Decaffeinated Coffee

Mixed reviews for decaf coffees

Both ConsumerReports.org and Cook's Illustrated magazine include decaf coffees in their most recent reviews. However, their testing indicates that even good decaf coffees can't compete with regular caffeinated coffee when it comes to taste and flavor. 

The decaffeination process occurs before beans are roasted, when they're still green. Caffeine is an odorless, crystalline substance with a very slight bitter taste that gets lost in a coffee's perfume. Theoretically, the isolation of caffeine shouldn't alter a coffee's taste. The challenge arises when attempting to remove the caffeine without ruining the other factors that contribute to a coffee's flavor, like acidity and body. There are a few different processes used to remove caffeine from coffee beans, and experts disagree about which method most maintains the integrity of the coffee. Most decaf coffees contain around 5 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per cup, compared to 150 mg for caffeinated coffee.  

Maxwell House Decaf Original Roast (*Est. $6.50 for 16 oz.) gets high marks in two taste tests. In 2007, Maxwell House stopped using robusta beans in its Original Roast and Decaf Original Roast, so it is now made completely from arabica beans. It's sold pre-ground in grocery stores across the country. The Decaf Original Roast is the highest-rated decaf in a test of seven coffees conducted by a respected cooking magazine, where testers call it "mellow and smooth." Real Simple magazine editors also name it the best pre-ground decaf coffee. Testers there say it's a good basic medium-roast coffee that is "balanced" and "one hundred percent smooth." The Maxwell House Decaf also gets high marks because it doesn't have a chemical aftertaste, which can be a problem with some decaf coffees.

Maxwell House also earns a recommendation from Prevention magazine editors for its French Roast Decaf (*Est. $6.50 for 16 oz.), which is a darker roast than the Decaf Original Blend. Testers at Prevention test 20 decaf coffees and recommend nine "superb" roasts. The Maxwell House French Roast Decaf is recommended, especially for breakfast, and it gets high marks for its bold and rich flavor.

Dunkin' Donuts Decaf (*Est. $8 for 16 oz.) earns the top spot in a blind taste test of decaf coffees conducted by a major testing organization, although its flavor can't compare to the caffeinated coffees tested. Another cooking magazine has a different view; some of its testers thought the coffee tasted sour. Dunkin' Donuts Decaf contains 100 percent arabica beans, and it can be purchased in ground or whole-bean bags.

Though CoffeeReview.com hasn't conducted a report specifically on decaffeinated supermarket coffees, Kenneth Davids and editors did conduct a taste test of specialty decaffeinated coffees. Davids hailed one noteworthy decaffeinated coffee as an "impressive price-to-value achievement" -- Wal-Mart's Great Value 100% Arabica (*Est. $2.50 per pound), which is available ground only. Davids characterizes Great Value decaf as a sweet and deep coffee with semi-sweet chocolate and cherry tones. He does, however, caution that an arabica coffee at this value price may short-change the workers who toil to deliver the product.