Caribou, a pricey brew from a coffee-shop chain, has topped 41 other regular and decaffeinated Colombian and Kona coffees in tests performed for the December.... Caribou, a pricey brew from a coffee-shop chain, has topped 41 other regular and decaffeinated Colombian and Kona coffees in tests performed for the December 2004 edition of Consumer Reports. Inexpensive Eight O'Clock and Dunkin' Donuts placed second and third respectively, beating brews from Starbucks and Seattle's Best. The edition also includes the latest coffeemaker ratings where Braun's simple but sufficient Aromaster model came ahead of pricier machines.

Consumer Reports' tests found a far lower percentage of very good or excellent coffees than when the magazine last reported, in 2000, even though many of the same brands were again included. The tests rated Caribou coffee as "Excellent" and two different brands; two caffeinated and one decaffeinated, as not only very good, but also CR Best Buys. Among the other finds:

-- Whole beans usually bested ground. Three of our four best- tasting coffees are whole bean.

-- Coffees with the same brand name may not be equally good. Eight O'Clock Colombian whole-bean regular and decaf are both very good. However, its Royale Kona Delight is so musty that it barely tasted like coffee.

-- High price doesn't guarantee high quality. The top-rated Columbian coffee costs $11.25 per pound, but other high-rated choices cost about $2.50 to $8.

-- Coffee-shop brands may not shine. Coffees from Gloria Jean's, Seattle's Best, and Starbucks are good at best.

Consumer Reports suggests consumers keep the following in mind next time they're buying coffee:

-- To grind or not to grind. Whole-bean coffee is likely to taste better than ground.

-- Black coffee or not. Milk and sugar masks flaws in mediocre coffee. If you drink black coffee choose one of the brands rated very good or excellent.

-- Consider which beans you favor. Like wine grapes, coffee beans have distinct flavor, depending not only on the type of beans but on where they're grown.

Coffeemakers: Less is More

Experts at Consumer Reports have found that $20 won't get you a coffeemaker with lots of neat features, nor one of the new single- serving "pod" machines. But it will buy you Braun's Aromaster, a basic machine that does the job very well and that bested six models that cost between $100 and $300. The tests also found that high price doesn't get you better coffee or easier brewing. Among some of the other findings:

-- Coffee quality depends more on the beans than on the machine.

-- More money buys more features.

-- If you use a big machine for a single cup, the coffee quality may suffer.

-- All coffeemakers respond to various combinations of coffee and water and can produce a range of brew strengths.

Consumer Reports advises consumers to keep the following in mind next time they're buying a coffeemaker:

-- Consider how much you consume. If one cup of coffee is enough to jump-start your day, you'll like the convenience and compactness of a single-serve drip coffeemaker.

-- Consider how often you refill. If you wait an hour between cups, buy a full-sized coffee maker with a thermal carafe.

-- Consider convenience and features. Extra options to look for-if any-will depend on your coffee-drinking habits.

The December 2004 issue of Consumer Reports will be available Nov. 9 wherever magazines are sold. To subscribe, call 1-800-765-1845.