Intelligentsia Coffee vs Lavazza
The verdict
Intelligentsia Coffee and Lavazza, compared on every specification their makers publish.
Who each one suits
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
Lavazza
Anybody who wants Italian espresso blends rather than single origin coffee
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.
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Lavazza | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Turin, Italy |
| Best 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 | Anybody who wants Italian espresso blends rather than single origin coffee |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A family roaster since 1895 that built its name on blending, not on naming farms |
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 5 |
| Flavoured Line | None | No |
| Format | Ground, Whole bean | — |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Grind Options | — | Espresso, Whole bean |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico, India, Java |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | — |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | — |
| Processing Method | — | Washed, Natural |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Turin |
| Roaster Country | United States | Italy |
| Roaster Country Code | US | IT |
| Ships to | US, worldwide | US, UK, EU, 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. | Sold widely in Europe and internationally through supermarkets and the maker's own regional stores. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✕ |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Spice |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
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
Lavazza
- +Nine origins named across the range including Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala and Costa Rica
- +Washed and natural processing both published, which most roasters here omit
- +1kg bags, the largest format on this site, from a roaster founded in 1895
- −No roast date is printed and no subscription is offered
- −No certifications are published on any bag in the range
- −Two tasting notes across five coffees, and one of them is a single word
Every specification, side by side
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Lavazza | |
|---|---|---|
| The maker | ||
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Turin, Italy |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best 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 | Anybody who wants Italian espresso blends rather than single origin coffee |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A family roaster since 1895 that built its name on blending, not on naming farms |
| Specifications | ||
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 5 |
| Flavoured Line | None | No |
| Format | Ground, Whole bean | — |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Grind Options | — | Espresso, Whole bean |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Mexico, India, Java |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | — |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | — |
| Processing Method | — | Washed, Natural |
| Roast Date Printed | ✕ | ✕ |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Turin |
| Roaster Country | United States | Italy |
| Roaster Country Code | US | IT |
| Ships to | US, worldwide | US, UK, EU, 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. | Sold widely in Europe and internationally through supermarkets and the maker's own regional stores. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✕ |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Spice |
Intelligentsia Coffee vs Lavazza: common questions
Is Intelligentsia Coffee or Lavazza cheaper?
Intelligentsia Coffee starts at Not publicly stated, and Lavazza at Not publicly stated.
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
Who is Lavazza for?
Anybody who wants Italian espresso blends rather than single origin coffee
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