Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

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Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

by donald fitch
(naugatuck,wv,usa)

QUESTION:

I have used regular Maxwell House for many years, but lately it just is not any good. I used rich original, but now the bag or can says Arabica beans. I have called the company but the lady couldn't tell me anything, so I'm hunting for a good tasting coffee again.

Thanks, Don Fitch

ANSWER:

Don, hi

I assume you have been buying the ground coffee, and not Maxwell House's instant coffee.

I checked out their site and see that they have changed their packaging recently. Whether or not they made any changes to the coffees they put in the cans, who knows.

Almost all coffee sold by North American companies is 100% Arabica. That said, if Maxwell House formerly used a blend of both Arabica and Robusta beans in their blends, that would explain the change in taste. (Large companies sometimes like to use a percentage of Robusta beans, simply because they are significantly cheaper to buy.)

Anyway, if you no longer like the Maxwell House coffee, there are hundreds of other coffees available in stores and online.

If you want to check out some Robusta blends, to see if that is the taste you are missing, look out for Italian coffees in your local stores and read the packaging.

Comments for
Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

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Jan 28, 2012

Maxwell House is no more Maxwell House
by: Jean Lespérance

I am 69 years old and I have always drank Maxwell House coffee for the taste and I live in Montreal Quebec. Since at least 6 months, I have never been able to find a good coffee in the box of 925 gr. Even if Kraft foods gave me a coupon for the bad coffee, I am not satisfied. The taste of the original Maxwell House coffee is not there any more, gone forever. I will have to find another one. It seems that Wal Mart and Tim Horton are making good coffee but I did not buy them yet.
The coffee now is less strong and taste bad. People are not disturbed, this is only the truth.
That's it and that's all.

Jan 22, 2012

Really bad
by: Anonymous

I was searching the web to find out why the coffee was so bad and found this blog. I don't remember MH being especially great but it was drinkable. Now its just crap. I don't think it even tastes like coffee. Also that stale chemical aftertaste that coats your mouth for hours after you have a cup is even worse than the upset stomach after you have a cup. Unfortunately just like the previously post said folgers, chock full of nuts and other store brands seem to have gone the same way.

Jan 14, 2012

Serious
by: Rev. Rick

Tried Maxwell House a few weeks ago and started getting daily long term headaches. Tried it again yesterday thinking maybe i had a cold but instead i got instant 8 hour migrains......I'm thinking chemicals. Nothing gives me instant migrains. Maybe the insecticides or something. I would stay away from this stuff! Its going in the trash. Can't give it away and wouldn't

Jan 13, 2012

absolute swill
by: Anonymous

What the hell ius kraft doing to maxwell House it tastes like a chemical dump absolutely awful. Ill never buy it again.

Jan 11, 2012

Bad Coffee
by: Anonymous

Maxwell House coffee has been tasting bad for some years now, but it's not just Maxwell House coffee. Since I first noticed this, I've been trying so many different brands of coffee in an attempt to find *real* coffee again...but to no avail. They all taste bad, some worse than others. I don't know what they've done, but strongly suspect they've either genetically modified the plant/bean, or are adding unknown fillers. If anyone finds a coffee that actually tastes real, and good like it used to, please post your findings.

Jan 04, 2012

Confused Customer
by: Anonymous

Recently bought a can of Maxwell House Original Roast. It smelled and tasted nasty. Then tried Maxwell House Master Blend and it wasn't any better. Went back to store and bought Maxwell House Breakfast Blend. It was milder, but smelled and tasted as nasty as the other two. None of the three smell like coffee to me. Are they blending tree bark or recycled rubber with coffee these days?

Jan 02, 2012

MAxwellHouse now terrible
by: Anonymous

agree with the other posters - I have been drinking Columbia Supreme for years and maybe six months ago, I noticed a change in its taste. It has gone to heck - watery and tasteless. I have tried several cans and all have been awful. I guess Kraft really has ruined it. Too bad!

going with Peets, Lavazza and Illy now

Jan 01, 2012

Luzianne Coffee
by: Anonymous

Great coffee to try is Luizanne Red bag coffee with chicory 13 oz. bag. It may be a little higher in price but takes less coffee to make a pot. Only negative is it isn't available at all stores.

Dec 29, 2011

Maxwell House - Masterblend
by: Rich - NY

My wife and I have been drinking MH-MB for many years, it started out being called "Smooth", then they changed the name to "Masterblend". Well recently we restocked and the "new" cans are horrible. We have been using the same Farberware perculator for as long as we have been drinking the MH-MB and it's always been the same anount of scoops... This new stuff tastes very lite and watered down. I will increase the scoop by one, later and see if it helps any.

Dec 24, 2011

Awful and smelly
by: Pat H.

WE have been buying Maxwell house roasted coffee for years. Bought new batch last week, smelled awful, not the good aroma you usually get. Threw it out, it tasted horrible..Bought a new one yesterday, same bad result. Smelled bad too.

Dec 21, 2011

Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

No wonder Maxwell House is horrible now. It's because it is a Kraft product. Kraft has been messing with all their products to make them cheaper to produce. The OM beef weiners are now crap, the Mayo, the Velveeta, and on and on. Just don't buy anything from Kraft. They are cutting corners these days for their bottom line. Nasty products.

Dec 12, 2011

I thought it was a production lot gone bad!!
by: Maxwell coffee drinker

I bought some Maxwell coffee, Since I opened it I noticed a strong but unusual aroma, I've read some comments that describe it like "if melted plastic mixed with the coffee", but I would say It's more like a smell of GASOLINE.
I poured hot water to my instant coffee and I notice something I've never seen in any other coffee before: It was so so oily, I thought of gasoline again, but I know that over toasted coffee release more oil than regular toasted coffee I threw 3 cups without even tasted it. That was yesterday today I said "maybe it's just over toasted" so I tried a cup of coffee. It was insipid, stale, gave me heartburn, and made me feel so sure that there was something else in it. I am going to throw it and try buy another brand, I'll try it again when I see no more negative comments about it. I hope this site forwards these comments to Maxwell customer's service or at least send them a link to this message board.
Thank you for let us express our concerns.

Dec 08, 2011

Stomach aches
by: curtis

HAVE BEEN PAYING CAREFUL ATTENTION TO MY FLUID INTAKE:WATER,GATORADE,TEA,COFEE,TRYING TO DETERMINE A POSSIBLE REASON FOR MY STOMACH ACHES.
I have been a faithful Maxwell House coffee drinker for years.Today, I thought I would blog to see if there were others who were having my same experience,stomach issues.I discovered there were many others.
I will be weaning myself from MHC.I will be trying other brands for relief.

curtis

PS...Please get to/determine the source of this hidden irritant.

Thanks.

Nov 29, 2011

Threw out the whole can undrinkable
by: Anonymous

I tried a one lbs can of Maxwell House everyday blend of coffee purchased at Walmart. Seriously it tasted like it had plastic bottles melted in it. I had to throw out the whole can .. It was litterally undrinkable. I went back to Walmart house brand of coffee and it was good.

Nov 28, 2011

good coffee
by: Anonymous

I have found 2 that I like the very best; 8:00 coffee and Chock Full O Nuts! Smooth, mild, old-fashioned taste!

Nov 27, 2011

MH "Daily Brew" blend
by: Brad

At $7.50 for two pounds at Wal-Mart, what do you expect, gormet coffee? I havn't noticed a change in the regular MH either, and have been drinking it for years. No stomach problems either.

Nov 21, 2011

Don't worry about Aribica or Robusto, Okay??
by: Tommy

I'm very familiar with coffee blending and roasting techniques. Don't worry if your coffee has all Arabica beans or has some Robusto thrown in. That isn't what is making the coffee bad!

So what is it? It's the use of inferior coffee beans. Adding a good quality robusto bean is commonly done in the finest and most expensive blends in the world. So give up the notion that the bad Maxwell House or Folgers is bacause of them adding robusto beans. It's because of using a poorer quality shipment of beans, period!!
Get it??

Nov 20, 2011

No Bean Info
by: Anonymous

I too used to drink Maxwell House back in the day. I stopped drinking coffee years ago, but recently started back up. I was concerned that the cans I have stated 100% coffee. What does that mean? What kind? I compared the grounds to eight o clock, which has been around for years as well. Way better smell and taste from the 8:00 and they state 100% arabica beans. I am going from here to the Maxwell House site to complain.

Nov 19, 2011

Unbelievable
by: Anonymous

Been having stomach issues for many years...have not been able to figure out what is causing it. Opened a new jar this morning...didn't smell right...opened a couple more same thing...went searching...found this blog...nice to know that I have been poisoning myself.

Nov 16, 2011

awfull coffee
by: coffee lover

I thought i was the only one who thought that maxwell house coffee is turned bad, i tend to buy either folgers instant coffee or maxwell house, and this last time i bought maxwell house instant and really is not good at all, its giving me stomach aches and just not having the affect that coffee usually has, i crash really fast too. I am not gonna be buying maxwell house again. Its terrible!

Nov 05, 2011

Found Treasure in the Pantry
by: Anonymous

This reformulated brand of Maxwell House is absolutely disgusting. I've been drinking Maxwell House coffee for decades. It was my morning ritual and my favorite comfort. At first I thought my coffee pot was on the fritz. Maybe it was overheating my coffee making it taste bad. Then I found an older can of Maxwell House in the back of my pantry. I forgot I had it. I opened it and made a pot. That's when I realized nothing was wrong with the coffee maker.

Nov 03, 2011

Sick
by: Anonymous

I'm so glad to find this site! I thought it was only me who's having a problem. After drinking Maxwell House's coffee it feels like I have a stomach bug!!

Oct 11, 2011

acid stomach?
by: Anonymous

i'm a folgers fan but in these days of saving $$$ i thought i'd try the other popular brand...maxwell house. taste...ok. but my concern - and especially after reading some of the comments here - is the acidic levels. i've been drinking it for about two weeks now and have noticed a gradual onset of an awful tummy ache. my stomach burns, kinda queezy, i guess it's heartburn? thought i'd share because there maybe something going on? a bad batch of coffee beans? different process/machines/chemicals in processing? looks like some of the comments related to mine are in the past 30-60 days. i purchased mine in the atlanta metro area sept 2011.

Oct 02, 2011

Maxwell house coffee is making me itch
by: Michelle

I have been drinking Maxwell house coffe for years but now its making me physicaly sick. Besides the severe heartburn, it gives me an itcy rash. I switched and tryed several other coffees the symtoms subsided. Several months later i spent the weekend with a friend. As i was drinking the last of my cup of coffe the heartburn and red itcy patches on my chest started i asked what kind of coffee he used you guessed it Maxwell house. Whats up Maxwell house? What are they using formaldihyde?

Oct 01, 2011

Maxwell House R.I.P.
by: Jim

I noticed in mid 2008 all MH coffee blends were all of sudden flavorless. I have tried in vain to find a replacement coffee. I am even willing to pay more if I can find a good coffee. Right about the time MH changed over to the plastic cans they also changed their method of mixing or something. I even wrote to Kraft, much to no avail. They don't care what we think. I am at the point now where I am done with them until they change back.

Sep 27, 2011

Bad Coffee
by: Anonymous

I had been using Maxwell house since I first started drinking coffee,35 years ago, I now buy nothing but Folgers 100% columbian it seemed to me maxwell house went to the dogs around the time hurricane katrina hit the La. coast, sure Folgers is a little more expensive especially the 100% columbian but money well spent in my opinion

Sep 27, 2011

Maxwell house isn't the same
by: Anonymous

I've been drinking Maxwell Lite for years and the taste was so good no one could tell it was half-caff! Now the package is changed and it tastes like that terrible coffee they put in hotels.
I'm sure it is a cheaper blend even though the price has gone up a lot!
I guess I'm looking for a different coffe too.

Sep 15, 2011

M.H. Is it all chemicals
by: NoMoreMH

This stuff is bad, there is NO coffee aroma whatsoever,only
A chemical smell. What is this stuff. I thought I was the only one with a problem.I'm going to report this to the FDA. We all should

Sep 12, 2011

Where has it gone??? Coffee aroma....
by: Anonymous

Coffee aroma....remember it? Can't find it anymore. Not in the grocery isles, not in the coffee shops, nowhere. Remember that aroma from grandma's house when the coffee was perking? The lovely smell in the grocery isles when someone ground the beans. Not anymore. No coffee aroma. Just stink. So, what are they putting in the coffee since it sure as heck doesn't smell or taste like coffee.

Aug 27, 2011

not good to the last drop or even at all
by: John M

We got some maxwell house because my wife wanted it and are we sorry. It sucks. If I didn't know any better I'd guess they took green, unripened beans and roasted them. Undrinkable.

Aug 18, 2011

breakfast blend full crap flavor
by: Joshua

soon as they change their name is when they went to crap.
starbucks got everyone ruined on that 100 percent nasty coffee. maxwell house used to be an all day coffee. maxwell house and every other coffee has to change their flavors just to get their name back out. is there any other coffee that somebody could recommend

Aug 02, 2011

maxwell house coffee gone bad
by: Sharon

I have been drinking Maxwell house coffee forever.But the last five times I bought maxwell house it's not number 1 It used to be the best. Hope yall get it back to the great taste again

Jul 17, 2011

Maxwell House is NOT very "well" to the "Max"
by: Anonymous

I am 62 years old , and had been drinking Maxwell House coffee for at least 45 years. Over the past year they made a BIG MISTAKE. I suppose it was a "corporate-decision" to change a "Winning-Product" ??? You can't smell anything,or taste anything from the "NEW" Maxwell House product !!!
~~~ it's the WORST CRAP I've ever tasted !!! ~~~
"Foldgers" doesn't even need to advertise,,,all they need to do is let "Maxwell House" destroy themselves !!! What is really going-on here ???
Why would any Company do this to themselves???
The "Walmart" house-brand is at least 10 times better than "Maxwell House" is now. Are these people on a "SUICIDE-MISSION" ? ? ?

Jul 16, 2011

Kraft
by: Anonymous

Funny you should mention Kraft singles. I just bought some and after it wouldn't melt on a hamburger I had to double check that I didn't buy some cheap imitation cheese by mistake. No. It was Kraft and it wouldn't melt. Nasty. So I guess they HAVE cheapened everything. I was almost tempted to buy some more MH coffee (out of sheer nostalgia) but the posts about the cramping and stomach problems reminded me why I stopped in the first place. Other than the nasty taste of course. As for me, I am still using Fred Meyer Breakfast Blend. It's the closest to old time MH I have found. Coffee is just not coffee anymore. Remember when it brewed and you could smell it all over the house? Remember when you opened the can and the whole kitchen would have that wonderful coffee smell? No more. Sad.

Jul 16, 2011

Maxwell House Coffee is just bad!
by: Anonymous

I hope Kraft is reading these posts.

I too have tired changing amount of grinds I used - changed filters - changed amount of water.

Coffee is just horrible over the last year or more - bitter, lack of a fresh brewed coffee flavor. Actully don't know how to describe the flavor; definitely not good coffee.

Is it the plastic containers? I see someone posted that they changed beans.

All I know is that I had to stop after years (I am 77) of loving Maxwell House coffee. Crippling pain and cramping!

Will try the Walmart as suggested in one of the posts.

Jul 15, 2011

Maxwell House rip-off
by: Eileen

Maxwell House - Original Roast - 2lb, 2oz product
These are the large cans you can get on sale occasionally for $6.99. Suggested retail is about $15.00.

I agree on the Maxwell House thingy - plus, it's as if it's half/caf. I utilize(d) Maxwell House for the buzz to get me going and I'm not going anywhere! As well, the flavor has changed entirely and after three cups I can go to sleep if I wanted. Maxwell House is milking everyone for what they ONCE HAD and NOT what they're putting in their packing today.

I can't afford great coffee (unemployed). I miss my Starbucks and Yuban.

It's like fast food. If you're not in your 50's or 60's you have no clue as to how good McDonalds was. Wow! They're serving up total junk and back in the 50's and even 60's, their food was actually very, very tasty. In other words, everyone is cheapening up their products shy of price increases, but not reporting it on the label. Hard to say "new and improved" in cases such as these. :)

Actually, we should all know better since Kraft owns Maxwell House. They cheapen up everything they have, and have been doing so for many moons, excluding Kraft singles! Every mom in the world would be screaming bloody murder if their grilled cheese didn't come out the same way it has for the last 40+ years. They're stuck ever trying to modify that puppy. :)

So like I said, we should know better - after all, it is a "Craft". yuk, yuk

Lastly, these little comments we type in here don't have enough horsepower so call the idiots and complain directly and let them know how stupid you're not because they obviously think we are.

1-800-432-6333

Editor's Note: Eileen, actually I know for a fact that the folks at Maxwell House are following this thread - so keep it coming!

Jul 11, 2011

dumb assed computer has no taste buds
by: 24 Hr Kauphy Klubb

We run a 24 hour "Kauphee-Bar" [live from 4 a.m. to 9 a.m.]--we thought at first we had 'bad aquifer water'-so we bought canned water--still badd! Then we decided we should grind our own beans---so we bought beans of another brand that 'touted' being '100% Columbian'---don't know if these beans are Arabica or not but this 'Coffee' is like B-4---It tastes equivalent to Starbuck's Colombian (nutty flavor) off the Grocery shelf---but(we freeze the beans first), we grind the beans ourselves in a slow old-fashioned hand crank job old coffee grinder with two big iron wheels on both sides that puts out a "Regular Grind"---we have also resorted back to the "Hot Water Pour-Over Method" with brown filter---yumm! Yumm! with real honey and real cow cream!

Jul 10, 2011

Wow it isn't just me!
by: Mike

I was wondering what happened to that great smell and taste. I stopped buying Breyer's Ice Cream, when they decided to go with cheaper ingredients to save a buck. Looks like Maxwell house went the same route.

Its a shame, I've been drinking Maxwell House instant for many years, they just lost a long time customer.

PS I also was getting dull chest pains after drinking their coffee so I'm guessing that there might be some additives in there that we don't know about. Way to ruin a very old and respected brand.

Theodore Roosevelt would not be pleased!

Jun 30, 2011

tastes bad
by: Anonymous

I just threw out a large can of Maxwell House I had purchased recently. It was very harsh - unlike Maxwell House I have had in the past. Totally undrinkable. They have lost this customer.

Jun 29, 2011

flavor
by: Anonymous

I too have noticed over the past few months a change in the maxwell house coffee. At first I thought I brought the wrong blend, but none of the maxwell house taste the same anymore. Why do they have to change things, just leave a good thing alone. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who noticed!!

Jun 19, 2011

Maxwell house question
by: Anonymous

From the taste and smell of coffee now, are maxwell coffe beans also grown in the mountians of Fla?

Jun 06, 2011

MH instant -plastic jug-aroma gone
by: MH instant addict

opened a brand new jar,
no odor no savor.

could some1 tell Maxwell that, within a week from the factory, they roasted for peanuts as the coffee turn 100% dull by any mean?

Jun 05, 2011

frustate
by: Celso Fernandes.

To Mr. Kim McMiller
Associate Director, Consumer Relations:

Dear Sir:

In 2008 I sent a postal letter to you.
In it, I made some coments about Maxwell Coffee, that from long ago I, as well my family, we have been customers.
Letter that was answered from you, and that I thanked your attention,with another sent letter.

It happens that, about some days ago, as ususal, I went to a local supermarket with intention to buy some Maxwell coffee (normal and decaf.).
To my surprise, I noticed that the coffee recipients were in plastics!
Never before I saw such thing in renomed canadian coffees. Anyway, I bought three bottles.

In home, after to open one, I was desolate. In any way one could fill the usual aromatic Maxwell coffee, (aroma not so strong as others marks)!
After contact some friends and acquaitances, - Maxwell Coffee users too, I got in conclusion that, aside the plastic recipientes, are not well acceptd, the traditional Maxwell Coffee aroma has gone!

In conclusion; Why the companhy is changing a tradition that is forcing to look for different kind of coffee?

Thank you for your attention.

C.Fernandes
4129 Drolet
Montreal H2W 2L5 Qc.

Jun 04, 2011

Makes me sad
by: Anonymous

Maxwell House has been a staple in my home since I was kid living with my parents. (I'm 62 now).
The coffee doesn't even smell like coffee anymore. When you open the container you like to get that fresh coffee aroma, not the ashtray aroma that I get now. Even when it's brewing the house no longer fills with that great coffee smell. What are they doing with there coffee? It makes me sad to think that they would compromise there once great coffee and loyal following in this way.
No more Maxwell House for me unless they go back to making real coffee again.

Jun 01, 2011

Maxwell House Has Changed
by: David in Texas

I just called Maxxwell House customer service and they said they did change from 100% arabica to a robusta blend in 2009. She said the Yuban is still 100% arabica. We did a taste test at our house to see if we could lower our coffee cost. (1)Starbucks breakfast blend is the best but too expensive. (2) Folgers 1/2 decaf 1/2 reg was better than the the number 3 Maxwell House.

May 22, 2011

Its awfull
by: Anonymous

Maxwell house coffee is absolutely awful it tastes like old socks. I thought it was one bad can but I bought a second and it was just as bad.
Stay clear of this swill.

May 22, 2011

COFFEE ISSUE M.H.
by: JOHN AND MARY

Agree with all the comments on this site. Loved Maxwell House Coffee 100% Colombian with 100% arabica beans. Love that cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Have also bought bottled water and a new coffee maker. Bought folgers columbian this time. Have had stomach issues also. Something has gone really wrong with the coffee industry and their product. Asked my husband if we could grow coffee beans in our back yard. Its a major problem. Don't know what they are doing--Maybe its like outsourcing like so many companies have done. Trying to find a good coffee. Not surprized how many people have run into the same issues. Maybe the are trying to make us all sick

May 22, 2011

MH Wake Up! Brand
by: Anonymous

We recently bought MH Wake UP! coffee. The first time after drinking it for a while, I started having a dull ache in my chest. I thought I was having a problem with my heart and took my blood pressure which was normal. I only have one cup daily in the morning. It went away in about an hour, so I forgot about it. The next morning after a few sips of my coffee, I felt the same thing in my chest and realized it was probably my bronchials or lungs and I was having some kind of allergic reaction. I knew it was the coffee. My husband has been drinking it about a week and has developed a nagging cough. Due to the bad taste, I was planning on returning it to the store anyway.

May 05, 2011

Old can of coffee
by: Anonymous

Could you tell me how long a 2plus can of Maxwell House coffee is still good? I got this from my Mother-in laws house that is probably 3 years or older. Please advise. Thank you

May 02, 2011

New container of MH tastes terrible
by: Anonymous

I have been wondering what happened to my coffee also. I now have to use more coffee grounds in order for it to not taste weak and watery and it STILL tastes horrible. I keep re-reading the label to see if I bougtht a different type.......it is the regular roast, as always!

May 01, 2011

Back to Being Good to the Very Last Drop
by: Tjoe70s

I think they had a supply of beans that were bad. MH use to be a benchmark in coffee. In our office, they buy cans of coffee in bulk and switch between Folgers and Maxwell House. For about a year, every time we would be on MH, the coffee stunk (like sick dog poop) and tasted badly.

But the last couple of times they bought MH, it has been back to its normal good taste.

Apr 22, 2011

MH is Nasty
by: Anonymous

I used MH coffee for years, now it is soooo nasty I just can't drink it. Tastes like chemicals and we both get sick after drinking it. I thought it was us. Now that I realize there are others who have noticed the nasty changes, I'm returning my coffee for a refund and never buying maxwell house again

Apr 19, 2011

I think it makes me ill
by: Northern Nevada

I am glad to see these other comments as to validate my issues with Maxwell House. After a few months of wondering what was wrong with me and questioning the MH coffee I experienced what I thought was a heart attack. I can drink any other brand at any strength and have no symptoms. I am thinking allergic reaction!

Mar 09, 2011

MH Wake Up Roast
by: Gary

I usually buy 8o'c 100% Columbian and have been happy but the price for the MH WUR was so low I had to try it.

Total crap... to the point of being undrinkable. The aroma and taste is best described as ashtray mixed with burnt peanut shells.

Mar 07, 2011

great value
by: mike6272

As info, I bought a can (metal) of "great value" 100% Colombian @ Walmart, and when I opened it, it had the "whoosh" which indicated it was packed and pressurized, and had a nice, rich coffee aroma..taste is acceptable, much better than whatever MH is trying to pass off as "good to the last drop" coffee. 33 oz is 6$, compared to MH 33 oz is $7.98. Try the smaller can first, but I found it the best I've tried since MH lost it's way, equal to Starbuck's or 8 o'clock.

Mar 07, 2011

The search for great coffee is over
by: Anonymous

For those of you having such difficulties finding a coffee that pleases I suggest the following:

Oceana Coffee
This is a custom roaster who utilizes only arabica beans and markets gourmet coffees from Costa Rica, Sumatra, Kenya, etc.
Their bags are a full 16 ounces.
Check them out at: www.oceanacoffee.com
Telephone: 1(561)339-2913
Email: great.coffee@oceanacoffee.com

You will not be disappointed

Coffee afictionado

Feb 27, 2011

coffe gone bad
by: Anonymous

I am so relieved to see all these comments. We had been drinking Folgers for years and suddenly that great coffee smell was gone when we opened the can,oops,the plastic container. We tried other brands and it was the same outcome. The coffee tastes as is smells. Its acidic and horrible, leaving an unpleasant feeling on the tongue. Was it the plastic container? we bought the "gourmet" bags of coffee. They say on the bags they are 100% arabica, which is superior to robusto. We don't think its as good as what came in the can and it is certainly more expensive. Folgers is no longer "the best part of waking up" and Maxwell House is not"good to the last drop". Thinking of switching to tea in the morning.

Feb 25, 2011

Can't wake up
by: Randy

I began noticing the difference in MH last fall; at first it was the taste (startling change from a good, smokey roast to pure swill), but then I noticed that it had no wake up effect at all. There was no stimulation in the coffee.

I switched to Folgers and found it to be better, but then the same thing happened with that brand! Bad taste, and no stimulative effect whatever.

Where the hell is the coffee that wakes you up?

Feb 18, 2011

Tastes bad, makes me sick
by: Liz

Thanks so much for this article and your website!!! It helped me figure out why I've been sick for since last Thanksgiving or so.

My husband and I had noticed the coffee smelled and tasted much harsher and rather like cigarette butts. Nothing changed even with varying amounts of coffee and buying a new coffee maker.

After reading this article and the comments, I finally stopped drinking the Maxwell House Master Blend and IMMEDIATELY all my IBS symptoms, the agony and cramping, were totally gone and I got off all medication.

We switched to Eight O'Clock and I've had no recurrance of symptoms. I had fought this for over three months -- and it was the Maxwell House. How crazy is that?

I never would have believed it or finally given up on Maxwell House without reading that it had changed and was making other folks ill.

Thanks SO much for giving me a big part of my life back. No joke!

Feb 12, 2011

What's up with Maxell House
by: Anonymous

I have used this coffee in the past then switched to folgers. Went back to Maxwell house. I did not smell right when I opened the can, but made the coffee anyway. By the next day - no joke, my husband was complaining about a buring itching on his butt - I'm not joking, or trying to be rude here, this is what happend. I did not suspect the coffee. Then I noticed I had the same problem by the next day. this went on for three days, before I realized the only change inour diet was the coffee. We went back to folgers black silk. The problem stopped. A few days after that, I tried the coffee again - same problem. I think there is really something very wrong with the coffee, has any one noticed this? Where would I report this problem, I think there is something really wrong.

Feb 10, 2011

So sad
by: Mike6272

Same here, we have drank MH original roast for many years, but lately have noticed the last drop is as bad as the first. I wrote their consumer division, waiting for reply. Most probably will get a polite letter that will be as flat and phony as there coffee. It's all about their bottom line, they will sell whatever we will buy. I for one will no longer buy this swill, they will only do better if their sales go way down. Let's make it happen!!

Feb 01, 2011

Agree
by: Joe Kernan

Simply this: I agree. Not as good as it was. It lands flat.

Jan 28, 2011

Flavor has Changed
by: Steve

I love a lighter roast, brewed strong and have a wonderful source in town but the price was killing me. When I heard a few years ago that Maxwell House was going "100% Arabica" I gave it a shot. Properly brewed, (Melita) I found I could drink it during the week at work, at a considerable savings, and drink the good stuff on the weekends. I now notice I cannot find the words "100% Arabica" on the package. To me it seems to taste harsh.

Jan 27, 2011

Awful coffee
by: Anonymous

This coffee tastes awful now. It is now distributed by another company, even the Butternut hot chocolate which was packaged by Maxwell House coffee has changed. Yucky poo!

Jan 27, 2011

MH Instant Really Really Sucks
by: Wade

I decided not to pay the extra money for Tasters Choice which has declined in taste to merely accpeptable....Bought a jar of Maxwell House Regular Instant which didn't even smell good when I opened it and the coffee tastes like crap. Wrong move.....now I'm looking for any instant that tastes reasonably good.

Jan 21, 2011

Ditto to all the comments we've read
by: Anonymous

okay, my husband and i are so glad to have found this message board. for two years we've been going crazy with this. it sounds ridiculous that someone would go to great lengths as we have trying to adjust the amounts, add more grounds, reduce grounds, filter water, we even purchased a new coffee maker. at first i was blaming him for making it wrong so he said 'do it yourself then.' i did and it tasted like dirty dish water, tasteless and just plain ol' aweful. it's a morning ritual of frowns and complaining, sticking out our tongues, complaining, thinking we'd lost our taste buds and finally started sneaking my old ma's instant taster's choice from time to time and even adding it to our MH water, lol. this has become quite the joke but it's been extremely frustrating. we are sooooooo happy that we're not crazy and that we finally with nothing else to do searched for a support group to help us understand what the hell happened to our once beloved 'good to the last drop coffee.' we are now reluctant members of the 'what the hell happened to MH coffee' group, ha!

Jan 01, 2011

smells rotten,tastes like chemicals
by: Anonymous

glad I'm not alone here, THE COFFEE STINKS. STINKS. PERIOD. STINKS. NO COFFEE FLAVOR. MAYBE IT IS THE ADDITIVE ROBUSTA BEANS. WHERE THE HELL THEY GETTING THE COFFEE ? dry tounge and headache. loss of taste. tastes like dirty dish water. pesticides or something .

Dec 07, 2010

How to call Kraft & What Brand Now?
by: Deb Pleeze

1-800-432-6333 is the number. Have your SCU number ready (if you have some coffee on hand). You can also contact them at http://www.maxwellhouse.com

The most you can do is get a refund for the product you've got on hand, and ask the operator to note the problem you've had with their coffee and that you won't be purchasing it again.

I'm just wondering what brands others have switched to, since giving up MH. We've actually been enjoying Aldi Store's "Beumont" brand. It comes in a strong foil bag, with the all-important one-way air valve. It smells like pure heaven and tastes fantastic. And needless to say, coming from Aldi, the price is more than reasonable.

We've also tried the Eight O'Clock brand in the store. The pre-ground actually tastes better to us than the bag of beans that you dump into the hopper and grind, on the spot.

One thing is certain; we will never buy any coffee that isn't labeled as "100% Arabica Beans".

Dec 07, 2010

Maxwell House Coffee makes me ill
by: Anonymous

I have an adverse reaction to Maxwell house coffee. I don't know if it is the beans or processing of the beans or what. It is definitely an allergic chemical reaction. I get a headache , heartburn and I feel weak when I drink Maxwell House coffee.

Dec 06, 2010

M.H. Coffee YUCK
by: Anonymous

I am so glad I found this blog. I have been drinking M.H. coffee for 30+ yrs. I have tried everything, purified water, new coffee maker, made it stronger, made it weaker and it still taste worse than urine would probable taste. I am so dissappointed in Kraft. I have tried to contact them to no avail. They dont seem to care about thier customers. Keep your nasty coffee, I will never buy this coffee again. If anyone has found a brand that taste like coffee is suppose to, Please let me know.

Dec 03, 2010

Maxwell House is awful!!!
by: Anonymous

I am so glad to see that I'm not the only one that can't stand Maxwell House coffee anymore. I have gone broke buying different bags. I even bought a new coffe maker, The coffe was still awful, bitter, sometimes tastes like a dirty ashtray. I will never buy MH again.

Dec 02, 2010

To Each His/Her Own
by: Anonymous

It seems that many of those commenting typically drink the supermarket coffees as their everyday brew. I thought I didn't like coffee until I tried fresh beans from a "boutique" shop when visiting family in San Francisco back in the mid '80's (before the onslaught of Starbucks).

While it may cost a little more the taste difference between fresh beans (and not the beans you bag yourself at the supermarket) and supermarket coffee is incredible. You owe it to yourself to try!

Nov 23, 2010

packaging
by: Anonymous

Since mAxwell house changed their method of sealing these cardboard containers,you must have noticed there's barely a proper seal as compared with the brands that still use cans---chock full of nuts has a loud whoooooosh when you peel back that foil seal and many times with mAxwell house there's none but due to the co$t of coffee,it gets used and mAxwell house gets called and complaints registered.
obviously they've changed their recipe and the lousey packaging is not helping either.
same as fOLgers==wouldn't give it shelf room even if it were for free--tastes horrendous for years now , and the coffee's from viet nam for chrrryyysssake.

......just unearthed some cans with expiration 2009 and yeah,i'll brew it and drink it too......mAxwell house 1st---chock full of nuts LASTS due to a proper seal.

Nov 21, 2010

bad coffe products
by: anonymous

Those of u with bad smelling and tasting coffees by MH should send them to USDA for analysys, maybe they're adulterating it somehow.

Nov 20, 2010

Maxwell
by: Rich

I decided to do a search and see if I could find any bad reports on Maxwell House Coffee. The past year or so I wondered if something was being added or if pesticides were making it into the coffee. Sometimes I felt a little sick after drinking some. I recently took a week off from drinking any and broke down a brewed a pot the other day. Kind of a sickening smell but went ahead and drank some and felt bad afterwards.
I've also had an issue with it overflowing the filter as mentioned by someone else.

Just wondering if any test have been run looking for chemicals in the coffee itself? also the issues with using plastic containers, just wondering if there could be a reaction if the containers sat in a hot warehouse?? But I guess there are issues with cans as well. But just seems to be some type of chemical smell in the coffee.

Oct 30, 2010

mh coffee
by: Anonymous

I'm sending this web site to all on my email list!!!! We have all been wondering where the good coffee has gone. mh has many differant aromas but they are all horrible. thanks again.

Oct 18, 2010

I thought I was loosing my mind
by: Anonymous

I had been using MH Breakfast Blend for the past few years. The last can I bought tasted AWEFUL, so I stopped drinking it and tried a different blend of MH. A bit better flavor, but still not what I expected and not what I'm used to. Guess I'm switching brands. How dissappointing. I guess they can no longer claim that it's good to the last drop!

Oct 15, 2010

Bring back "Good to the last drop"
by: Anonymous

I recently found out the Maxwell house was bought out by Maximus coffee group and they have changed the original ingredients. Back in the 70's , my mother worked at Maxwell house, their slogan was "Good to the last drop" and they held true to that. The slogan was on a neon sign attached to the building, now, the sign is gone and so is the good flavor. Maximus coffee is horrible.

Sep 25, 2010

What is up with my brew?
by: Anonymous

I've been a MH drinker for over 20 yrs. I've had my weekly overflows as its brewing if I dont stand there to catch it, oily film and bitter brews occasionally. My local shop and save had "wake up " roast on sale at $ 5 a large can, now after purchasing it I can not find any info about it, such as caffine content, is it an old product or an upcoming product. Upon opening it it smells great, nice fresh scent, nice grind, but want some info before the test brew?

Sep 20, 2010

horrible taste of burned coffee or plastic
by: Tommie B.

We fell in love with MaxwellHouse ground coffee when we tried our first container containing Arabica beans. We had looked long to find a replacement for Folgers. Lately, the last 2 containers of Maxwell House that we bought tasted so horrible that we has to pour it out after a few sips. We noticed that the lables no longer list Arabica beans. What happened?

Sep 18, 2010

bad coffee
by: Anonymous

I too, have noticed a big change in MH coffee. It has a bitter taste and is very strong even the medium kind. I am looking for a different brand that used to be like the good taste of MH.

Sep 14, 2010

WILL NEVER BUY MAXWELL HOUSE AGAIN! AWFUL!
by: Anonymous

For the past few weeks, my coffee has been tasting just awful. I even stopped making it at home and waiting until I get to work to have it. I assumed my coffeemaker needed cleaning. However, after cleaning the pot, it was no better. Then I assumed that something happened to the coffeemaker. I purchased a new coffeemaker this past Saturday. Yup, you guessed it. Awful coffee! It was pretty obvious then that the problem was my Maxwell House Coffee. I will never buy Maxwell House again. Coffee is way too expensive to have to throw it away!

Sep 06, 2010

Master Blend
by: Anonymous

My wife and I have always enjoyed Maxwell House Master blend coffee. Lately we have found the favor is not as rich as it was and we noticed that all Master blend that we can find is a mild blend. My question is does Maxwell house make Master blend other than mild.

Sep 04, 2010

kraft and MH
by: Dark Grind

I haven't bought MH in some months but today I noticed it no longer states "Pure Arabica" on the label, only that it's pure coffee. I put it back on the shelf and picked up Community Coffee instead. Personally, I prefer the Arabica but without that claim I will no longer buy it. Interesting about the mega-companies though.

I drank some very good coffee in Germany called Jacobs. Of course the locals bragged that their coffee is superior to that in the US. But in small print on the back of the pouch was a Kraft insignia. So, Kraft has the capacity to make good coffee, they just don't always sell it in the local market.

Best advice: Stay away from mega-company coffee. For instance, 8 o'colck is pure Arabica and very inexpensive, tastes good too.

Sep 03, 2010

Check the date
by: Anonymous

Check the date on the bottom of the can. If it's best buy date is not more than a year from the current date it's been sitting a long time and will not be worth drinking.

Aug 29, 2010

What in the heck is floating on top of coffee?
by: Sue/Wisconsin

I just purchased a can of Daily Brew coffee last week. I generally grind my own coffee, but decided to change to ground. MH use to taste good..not anymore! I use purified water and just got a brand new coffee maker. I poured a cup of coffee and oils are floating on the top of my cup..gross! The whole pot of coffee had oils floating on top. What the hell is going on? Whatever beans they used were poor quality and I will take it back to Pick N Save. The taste is terrible and the smell is bad. I don't plan on ever purchasing another product made by MH. If you want to get a wake up coffee do not buy mild or strong coffee. Article I read in magazine said you get more caffine in medium brews. Hope it helps when you buy your next can/bag of coffee. Have a great day!!

Aug 26, 2010

700 000 000 000 Differant taste buds
by: Anonymous

For a little over three years now MH has hit the bottom of the barrel, In my opinion.
MH Master blend was for years the pentical of my taste buds. Be leave me I enjoy my coffee 365.
I too called MH and the lady I talked to hadn't bought her own coffee in her whole life.
I guess the vanity crowd has taken over even in the MH coffee division. Its a shame the best blend MH made at that time is gone.(Master Blend).With several hundred friends who also preferred Master Blend it is unanimous the best is gone.

Aug 17, 2010

Hills Brothers scarcity
by: Old Blond

I never liked Maxwell House. Hills Brothers is pretty good, but we can no longer buy it. The supermarkets have ordered it, but haven't had a delivery in over a month. What's up with that?

Aug 06, 2010

YUK !!
by: Eileen

We are going shopping for a different brand of coffee..They can have the MH.
I bet the employees dont even drink it.

Aug 04, 2010

Blind tasters not just blind
by: Anonymous

With no disrespect to MH representative, but to answer the MH customer serve response, Their blind tasters are not just blind they can't smell or taste either!

Jul 21, 2010

MH Makes HUGE MESS in Bunn!
by: Deb Pleeze

Wow! I'm so glad I found this web site! I called Kraft today over my frustration. For the last 2 plastic jugs of MH Colombian it has been floating up, over the paper filter on our Bunn coffee maker, and making a HUGE mess! Water, coffee and grounds go shooting out of the sides of the filter basket and all over my counter unless I stand right there to catch the flow(s) with plastic cups. I thought it was my filters, at first. We've had the same filters so I ruled that out. The coffee maker and water are all the same that we've had for years. Finally, it hit me: it's the damn coffee!

The customer service person at Kraft wanted to "first" get my name, etc. I refused to give it to her because I don't need their SPAM - we get more than enough of that in our lives! - and I don't want a refund. I just wanted them to know that they won't get another dime of our money. Who in the hell wants to be barely awake and cleaning up a mess of coffee and grounds everywhere, let alone drink a cup full of powder-like grounds because they floated instead of sitting and allowing the water to pass through???

So, they've (Kraft/Maxwell House) really blown it, now! Taste is subjective, and therefore arguable, but the fact that the crap won't brew is a whole new issue that is going to finish off the brand, all together!

Jul 17, 2010

Yuban
by: Scrambled

What has happened to this absolutely delicious coffee? I used to buy it at Stop and Shop and Shop Rite. It seemed to be phased out. Maxwell house doesn't compare. Why do they take good things off the market?

I haven't been able to settle on a coffee that I like since this is no longer available.

?

Jun 30, 2010

I'm leave you MH too.....
by: Thom

I thought it was me....but after readign this thread, it's MH....the increased price (here in Fla) for the Columbin was one thing, now the decrease in quality....time to change after 20 years...

Jun 27, 2010

give me back 100% Arabica
by: Anonymous

After many years of enjoying MH 100% Arabica coffee, it disppeared.. Bought some of the other MH coffee to be sorely disappointed. I no longer buy Maxwell House brands, so come on folks, give us back the 100% Arabica bean coffee or go away altogether!!!!!!!!!

Jun 21, 2010

ALL coffee has gone bad
by: lazytigerz

I want coffee that smells and tastes like COFFEE. I am sick of opening can after can, bag after bag and smelling...cat litter, dirty ash trays, smoke. Every smell and odor that is bad and not coffee. Does anyone remember waking up to the smell of real coffee? The smell alone made you want to drink the disgusting stuff! If you, like me, are sick to death of this bilge they are calling coffee and charging a fortune for, then e every coffee company that you buy disgusting coffee from and COMPLAIN. Then RETURN IT! GET YOUR MONEY BACK. Stop settling for junk. Americans should be sick of getting the worlds cast off everything and all good stuff shipped to other countries. Get your money back and if enough people keep returning the nasty stuff, Maybe the problem will get fixed. Complain and return....Hey. The word I have to enter to submit this is 'septic'. How appropriate!!

Jun 20, 2010

Wood in coffee??
by: Anonymous

Ok, wood in the coffee. Great. You're right. If there is wood in there there is no telling what else is in there. Nasty!! Try Safeway coffee. To me it tastes like the old MH.

Jun 20, 2010

Real wood in coffee
by: Anonymous

Recently while brewing coffee, (Maxwell House Master's Blend) I noticed something other than ground coffee in the can. I fished it out and it was a 1 inch long bit of wood a little thicker than a piece of spaghetti. I wasn't sure what it was at first so I decided to burn it to see what it smelled like... Well, it smelled like burning wood. Who knows what it was for sure or why it made it into the finished product. I am assuming that it was a piece of stem that never was cleaned properly. At any rate it seems that the quality control at MH is lacking. I am also afraid of what else might be mixed in the coffee that is small enough to blend in and go unnoticed. Perhaps we are drinking roasted mulch?

Jun 16, 2010

Dave's bad coffee
by: Anonymous

Dave I can explain. You're coffee has a " best by" date of 2004 and it's 2010. The coffee is probably rancid by now!

Jun 16, 2010

Maxwell Dec
by: Anonymous

what is the method used to decaffeinate Maxwell coffee?

Jun 10, 2010

Maxwell House coffee bad odour
by: Dave

Where do I send this complaint Maxwell House ?

Just bought a can of Maxwell House 100% Colombian coffee and am very disapponted.

Usually when I break the seal of a can of coffee I am greeted with a pleasant aroma - NOT in this case.
The odor is strongly acidic - almost sour.

Can you explain ?

The best before date on the bottom is 10 Nov 04 jikc 1041
the can also has the munber 04050002763600 above the bar code
and 66188003235 as part of the bar code

I purchased it at the Winkler co-op grocery store in Winkler

Dave

Jun 02, 2010

Maxwell Coffee has a horrible taste
by: Anonymous

Maxwell Coffee DOES NOT taste like coffee...it has a horrible taste...it so sickening.

May 26, 2010

Coffee
by: Anonymous

I have switched from Maxwell House Lite to Safeway Half Caff coffee. It's very good. Not as good as the old Maxwell House but a close second. Folgers Half Caff gives me a major headache so I can't drink that. The only bad thing is the Safeway near me only carries it in the small can, which is more expensive to buy. But if you are looking for an alternative to the MH Lite...try that.

May 26, 2010

Arabica still available
by: Anonymous

I have taken to buying the small 11 ounce cans of Slow Roast. It is still 100 percent Arabica, and it is priced accordingly, but delicious.
At 3.49 for 11 ounces it would cost almost 11 dollars to make a big 34.5 ounce can, but again it is worth it.

May 23, 2010

I am looking for good coffee
by: Martha

I am extremely disappointed with the change in taste and aroma of Maxwell House coffee. I enjoyed the coffee for many years and will never again drink this coffee. If anyone finds a good cup of coffee,let me know.

May 20, 2010

Original Roast?
by: Anonymous

@MH Customer Service

It's definitely a change for the worse. MH used to have a great aroma and taste; now it's unpleasant.

Why would MH make such a drastic change and still label their product "Original Roast"? I hope that MH will be offering refunds on that basis.

Oh well...I guess I'll have to look for a new brand.

May 18, 2010

MH customer service reply
by: Kim

The formulation of MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee has indeed changed and I'm sorry you thought it tasted horrible.

Our consumers are looking for great-tasting coffee and by tapping into our ability to custom roast, the new Maxwell House blend delivers just that. Preliminary blind taste tests for the new blend yield that consumers prefer the new blend over the 100% Arabica blend.

Our highly-skilled coffee experts have created a special blend of both types of beans that, when custom roasted, results in great tasting coffee. The new blend still has a high Arabica bean content and uses Robusta beans to round out the flavor profile with a rich taste our coffee consumers love.

Maxwell House 100% Colombian coffee is made with all Arabica beans from Colombia.

Our staff works very hard to provide the best tasting and satisfying products to the preferences of most consumers. Your opinion about the product is important to us as well and I will share your comments with our product development staff.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts.

Kim McMiller
Associate Director, Consumer Relations

May 08, 2010

Maxwell house was Sold
by: Anonymous

Kraft has been in talks to sell Maxwell House for a while, they want to buy Cadbury and when a parent company no longer cares they stop putting money into it. P&G sold Folgers and it sucks now the same will happen here. Sell it to people who trust the good name pump up the cheap beans to prove to the buyers how much profit can be made.. It's over. (Yuban has suffered just as much, even that isn't 100% columbian anymore)

Apr 24, 2010

New Packaging
by: Anonymous

I went to the store today and saw a whole new display of MH that says Everyday Roast (or Blend can't remember which).It has a very plain label. Who the heck has taken over at MH? I can't believe they have so drastically changed a coffee that has been around for over a 100 years. Whoever is in charge clearly wants the demise of the brand. Their sales have to be terrible. I have been a die hard MH drinker for 30 years. If I switched I guarantee many others switched.

Apr 24, 2010

Uban
by: billy joe

what did kraft do to uban coffee? used to be 100% columbian!

Apr 12, 2010

Cheap Viatnam beans
by: Anonymous

I think this sums it up and why 100% arabica beans are off the label and MH may be using lesser quality beans in the blends again.

Apparently with the support of the World Bank, robustas recently have been planted in very large quantities in Vietnam. These are mass-produced coffees at their most dramatic: stripped from the trees, leaves, unripe, ripe and overripe fruit and all, and dried in deep piles. All of which means the essentially bland, grainy robusta character is topped off with an assortment of off-tastes, mainly musty/mildewed and fermented. These coffees sell for considerably less than all other coffees, including better quality robustas. I am told that production costs for Vietnamese robustas are about 20 cents per pound or less, compared to, for example, production costs of 80 to 90 cents per pound for the excellent "100% Colombia" coffees competing in the supermarket. And now the current episode: Commercial dealers and roasters have learned to steam the often foul-tasting Vietnamese robustas, removing the waxy covering of the bean and muting (but not entirely eliminating) the offensive flavor notes.

Apr 10, 2010

I thought it was me
by: Lee

I had noticed a change in the taste of Maxwell House Coffee to. It didnt seem to taste the same since they changed the packaging and it is not as strong as it used to be.

Apr 08, 2010

MH TERRIBLE NOW!!
by: JM

I just picked some up the other day...3.00 a can at Walmart....Arabica label gone....cathy market lable "Custom Roast" in its place....Now the coffee tastes like garbge...It now has that after taste twinge of folgers....I can tell they now use the same bean...
I went to a Menards store and they carry some grocery's but they are a lumber yard store...Luckily not many people buy food there, and they had a lot of the 'Arabica" left over..I picked one with freshest date (use by 8 2010)

I opened it and compared beans to the "Custom Roast" and the Arabica beans are ground smaller--You can tell difference..

And the taste is remarkably better-- a poor man's
Seattles Best...

hit some of the Kmarts or places that mainly sell other things but have small food aisles- or some k marts--I bet you find some of the arabica types remaining.

Mar 27, 2010

this stuff is crap
by: ohio java drinkers

My sister and I just realized today that we had both noticed a change in MH coffee, and are on the search for a new daily brand. It doesn't even smell good when you open a new batch, that should have been my first clue :(

Mar 18, 2010

MH Colombian
by: Anonymous

I have had great experiences with Maxwell House Colombian coffee; however their price has significantly increased on the Colombian Cans, while it has stayed the same on the other versions. I have enjoyed this coffee as much as the more expensive Colombian coffee.

Mar 18, 2010

Robusta is cheap junk
by: coffee lover

If your coffee is not all arabica, except for espresso, it is crap. Robusta is much cheaper, harsh and can be bitter.

Great coffee is an acquired taste like good wine and cheese.

If you want really good brews grind your own daily and use a french press. It is well worth the extra effort.

Mar 10, 2010

Robusta beans
by: Anonymous

The Original blend of MH ( back in the day!) used robusta beans in the blend. The coffee was still great. I don't know where they are getting their beans now but it just tastes terrible. I have come to the conclusion that the people at MH must not drink their own coffee, because they would never make it taste so bad if they did.

Mar 09, 2010

maxwell house original blend did change!
by: Anonymous

Hi:
I was buying the Original Blend of Maxwell House Coffee and just loved it but......now it tastes different. It used to say 100% Arabica Beans. The can no longer says that, so......I called Maxwell House and spoke to a Representative. She said they did change the formula. It still has the Arabica Beans but they have added Robusto Beans as well. Yuck! My coffee is now weak and tastes horrible. I will no longer buy Maxwell House Original Blend. I will have to find a new coffee now. Thought you would like to know what I found out.

Mar 06, 2010

tastes different from can to can
by: Anonymous

I agree with the previous poster in that the taste often varies from can to can. I wonder if they process at different plants? It's like they are not even the same coffee. Strange.

Mar 05, 2010

Strange cherry smell??
by: Cherry Coffee House

Got three cans of Maxwell House, one of the cans smelt like Dr.Pepper ... very pugnant but almost like a sweet cherry smell. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this themselves. We use filtered water and none of us have discerning tastes, ie. we tolerate this coffee so I'd prefer to be void of responses unrelated to "cherry smell from coffee". Trying to determine whether someone was pranking and might of dropped cherry crystals in it. Cheers.

Mar 04, 2010

done
by: Anonymous

As of this last can I am done with Maxwell House. I have used MH for well over 20 years. No more. I have had my last nasty cup. I will not spend one more dime for this awful coffee. I am not sure what I will buy, but it won't be this. Sad.

Mar 02, 2010

WTF is up with Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

"Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?"
- MH was never my favorite coffee, but it was always a consistent and generally appealing flavor/aroma. The cans have read "100% Arabica" (on the front) for quite some time. The cans now read "100% Pure Coffee" (small print on the back). I assumed that they'd remixed the blend to reinsert Robusta so they could keep their price point and profit margins. Fits the general trend of food producers...reduce quality and/or reduce quantity to maintain price point/profit margin for a given item.

If MH just weren't so rancid now...and if MH was just a bit more attentive to consumer knowledge of coffee. Come on now "100% Pure Coffee"...what are they thinking that I think...that the recession has led them to downgrade to chicory or roasted dandelion root.

Feb 25, 2010

We're Not Fooled
by: Anonymous

We've also noticed at work that there is a difference. The containers went from saying "100% Arabica beans" in the right hand corner to "Custom Roasted for full flavor" in the same
spot. Do they think we're fools. We drink coffee from morning until late afternoon. I guess they'll see the difference in their profits when we all start switching.

Feb 15, 2010

Knew something was wrong
by: Anonymous

First started noticing the MH coffee went bad quickly in the big can--after switch from metal to cardboard-- so started using the little bags. Now it all tastes terrible. I have bought my last can of MH--which i will be returning to the store for refund. Will try the 8 oclock--thanks for the tip.

Feb 02, 2010

Just sad.
by: Anonymous

The sad thing for me is I used the Max Lite. It's hard trying to find a good half caf blend. The Folgers half caf gives me a headache. I am just finishing up a case of Hills Bros Perfect Balance. Not bad, no headache, but it's just not the same. I have to mail order it and it's about 10 bucks a case more than the Max Lite I ordered from Amazon. I want my old Maxwell House back!!!!

Feb 02, 2010

maxwell house sooo disappointing now
by: Anonymous

i'm glad we read all these posts. we thought we were going nuts. tried the original, dark roast, etc. they all suck any more. we thought it was our pot too. we always use bunn coffee maker, and we were blaming that, but its defineley the coffee. going to try 8 oclock columbian as someone suggested, hope its good. shame on maxwell house, they dont seem to give a crap, how their customers feel.

Jan 29, 2010

Selling Kraft stock
by: Anonymous

Enjoyed Maxwell house for 25 years. Everyone I know has been looking for another brand. I havent tried Eight O clock yet, thanks.

Jan 29, 2010

MaxHouse and McD
by: Anonymous

Whole family enjoyed Maxwell House. I have been drinking it for 25 years. Everyone I know is looking for a different brand now. Selling my stock in Kraft.
McDonalds used to have a decent coffee also. Now its some cheaper Gevina blend(central s.american arabica;robusta)
Wikpedia: Coffee (many blends, many places)

Jan 26, 2010

Alternative to crappy Maxwell House
by: Shawn

I looked up coffee reviews and found one by consumer reports that said 8 o'clock columbian coffee beats all the big guys hands down. I tried it and I agree.

Try it! You will not regret it.

Jan 13, 2010

Puzzled
by: coffeed out

we have purchased Mawell House by the large tin for seven years. The quality was consistent from tin to tin. The last two tins purchased in December 2009 were noticeably bitter. Not even close to the old tin taste. Many other people in Toronto say the same thing. Is it a bad batch or what?

Jan 03, 2010

Weaker blend
by: Kentucky Coffee Drinkers

We have been wondering what has happened to Maxwell House coffee. We used to take one scoop and the coffee was great. Nowe we find ourselves using two scoops and the taste is weak. With the cost of coffee going up, we now are using a little more than twice the amount of ground coffee beans to achieve an acceptable taste, but it is still not like before. We sure are glad there are others that have noticed.

Dec 01, 2009

Maxwell House No More
by: Caffeine Fiend

I'm glad I found this site and it's not just me that thinks the MH has gone to !#$%^&*!!!.

It used to be a decent affordable brand but no more. After this last can (plastic now) of something called coffee I am searching for another brand.

Nov 22, 2009

Has Max pulled a Sneakly?
by: J

What happened to the 100% Arabica label? Is Max toying with us?

Oct 31, 2009

Caffeine missing?
by: Anonymous

In the past two months the Maxwell House
canned caffeinated Regular grind, seems
decaffeinated. We keep falling asleep.

Irene

Circus

Oct 22, 2009

In search of...
by: Anonymous

I can't seem to find my very favorite Maxwell Rich anymore. I tried the others and my husband wants to know "what is up with the coffee" now because it tastes horrible. I too, thought it was my coffee maker but it's not. In desperate search of a good coffee so i don't have to drag my 8 month old out every morning to make a coffee run!

Oct 21, 2009

bad coffee
by: Anonymous

wont buy maxwell hose coffee anymore. been drinking it for over 40 years. wtf happen to smell,flavor,etc it sucks large now. never will i buy it again..

Sep 24, 2009

Maxwell House Lite
by: Anonymous

MH Lite has all but disappeared! 2 years ago when they switched to the Arabica beans it became scarce and I started ordering off Amazon. Now Amazon doesn't even carry it. I am not talking the scalpers who sell on Amazon but Amazon itself. I checked the MH site, the most infuriating website EVER, and it is still listed. Too bad we can't buy direct. I am going to take the advice of a fellow poster and try Hills Bros. Original for now. Hopefully MH lite will show up again soon.

Sep 23, 2009

contains some instant coffee?
by: Anonymous

I think I'm tasting some instant coffee in the coffee made with "fresh ground" MH beans now.

Jul 31, 2009

maxwell house sucks
by: Anonymous

i have been drinking maxwell house for 20yrs.was great then now it is extremly bitter which they say on can never bitter and has awful taste.what happened???

Jul 17, 2009

Maxwell House "Rich Origina"
by: Kristy

My husband and I like the Maxwell House "Rich Original", which does not seem easy to find. The only store we have found to cary it is our little shoppette on our Military base and alas I have not seen it there in a while. This one seems good and tastes Similar to Choc Full o Nuts- (made by Maxwell House as well)?

Jun 29, 2009

Bad Coffee
by: Juan Valdez

Maxwell Coffee use to be the best coffee money could buy. (Oh, that was Chock Full of Nuts.) But not some marketing moron probably with an MBA has convinced the company to switch big time to Arabic beans.

I drink coffee for two reasons: (1) I like the taste, and (2) I like a little kick. As a result of their change in beans, I now dislike the taste of MH and the kick is gone. So, now, guess what? So is Maxwell House from my shopping list.

Jun 29, 2009

Where's the kick?
by: Anonymous

I like the taste of Arabica coffee, but there doesn't seem to be a kick. Have the health freaks taken the kick out of coffee?

Lite Coffee
but "some" kick

Jun 12, 2009

Cutting through Coffee Hype
by: Have a Nice Cup

If you want a classic coffee profile the pickins are pretty slim these days. Many coffee manufacturers are foolish and can't seem to respect their original flavor profiles.
I recommend, for a classic American coffee flavor, try Hills Bros. (must be "original" style, I forget the word on the can. Or maybe Chock full of Nuts because New Yorkers would be mad if it changed much.
Don't be impressed by any coffee that brags "Arabica". Arabica can be pure crapola of the lowest order. Noone uses pure Robusto beans anyway, they are blended in for kick and earthiness.
Better yet, go to Burman Coffee and roast your own.

Jun 01, 2009

Differance?
by: Anonymous

What is the difference between the sliver top and the gold canisters? They basically say the same thing about the coffee.

Jun 01, 2009

How long does coffee last after the expery date
by: Anonymous

I bought a canister of the gold top coffee and notice that it has expired? How long does coffee after that date

May 22, 2009

The instant coffee is bad too
by: Anonymous

I've recently tried the Maxwell House instant coffee after not having used it for several years. It tasted just awful. I dumped it down the sink.

May 11, 2009

Good to the last drop - Not anymore.
by: Dogdays8

Aside from the change in the taste of the Maxwell House Original blend coffee, has anyone noticed the strange bubbles that cling to the side of your cup? At first I thought I had some soap residue in the cup, but after thoroughly cleaning the cup and coffee pot, the bubbles remain. There is also a strange chemical smell to the coffee when you open the can. If the aribca beans are milder than the robusta, as you say, then why do they smell so pundgent?

Apr 24, 2009

bad coffee
by: Anonymous

yes there has been a big change in maxwell house coffee it's so flat there is hardly any taste too it.It no longer good to the last drop. Going to a different brand.

Mar 03, 2009

Musta been the robusta
by: Anonymous

That made the old Mxwell house taste like it did. I'm no coffee connoisseur but the new Maxwell House Columbian is much improved. I tried the old Master Blend several times and it was truly terrible coffee. Haven't tried it lately to see if the taste has changed. Most people I know, myself included like Maxwell Original best but, now I have switched to the 100% arabica Columbian.

Feb 19, 2009

what the heck is wrong with you people?
by: jim k.

you old-school people slay me! you like that bitter crap maxwell house used to be? i suppose some of you think mcdonald's is good food, or that dick cheney was a great vice-president.

yikes.

here's a coffee lesson for you.

the robusto beans that you apparently miss so much in your maxwell house make coffee bitter, astringent, and rough-tasting. robusto beans are considered inferior to arabica beans- ask any coffee roaster. robusto is commonly used as a "filler", a way to cheapen arabica bean coffee; much the same way corn grits or rice are used as a filler in beer (real beer is typically made from only barley malt).

it's like the difference between a miller high life and an all-malt american lager like michelob, or a german lager like hofbrau.

but some of you no doubt would spit those beers out, crying they had too much flavor or were too smooth!

for God's sake, try and learn to appreciate other things, like real coffee!

and p.s.- i'm not a snearing yuppie. i'm in my 50's, blue collar, and proud of it!!

Feb 18, 2009

Maxwell House coffee sux long time ago
by: haiyaa

I could not help not to laugh.

Maxwell Coffee was bad for at least more than ten years.

And also at least for that long it was manufactured in China too!!!

Where were your taste bud all these time???

Feb 04, 2009

taste different, not good but terrible
by: Anonymous

Husband and I have drank MH colombian Blend, (we like it strong)for years..the last container I bought however has tasted horrible....why would you change a good thing!!

Jan 22, 2009

Horrible
by: Anonymous

I guess I'm not the only one. The MH coffe is horrible now. It has no smell or taste. I noticed the change in the taste of Maxwell House coffee in the second have of 2008 - just now I decided to look it up and came across this post.

Jan 04, 2009

Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?
by: Anonymous

Maxwell House "RICH"! I bought a can of it about 6 months ago. Best I ever had. Now I cannot find it. I have investigated and I got as far as I can at this time. Dial toll free (Maxwell House) 866/5700498. Air your complaint. Hopefully it is not made in China now. Good luck!!

Dec 26, 2008

Maxwell House Master Blend
by: Anonymous

My father is 88 years old and has drank Maxwell House Master Blend for many years. He started talking about how horrible it was so we bought a new coffee pot and new container of the Master Blend and still.....he said it tastes horrible. I don't drink coffee but I do know it doesn't even smell like coffee anymore. They are going
to loose a lot of business!!!

Dec 09, 2008

Maxwell House now sucks from the first drop
by: Chris Rowen

My whole family and I have been dyed-in-the-wool Maxwell House columbian drinkers for as long as I can remember. It tasted better than any Starbucks cup or any other whole bean or ground brew anywhere, but not anymore. I thought it was my coffee pot so I bought a new one, but no....the recipe has changed and it now is a terrible coffee and tastes cheap and no longer is a rich brew. They say its now Arabica. Well, whoop-de-doo....Arabica is not a good bean. I even tried all the other Maxwell House coffes such as French Roast, dark roast, etc to see if I could find a replacement....nope....they are all bad now. Now I have to buy Starbucks Breakfast Blend. Its really sad that in these dire economic times that such a staple as Maxwell House is no longer good tasting enough to wake to.

Dec 06, 2008

Bad BAd Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

I have used Maxwelll House coffee for over 40 years. In the last few months I have noticed that the taste is terrible! First I thought it was my coffee maker, then I finally realized it was the coffee. I have always bought the Columbian brand, as I like it strong. No matter how much I increase the amount of coffee in the filter, it still tastes bad. What has happened? The coffee definitely has a different taste. I am now purchasing other brands to compare.
I always thought that MH was the best, but not any more. Very disappointing!

Dec 02, 2008

Post if you find any
by: Anonymous

Hi
In response to the entire family that is as upset as my husband and my self..please post if you finanything that isn't nasty and bitter- We will do the same
BTW Dunkin Donuts and Green Mountain have also changed..we have tried chuck full o nutz -nope same thing
I know am tring Stop & shop brend (regular & Lite as all the others are now giving us bot stomache problems
We also picked up a can of Walmart brand Colombiam Decaf
i hate decaf but will try almost anything at this point

Dec 02, 2008

Goodbye Maxwell House
by: Anonymous

My husband and I, my sister and her family, and my parents have drank only Maxwell House for as long as I can remember. However, we have all noticed a change in the flavor of the coffee and no longer like it. We, too, have been looking for a good tasting coffee to replace the Maxwell House that we have loved for so long. It is a shame that they have changed their coffee (to make more money?) when it has been so good for so long. If its not broke, don't fix it.

Dec 01, 2008

Taste is terrible now
by: Anonymous

Maxwell house has certainly changed the blen of their coffee's( we have always used the largest containers of Master Blend)now we have 4 canisters that for us is undrinkable!!! soo bitter no matter how we make it we can not get a good cup/pot of coffee
we are still looking for a decent brand of coffee to buy but to no avail so far
We are soooo angry because we have spent a ton of money in our quest just to get a decent tasting coffee

Nov 28, 2008

Tastes different.
by: jkram

Yes, my wife and I both dislike the recent change in Maxwell House coffee. I don't believe it is due to the new packaging.

Nov 12, 2008

Bad Maxwell
by: Anonymous

Thank you for the info on Robusta Beans. I have purchased so many brands looking to replacement the Oringal Maxwell House. The new Maxwell and most other brands cause me stomach problems perhaps due to higher acid content?

Nov 01, 2008

Inconsistant coffee
by: Charlie T

Hey guys, I have noticed the same thing. It seems to vary from can to can. We had a can a while back that was bitter. My wife and I thought it was a bad batch or a mislabled package. When we bought another can it was fine. Now we have yet another bitter can. Just wanted to let you know, your not the one.

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Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?

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Has Maxwell House coffee gone bad?