Why does coffee from cafes taste better than coffee made at home?

maybe because they put whip cream on it or they make it extra sweet. I guess it depends on what kind of coffee you’re talking about. If you just ask for a regular coffee it should taste the same.

just straight black coffee

maybe just the environment

Part of it is the idea of having it “out,” which is an event.

Part of it might be the type of coffee that you make at home, how clean your pot is, etc.

I think clean equipment matters. I run vinegar through my maker every month or two. Never leave grounds in the maker, immediately rinse out the basket. Buy fresh-ground beans or air-tight sealed grounds. My budget has me buying grocery-store ground coffee lately, instead of from the coffee shop around the corner :-( But even Chock Full O’ Nuts is pretty good, especially after I figured out is less than 10 cents a cup!

French presses and the Aerobie always turn up when I see coffee discussions.
http://www.aerobie.com/Products/aeropress_story.htm
The Bodum Brazil french press is one inexpensive choice

It may be because they are using freshly-ground beans?

We got a coffee grinder and we grind the beans fresh. And we have an espresso maker and we put a shot of espresso in our coffee. It tastes better than anything I’ve ever ordered out. I actually just purchased some Jamaican Me Nuts beans online so I can grind and brew our favorite flavor!

@babaji I would have to agree. It might taste better if someone else is with you that wouldn’t go to your house. Or if you are going by yourself to read a book or sit down, or what have you, the environment of the whole cafe deal might play a big role in your senses.

Well I AM talking about Starbucks. I love it and they know EXACTLY how I like my coffee. I have a cappuccino maker at home, and my capo tastes almost as good as theirs. It’s the same principle as dining out. It always tastes better if you don’t have to cook it. (Or clean up afterward!)

I think it has to do with three things:
1. They use freshly ground beans (as has been stated)
2. They use high quality coffee
3. The equipment is more advanced
(to me it is the equivalent of getting a fountain soda vs. a bottled/canned one).

@Sonnerr @answerjill @jaytkay @Marina @babaji
Even when I bring the coffee from the cafe home, it still tastes better than what I make (or my boyfriend, family, or boss).
I am very good about cleaning my coffee pot thoroughly, using high quality fresh ground beans, etc.
@RedPowerLady I think you’re right with #3

@Trillian straight black coffee is made differently than espresso drinks

@Violet so is that to say that you are siding with the fact that higher grade equipment is the reason for better tasting coffees? Its all physiological, not bio/psychological?

I agree with all the suggestions above, but here’s one more. I learned from doing research in my advertising and marketing days that when customers spend money on items they can make at home (hamburgers, waffles, coffee, etc.) they often perceive the product takes better.

@Violet Uh… I know. What makes you assume that I don’t? Is it because I refer to my drink as “coffee”? I always order a six shot cappuccino, and before I go I generally say “I’m going to go get a coffee.” I don’t understand your point.

@Violet Thanx. I really think the equipment has a lot to do with it.

I disagree with you on the homemade coffee. i have discovered the secret to a great cup of coffee. its using 100% Colombian coffee and bottled spring water. its a little more expensive, but the taste is worth it. i happened on this coffee combination by accident. we had been using the Colombian coffee all along with tap water. for some reason, the taste we were seeking in our coffee was not there. one day, i decided to use some spring water, instead. there was the difference! no more chlorine taste from tap water. we only use spring water now and our homemade coffee is better than any cafe coffee on the market. the second best coffee out there is from Dunkin Doughnuts.

Thank you @john65pennington for mentioning water! It seemed like no one was going to!

I don’t know where you live @Violet, but most likely, if you’re using tap water, that’s the culprit. If you’re already using good water, beans, etc, and grinding them yourself, then I’d say it’s just your perception that’s off, because the coffee I make at home tastes a lot better than any coffee I get from coffee shops.

@Violet I’ve worked at a few different coffeehouses, and their equipment for making drip coffee isn’t any more advanced than what we have at home. Their equipment looks cool because it’s made of stainless steel, but coffeehouses brew drip coffee in the exact same way as you would at home. The biggest difference I can see is the freshness. One of the places I worked roasted the beans on-site, and many coffee places will grind the beans right before brewing them. There’s a huge volume of customers, so we went through a lot of coffee. If you have pound of coffee at home, it might last you several weeks (and it’s slowly losing flavor the whole time), but at a coffeehouse it doesn’t last the day.

If making drip coffee at home doesn’t taste that good, you could try getting a french press. It’s really simple to use one- just pour a bit of coffee in the bottom and add hot water, then let it steep for several minutes with the lid on. In the lid of the french press, there’s a filter that you slowly press down from the top, which pushes the grounds to the bottom. If you grind coffee at home, you’ll want to grind it finer than drip coffee but not as fine as you would for espresso. French press coffee turns out very strong and flavorful.

I use a Kreuig with a filter that lets me use my own ground coffee, it seems to produce a fantastic cup, I think its the water temp & the pressure that it is forced through at. It gives a rich frothy cup of coffee. Rivals most shops.

I belive that the method the stores use is similar where hot water is pressure injected through the ground beans.

@Haleth has it. When it comes to freshness, follow the rule of 15: it takes 15 months for green beans to go stale, 15 days for roasted beans to go stale, and only 15 minutes for ground coffee to go stale. Try buying whole bean coffee in small batches and grinding it in a good grinder (not a cheap whirly-spin one.) You could, like others have mentioned, try alternative methods like a vacuum pot or French Press.

The coffee from the cafe, is the same kind I brew at home. It’s their brand.

@La_chica_gomela I use only filtered water.
@Haleth I actually have 2 French presses.
@VohuManah I’ve tried grinding at home. (and coffee can go bad in as little as 60 seconds)
@Trillian forget it

I think its the 2000$ machines they use to make the coffee, plus an experienced bartista really knows how to put the goodness in the coffee :-)

@Tenpinmaster That is what I was thinking too : ) thanks

It doesn’t.

@violet Your welcome :)