If you are switching from instant coffee to whole bean single-origin, start with a balanced, forgiving coffee rather than the most distinct one in the lineup: from our ten, No. 1 Common Sense, a washed Colombian with cocoa, red apple and brown sugar at a medium roast, is the easiest first bag. It brews well in a basic drip machine, the same kind of setup instant coffee usually stands in for, and it takes milk the same way you are likely used to.
What actually changes
Instant coffee is brewed at a factory, then dried into granules or a powder that dissolves back into hot water. Whole bean coffee is the coffee itself, unroasted flavor compounds intact, ground fresh right before you brew it. The two are not really on the same scale of strength, they are different products that both end up as a hot drink. The biggest adjustment is usually needing five minutes and a machine instead of a kettle and a spoon, not the taste being overwhelming.
Keep it simple at first
You do not need a scale, a gooseneck kettle or a specific brewer to start. A basic drip machine or a French press, the ratio and grind in the table below, and the milk or sugar you already use will get you most of the way there. Chocolatey, low-acid coffees like Common Sense, or the even smoother No. 6 Hegemony, hold up well under milk, so the switch does not have to mean changing how you take your coffee too.
Three starting points
The easiest switch
No. 1 Common Sense, washed, Colombian, medium roast, with cocoa, red apple and brown sugar. Balanced and works in whatever drip machine or press you already own.
The smoothest option
No. 6 Hegemony, pulped natural, Brazilian, medium roast, with cocoa and a heavy, smooth body. Described on the label as very hard to ruin, which is useful while you are still learning to brew rather than stir in hot water.
The one to compare once you are comfortable
No. 7 Praxis, washed, Guatemalan, medium roast, with dark chocolate, bright fruit and butterscotch. Worth trying once instant is fully behind you and you want to taste what a more distinct coffee offers.
Our pick to start
No. 1 Common Sense
Huila and Medellin-Antioquia, Colombia · 1,300 to 1,500 m · Fully washed, solar dried · Castillo, Caturra, Colombia, Typica · Medium roast
Cocoa, red apple and brown sugar, balanced enough to feel familiar even on the first cup, and forgiving of a grind or ratio that is not perfect yet.
How to brew it without overthinking it
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ratio | 60 g coffee per liter of water |
| Grind | Medium for drip, medium-coarse for a French press |
| Water | Just off the boil |
| Brew time | 4 to 5 minutes for either method |
If you do not have a scale, a rough guide is about 2 level tablespoons of grounds per 8 fl oz (240 ml) cup of water. It is less precise than weighing, but it is closer than eyeballing a spoonful of instant granules, and it is enough to get you a decent cup while you get used to the routine.
What to expect the first week
Buy whole bean if you can, and grind right before brewing, since ground coffee starts losing aroma within days. If a grinder is not in the budget yet, every coffee we sell also comes ground at the same price, so you can start there. Give yourself a week of the same coffee brewed a couple of different ways, with milk, without, before deciding what you actually prefer.
See the full label facts for these three, and the other seven, on the coffee collection page. We covered this same switch from K-Cups and from pre-ground supermarket coffee if either is closer to your habit. The subscription is 11 percent off, skip or cancel in one click.
Start simple and balanced, then get particular once you know what you like.
Questions people ask
Will whole bean coffee taste too strong after instant?
It usually tastes different rather than stronger, since instant coffee is processed and dried into granules, which changes the flavor before it ever reaches your cup. Starting with a balanced, low-acid coffee and brewing at a standard ratio, rather than guessing, makes the switch smoother.
Do I need special equipment to stop using instant coffee?
Just a way to brew, a basic drip machine or a French press is enough to start. A burr grinder helps freshness but is not required right away, since every coffee we sell also comes pre-ground at the same price.
Why does whole bean coffee cost more than instant?
Instant coffee is brewed, dried and reconstituted into granules at scale, which is a different, cheaper process than roasting and shipping whole beans that are ground fresh at home. You are paying for the coffee itself rather than the processing that makes instant shelf-stable.
Free printable
Keep the ratio chart on your fridge
One page with grams, level tablespoons and scoops for every cup size and for coffee makers from 2 to 14 cups. Leave your email and the download link appears right here.