A Beginner’s Guide to Buying Better Coffee Beans

For the perfect cup of coffee, you need good beans. In this bonus episode, we talk with Sum Ngai, co-founder of Coffee Project New York and certified Q-grader (it’s like a sommelier, but for coffee!), to demystify the art of choosing a bean you’ll love. 

 

Sum breaks down everything a novice needs to know to shop with confidence, from decoding mysterious tasting notes, to understanding why you should avoid brewing coffee that was roasted too recently.

 

Plus, learn what to expect from coffee grown in different regions and why buying whole beans is the move for a better morning cup.

 

Additional reading and listening: 

• Stop Making Bad Coffee
• Our Favorite Coffee Subscriptions
• The 4 Best Pour-Over Coffee Makers of 2026 
• 5 Cheap(ish) Things to Upgrade Your Coffee Experience
• The 4 Best Coffee Grinders of 2026

 

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

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