If you are one of those who enjoy the taste of coffee but dislike the buzz caffeine gives, then decaf coffee is for you. One of the simple pleasures of life is to drink good coffee as the sun caresses your skin in the morning. However, for some people, this is a luxury because caffeine may be uncomfortable for them to intake—perhaps due to the taste, the smell, or both.
More and more people ask for a cup of decaf as part of their daily routine. In this article, we will cover what makes a good decaf coffee with our buying guide, fact-checked and reviewed by registered nutritionist-dietitian Samantha Morales, and also give you a list to check out if you’re ready to buy one!
Quick List - Top Decaf Coffees
Nescafé
Satisfies Your Craving for A Richer-Tasting Decaf Coffee
Samantha began her career in clinical nutrition and weight management at a tertiary hospital in Manila, Philippines. Her practice allowed her to give nutrition counseling and plan modified diets for patients with medical conditions. Presently, she does private practice to focus on true holistic wellness - an approach that believes in aligning one's mind, body, and spiritual well-being.
Our recommendation articles are carefully researched and crafted by the mybest Philippines team of writers and editors. To stay true to our company’s mission and vision to help users’ selection process easier, we also collaborate with experts from various fields to ensure that our content stays factual and useful.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Decaf is a shortened word for decaffeinated coffee. It is coffee made from beans but most of its caffeine is removed. There are several chemical processes that help with the removal of caffeine, such as the Swiss water process, solvent-based decaffeination, and carbon dioxide decaffeination. All of these produce coffee beans with around 97% less caffeine than when it started.
The nutritional value of the decaffeinated coffee beans is the same as the regular ones, only with the absence of caffeine. The taste can become a bit milder with a slight change in color, perfect for people who love the taste and smell of coffee but unable to tolerate the effect of caffeine.
Here are some key points to consider:
The age-old debate whether to get instant or ground coffee is still intact even with the decaffeinated version. There are merits to each choice, and only the patron can decide which one is fit for them.
The advantage of instant coffee is its convenience and ease of use. Whichever variety, the taste is generally the same since they are all processed. The roast still comes through even if the coffee is instant, but note that some of the flavors will be washed away because of the processing. The process doesn’t extract much flavor, and it still retains its character.
Coffee grounds offer more of the bean’s natural taste since less processing is done and the bean is still intact. The natural acidity of the beans is still present, which gives character and body for a silkier feel to the mouth due to the oils present. It also has more depth and nuanced flavors, giving it more possibilities.
In the world of coffee, where your beans come from will affect the characteristics of your brew. Single-origin coffees come from a single location which highlights the soil content, climate, farming technique, and breed, which affects the final taste of your coffee. This is so much more important for ground coffee, as the origin’s nature shines more in the bean's taste.
Beans of African origin have stark acidity with fruity notes. Ethiopia, one of the most popular sources, has hints of blueberry notes which is highly reminiscent of tea. Kenya has grapefruit notes with a dry hit acidity, likening a brew to a wine.
Beans from the Americas are all about the balance between body, acidity, and fruity notes. Most of the beans hail from Colombia and Brazil, which have a good aroma as well as a buttery, chocolatey, and fruity taste.
Asia offers a variety of flavor profiles and diversity. Indonesia stands at the top of the list, touted for its smoky and earthy taste with hints of fruitiness. Vietnam is also a country that loves its coffee; however, they focus on mass production, mainly Robusta, for its high caffeine content and price. Other countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, and India have good-tasting beans as well.
The single most important factor that controls the taste of the coffee is the way it was roasted. It imparts flavors that can boost or enhance the bean’s natural flavor as well as bring out the strength of the beans.
A lightly roasted bean takes on a light brown color. This results in the lack of natural oils from the bean, which leads to less viscosity when the bean is brewed. This type of roast helps in bringing out the natural flavors of the coffee fruit, giving it fruity tones. More acidity is present, giving it a much more nuanced flavor profile.
Taking your beans to medium roast gives it a slightly darker color than the light roast. The surface is void of any oil and gives the brew a thicker viscosity. It is characterized by the balance of acidity, body, and aroma. The beans' natural taste is still present, which is now compounded by the fuller-tasting body that can be attributed to the roast of the beans.
Going for a dark roast gives the coffee a rich, strong chocolatey flavor. It also gives it body, making it thicker and viscous. The natural flavors of the bean are almost non-existent, however, it highlights the reaction of all the chemical compounds inside the bean, bringing out the flavor profile of the bean in reaction to the roast.
The taste of coffee degrades as time flows by. This is true for all coffee beans, normal or decaf. If you are a consistent consumer of decaf coffee, get an appropriate amount, let’s say 1-2 kilos, which you are confident to consume in a few weeks. As you open the package, the air oxidizes with the beans, losing taste as it gets more exposed.
If you aren’t a regular coffee drinker or just enjoy the occasional sip, getting 500 grams, drip coffee packets, or coffee stick sachets would be the best way for you. You will also benefit from the lesser amount if you are just trying out beans, as you will have less to consume if you happen to dislike the beans you bought. You can order in a larger quantity once you find the coffee that sits well with your palate.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | UCC Drip Coffee Decaf Box |Box of 8 | ![]() | Enjoy a Caffeine-Free Drip Coffee | |
2 | Nescafé Classic Decaf|Pack of 2 | ![]() | Try An Invigorating Cup of Instant Decaf Coffee | |
3 | Dunkin' Donuts ® Original Blend Decaf | ![]() | Reminisce The Joys of A Donut and A Cup of Coffee | |
4 | Nescafé Taster's Choice House Blend Decaf Coffee | ![]() | Satisfies Your Craving for A Richer-Tasting Decaf Coffee | |
5 | Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee Decaf | ![]() | Have A Cup of A Chocolatey and Fruity Decaf Coffee | |
6 | Folgers Classic Decaf Medium Roast | ![]() | Bring Back The Old Days With A Smooth Tasting Coffee | |
7 | iLLy Decaf Ground Coffee | ![]() | Premium Decaf Coffee With Distinct Taste and Aroma | |
8 | Lion Coffee Decaf Gold Roast | ![]() | Say Aloha To A Unique Cup of Coffee |
UCC has been at the forefront of producing quality coffee for less. Its tried and tested formula of drip coffee has captured many aficionados. The drip format has now come for people who want to enjoy coffee without caffeine.
The Personal Drip coffee series of UCC boasts of bringing the experience of V60 pour-over to everyone. No need for any equipmentーjust a cup and steaming hot water will do. The sealing has kept away any oxygen, keeping it fresh and ready to brew.
Each pack contains 8 packets of ground coffee. The coffee beans in each pack retain their original notes of flavor minus the caffeine, giving the resulting brew body and character. Having this drip coffee experience will definitely revitalize you whenever you start your day.
The household name "Nescafé" is synonymous to instant coffee. It has been the choice of people wanting to have a quick energy boost as they start their mornings. Now, they have produced a coffee with their award-winning process that targets people who hate the buzz caffeine gives.
As a Nescafé tradition, this coffee comes in an instant coffee format. You will just need hot water to activate the flavors packed inside the dried granules of coffee. The beans used are a mixture of robusta, a cheaper coffee bean, but certainly serves its purpose.
Although it doesn't say what origin, the drink will give you what you needーa good-smelling cup of coffee that will invigorate you. This is the decaf coffee that will get you hooked with its simplicity and convenience.
Do you miss going out and spending your time getting donuts and coffee in your favorite Dunkin Donuts branch? Worry no more, as you can bring the smells and taste of this popular donut store while in the comfort and safety of your home.
They use a blend of different beans that is distinctly Dunkin Donuts. Made from Arabica beans, the consumer is assured of the right balance of taste and fruity notes for your coffee. It is also instant, making it a convenient choice for the Dunkin fan.
As the coffee is roasted on the medium spectrum, you can expect a chocolatey taste while having slight acidity to keep your mouth wanting for more. It's a coffee that makes you reminisce about the joys and simple pleasures of a donut and a cup of coffee.
Wanting to level up from Nescafé's classic decaf coffee? The brand offers a fuller-bodied decaf coffee for people who are searching for more taste. The coffee is now in a granular form instead of a powder, sealing in more of that original coffee bean taste that connoisseurs crave.
It is made solely from Arabica beans, pulling in more of the characteristic of the bean. Couple that with the light or medium-dark roast, you will be getting a cacophony of flavors that will excite your palate and ignite your senses. It's a level up from the usual coffee experience but still caffeine-free.
In the midst of the organic movement, Mount Hagen has made sure to cater to people passionate about all things natural by releasing an organic, fair-trade coffee that is free of harmful chemicals and exploitation of labor.
The beans are sourced from Papua New Guinea, lending its fertile soil to produce beans with crisp and citrusy acidity plus a touch of chocolate and tropical fruits at the edge of its flavor profile. They are touted for their unique combination, and this coffee has encapsulated all of that goodness.
The medium roast is sure to give you a balanced mix of chocolatey goodness from the roast while offering fruity and acidity. The granules help seal in all the flavors, delivering the best of Papua New Guinea one sip at a time.
This coffee is reminiscent of grocery runs and early mornings with the grandparents. Folgers has been common in households due to its value and smooth taste. The name and its distinct packaging is like a morning sun kissing you through the windowsill.
The tub packaging can carry large amounts of coffee, and with this being instant, it is popular with families looking to maximize their purchase. The beans are roasted medium, producing aromas that can strengthen you throughout the day. It's a tried and tested decaf coffee that will make you miss the old times.
The packaging alone will make you think of it as a premium coffee, and the coffee grounds inside support that assumption. Without relying on a single origin, Illy has utilized the beans from all over the world to make the perfect cup. And the result is a coffee that speaks volumes of their dedication to perfection.
The classic roast coffee is sourced from Arabica beans to temper its caffeine during the extraction process while retaining most of its flavor. This imbues a lingering sweetness that brings out the delicate notes of caramel, orange blossom, and jasmine inherent in the blend they have created.
Although on the pricier side, what it buys you is a cup that will guarantee excellent tasting, decaffeinated coffee every time. As you sip the final gulps of this coffee, you will be awash by the feeling that you have tasted the pinnacle of what decaf coffee should be.
The volcanic rocks present in Hawaii bring about opportunities in the coffee-making industry. It introduces rare minerals that produce nuanced flavors not commonly experienced in a brew. Lion Coffee capitalizes on that advantage, creating a coffee that is truly unique; you wouldn't think it's decaf.
You will need a V60 or an espresso to fully experience the wonders of this coffee. The perfect medium roast is sure to wake up the Hawaiian beans, hiding some of the acidity but bringing out the culmination of the unique environment it grew in. There are also Macadamia and Hazelnut versions of this.
The packaging will not be tightly sealed once opened, so make sure to consume it as soon as possible once opened. The included clip helps with the oxidation of the ground beans, but it is recommended that you capitalize on its kingly taste while it's fresh.
Below are some of the most asked questions on the web answered by mybest team.
No. Decaffeinated coffee goes through a process that removes enough caffeine from the coffee beans to negate any diuretic effects. Although decaf coffee will not make you dehydrated, you should also not rely on it to hydrate yourself.
Since coffee must be consumed from a limited amount to nothing during pregnancy due to its caffeine content, opting for a decaf one is a great solution to satisfy your coffee cravings. Although there are still debates on whether it is safe for lactating moms to consume caffeine or not, decaf coffee is a safer alternative for your daily coffee fix.
The boost or energy that makes you feel awake after drinking coffee comes from the stimulant caffeine, which is naturally found in coffee beans. Since the decaffeination process removes most caffeine in the beans, decaf coffee will not give you the effects attributed to caffeine.
The life-changing moment of tasting your first brewed coffee is truly special. It spurs you on to discover ways to make your perfect cup. To aid you with your quest, we have compiled accessories that will help elevate your coffee-making skills with each brew you make. From coffee drippers, coffee makers, and even local coffee beans, we got it covered. We hope you make a cup that will satisfy your palate.
Author: Richard Martin
Re-editor: Ivy Ramirez
Our buying guide was carefully researched and crafted by the mybest team of writers and editors, in collaboration with the expert featured in this article. We used the buying guide as a basis for choosing and ranking the product recommendations, and we looked at reviews and ratings from different E-commerce sites like Lazada, Shopee, and more.
No. 1: UCC|Drip Coffee Decaf Box |Box of 8
No. 2: Nescafé|Classic Decaf|Pack of 2
No. 3: Dunkin' Donuts ®|Original Blend Decaf
No. 4: Nescafé|Taster's Choice House Blend Decaf Coffee
No. 5: Mount Hagen|Organic Instant Coffee Decaf
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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