In a rush? Our top pick for the best coffee container is the Coffee Gator coffee canister.
The key to a tasty cup of coffee lies in fresh beans.
You can have the best coffee tools available, but all of your efforts will be futile if your coffee beans are stale.
There’s an easy way to keep your beans fresh as long as possible – by getting a good coffee container.
Now I know there are tons of models on the market, so choosing one that will keep your coffee fresh for a long time isn’t easy.
Well, unless you know what defines a good container.
In this article, I’ll show you what features a model needs to have to be the best coffee container on the market.
Let’s dive in!
Best Coffee Containers – Our Top 6 Choices
- Coffee Gator Coffee Canister (Best Overall Coffee Container)
- Siwanamu Coffee Canister (Best Budget Option)
- Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister (Best Design)
- SWEEJAR Kitchen Canisters Ceramic Food Storage Jar (Best Ceramic Coffee Container)
- Airscape Coffee Storage Canister (Best For Large Households)
- JENNIMER Airtight Coffee Canister (Best Container With An Indicator)
Coffee Gator Coffee Canister
This container is like a safe box for your coffee beans.
It has an airtight rubber seal to prevent any air from going in. And as if that’s not enough, it also has a powerful steel bail clasp that further keeps the lid in place.
It’s worth noting that this container also has a CO2 valve, which prevents your coffee beans from changing flavor. This means your coffee will stay fresh for a very long time.
But no coffee beans can stay fresh forever, even in such an environment. So to keep track of how old your beans are, there’s a freshness date tracker on the lid where you can set the date of storage.
There are three size options, with the largest holding up to 22 ounces of coffee beans. That’s up to 60 cups, depending on the type of coffee you usually drink. But if you only drink coffee every now and then, a smaller container might be a better option.
It’s a stainless steel container that comes in three colors: silver, black and gray. It looks cool and at the same time, it blends well with stainless steel appliances you might have at home.
Pros
- The date tracker helps you keep track of how old your coffee is
- A clasp keeps the air out, which keeps your beans fresh for a long time
- It comes in three sizes, so you can choose the one that fits your coffee needs the best
- It comes with a coffee scoop, so you can easily measure your beans
Cons
- There’s no attachment point for the coffee scoop, so you need to store it elsewhere
Siwanamu Coffee Canister
This elegant looking coffee storage container will look great in your kitchen. It comes in matte black and white, so you can pick the one that fits your style best.
And since it’s opaque, you don’t have to worry about sun rays getting through to your coffee and speeding up the decaying process.
It’s a stainless steel container, so it’s durable – and it doesn’t affect the flavor of your coffee.
As for the capacity, it can hold up to 22 ounces of beans, which roughly translates to 60 cups of coffee. This means the average coffee drinker will need to refill it once every two weeks.
And thanks to the rubber seal lid and the one-way CO2 valve, your coffee beans can stay fresh for that long.
I love that you get a coffee scoop and a brush in the package, too. The scoop is the perfect size for coffee beans, while the brush has sturdy bristles for easy residue cleaning. Plus, both can be attached to the canister. That way you can have all the necessary tools at one place.
Pros
- It holds 22 ounces of coffee, so you don’t have to refill it more than a few times a month
- It comes with a brush which makes cleaning up residue a piece of cake
- It comes with three extra valves, so you’re set for the next 18 months
- A date tracker lets you know how fresh your coffee is
Cons
- There’s only one size option
Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister
This canister is a good example of beauty in simplicity. The minimalist design looks great in any kitchen, whether it’s retro or modern.
There are three color options: black, white and transparent. The last one isn’t ideal for coffee beans because it exposes them to light. So if you do go for that one, make sure to keep it inside the cabinets.
There are three sizes available, so you can choose the one that’s suitable for the amount of coffee you usually drink.
This is also useful if you want to get a set and store other things in them too.
The transparent one is made of glass, and the other two are made of 304 (18/8) stainless steel. This grade of steel is corrosion-resistant, which means it doesn’t offer a good environment for bacteria to live in.
Plus, it doesn’t give whatever’s inside the canister a metal taste.
It uses a vacuum to keep your beans sealed. Just twist the lid back and forth, and when you see a green ring, it means there’s no oxygen left. This really extends the life of your beans.
And when you need to open the container, just press the top button to release the pressure.
Pros
- With three sizes to choose from, you can find a canister suitable for your coffee intake
- It’s made of rustproof steel, which keeps your coffee safe from bacteria
- A vacuum lid keeps your coffee beans fresh for up to a month
- The minimalist design is suitable for different kitchen esthetics
Cons
- It’s somewhat pricey
SWEEJAR Kitchen Canisters Ceramic Food Storage Jar
Personally, I prefer the way ceramic containers look. They’re simple and elegant, so they can fit pretty much any aesthetic.
This container comes in thirteen colors, including some gradient vivids. So no matter what color your kitchen is, you’re sure to find an option that blends in well.
There are four sizes, from 16 to a whopping 58 ounces. This means you can store a month’s worth of beans. What’s more, the size options allow you to get a set for the entire pantry.
Because who doesn’t love matching containers?
The bamboo lid has a food-grade silicone ring which keeps the air out. It’s also designed in such a way that you can stack multiple containers one on top of the other. This saves you lots of storage space, which is especially useful for small kitchens.
The lid has to be hand washed, which is no surprise given the material it’s made of. But you’ll be happy to hear that the actual container itself is dishwasher-safe. No need to go through the hassle of cleaning it yourself.
Pros
- It comes in four sizes, so you can get a set for your pantry
- The body is dishwasher-safe, meaning you don’t have to do it manually
- There are tons of colors to choose from, so you can find one that matches your kitchen
- For the price it’s sold at, it’s quite a steal
Cons
- It’s fragile compared to canisters made of other materials
Airscape Coffee Storage Canister
If you have a household full of coffee lovers, no container is big enough for your coffee needs.
But I guess having one that can store up to 2.5 pounds of coffee beans can’t hurt.
The color choice isn’t huge. It comes in matte black, white and charcoal. But these are classic colors that go well with just about any decor.
It’s made of galvanized steel. That means that it isn’t as durable as a stainless steel canister. But unless you play football with the container, you can still expect it to last you a very long time.
You’ll notice it has two lids.
The top one is transparent with the classic rubber seal most containers have. But the inner lid is worth a special mention. It features a freshness valve that expels air from the container.
What you need to do is press the lid down until you reach the beans, then flip the handle down.
With these two lids working together, you can rest assured no oxygen will get to your beans.
Pros
- It holds up to 2.5 pounds of coffee, which makes it great for large households
- Two lids prevent air from reaching your beans, which keeps them fresh for longer
- The transparent lid lets you see how much coffee you have left without opening it
- The padded rubber bottom leaves no scratch so you can place it on any surface
Cons
- Not a lot of color options available compared to other models
JENNIMER Airtight Coffee Canister
One of my pet peeves is having to open a container to see how much coffee I have left.
And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
So naturally, this container with a little transparent opening caught my eye.
It has a sleek, modern design that will surely stand out on your counters. And it comes in five classic colors, so you can match the shade of your kitchen.
It’s made of 304 stainless steel, which means it’s resistant to rust and it won’t give your coffee a metal flavor.
The lid has a rubber seal and a steel clasp to hold it tight. It also features an exhaust valve that makes your coffee stay fresh longer.
I like that it has a nice little date tracker, so you can always know how old the beans stored inside are.
Another cool thing is the measuring spoon that comes with the purchase. It’s made of steel, has a silicone handle, and it’s perfect for measuring beans. It’s a great utensil to have at home, and this way, you don’t have to go to the trouble of buying one separately.
Pros
- A glass window lets you know how much coffee is inside without opening it
- The date tracker tells you how old your coffee is at all times
- It comes with a measuring scoop, so you don’t need to buy one
- You get 5 extra valves, which is enough for the next 2.5 years
Cons
- It only comes in the 22-ounce size
The Benefits Of A Coffee Canister
You might be thinking – why not just keep the coffee beans in the bag they came in?
Well, I can name a couple of reasons why it’s better to use a container instead.
First and foremost, it keeps your coffee fresh and protected from environmental factors. The main enemies of coffee beans are moisture, oxygen and sunlight.
The first one is no surprise – moisture is harmful to pretty much any food. Leave anything in a moist environment and watch it go bad in the blink of an eye.
That’s probably the number one reason we keep food in containers. Well, that and evil bugs.
Oxygen might not be the first thing that comes to mind. Still, most organic compounds react with it, which causes oxidation. And that’s what causes beans to lose their aroma.
Now, what’s coffee without its distinctive aroma?
Yuck.
Finally, coffee beans shouldn’t be exposed to sunlight.
UV radiation is just as bad for your beans as it is for your skin, if not worse. It speeds up the degradation process, so they’ll go stale in a short amount of time if they’re exposed to light.
To sum it up – a coffee container keeps your beans fresh for a longer time.
Unless you drink gallons of coffee each day (if that’s even possible without your heart exploding), this is very handy. You can buy a large package and not worry about it going stale.
Coffee Storage Tips And Advice
Obviously, storing coffee beans in a container is the first thing you should do. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here, would we?
But there’s more to it than just having a great coffee storage container. And we’ll get to what makes a container great in just a minute.
First things first, never store coffee in the fridge or freezer. Your beans might be in an airtight container, but they can still be affected by temperature.
Freezing and thawing coffee beans can impact both flavor and aroma.
The same goes for heat. So don’t keep your coffee container close to your stove either.
Ideally, you want your beans to stay at room temperature at all times.
In a battle between pre-ground coffee and whole beans, the latter always wins. So if you have a grinder at home, always go for beans. They take around 4 times longer to go stale than ground coffee, so you don’t have to hit the store anywhere near as often.
Finally, always buy freshly roasted beans. Coffee starts losing freshness the moment it’s roasted, so you definitely don’t want to be buying old, stale coffee beans.
There’s a neat little trick to check if your beans are fresh. Pour a half cup of beans into a Ziploc bag. Press all the air out and seal it, then leave it overnight.
Fresh beans release carbon dioxide, so if the bag is visibly full of gas in the morning, that means your beans were roasted in the last few days.
How To Shop For A Coffee Container
Coffee containers come in all sizes and shapes.
But what defines a good container?
You might be tempted to decide based on the price, but that’s not always a good indicator of quality.
Here are the things you should look out for when buying a coffee container.
Airtightness
An airtight seal is a must.
If it doesn’t keep air away from your coffee beans, you might as well keep them in the bag they came in.
A good airtight container should have a silicone or rubber seal around the lid. Having an airtight seal prevents oxygen from getting in, keeping your beans safe and fresh.
Some canisters go one step further, by using a latch to keep the lid in place. While that might not be necessary, you can’t be too safe.
There are also models that use a vacuum seal to keep the beans fresh. They use a mechanism to suck all the air out of the container as well as prevent new air from getting in.
If there’s nothing beans can chemically react with, they can’t go bad prematurely, right?
Material
Coffee canisters are made of a range of different materials, so let’s see how they compare.
Stainless Steel
This material is often used for all kinds of kitchen containers for several reasons.
It’s durable, odor-resistant and easy to clean. Unlike other materials, a steel canister can take a beating.
And since it’s opaque, a stainless steel coffee container shields your coffee from harmful sun rays.
Glass
A glass container looks good, it’s easy to clean and doesn’t affect the coffee bean flavor.
But the main issue is that it exposes your beans to sunlight. So unless you keep it stored in a cabinet, I don’t recommend using it for coffee beans.
Plastic
Generally, I try to stay away from plastic products.
But when it comes to storing coffee, plastic is not a bad option – as long as it’s BPA-free.
It’s affordable and easy to clean. And as long as it’s not transparent, your beans are protected from UV rays.
Ceramic
When it comes to looks, this material wins all the way.
Ceramic containers come in different colors and designs, so if you’re looking for something to stand out in the kitchen, ceramic is the way to go.
Just keep in mind that not all ceramic containers come with an airtight lid, especially vintage models.
Capacity
Coffee bean containers come in different sizes, with the most common ones being between 11 and 22 ounces.
An 11-ounce container holds enough beans for roughly 30 cups of coffee. If you live in a large household, you’ll probably reach the bottom of the container in a day or two.
In that case, there’s no point in having such a small canister.
On the other hand, if you’re the only coffee drinker in your house, 22 ounces of coffee beans might last you more than a month.
That’s enough time for them to go stale even in a perfectly sealed container.
CO2 Valve
The roasting process causes coffee beans to release carbon dioxide. But they continue doing so for at least a week after roasting.
Now, if you were to put freshly roasted beans in a bag or a container that doesn’t let the air out, it would create pressure. Over time, the pressure will get so strong it will cause the bag or container to explode.
Obviously, we don’t want that to happen.
That’s why manufacturers have started making containers with a CO2 valve. It works in one direction, so it lets the carbon dioxide out without letting new air in.
UV Protection
Stainless steel, ceramic and opaque plastic all perform well when it comes to keeping sun rays away from coffee beans.
But transparent plastic and glass don’t have that ability. A clear body lets light through unfiltered, and that makes your coffee beans go stale quicker.
That’s not to say choosing either of these materials is necessarily bad. You just need to store them in a dark place where they are protected from UV radiation.
The Final Verdict
A good coffee container needs to keep your beans safe from environmental factors.
And few containers out there do that better than the Coffee Gator coffee canister.
It has a rubber seal and a clasp that prevents the air from entering in. It’s also durable, affordable and comes in different sizes.
You’ll never have to worry about your coffee beans going stale quickly ever again with this canister. That means you’ll be able to enjoy delicious, fresh coffee – every time.
