It’s 6:35 AM. I’m sitting at my desk with a hot cup of coffee next to me, ready to tackle the work day. The coffee I’m drinking this morning is the same coffee I’ve been enjoying for the past several years – Cafe Bustelo. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I decided to write this Cafe Bustelo review for you. So if you love great tasting coffee that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, read on to discover why many believe Cafe Bustelo is the best bang-for-your-buck coffee brand.
Cafe Bustelo: A Brief History Of This Bold, Cuban-Style Coffee
Gregorio Menendez Bustelo, the man behind Cafe Bustelo coffee, was born in the Austrias region of Spain in 1894. When he was a young man he moved to Cuba and quickly developed a passion for the country’s rich and aromatic, dark-roasted coffee.
When Mr. Bustelo came to the United States in 1917 he brought with him a love for coffee and an entrepreneurial spirit. He founded the Cafe Bustelo coffee company in The Bronx, New York, in 1928. His coffee quickly became a mainstay in households throughout New York and eventually across the country.
Thus, Cafe Bustelo’s distinctive yellow and red “bricks” of ground espresso coffee carry with them a 90-year tradition of coffee excellence.
3 Reasons Why Cafe Bustelo Is My Favorite Brand Of Coffee
The perfect cup of coffee should excel in three areas: (1) taste; (2) variety; and (3) value. Cafe Bustelo hits the bulls-eye for all three. Here’s why.
1. Taste
Cafe Bustelo is a dark-roast, “espresso ground” coffee that even the most hardened coffee connoisseur will enjoy.
When you drink Cafe Bustelo you’ll immediately notice that it’s surprisingly smooth and aromatic. You’ll pick up some nice floral notes and a hint of sweet berries and citrus. And because it’s a dark-roasted coffee, you’ll taste some dark chocolate as well.
Cafe Bustelo also packs just the right amount of caffeine. It’s sure to wake you up and help you focus on your daily tasks, without the wired feeling like many other coffee brands.
2. Variety
There’s no question that Cafe Bustelo is best know for its ground coffee.
But you can also enjoy Cafe Bustelo is many other ways, like K-Cup pods, espresso capsules, whole beans, and even instant coffee.
So no matter how you like to brew and enjoy your coffee, Cafe Bustelo has you covered.
3. Value
Cafe Bustelo coffee is a fantastic value because it tastes like it should cost about 10 times more than it does.
Right now on Amazon you can get a 10-ounce package of Cafe Bustelo for less than $2.50. Here’s some simple math to show you why this is such a great value.
The golden rule for brewing coffee is 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of coffee for every cup (6 ounces) of water.
So, you get 10 servings of coffee for just $2.50. That means your morning cup of Cafe Bustelo coffee costs only $0.25.
Great tasting coffee and a super low price? That’s a win-win.
Related: Zojirushi Travel Mug Review (Best of 2019)
How To Brew Cafe Bustelo Coffee
No Cafe Bustelo review would be complete without showing you how easy it is to brew Cafe Bustelo at home.
Over the years I’ve experimented with brewing Cafe Bustelo in 3 different ways:
What I’ve found to be true is that Cafe Bustelo coffee always tastes great no matter how you brew it. So feel free to make it any way you enjoy the most.
How To Store Cafe Bustelo Coffee
Light, air, and heat are the mortal enemies of fresh, delicious coffee.
So the ideal way to keep any type of coffee fresh for a long time is to store it in an air-tight container away from sunlight and heat.
The best way to keep your Cafe Bustelo super fresh is to keep it in a Kilner Glass Storage Jar and put it in your pantry. I really like the Kilner jar because it has an air-tight clip top and holds two packs of Cafe Bustelo coffee.
Where To Buy Cafe Bustelo Coffee
Because it’s so popular you can buy Cafe Bustelo just about everywhere: grocery stores, drug stores, bodegas, big-box stores, and online.
I’ve found that Amazon is the easiest way to get Cafe Bustelo coffee because the prices are super low and Amazon sells varieties of Cafe Bustelo that other stores don’t often carry, like K-Cups and instant coffee. Plus, everything ships right to your front door.
If for some reason you’re having trouble finding Cafe Bustelo in your area, try checking out the Where To Buy tool on Cafe Bustelo’s website. I used it today and found more than 100 places to buy Cafe Bustelo within 10 miles of my zip code.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this Cafe Bustelo review. If you’re looking for an overpriced “artisanal” coffee that only a handful of people in your city know about, then Cafe Bustelo is not for you.
But if you want a bold, delicious coffee that packs a nice caffeine punch at a hugely affordable price, then you owe it to yourself to give Cafe Bustelo a try.
After all, Cafe Bustelo’s slogan is “The Flavor That Doesn’t Hold Back.” I think that sums it up nicely.
All the best,
JD