Coffee and tea: sizes, brands, and real discounts

Divide price by realistic cups (not the marketing claim). Pods vs ground vs beans: the denominator changes everything.

On SimpleICI, compare the unit when shown; otherwise do the math once and keep it.

For daily use, try the store brand. Keep one “treat” national if taste really matters.

A national at 40% off can beat the store brand this week only—note it; don’t reset your reference forever.

Two 300 g bags can cost more per cup than one 340 g on promo. Read the unit price.

Giant size only wins if you’ll finish it before it goes stale—and you have space.

Under your usual target price: 1–2 months max for open coffee (freshness). Bagged tea is a bit more flexible.

Don’t stack a third promo if the pantry already has two.

Counter coffee at $3–5 a cup is the real competitor. A thermos wins even with “average” beans.

Twenty days × $4 = $80—often more than a month of beans.