Lifeboost Coffee Beans Review 2023: Something for Every Coffee Lover

Lifeboost Coffee has long been famous for its healthy, organic coffee beans. And some new additions to their product line have only broadened their appeal as a gourmet coffee brand. From coffee newbies to espresso geeks, everyone will find something they love from Lifeboost. 

In this Lifeboost Coffee review, Homegrounds delves into all the details about the brand. What makes Lifeboost coffee beans stand out from the crowd? Are their health benefits and environmental claims legitimate? You’ll also find the list of exciting new products on offer.

Summary: Lifeboost Coffee Beans

• Organic, shade grown, Fair Trade, and low acid coffee, and third-party certified to be free of mycotoxins and other contaminants.
  
• Huge product selection with all roast levels, unique specialty beans, flavored coffee, decaf coffee, and coffee pods.
  
• Every order is roasted, ground, and packaged when it is received to ensure peak freshness

It’s amazing, and I have not had a stomach ache since using it. It’s smooth but flavorful.

– Amy Hall, Customer

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The Full Lifeboost Coffee Review

If you’re looking for an in-depth look at Lifeboost Coffee as a brand, you’ve come to the right place. In the following sections of this Lifeboost Coffee review, we’ll dig into why Lifeboost Coffee claims to be the healthiest available, their ever-expanding line-up of products, how to get your hands on Lifeboost coffee beans, and the best way to brew them once you do.

Lifeboost Coffee Review

• Quality, Health, and Environment
• Brewing Methods
• Coffee Bean Selection
• Buying options

4.5

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Quality, Health, and the Growing Environment – 4.5/5

Quality, health, and the growing environment might seem like three disparate topics. But they are inextricably linked when it comes to coffee. How? Better-quality coffee beans are better for you. Better growing conditions and environmental stewardship yields better coffee. When done right, it’s a win-win-win situation, and Lifeboost is doing it right.

What is Lifeboost coffee?

Lifeboost was founded by a physician, Dr. Charles Livingston. After years of working with patients, he set out on a mission to create the world’s healthiest coffee. He was prompted by the realization that approximately 50% of Americans drink coffee, making it one of the dominant sources of antioxidants in the American diet (1). But to recommend coffee as an antioxidant source for his patients, Dr. Livingston wanted it to be sure he could offer them the healthiest possible coffee – as much nutritional supplement as a beverage. The premium Lifeboost Coffee bean was born.

Is Lifeboost Coffee legit?

This is a common question, which is no surprise given Lifeboost’s many claims (just like its competitor, Purity Coffee). So HomeGrounds wanted to be thorough in this Lifeboost Coffee review.

Let’s start at the farm. 

Like Kicking Horse Coffee, Lifeboost is also one of the sustainable coffee brands we support. The vast majority of Lifeboost’s coffee plants are grown at a high elevation of nearly 6,000 feet in the mountains of Nicaragua. The region has the ideal climate to produce high-quality Arabica coffee beans. 

The coffee plants are all grown organically, as certified by the USDA. This benefits the consumer, as the coffee beans aren’t exposed to pesticides. It benefits the coffee farmers, who can seek higher prices for their coffee. And it benefits the environment at the origin.

Note: Are you interested in organic coffee? Check out our picks for the best organic beans. Lifeboost is among them.

They are also shade-grown under the sweeping branches of guava trees. Many believe this creates a more delicious coffee by forcing the coffee cherries to ripen more slowly, developing more complex flavors. And everyone, including the experts at Perfect Daily Grind, agrees that it is crucial for maintaining biodiversity in the growing region (2). 

The combination of high elevation, shade growth, and the Arabica varietal puts Lifeboost’s coffee beans among the top 2% of coffee globally in terms of quality (3).

When it comes time to harvest, the coffee cherries are hand-picked to ensure each one is at the peak of ripeness. They are then washed in mountain spring water and sun-dried. And because Lifeboost coffees are all single-origin, you can trust that there will be no contamination with sub-par beans from other sources.

Are they any better than other certified organic coffee options?

So we’ve established that Lifeboost’s growing conditions are suitable for the local environment and ensure the highest quality beans. But what about their health claims? 

Lifeboost goes above and beyond when it comes to testing their coffee beans. They are certified by a third party to be free of mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, molds, and over 400 other contaminants (4). While all those components are present only in trace amounts in other coffees, you will notice the difference in a Lifeboost cup of coffee if you are sensitive to any of them.

On top of that, Lifeboost coffee beans naturally have very low acidity, which they confirm through laboratory testing. While some coffee lovers enjoy the bright flavor components of an acidic brew, anyone with a sensitive stomach will much prefer the smooth flavor and very little bitterness of Lifeboost coffee (5).

Finally, it’s essential to mention the socio-economic benefits of Lifeboost Coffee for the communities where their beans are grown. They are Fair Trade certified and pay their farmers’ fair wages. For every bag sold, a portion of the profits is given to the Rainforest Trust, and another portion goes to Project Alianza, which builds schools for the children of coffee farmers.

Coffee Bean Selection – 4/5

Lifeboost has a large selection of coffee, and it is regularly expanding. Even in the short time that Homegrounds has been reviewing Lifeboost Coffee, the options have grown considerably. This is all the more impressive given that their expansion is limited because every new coffee they offer must meet the same rigorous standards on which they built their reputation. At this point, it is safe to say that there is a Lifeboost coffee for everyone.

Check out Homegrounds’ video review of Lifeboost coffee review:

The Main Line-Up

The main Lifeboost line-up consists of the different roasts, all stemming from the same mountainous Nicaraguan farming area. Lifeboost’s light roast coffee is the Optimist, and slightly darker than that is the classic Medium Roast, always a crowd-pleaser. There are two dark roasts, which are perfect for those looking for an especially low-acid coffee. The standard dark-roasted coffee is called the Embolden, and an even darker option, more like a French roast, is known as the Midnight. Both the medium and dark roasts are also available as decaffeinated coffee, and there is a medium roast half-caff.

MEDIUM ROAST

DARK ROAST

LIGHT ROAST

For Espresso Drinkers

Espresso lovers will find that Lifeboost now has two coffee beans roasted with espresso in mind. First, there’s a classic espresso roast, a medium-dark roast bean with the characteristic flavors of nuts and dark chocolate. Then there is the Blonde Espresso roast, which is closer to a light-medium roast coffee and features brighter fruit and sweet caramel flavors.

Limited Editions

Since our last Lifeboost Coffee review, Lifeboost has expanded sourcing and roasting specialty beans from other origins. They now offer an “Africa” dark roast, currently sourced from Uganda. It has a rich mouthfeel and earthy character, with dried fruit overtones. It holds up well to milk or cream and has a heavy body, making it a fantastic choice for a latte, cappuccino, or caramel macchiato.

They have also expanded to offer a Luxe line. 

While more expensive, their cost is justified by their rarity and unique flavors. These are special occasion coffees. The Luxe line-up includes Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Java Blue, and Nueva Granada Geisha beans, all of which are known for being some of the world’s finest coffee. They also have Pacamara beans, a rare varietal of Arabica bean with a flavor you won’t find anywhere else (6).

Interested in rare, unique, and expensive brews? Check out all our picks for the best Gesha coffee beans.

Cold Brew

Cold brew lovers should take note of the Biotics Cold Brew Beans. Not only are these beans roasted and coarsely ground with cold brewing in mind, but they include a proprietary blend of added probiotics. Lifeboost even adds a top-secret acid that ensures the probiotics are as bioavailable as possible. If you’ve had to swear off coffee because of your sensitive stomach, these may well be the beans that bring you back.

Cold brew already has a smooth flavor and very low acidity due to the cold brewing process, in which some acids aren’t extracted. Then the addition of probiotics to a low acid coffee is a big win for your stomach and gut health (7)!

CHECK OUT THE COLD BREW

Coffee Pods and Pre-Ground Coffee

Finally, I should mention that most Lifeboost coffees, except the specialty Luxe beans and the Biotics Cold Brew, are available as whole bean, pre-ground coffee, or in coffee pod format. However, unlike many coffee companies, Lifeboost only offers one grind size for their ground coffee. It is a medium grind appropriate for drip brewing, but you may want to consider grinding your own if you want a coarser grind for French press or something finer for espresso. The coffee pods are compatible with Keurig coffee machines and other single-serve brewers. 

Phew, does that feel like a big coffee selection? Well, hold on because this Lifeboost Coffee review hasn’t even started on their enormous catalog of flavored coffees!

CHECK OUT THE COFFEE PODS

Flavored Coffees

Unlike Bones Coffee, Lifeboost is not known for their flavored coffee. Afterall, flavored beans do not have the best reputation. Adding synthetic flavor is often a way for roasters to camouflage lower-quality coffee beans. But that is not the case with Lifeboost! Their naturally flavored coffee beans start with the same premium single-origin coffee beans as their traditional roasts.

They have many flavors, including a sweet and floral French Vanilla, a buttery Hazelnut coffee, a festive Peppermint Mocha, a Mocha Caramel Latte fragrant with milk chocolate, a Smoky Butterscotch rich with the flavor of dark brown sugar, and many more. Suppose you don’t already have a favorite. In that case, Homegrounds recommends picking up the variety pack, which includes 1.8 ounces of each of their best sellers: French Vanilla, Hazelnut coffee, Irish, Highlander, Caramel Macchiato, Bourbon, and Mocha. 

Most of the flavored coffee is also available in decaf, which is especially lovely for the dessert flavors. Do you want to enjoy a chocolate-covered strawberry or French vanilla-flavored coffee after dinner without being up half the night? You’re in luck!

CHECK OUT THE FLAVORED COFFEE

Lifeboost Coffee Brewing Methods – 5/5

The great thing about Lifeboost’s broad selection of coffee is that no matter your preferred brewing method, there’s a Lifeboost coffee well suited to the job. Of course, the choice of coffee beans and how they are brewed is primarily a matter of personal taste. It may not be traditional to pull a light roast shot of espresso, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t try it. So HomeGrounds is just here to offer some general guidance, especially if you are new to specialty coffee.

Dark Roast

The darker roasts, including the Embolden, Midnight, and Africa beans, are delicious coffee beans for French Press. They also make excellent coffee for Moka Pot, Aeropress, or espresso machines. Dark roasts tend to have bold flavors, a heavy body, and a creamy mouthfeel, and these brewing methods work well to highlight these aspects. A dark roast also holds up well to the addition of milk and cream, making them a delicious coffee choice as the basis for a latte or cappuccino.

Medium Roast

Lifeboost medium roasts are incredibly versatile, often with crowd-pleasing flavors of caramel, nuts, and ripe fruit. They tend to have a balanced flavor and medium body that makes them amenable to all brewing styles. Along with the brewing devices just mentioned for a dark roast, a medium roast coffee will taste great when brewed with an automatic coffee machine or a pour-over dripper.

Light Roast

Typically, light-roasted coffee is best brewed using a paper filter method. They are a perfect coffee for pour over, a drip coffee machine, or an Aeropress. These methods yield a cleaner cup that lets you taste the complex and subtle flavors for which light roasts are known. You are tasting more of the original than the roast with a light roast. They typically have bright fruit and floral flavors. Often a light roast coffee is higher in acidity, but that is not the case for the Lifeboost Optimist, a very low acid coffee. 

What about the more specialized coffee beans?

Not surprisingly, the beans for espresso, both traditional and blonde, are best when brewed under pressure, using an espresso machine, stovetop espresso maker, or even an Aeropress. 

Homegrounds recommends brewing the Luxe line-up of beans using a pour-over brewing, like a Hario V60 or Chemex. They also make excellent coffees for Aeropress. These specialty coffee beans have unique and complex flavors, and you would hate to see them muddied in an immersion brewing method – especially since you’re paying a premium for them.

You should prepare Biotics Cold Brew in a cold brew coffee maker or a simple substitute like a Mason jar. If you want to brew these beans in a hot brewing method, you can, though you will lose much of the positive impact of the probiotics. In that case, choose a French press because it can handle the coarser grind.

You can brew flavored coffees using most methods. Compared with traditional coffee, their flavors are so intense that you don’t need to worry about the best means to showcase them. However, bear in mind that they often leave behind traces of flavor. So if you don’t brew flavored coffee regularly, consider choosing a brewing method device that is easy to clean.

Buying Lifeboost Coffee – 4.5/5

The best place to purchase Lifeboost Coffee is through their website. They roast, ground (if you’re buying ground beans), and pack to order each bag of coffee. So what you receive is as fresh as possible. And shipping is free, so ordering online won’t add to your expense. It is also available on Amazon and from select stores, but in this case, the freshly roasted beans are not guaranteed.

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You can also take advantage of Lifeboost’s subscription service when buying from the website.

This saves you the hassle of repeatedly ordering and ensures you’ll never run out of coffee, but it also comes with a discount! Depending on your subscription model, you can save up to 48%, and you can cancel whenever you want with no repercussions.

Don’t Buy Lifeboost Coffee If…

• You’re looking for a curated coffee subscription: Some coffee subscription services will choose your coffee. You tell them a bit about your taste, and they’ll send you a coffee. Then they’ll use your feedback on that coffee to find something you might like even better. This can be a great way to explore different origins and roast levels, and it might help you discover a new favorite coffee. If this is the style of coffee subscription you’re looking for, consider coffee brands like Bean Box, MistoBox, or Driftaway.
• You want a cheaper option: Thanks to its rigorous testing process, Lifeboost coffee is one of the more expensive options on the market. If you’re on a tight budget, consider Volcanica coffee beans instead. Volcanica sources and roasts high-quality coffee beans from many of the world’s top growing regions. They have a vast selection of Arabica beans at affordable prices, many of which are also organic and of single origin. However, they don’t offer the same guarantees as Lifeboost, such as shade-grown, mycotoxin-free, and low acidity.
  
  Stone Street Coffee and Green Mountain Coffee Roaster are also other coffee brands to consider. Both companies offer premium coffee beans at affordable prices that are available on Amazon and in most big grocery chains.
  
  On the other hand, if you are a classic espresso-lover, then Lavazza Coffee could be a better option. The brand offers different espresso bean variants. It is also widely available. Read our Lavazza Coffee review to learn more.
  
  In case, the brands mentioned above still don’t meet your budget, there are some grocery-store brands you can try. We particularly tried most (if not all) Trader Joe’s coffee beans and found some of them good.
• You want to explore more origins: Though the Lifeboost product range is expanding, they still primarily source from their farms in Nicaragua. If you’re interested in trying coffee from other growing regions, there are plenty of alternative coffee brands. Atlas Coffee Club is one of the most popular coffee subscriptions. Each month, they’ll send you a bag of premium beans from a different country and an informative postcard about that part of the world. Trade Coffee is another great option. They source from hundreds of the world’s best roasters, offering blends and single-origin coffees worldwide.
• You value caffeine content more than anything else: If your stomach is just fine and your priority is getting the maximum pep in your step each morning, then look at our Death Wish Coffee review. Billed as the “world’s strongest coffee,” Death Wish adds Robusta beans to offer nearly double the caffeine of Lifeboost (8). But don’t count on the same quality or flavor.
• You want a ready-to-drink cold brew coffee: If you’re a cold brew lover who doesn’t like to wait long, then having a ready-to-drink cold brew is something you fancy. We get it. Sometimes, we feel it too. We tried Wandering Bear Cold Brew Coffee and it is so far our favorite ready-to-drink cold brew. It comes in different flavors and is available in single-serve bottles and 32-ounce cartons. The packaging and even the tap of their coffee cartons are made from sustainable materials. Learn more about it in Home Grounds’ review of Wandering Bear Cold Brew Coffee.

The Verdict

Thanks for checking out this Lifeboost Coffee review! With their ever-expanding collection of coffees, Lifeboost now has something for everyone. If you’re new to coffee, pick up a bag of their best-selling medium roast. Its crowd-pleasing flavors are guaranteed to satisfy. Already fancy yourself somewhat of a coffee connoisseur? Then delve into the new Luxe line-up, featuring limited-edition specialty beans you won’t find anywhere else. 

You can trust that you’re getting healthy, organic, single-origin coffee beans no matter what you choose. Each harvest is grown, improving its flavor and nutrition and enhancing the environmental conditions at the origin. This is coffee you can feel good about drinking for many reasons!

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