Choosing the Best Coffee Storage Container — Yes, You Absolutely Need One

You know, I spend a lot of time here at Coffeeness talking about how to make coffee, explaining why owning a good burr coffee grinder is crucial and reminding you that using high-quality, freshly roasted beans is the only way to go. Now, let me help you choose the best coffee canister to keep your coffee at peak freshness.

I know, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Finally, a guide to the best coffee storage container.

In this article, I’ll tell you all about what to look for in a coffee storage container and which materials are best.

I’ll also give you a few tips about proper storage to maximize freshness for maximum flavor.

An Overview of Coffee Canister Options

I know some of you have limited time, so here’s a list of the coffee canisters we’ll explore today. Each one has been carefully selected.

Why You Need a Coffee Storage Container

In my article on how to store coffee beans, I talked about the environmental factors that affect coffee freshness. And one thing is for certain: from the moment fresh coffee leaves the cozy confines of the roaster, it seems like the whole world conspires against it. 

The delicate coffee beans are vulnerable to the effects of moisture, UV rays, heat and oxygen, all of which seem determined to cause as much damage as possible.

That’s why, as lovers of flavor and aroma, all good coffee-drinking citizens should do their best to protect their beans by hiding them from the cruel world in a worthy coffee canister. 

There are lots of options to choose from, ranging from simple, airtight canisters to more high-tech, vacuum sealed vaults. Thankfully, you don’t have to be loaded with money to afford one of the best coffee storage containers.

Still, no matter how much you invest in a canister, you’re prolonging the freshness and flavor of your coffee beans.

Shouldn’t I Just Store Coffee Beans in Their Original Packaging?

Coffee packaging has come a long way in recent years — though some of my favorite beans still come packaged in an old-school paper coffee bag with a reclosable tin tie.

These days, you’ll find most third wave roasters sell bulk coffee in airtight, resealable plastic coated coffee bags, featuring a one-way valve that allows carbon dioxide to escape. 

Once opened, this kind of packaging is resealable, but you’ll have a hard time getting it to stay airtight.

That’s why I keep my coffee beans in an airtight coffee canister. Better safe than sorry, right?

How Long Does Coffee Stay Fresh?

No matter how you decide to store your coffee beans, the fact remains that coffee is a perishable natural product, and it won’t stay fresh forever.

Factors like roast profile and varietal do play a part in determining the coffee’s shelf life, but to maximize freshness, it’s best to start with freshly roasted beans.

Even better, you should always buy beans (not ground coffee) from a roaster who prints the roast date on the packaging. I’d be more than a little suspicious if I didn’t see one — and you should be, too.

Remember that coffee needs to “rest” or “degas” for a few days before it really hits its stride. During this time, carbon dioxide releases, which is why using gassy beans in even the best espresso machine or the best super automatic espresso machine is about as easy as herding cats.

Once your freshly roasted coffee beans have rested, you’ll have around two weeks of brewed coffee prime time. That’s when your coffee beans will be at peak performance and may even continue to develop in depth and complexity.

After that, your beans will gradually start to lose aroma and flavor, eventually becoming tired and stale. That said, to maintain peak freshness for as long as possible, you’ll still have to follow the four golden rules of coffee storage:

Choosing the Best Coffee Canister: Airtight vs Vacuum Seal

If you spend just a few minutes researching the best coffee canister options, you’ll likely run into the most hotly debated subject in coffee storage circles: airtight seal vs vacuum seal containers.

An airtight coffee container won’t provide a completely oxygen-free environment, but it’ll come pretty close. Keep in mind, though, that as you begin using your coffee beans, more and more space becomes available inside. And that means there’s more room for oxygen to wreak havoc.

Vacuum seal coffee storage containers take things to the next level. Here, you can achieve an almost exclusively oxygen-free environment because it actively sucks the air out of the container.

Although this dramatically slows oxidation, “What about carbon dioxide?” After all, if you’re using freshly roasted coffee in a vacuum-sealed container, the beans aren’t going to be able to degas.

Maybe the solution is to not create a vacuum for a few days while the coffee rests.

Alternatively, you could store freshly roasted coffee beans in a coffee container with an airtight seal (preferably with a CO2 valve) for a few days, then transfer them to a vacuum-sealed container. That’s probably just for die-hard freshness fanatics, though.

The Best Plastic Coffee Storage Containers for Fresher Coffee

I’m really not the biggest fan of plastic products, in general.

Sure, I make an exception for the AeroPress, but I dislike the idea of coffee and hot water mingling in a plastic pour over dripper. That said, when it comes to the material for the best coffee storage containers, plastic does have a lot going for it:

Just make sure that the plastic is BPA-free and either UV tinted or completely opaque. Then, you can rest assured that both you and your coffee beans will be safe!

Tightpac America Coffeevac: Best Plastic Coffee Canister

The Coffeevac is a great example of simple, elegant design: you create a vacuum inside this coffee storage container by pressing a button on the side of the lid.

Rest assured, these containers offer a tight seal that will keep your coffee fresh while resisting moisture, oxygen and sunlight.

I really like the fact that the Coffeevac has a wide mouth, which makes cleaning the thing a breeze.

Plus, the Coffeevac comes in a variety of sizes and colors, including a 1-pound (454-gram) capacity container that costs $13.50 on Amazon.

The Coffeevac designers are into art, so they’ve created a full range of colors and styles to appeal to various users.

Do note that even though Tightpac America is the manufacturer, these coffee canisters are made in Taiwan.

In spite of that, the combination of these features in a single product has earned the Tightpac America Coffeevac the title of “best plastic coffee canister.”

OXO Good Grips Coffee Pop Container With Scoop

If you’re looking for a simple, practical coffee storage container to keep your coffee fresh, the $16.99 OXO Good Grips Coffee Pop Container has you covered.

The OXO Coffee Pop Container has a 1.7 quart capacity, which is just enough for a one pound bag of whole bean coffee. There’s also a “push” button on top of the lid that’s pretty cool and activates an airtight silicone seal.

Both the container and gasket can be put in the dishwasher, but the lid needs to be washed by hand. The lid itself comes apart for easy cleaning.

But most importantly, the BPA free plastic has a UV blocking tint, so you won’t have to worry about sunlight damaging your coffee beans.

Prepara Evak Fresh Saver Airless Canister

The Prepara Evak Fresh Saver is a nifty little coffee storage container, starting with the simplicity of the design, which I love.

You can push the lid down so it sits directly against your beans, creating a partial vacuum. This means you are able to eliminate oxygen in the canister no matter how few whole coffee beans you have left.

For washing, the Prepara Evak coffee canister is dishwasher safe.

The Prepara Evak is available in a few different sizes, but the 1.8 quart capacity version is best for storing a pound of whole beans. And best of all, it’ll only set you back $18.34.

The only real drawback is the lack of UV tinting. So, you’ll also have to keep the Evak coffee canister away from sunlight for it to be effective.

The Best Ceramic Coffee Storage Containers to Keep Coffee Beans Fresh

Though you’ll pay more for a ceramic coffee canister, this material certainly has benefits.

Ceramic is lightproof and also fairly heat-resistant. Plus, unlike plastic, which often absorbs odors, ceramic tends to stay neutral and is easy to clean.

Buying products made of ceramic is also better for the environment, as they break down easier than plastic.

Airscape Coffee Canister: Best Ceramic Coffee Canister

The ceramic Airscape coffee storage containers have a sleek design and are very effective at protecting coffee beans from sunlight, smells, moisture and oxygen.

You can buy a medium sized one for $35.00. It holds up to 1 pound (454 grams) of fresh coffee beans.

I have to say, this glazed ceramic container in Obsidian Black looks fabulous, though the Cobalt Blue version will likely appeal to many a coffee drinker as well. Even the company logo on the side is strangely attractive.

As far as functionality, the Airscape Ceramic Coffee Storage Container is straight forward and easy to use. You press down the inner lid to create a vacuum with a satisfying swoosh. Once it is resting against your coffee beans, you flip the handle down to close the valve.

Just for good measure, though, there’s an additional bamboo lid. The space between the vacuum lid and bamboo lid is a great place to keep your coffee scoop.

In my opinion, these are the best ceramic coffee canisters available today.

Le Creuset Stoneware Canister with Wood Lid

If you’re one of those folks with a Le Creuset themed kitchen, you’ll love looking at the $55.95 Le Creuset Stoneware Canister with Wood Lid as you sip your morning coffee.

Available in a variety of beautiful colors, this Le Creuset Coffee Canister will go great with your collection of Le Creuset mugs, egg cups, salt and pepper shakers and butter dishes.

The lid is made with a silicone gasket seal that keeps things nice and airtight inside. Plus, the nonporous enamel finish means no odors and no staining.

The Best Stainless Steel Coffee Canisters

There are several good options to consider among stainless steel coffee canisters. Though I’m partial to the Airscape canisters, each brand has its own merits.

A strong case can be made for stainless steel being the ultimate material for a coffee storage container. Not only is a stainless steel container opaque, but the material is also nonporous.

That means you won’t have to worry about coffee oils staining the container and leaving odors.

Stainless steel coffee canisters work just like ceramic ones, except that they have the added advantage of being lighter weight.

It’s a tradeoff though. While a coffee storage container with a stainless steel body is not going to break when dropped, it might dent.

If you’re going for a modern minimalist look, a stainless steel canister keeps coffee fresh and will look great in your kitchen, too.

Airscape Stainless Steel Coffee Canister: Best Stainless Steel Coffee Canister

Given the quality of Airscape coffee storage canisters, it’s no surprise that they are taking home a win in the stainless steel category as well.

The BPA free Airscape lid creates a tight seal for effective coffee bean storage. At the flip of the handle you can open and close the valve to release the vacuum suction.

These canisters are made with 18/8 restaurant grade stainless steel. Available in small, medium and large sizes, as well as multiple colors, an Airscape coffee storage canister will add life to any kitchen counter. You can choose from both matte and gloss color options.

You’ll have to evaluate your needs and decide which size or sizes you’d like to get. I recommend the medium size containers because they can hold up to a pound of coffee. Normally, I get aggravated when someone uses the term “up to” in marketing, but given how the lid moves up and down to adjust the size of the canister to match the contents, it makes sense.

In other words, when you buy a medium sized canister, you’re getting a small one as well. As you drink your way through your coffee beans, you simply keep pushing the internal lid lower and lower.

The above said, you should also know that Planetary Design offers discounted sets of Airscape canisters. You can purchase a set with one medium and one small coffee canister for $64.00, which is cheaper than buying each canister separately. Unfortunately, this also limits your color options.

A medium Airscape canister runs $36.00 on Amazon. The small Airscape canister sells for $31.00.

See Also: Airscape Coffee Canister Review

Coffee Gator Stainless Steel Canister

The medium-sized Coffee Gator Canister holds around a pound of whole bean coffee and costs $20.69 on Amazon.

There’s also a large version of the Coffee Gator Canister for $26.09 that comes with a magnetic scoop.

This snazzy-looking coffee bean storage container is really popular, and I can see why. It’s made from surgical-grade stainless steel and features a satisfying bail clasp that activates the airtight seal.

Best of all, there’s a freshness valve that releases carbon dioxide as your beans degas.

And if you need to track how long your whole beans have been in storage, there’s a nifty coffee date wheel on the lid. That wouldn’t be a concern for me — coffee beans don’t last very long in my kitchen. However, it’s a great feature that comes standard on each coffee container with scoop that Coffee Gator designs.

Veken Coffee Canister

The Veken Coffee Canister is pretty similar to the Coffee Gator in that it’s built from high-grade stainless steel, has a CO2 valve and features a date tracker on the lid. It even comes with a handy coffee scoop which sits nicely in its holder on the side of the canister.

Okay, let’s be honest, it’s suspiciously similar and likely a rebrand purchased from the same Chinese factory as the Coffee Gator one. So, if you have an aversion to products named after alligators but like the design of the Coffee Gator canister, here’s your way forward.

The 16-ounce (454-gram) capacity Veken costs $29.99 and comes in a variety of colors. And although I prefer the gray version, I’m also quite partial to the color of the 22-ounce (624-gram) seafoam green canister — I guess I can still surprise myself from time to time.

Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister

I must admit to having a bit of a crush on Fellow products, most of which I’ve tested and reviewed.

This company makes beautiful vacuum insulated stainless steel gooseneck kettle and a couple of incredible coffee grinders. The Fellow Atmos Vacuum Canister is available in Clear or White, but Matte Black is the way to go.

With its minimalist design and clean lines, the Atmos storage container looks like some kind of alien technology that just happens to be in your kitchen.

Using the thing couldn’t be easier, though. You simply create a vacuum inside the Atmos by twisting the lid back and forth.

There are three sizes available, the largest of which holds a one pound bag of whole bean coffee and costs $35 on Amazon when third party price gougers aren’t out to take the shirt off your back.

Related: Fellow Opus Review

MiiR Coffee Canister

MiiR is another company with products that are easy to crush on. They describe themselves as being “design forward” and “generosity driven,” which seems to be spot on. MiiR designs their products through the lens of being minimal, functional, sustainable and enduring.

As a company, MiiR is partnered together with The Conservation Alliance and 1% FOR THE PLANET. They are Climate Neutral Certified, as well as certified as a B Corporation, which means they’re all about giving back.

Speaking of which, in MiiR’s impact report you’ll see where they have given 100% of their sitewide sales for two consecutive years on Black Friday to support the work of an organization that focuses on supporting female entrepreneurs of color.

It’s hard not to get behind a company with multiple layers of investment in the community.

The MiiR Airtight Coffee Canister has a durable stainless steel body made of 18/8 stainless steel with a powder coat finish.

It holds 12 ounces of coffee, which is in line with the size of bags available from many quality coffee roasters around the United States.

A vacuum seal is created when the accordion lid is inserted into the canister and the handle is flipped down to lock it into place.

For $34.95 you end up with a sleekly designed airtight container that looks like it could be found on the International Space Station. All of the MiiR colors are amazing, but the copper one is definitely sweet!

Final Verdict: Which Coffee Canister Will You Choose Today?

Ok, so there you have it! Coffee canisters in a nutshell. Now that you know all about what makes a good coffee canister, which one are you going to go with?

I do of course recommend you choose a container with a vacuum sealing mechanism to keep your coffee beans fresher longer. But, at the end of the day, it’s just a coffee storage container.

So, do yourself a favor and don’t overthink it. Go with the one you like and move forward with enjoying it. Life’s too short to waste on worrying.