.

I also brewed Café El Aguila in the drip coffee maker. While I'm not as impressed by its flavor here, it still offers a good cup of regular coffee. Though, it strangely has a stale aftertaste that I didn't find was the case with the espresso brew. Overall, it's easy to choose this as the No. 1 pick because it's the only espresso that really made me take pause and say something out loud. 

The list started with roughly 20 espresso roasts brands from Publix and Walmart. In an effort to keep this list manageable, I narrowed it down to the brands that are more frequently found on store shelves. Some brands don't appear to be stocked all the time, so these were not included. I drink coffee probably more than I should, so I'm familiar with the majority of these brands, though like most coffee lovers, I have my regular selection of go-to brands. Prior to this taste test, I had only tried four of these espresso roasts.

I made each coffee two ways — brewed as espresso in a moka pot and regular from a drip coffee maker. I paid attention to appearance, aroma, initial sip, and aftertaste. Besides looking at this, I also assessed whether each cup had me coming back for another sip, as well as if it was good enough to be included in my regular rotation.