10 Best Breakfast Blend Coffees in 2022 (Coffee Educator-Reviewed)

Depending on how familiar you are with different coffee blends, you may have no idea what a “breakfast blend” entails. The details will vary depending on who you ask, but essentially, breakfast blend coffee is lighter roast coffee that is smooth and easy to consume first thing in the morning.

Note that a milder taste does not mean a weaker taste. Instead, it's more of a balanced taste - not weak, and not too acidic or bitter - which is what makes it so great to consume in the morning!

Another reason these blends are ideal for the morning is that since they are usually lighter roasts, they tend to have more caffeine (how much there is tends to vary per cup) since the caffeine is not roasted out of the beans.

Here are our 10 best picks for breakfast blend coffee. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.

*Please note that these products were chosen after extensive research by mybest writers. The choices are not necessarily affiliated with or recommended by Justin McMillan.

If all the brands and types are starting to blend together, we got you. Here are a few things to pay attention to when figuring out the best blend for you. To start with, decide on your brewing method!

The type of blend you should get depends on your brewing method of choice. Coffee comes in K-cups, ground coffee, or whole beans, which each require their own brewing methods.

If you have a Keurig machine or similar, you may want to go for K-cups. They make single-serving brews and require the least amount of effort, though they may create more waste than other options. However, there are ways to be environmentally friendly while using K-cups with reusable K-cup filters or recyclable K-cups.

K-cups are convenient if you only drink a cup or two a day, but might be a hassle to deal with if you drink a lot of coffee. Likewise, it may take a while to prepare coffee for a whole party using K-cups.

Next on the ranking of convenient brewing methods is using ground coffee. The beans are already ground, making it's easy to make coffee using a coffee machine or french press. Still, ground coffee may not be as fresh as you like and don't last as long as whole beans because it oxidizes over time.

You can definitely still have a great cup of coffee, but it's crucial to look at the “production date” and make sure it's sold in an airtight bag. Exposure to too much moisture, light, and air can make the beans lose their freshness much quicker.

The least convenient but best-tasting option is using whole bean blends. Be ready to invest in a coffee bean grinder, hand grind your beans, or take frequent trips to grind them at a store. Still, using whole beans is a surefire way to get the freshest, most aromatic coffee first thing in the morning.

Furthermore, you get to choose the size of your ground, which may come in handy if you use a French press. These often require a rougher ground than what you can buy in stores. Grinding whole beans ensures that the coffee hasn't had much exposure to the environment around it before it becomes a delicious cup of joe!

You'll come across coffee produced by local businesses or large, well-known corporations. The draw of going local is that you can help support smaller businesses and diversify your coffee palate. However, finding the right brand can be time-consuming and take some trial and error.

If you prefer to just go with what you know, your classic Starbucks roast will definitely do the trick. Flavor-wise, local brands tend to have more unique flavors than corporations, which tend to produce more generic coffee for a wider audience.

Aside from taste, many local brands tend to focus more on fair-trade and eco-friendly practices. If your coffee is fair-trade, it means that measures were taken to ensure that everybody was paid a fair and livable wage and worked in ethical environments.

If you want to confirm your coffee is truly sustainable from plant to packaging, you can check the company's website. Sustainable coffee roasters will be as transparent as possible!

There are four major taste note categories: chocolate and caramel, nutty, fruity, and citrus. Flavor notes are not added flavors, but natural flavors coming from the bean processing. Since chocolate and caramel taste notes are prominent in darker roasts, they will not be as common with breakfast blends.

Fruity flavors are brought out by unwashed or naturally processed beans, whereas washed beans lead to more of a citrus note. These notes are both found more commonly in light roasts, thus are flavor notes you often encounter in your breakfast blend search.

If you're buying coffee for a full house of coffee drinkers, definitely go for a large volume (about 20 ounces). However, we would not suggest buying blends in bulk for only one to two people because they are best enjoyed up to three weeks after opening.

If you are someone who likes to explore your options, buying one blend at a time may be the best method for you. While this is less convenient, it's a way to continuously try something new and does not bind you to one blend.

However, if you are more of a creature of habit or simply don’t have time, then a subscription is a convenient way to keep your favorite blend coming. If you find a blend that you like, many companies offer subscription services that can make your coffee one less thing to worry about.

In addition to reviewing and commenting on our buying guide, Justin also took the time to answer some commonly-asked questions about breakfast blend coffee.

"How you define 'strong' matters since it is subjective," Justin explains. "If you want strong flavor, examine your brewing method and how much coffee you use. Breakfast blends are lightly roosted. This causes a light, acidic taste and less body. Hence, it will taste 'weak' compared to a dark roast. You get less of the roast flavor."

Justin says, "In general, it is difficult to determine whether a breakfast blend contains more caffeine than other blends. Where the coffee was grown affects its caffeine content. So come coffees, such as Tanzanian peaberry, have more caffeine. Coffee's caffeine level is unaffected by roasting. Dark roasted coffee offers higher caffeine by ratio because of the weight loss during roasting."

A healthy and filling breakfast can be the thing that drives you throughout the day. You may not always have time to cook a big breakfast, but quick breakfasts can be just as delicious and energizing! These are some of our favorite easy breakfast essentials.

Author: Karis Kim

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