Does more expensive coffee really taste better? We put it to the test

With the cost of a coffee climbing to over $7 at some cafes, we’ve hit the streets to compare the most expensive brews to the cheaper alternatives. WATCH THE VIDEO

The price of coffee seems to be climbing every day with some Brisbane cafes now charging over $7 for your daily caffeine hit.

While there are cheaper alternatives, like a service station or fast food chain, most coffee lovers wouldn’t be caught dead without a brew from their favourite barista.

But is price truly indicative of quality? Is all coffee made equal?

WATCH OUR BLIND COFFEE TASTE-TEST IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

The Courier-Mail’s Mikaela Mulveney and Iwan Jones hit the streets to taste test Brisbane coffees. Picture David Clark

The Courier-Mail’s Iwan Jones and Mikaela Mulveney hit the streets this week to taste-test six coffees ranging in price.

They sampled six large flat whites from three cafes, 7-Eleven, McDonalds, and Starbucks, and judged on taste and justified on price.

Here are the results, from cheapest to most expensive:

7-Eleven, Fortitude Valley Metro – $3

IWAN: The cheapest of the large coffee orders. If you are on the run and are in desperate need of a caffeine fix – go for it. Otherwise, consider your options and how much you really need that coffee.

MIKAELA: Not very pleasing to drink, tasted a bit watered down and was lacking in coffee flavour – wouldn’t recommend, my worst pick.

McDonald’s, Windsor West – $5.20

IWAN: Nice temperature, creamy, not overbearing in taste. McCafe is renowned for its quality and affordability, and this order delivered on both fronts. You know what you’re getting into at Maccas. A solid choice if you want quality and bang for your buck while on the move.

MIKAELA: I was actually surprised at the quality of Maccas coffee. It had a nice taste but could’ve been stronger, and the milk wasn’t burnt. I’ve definitely had better but I wouldn’t be opposed to having again.

Campos Coffee, Gasworks, Newstead – $5.70

IWAN: High quality as expected from a specialist coffee provider. Decent coffee with a strong punch of milkiness. High quality and in the middle of the range in terms of pricing. With accessible two-hours free parking, it’s definitely worth dropping by if you are in the area.

MIKAELA: Campos came in a close second for me, the strength of the coffee was to my liking. But the only downfall was the milk – tasted a tiny bit burnt. Would purchase again on the go.

Fonzie Abbott, Albion – $5.90

IWAN: Rich taste, good quality, hits the spot. Happy with the price considering what you get. A step up from other retailers, albeit with a slightly longer wait time. The store was bustling on a Tuesday morning. This Brisbane-based specialty coffee roaster is definitely worth checking out.

MIKAELA: I am usually a fan of Fonzie Abbott, but this time the coffee was lacking. It was a tad cooler than I would have liked and again, the milk tasted a bit burnt. Might just stick with the ice coffees for these guys!

One Shot Coffee Co, Bowen Hills – $6.50

IWAN: Rich taste with a strong dairy top, high quality, and easy on the palate. No queues as well. If you are a nearby resident or worker, definitely worth dropping by.

MIKAELA: One Shot was the winner for me. The coffee bean itself had a great flavour and was strong (but not overpowering). It was the perfect temperature and just overall pleasant to drink.

Starbucks, Fortitude Valley Metro – $7.20

IWAN: While the most expensive, the Venti cup offered by Starbucks was the largest. The quality was right up there as well as expected, however there was a long wait for a coffee. If you have time up your sleeve, it is a worthy option to get your caffeine fix.

MIKAELA: Starbucks, in my opinion, needed to do better. I now understand why Americans are so surprised when they taste Australian coffee. It was weak, the sizes were larger than normal and honestly just tasted a bit wrong. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great.

Iwan’s choice

Fonzie Abbott

Mikaela’s choice

One Shot Coffee Co

WHAT’S BEHIND SOARING COST OF COFFEE?

Coffee beans are under increasing demand while producers struggle with massively depleted supplies, sending prices through the roof.

It comes as a cup of coffee is tipped to push $12 by the end of 2025, driving 30 per cent of Queensland cafes to the wall.

Queensland University of Technology Business School Professor Gary Mortimer – who specialises in consumer behaviour and retail marketing – said over the past year, the cost of coffee beans had more than doubled.

“The biggest contributor to increasing coffee retail prices is input costs,” Professor Mortimer said.

“So we’ve seen the price of coffee bean commodities double last year alone, now over, $4.30 US a pound ($6.78 AUD for 0.45kg) ,” Professor Mortimer said.

“The major component of a cup of coffee has increased by 100 per cent.”

QUT consumer behaviour expert Professor Gary Mortimer

Professor Mortimer added that operational costs of running a cafe have also increased.

“So increasing electricity costs, water costs, increased insurance rates, leasing costs, all of those costs are borne by those same smaller cafes as well,” he said.

“Higher input costs, higher operational costs will always lead to higher retail prices for consumers.”

Professor Mortimer said he had also noted a shift in consumer behaviour towards acquiring cheap coffee from service stations, as well as coffee machines for home use.

“We know that many service stations today, as well as 7-Eleven will do a small cup of machine produced coffee for $1 or $2,” he said.

“You’re not going to get the same barista experience, but it’s still a way of accessing freshly made coffee.

“The other thing we’re seeing is the growth of coffee machines, most people would have a coffee machine in their kitchen today.”

WHAT DO COFFEE LOVERS THINK?

Paddington resident Michael Houghton said the rising cost of coffee was not enough to stop him from getting his daily fix of soy lattes.

“It is going up – but I enjoy it,” Mr Houghton said.

“The price of it is not really going to stop me.”

Kent Larsen.

Michael Houghton.

Albion’s Kent Larsen, who recently moved from Sydney to Brisbane, said coffees were more expensive in the River City and he had cut back to one a day.

“It’s definitely gone up, I’ve recently moved from Sydney and it seems about $1 more here in Brisbane than in Sydney,” he said.

“I’ve definitely cut back, I used to have two or three a day, now I only buy one a day at most, sometimes none.

“I usually get a dirty chai and a large costs around $5.90.”

Newstead residents Marilyn E and Lorraine K catch up for a coffee.

Long-term Newstead residents Marilyn E and Lorraine K catch up daily for a coffee at a local shop.

“It’s something I enjoy, it’s something I do every day,” Ms E said.

“The prices have gone up really fast, but they are a business and they have to support themselves to,” Ms K said.