Guides, with the numbers attached.

Every claim on these pages is either a plain explanation or a figure measured across 12,793 coffees from 741 roasters. The figures are computed when the page is built, so they cannot go stale while the page still carries a date.

Nothing here is sponsored, and no roaster can buy a mention.

Choosing a coffee

Working out what you like, and finding it among 12,793 bags.

How do I choose coffee beans?How to choose coffee beansThe four things on a bag that actually change what is in your cup, and the ones that do not.12,793 coffees to choose from

Brewing it

What grind and which coffee each method wants, with the coffees that suit it.

What coffee should I use in a moka pot?Which coffee to use in a moka potThe grind a moka pot needs, how to brew it without the bitterness, and which coffees suit it.2,070 coffees suit one

What it costs

Prices per kilo, what moves them, and where the money actually goes.

How much should I pay for coffee beans?What speciality coffee should costWhat a kilo really costs across the whole UK market, why bag prices hide it, and when a cheap bag is a warning.median £39.00/kg

Understanding the label

Process, variety, altitude and traceability, in plain words.

What does washed or natural mean on a bag of coffee?Washed, natural, honey and anaerobicWhat each processing method does to the flavour, and what each one costs across the market.4,398 coffees state one How is decaf coffee made, and does it cost more?How decaf coffee is madeThe six methods UK roasters name on the bag, how many name one at all, and what decaf costs against everything else.605 of 906 say how Why does this site say the roaster did not state something?Why so many coffees say “not stated”The most common thing on this site is an absence. What that means, whose fault it is, and why we will not fill it in.46% state no origin

Short answers

How much should I pay for speciality coffee beans in the UK?

The median across 6,807 priced coffees from 486 UK and Irish roasters is £39.00/kg, taken at the cheapest bag each roaster sells and worked out per kilo — usually the 1 kg bag. The middle 80% runs from £26.00 to £62.00 per kilo. A 250 g bag at that median costs about £9.75. Comparisons against similar coffees use the standard 200 g to 350 g bag instead, so every coffee in a cohort is priced on one size, and that median is £48.00/kg. Delivery is never included.

What is the difference between washed and natural coffee?

Washed coffee has the fruit stripped off the bean before drying, which tends to give a cleaner, more acidic cup where the origin shows through. Natural coffee is dried with the fruit still on, which pushes it sweeter and heavier, often towards berry and jam. Neither is better; they are different intentions.

Does a bigger bag of coffee work out cheaper?

Almost always. Across the coffees sold in more than one size, the larger bag is cheaper per kilo 94% of the time, at a median saving of 20%. The catch is that coffee goes stale, so a kilo is only cheaper if you drink it while it is good.

Figures checked 6 November 2026. The fuller version of all of this is on the analysis page, and every rule behind the numbers is on the method page.