I look forward to sipping on a freshly brewed cup of coffee as soon as I wake up, but I don’t always have time to set up my Nespresso or Moccamaster.
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I → look → Nespresso
That’s where coffee concentrates come in: They’re a great way to make a delicious cup in seconds, and take half the time and effort required for a coffee maker.
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They → ’ → maker
Plus, they’re stronger and more potent, so you’ll get that necessary energy boost throughout the day.
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you → ’re → day
To find the best coffee concentrates, NBC Selected editors tested different types and brands, keeping in mind factors like flavor, strength, preparation and price point.
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editors → find → flavor
Below, I rounded up our favorites and what to keep in mind for each one.
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I → round → one
I also spoke to coffee experts about what to know when trying and preparing coffee concentrates.
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I → speak → concentrates
A coffee concentrate is a strong coffee liquid made by steeping coarse beans or grounds in cold water for a long period of time (usually 24 hours or longer).
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concentrate → make → time
You’ll need to dilute before it’s ready to drink.
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it → need → ?
“Concentrates are typically more convenient than brewing a fresh coffee beverage because all the roasted coffee grinding, measuring and brewing was already completed for you,” says Spencer Turer, vice president of Coffee Enterprises, a coffee testing laboratory and consultancy in Hinesburg, Vermont.
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Turer → brew → Hinesburg
“There is a preferred ratio of coffee to water when brewing coffee that makes a pleasant and balanced cup.
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that → be → cup
Coffee concentrate increases that ratio so there’s more coffee to water, usually around one part coffee to 10 parts water,” says Marco Suarez, co-owner of Methodical Coffee.
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Suarez → increase → Coffee
You can dilute the concentrate with hot or cold water, or with hot or cold milk.
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You → dilute → milk
You can also use coffee concentrates as a flavor component to smoothies, cocktails and as an ingredient in recipes — you’ll get the strong coffee flavor without needing to add a lot of liquid, says Turer.
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Turer → use → liquid
For example, Suarez uses coffee concentrate when making tiramisu, adds it to his morning protein smoothie or pours a little over vanilla ice cream.
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Suarez → use → cream
Below, I compiled the best coffee and cold brew concentrates tested by the NBC Selected team.
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I → compile → team
Best overall
Jot earned the top spot among our testers because it tastes great, it’s easy to prepare and comes in multiple flavors, including seasonal ones.
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it → earn → ones
“Jot is definitely the smoothest coffee concentrate I’ve tried, and it has a rich, warm flavor, which is exactly what I look for in a good cup of joe,” says NBC Selected reporter Zoe Malin.
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Malin → try → joe
It’s more chocolatey, so I only add a little milk before I drink it.
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I → ’ → it
”
Though Malin isn’t usually a flavored coffee person, she loves Jot’s vanilla flavor and actually gravitates toward it more than the original flavor, which she can’t say about many other brands.
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she → flavor → brands
“The vanilla flavor adds a hint of sweetness to the coffee without tasting sugary or artificial, and it pairs so nicely with a splash of oat milk.
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it → add → milk
I find it super refreshing, especially as an afternoon pick-me-up,” says Malin.
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Malin → find → up
Cometeer’s coffee pods are one of our editors’ favorite options; in fact, this was the one I enjoyed the most out of all the concentrates I tested.
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I → enjoy → concentrates
I tried out the Mixed Roast Box, which comes with a range of light, medium and dark varieties from different roasters across the country.
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which → try → country
Each shipment (which you’ll need to store in the freezer) includes coffees with different flavor profiles and roasts, which lets me expand my coffee tastes and compare my favorites.
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me → need → favorites
Plus, they’re super versatile: I can make iced coffee, lattes and hot coffee using these pods.
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I → ’re → pods
If you typically stick to one coffee type, you can also choose to receive boxes of only light, medium, dark or decaf roasts.
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you → stick → roasts
You can choose to receive a pack of four (32 capsules) or eight (48 capsules).
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You → choose → four
Cometeer freezes the coffee at peak flavor, which helps preserve its taste for months.
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which → freeze → months
That’s not marketing — it’s fully true, says Malin.
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Malin → ’ → ?
“I don’t make coffee at home every day, so once I open a bottle of concentrate, it can be about two weeks until I drink the whole thing.
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I → make → thing
At the end of those two weeks, the flavor definitely declines in intensity,” she says.
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she → decline → intensity
“But since Cometeer’s pods have a three-year shelf life in the freezer, I don’t have to worry about decreasing intensity.
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I → have → intensity
Whether I make coffee with the pods the day I get my box in the mail or five months later, I get the same exact flavor.
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I → make → flavor
This concentrate is definitely on the pricey side, but it’s well worth it, according to our testers.
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it → ’ → testers
“Each of the flavors I tried were more sophisticated than the concentrates you’d typically find in the grocery store — they’re a bit stronger and more intense, and the tasting notes are more pronounced,” says Malin.
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Malin → try → store
The brand has detailed information online about tasting notes, the bean’s origins and cupping score, which makes it best for the expert or experienced coffee drinker.
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it → have → expert
“It does require a level of coffee knowledge I don’t think the average person who simply likes coffee has.
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who → require → coffee
That said, if you’re someone who likes a super flavorful and more intense cup of coffee, this would be ideal for you,” says Malin.
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Malin → say → you
Kloo’s concentrate bottles are the most aesthetically pleasing, eye-catching ones we saw during our testing — they look similar to bottles you’d see packaging a fancy liquor or spirit.
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you → catch → liquor
The bottle looks great on a mantle or coffee bar, and it makes a great gift.
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it → look → gift
…and 95 more, not listed.
The Aporia
