How to store coffee beans

What are the biggest enemies of the coffee bean?

Beware: all sorts of things are waiting to taint your coffee beans. All these will affect it:

• air – as soon as roasted coffee beans touch air, the flavours and aromas start to degrade as they oxidise

• light – sunlight and indoor lighting break down the fats, vitamins and proteins, causing the beans to go stale

• heat – warm environments cause the molecules in the beans to move more quickly and break apart, losing flavour 

• moisture – when a roasted bean is exposed to moisture or condensation, the beans are affected almost instantly. 

What do freshly roasted beans look like?

When it’s just been roasted, coffee looks shiny and glossy. That’s because the beautiful oils have come to the surface. This is especially true of dark roasts. As time passes though, the coffee beans will take on a duller appearance as the oils and fragrant compounds dry out. 

How long do coffee beans last?

Unroasted beans keep their flavours for at least a year in a sealed or vacuum-packed bag. But if, like most of us, you buy roasted beans, they start to deteriorate a week from the roast date, unless they’re carefully stored.

Look after them well, and you can enjoy the freshness of your coffee beans for around a month. For maximum freshness, try grinding right before brewing. It’s a gratifying process and you’ll really be able to taste the difference.  The KitchenAid collection of home espresso machines have grinders built in for the ultimate bean-to-cup experience. You can go fully automatic for effortless coffee shop faves, or semi automatic to feel more hands-on. Not sure? Try our help me choose tool to see which style suits you best. 

How to keep coffee beans fresh for longer

Show your favourite fresh coffee some love with these care tips:

• choose a cool, dark, dry place, like a pantry or cupboard

• avoid warm spots, like near to an oven, or cupboard that is in direct sunlight

• avoid moist places, such as near the sink or the kettle, for example

• if you do keep your coffee on the counter, it needs to be in an opaque, airtight container – and away from heat and light

• try to buy whole beans, not too many at a time, and as freshly roasted as possible for a coffee house experience at home.

Go to the different types of coffee bean

Should coffee beans be stored in the fridge?

It may be tempting, but refrigerators are not recommended for storing coffee beans. Coffee is soft and porous and tends to absorb the flavours of other strong-tasting foods in the fridge, like onions or cheese.

The cold temperature and humidity inside a fridge is also not suitable for keeping coffee fresh. The beans can be subject to condensation, which means they will partially brew and lose their potency.

Does freezing coffee beans keep them fresh?

Experts are more divided here. If you do decide to, it’s very important to know how to store coffee beans correctly in the freezer. 

It’s best to freeze them in small quantities, in an airtight container. Only open the container when they’re thoroughly thawed, to avoid condensation, and never put unused beans back in the freezer. Once the beans are at room temperature, you can grind them as normal, releasing the precious flavours and then brew straight away.  

The best containers for storing coffee beans

Once you’ve opened up your bag of coffee beans, you’ll need to transfer them into another storage container.

Coffee canisters that are airtight, opaque glass, ceramic, or non-reactive metal (like copper) are perfect. You can even buy vacuum coffee containers which expel the air with a push or twist motion to increase the shelf life.

If you want your coffee beans ready to go, we’ve specially designed our KitchenAid Espresso collection with bean hoppers to preserve freshness. That means the coffee beans are right there, just waiting to be ground for your next cup. 

Discover how to make espresso at home

Coffee beans look beautiful

We totally understand, coffee looks great and so it’s tempting to have it on show in the kitchen. However, don’t get a clear or glass container. If the light gets to your beans then they will be compromised and the taste may suffer for it. 

illy x KitchenAid are partners in espresso

KitchenAid has teamed up with illy, the beloved Italian coffee company, to create an authentic espresso experience at home. Everything you need is covered: excellent espresso machines and coffee with an Italian DNA. A selection of illy’s Arabica beans are currently available in an Exploration Kit that comes with KitchenAid espresso machines for a limited time. This includes the new Arabica Selection Brasile Cerrado Mineiro, the first coffee sourced entirely including the first ever coffee sourced entirely from regenagri-certified regenerative agriculture. Bring happiness to every sip.

Why freshness matters in your bean-to-cup brew

Keeping your coffee beans as fresh as possible makes even more of a difference with a bean-to-cup machine. These machines grind literally just before brewing, so all your efforts storing your beans are more than worth it. All the complex aromas and depth of the coffee is captured. All our Fully automatic coffee machines have burr grinders built in, taking care of grinding for you to get the best taste. The Semi-automatic espresso machine with burr grinder lets you personalise the grind size even further with 15 sizes on the grinder knob, and micro-adjustment too, so that you're always able to release the ultimate flavour from those precious beans. 

Tip for storing ground coffee

We’ve talked about how to keep coffee beans fresh, but what about how to store ground coffee? When coffee has been ground it will oxidise even faster because there’s more surface area exposed to oxygen.

A good tip is to buy it in small quantities and, if you follow the advice above, it can stay fresh for up to 10 days. Whichever coffee you choose, treat it like a delicate cargo, to be stored and prepared with care. That way, you can enjoy it at its peak.

Explore different types of coffee