Why Your Coffee Tastes Better at a Café — And How to Fix That at Home

There’s a universal experience that no one admits out loud:Your home coffee doesn’t taste as good as the cup you buy from the café down the road.Not even close.

But before you start blaming yourself, your kettle, or the bad decisions you made last night — let’s break down why this happens and how to level up your brew at home.

1. Your beans aren’t as fresh as you think

Cafés use beans roasted days ago. Most supermarket “premium” coffees were roasted somewhere around the Bronze Age.

Fix: Buy freshly roasted coffee (hi, Roma 👋).Bonus: Keep it airtight and out of sunlight.

2. Grind size matters more than you realise

If your coffee tastes bitter, sour, or like sadness in liquid form… it’s probably the grind.

• Pour-over → Medium (Candy Chaos thrives here)

• Moka pot → Fine (Midnight Heirloom loves heat)

• French press → Coarse (Slow Burn becomes soft and smooth)

3. Water temperature is a silent killer

Boiling water burns the coffee.Lukewarm water under-extracts it. Aim for 92–96°C (just off the boil).

4. Your equipment actually matters

A £9.99 kettle and a spoon you found in a drawer will not create café magic.

Not to brag, but quality beans do help.

5. The secret sauce: consistency

The café barista repeats the same routine 50 times a day.You do it once while half-asleep.

But with the right beans and the right grind size?

Your home brew can hit café levels — without the queue, the tiny tables, or the £4.80 price tag.