Balance Coffee Testing Framework

Editorial Standards

The Balance Coffee Testing Framework

Every brand we review is scored using the same six criteria. No brand pays to appear. No ranking is influenced by commercial relationships. This is how we test, and this is how we score.

Who Tests
Every review is conducted by James Bellis and the Balance Coffee team
Lead tester
James Bellis
Qualification
SCA Coffee Skills Diploma
Experience
14 years. 199,000+ customers served.
Testing support
Balance Coffee team
Equipment Used
Every coffee is tested across at least two brew methods
Espresso
Sage Barista Pro
Pour over
Hario V60 and Chemex
Immersion brewing
AeroPress
French press
Standard cafetiere
Concentrated brewing
Bialetti Moka Express
Grinder
Calibrated burr grinder
The Six Scoring Criteria
100 points total · weighted by importance to the reader
Flavour
Tasting notes tested across at least two brew methods per brand. We assess aroma, clarity, complexity, and consistency.

25 / 100 points
Health & purity
We check for mycotoxin, mould, and pesticide screening. Brands that publish independent lab results score highest.

20 / 100 points
Freshness
We check for a printed roast date, batch size, and delivery speed. Brands without a roast date are penalised automatically.

15 / 100 points
Traceability
We assess farm level sourcing detail and supply chain transparency. Named origins and producer relationships score highest.

15 / 100 points
Brand trust
We check verified customer reviews, industry credentials, and the ratio of positive to negative feedback across platforms.

15 / 100 points
Value for money
We calculate price per cup at a standard 14g dose. Score reflects quality delivered relative to cost paid.

10 / 100 points
Total points available
100 points
Flavour carries the most weight. Every brand is scored using these same six criteria.
Our Editorial Promise
What we commit to on every review we publish

No brand pays to appear
Every brand on our lists earned their place through testing. No sponsored placements. No paid rankings.

Conflicts of interest are always disclosed
Where Balance Coffee products appear in our guides, they are clearly marked as our own brand throughout.

Affiliate links are always declared upfront
Some links in our guides earn us a small commission. This never influences a ranking or a score.

Every score uses the same framework
The six criteria and 100 point scale on this page are applied consistently to every brand we review.

Guides are updated when things change
Prices, products, and scores are reviewed regularly. Every guide carries the date it was last updated.
Disclosure
Full transparency on how this framework operates

Balance Coffee is the brand behind this testing framework. James Bellis is the founder of Balance Coffee and the lead tester on all reviews published under this framework.

Where Balance Coffee products appear in guides produced under this framework, they are always clearly marked as the author's own brand. Readers are encouraged to apply appropriate scepticism to those entries and weigh the independent third party entries accordingly.

Some articles produced under this framework contain affiliate links. We earn a small commission if you buy through them. This does not affect the price you pay and it does not influence any score or ranking on any guide we produce.

If you have a question about how a brand was scored or why a ranking was assigned, you are welcome to contact us directly. We are happy to walk through the scoring for any entry.

Balance Coffee Testing Framework
Used across all Balance Coffee buying guides and reviews.
Last reviewed: March 2026