Trader Joe's Electric Buzz Coffee Cups

The pros: Trader Joe's Electric Buzz Coffee Cups are brand new and good if you need to combine your caffeine needs into a single cup.

The cons:  Those with any sensitivity to caffeine should steer clear.

The verdict:  Now, if you are a caffeine addict, then Trader Joe's has got you covered. It's a tale of two beans that have been combined into one coffee pod. Now, if you are unclear on the differences between arabica and robusta beans, then perhaps check out this article from the Kitchn.

Now, coffee is a matter of personal preference. I tend to prefer medium roasts as I feel it provides a balance between the roast and the flavor of the coffee. When I finally found of a box of these I placed them in my trusty Keurig. Upon brewing this, my husband looked at me and said "Since when do you like Cafe Bustelo?" "I don't, I'm trying a new coffee."

Well, it did smell like Cafe Bustelo, but it wasn't. If you've never had Cafe Bustelo, it's easily identifiable by its yellow packaging or a taste that makes me wince and say, well that will put hair on your chest. It is not a coffee that is subtle. There is a distinct and quite rich taste to it. My husband gravitates towards it. For me, that espresso like Cafe Bustelo is just a bit more than what I like. Besides, he looks better with chest hair.

Well, this electric buzz coffee is the bark of a dark espresso roasted coffee, but the taste of a medium roast. It will come out of a coffee brewer closer to a dark roast, but after a few seconds the tar color begins to subside. But make no mistake, I'm not sensitive to caffeine, but this made me feel like I was on my second cup of the day. In terms of flavor, this coffee is a bit more mild then I would normally like. I like Trader Joe's Tarrazu the best and enjoy the subtle nuances and notes of some of the medium roasts that Trader Joe's has to offer. I even recently polished off a bottle of cold brew. The cold brew was quite mellow and smooth.

Those coffees are all far more nuanced and flavorful than this. This is a touch nutty and does not have much body to it. There is no way to describe the beans as it is already prepackaged and pre-ground. My husband tried one cup and did not like it. Since he is more sensitive to caffeine, he told me it made him bounce off the walls a bit. Not literally. But he got that buzz. As for me, I wasn't 100% impressed with the taste. I'm so used to pure arabica beans that I wasn't quite sure what to make of the flavor. It's a touch bitter and almost a touch sour.

But flavor might not be the reason for why you would reach for this. This is directed at the need for caffeine levels of speed. You'll drink this for the buzz as it acts as a supercharged coffee energy drink. For $5.49 for 12 pods, these are well priced. If you need coffee purely for the energy boost, then this is a solid choice to reach for. If you are more into savoring your morning coffee, then perhaps you might want to stick with straight arabica coffee.

Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:

The box of Trader Joe's Electric Buzz Coffee Cups:

The ingredients and how to prepare:

Out of the package you get:

Would I buy this again? I might buy Trader Joe's Electric Buzz Coffee Cups again. While it was not my favorite, there are some mornings where coffee really helps to get me going. I think I'll keep a box around but it might not be my daily brew of choice.

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.

Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!