How to Properly Store Coffee, According to a Professional Roaster

Few things are as delightful as the first sip of coffee each morning. For many of us, the moment is one of life’s simple pleasures. Yet, coffee itself is a finicky thing, and there are several factors that can contribute to your morning brew showing up as less than its best self. 

For all our talk about how to make coffee, how to grind it, and even how to keep our mugs at an optimal temperature, we rarely talk about how to properly store coffee. But storage is an essential element of how your coffee ultimately tastes each morning.

“The rule of thumb for coffee storage is to keep it away from air, moisture, heat, and light,” says Heather Calatrello, owner and head roaster at ShedLight Coffee Roasters, a small-batch roastery in San Diego. “When coffee beans are exposed to these elements, they can quickly degrade in quality.”

Keeping Coffee Comfortable

Environment matters, and Calatrello says coffee should be stored in an opaque, airtight container that is kept in a cool, dark, and dry place. 

“The ideal temperature range for coffee storage is between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit — room temperature in most cases. While storing coffee in the freezer or refrigerator may be tempting, it’s not recommended. Freezing and thawing coffee can cause condensation to form on the beans, which can affect their taste,” she explains. “Additionally, roasted beans are porous and can easily absorb moisture and odors from other foods in the fridge or freezer, negatively impacting flavor.”

Basically, your coffee will be happiest tucked away in a cabinet rather than kept on display on your countertops or stashed in the crisper with last week’s bag of spinach you forgot to use.

“Resist the urge to buy pretty glass canisters to showcase coffee on a shelf or counter,” says Calatrello. “Glass canisters with an airtight lid work fine for coffee storage, but only if they are placed in a cabinet away from a heat source.”

The Fellow Atmos Vacuum Coffee Canister was our recent pick for best overall coffee canister. We love its built-in vacuum pump that eliminates the guesswork of airtightness, and the generous capacity can store up to a full pound of coffee beans. Plus, it looks great.

Whole Bean Versus Ground Coffee

While it’s tough to beat the convenience of ground coffee — especially on busy mornings — storing coffee in its whole bean form helps preserve freshness and flavor. 

“Pre-ground coffee will never taste as good as freshly ground coffee,” says Calatrello. “This is because coffee beans begin to oxidize immediately after roasting, and the more exposure they have to the air, the faster the coffee beans expire.” 

And we’re not just talking about a difference of days or weeks.

“Ground coffee has more surface area exposed to air, meaning it will go stale more quickly than whole beans. In fact, ground coffee goes stale within a few minutes of grinding,” she cautions.

Does Coffee Expire?

According to Calatrello, freshly roasted coffee beans will retain optimal freshness for about 90 days. But this only applies when the beans are still in their original vacuum-sealed bag — they’ll stay fresh for just 10-14 days once you’ve opened the bag. 

This doesn’t mean you should throw your coffee out on day 15, however.

“The average coffee drinker may not notice that the coffee has begun to degrade, and ‘stale’ coffee is perfectly safe to consume,” says Calatrello. “Will it taste as good as fresh? That's debatable.”

Of course, if you see mildew or mold growth on or around the beans, discard them. Otherwise, you’re totally fine to brew the rest of your stash.

Grind What You Need — When You Need It

Again, while it might be tempting to pre-grind a bunch of beans to set yourself up for a quick brew throughout the week, Calatrello advises against this. 

“You should only grind what you will use within a few minutes,” she says. “In other words, grind for the batch you are currently brewing; do not pre-grind for future use. Since ground coffee begins to degrade immediately, we recommend grinding just before brewing for best results.”

Coffee Storage Equipment

Fortunately, proper coffee storage doesn’t require investing in loads of new gear. 

More Coffee Storage Canisters

This compact MiiR Airtight Coffee Canister is perfect for transporting coffee beans to the office or for a weekend away. We appreciate its durability and straightforward design with an airtight seal that’ll keep beans nice and fresh — even when you’re on the go.

We like the Planetary Design Airscape Kilo Coffee Canister, and so does Calatrello, who says Planetary Design’s canisters are her own favorites. “They are made from stainless steel and feature a patented airtight lid that pushes air out and creates a vacuum seal,” she says.

Coffee Bean Grinders

We tested a gazillion grinders (OK, not really, but we did test 21 of them) to find the best, and the Bodum Bistro Premium Burr Grinder came out on top with its consistent grind, ease of use, and practical design. This grinder aced all of our tests and looked great while doing it.

OXO is a regular favorite around here, and the OXO Brew Conical Burr Grinder is a great example of the brand’s user-friendly products. Our testers described this grinder as “extremely intuitive,” which is something we can all appreciate first thing in the morning.

Other Coffee Products We Love

Coffee Makers

We tested over 100 coffee makers, and it’s tough to beat the Cuisinart 14-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker, thanks to its great value, 24-hour programmability, and temperature and brew strength settings you can customize. This machine is perfect for pairing with your favorite (properly stored) coffee.

As a splurge, we love the Technivorm Moccamaster Coffee Maker. The unique showerhead design evenly saturates coffee grounds, producing a pour-over effect without the tedious effort of actually pouring water over coffee grounds yourself.

Milk Frothers

Milk frothers seem like a simple tool — and they are — but the ElitaPro Double Whisk Milk Frother impressed us with its power and value. It works well across a variety of milks, including plant- and nut-based milks, and feels nice and lightweight in the hand.

Coffee Mugs

For a classic coffee mug design with a just-right capacity that looks great on any surface, we’re big fans of the Crate & Barrel Hue Coffee Mugs.

Any coffee enthusiast will tout the importance of a great travel mug, and when it comes to insulation, it’s hard to beat the Yeti Rambler Stronghold Travel Mug. This mug keeps drinks hot (or cold!) and comes in loads of different colors.

Our Expertise 

This article was written by Summer Rylander, a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn. She made her selections based on in-depth research, her personal preferences as a coffee enthusiast, and conversation with coffee roasting expert, Heather Calatrello.