Equator Coffees vs Intelligentsia Coffee
The verdict
Equator Coffees and Intelligentsia Coffee, compared on every specification their makers publish.
Who each one suits
Equator Coffees
Somebody who wants to know exactly which farms and co-ops are in their blend
Intelligentsia Coffee
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
What each one costs
| Price | Not publicly stated | Not publicly stated |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| Equator Coffees | Intelligentsia Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | San Rafael, California, United States | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Best for | Somebody who wants to know exactly which farms and co-ops are in their blend | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word |
| What sets it apart | — | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it |
| B Corp | ✓ | — |
| Coffees Reviewed | 4 | 19 |
| Format | — | Ground, Whole bean |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 0 | 2 |
| Origin | Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, Ethiopia | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia |
| Price per Kg Range | 43.54 to 45.86 | 42.55 to 126.26 |
| Price per kg | 43.54 USD | 42.55 USD |
| Roast Date Printed | — | ✕ |
| Roast Levels | Medium, Medium-dark, Dark | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark |
| Roaster City | San Rafael, California | Chicago, Illinois |
| Ships to | US | US, worldwide |
| Ships to Note | — | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. |
| Tasting Notes | Chocolate, Spice, Earthy & woody, Stone fruit, Berry, Nutty | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
Equator Coffees
- +Names the producer, varieties, altitude and process of every blend component.
- +B Corp certified, and its decafs are all water processed.
- +Every coffee in 12 oz, 2 lb and 5 lb bags, whole bean or ground.
- +Free shipping on orders of $50 or more.
- −No roast date published on the bag.
- −Specialty prices: around $54 to $57 a kilo in the 12 oz bag.
- −Few certified organic or Fair Trade coffees outside its dedicated line.
Intelligentsia Coffee
- +Nineteen coffees reviewed, the deepest range on this site, plus two gift sets
- +Twelve origins named including Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica and Guatemala
- +Three roast levels from medium-light to medium-dark, in ground and whole bean, with a subscription
- +A published price per kilo from $42.55, so the range can be compared
- −No roast date is printed, which is unusual for a specialty roaster at this level
- −$42.55 to $126.26 a kilo is a wide spread with little to explain it on the listings
- −Six of its instant and single-origin coffees publish no tasting notes at all
Every specification, side by side
| Equator Coffees | Intelligentsia Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| The maker | ||
| Based in | San Rafael, California, United States | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Somebody who wants to know exactly which farms and co-ops are in their blend | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word |
| What sets it apart | — | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it |
| Specifications | ||
| B Corp | ✓ | — |
| Coffees Reviewed | 4 | 19 |
| Flavoured Line | None | None |
| Format | — | Ground, Whole bean |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 0 | 2 |
| Origin | Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Guatemala, Brazil, Honduras, Ethiopia | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia |
| Price per Kg Range | 43.54 to 45.86 | 42.55 to 126.26 |
| Price per kg | 43.54 USD | 42.55 USD |
| Roast Date Printed | — | ✕ |
| Roast Levels | Medium, Medium-dark, Dark | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark |
| Roaster City | San Rafael, California | Chicago, Illinois |
| Roaster Country | United States | United States |
| Roaster Country Code | US | US |
| Ships to | US | US, worldwide |
| Ships to Note | — | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tasting Notes | Chocolate, Spice, Earthy & woody, Stone fruit, Berry, Nutty | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit |
Equator Coffees vs Intelligentsia Coffee: common questions
Is Equator Coffees or Intelligentsia Coffee cheaper?
Equator Coffees starts at Not publicly stated, and Intelligentsia Coffee at Not publicly stated.
Who is Equator Coffees for?
Somebody who wants to know exactly which farms and co-ops are in their blend
Who is Intelligentsia Coffee for?
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
Keep comparing
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