In our most humble opinion, creamer is the splash of joy added to one of the best drinks in the world. Now don’t get us wrong, we like black coffee just as much as anyone, but sometimes you want to spice things up a little bit and that’s where creamer factors into the equation. Now that all of our readers know that fact, it’s time for them to think about which creamers are right for them. And this is where things can get a bit difficult.
There are dozens of different creamer varieties and brands on the market nowadays. How is anyone supposed to choose not only the brand they trust but the flavor they like, as well as the type of creamer they want to use? It can be a difficult proposition for sure, so we decided to throw our readers a lifeline and show them what we consider to be the best coffee creamers available. Any of the following creamers are capable of taking black coffee to the next level, so let’s take a look at them.
Quick Summary of the Best Coffee Creamers
- Best Overall: Coffee Mate Vanilla Caramel Powered Creamer (Amazon) – Review
- Best For Keto: Keto Coffee Creamer With MCT Oil (Amazon) – Review
- Best Liquid Creamer: Coffee-Mate Liquid French Vanilla Creamer (Amazon) – Review
- Best Creamer Singles: Nestle Coffee-Mate Hazelnut Liquid Creamer Singles (Amazon) – Review
- Best Value: N’Joy Powdered Coffee Creamer (Amazon) – Review
- Best Vegan Creamer: Califia Farms Almondmilk Barista Blend Creamer (Amazon) – Review
- Also Consider (Vegan Creamer): Native Joy Superfoods Zen Focus Creamer (Amazon) – Review
- Best Mineral-Supplemented Creamer: Laird Superfood Vegan Coffee Creamer (Amazon) – Review
Best Overall: Coffee Mate Vanilla Caramel Powered Creamer
Over the past few decades, powered creamer has gotten a bit of a bad rap. People have complained that they clumped in their coffees, that they didn’t taste good, and that they had a chalky mouthfeel. Although that might have been correct for some brands of coffee creamers, it isn’t for this one. This product from Coffee-Mate is one of the best coffee creamers we’ve tried. It had an indulgent vanilla caramel taste, it’s never clumpy or chalky, and it’s inexpensive. It’s also dairy-free, lactose-free, and cholesterol-free, so everyone can enjoy using it. It’s our opinion that this is a creamer that’s going to make a lot of taste buds happy.
Best For Keto: Keto Coffee Creamer With MCT Oil
Although this coffee creamer might not be the right one for people not following a Keto regimen, but for those people who are following one, then this is the one they’ll want to try. It’s a perfectly blended product that’s composed of a variety of healthy fats including cocoa butter, coconut oil, MCT Oil, and Ghee. It’s also an unsweetened creamer that contains zero sugars and carbs and is designed to make a great cup of ketogenic coffee. It’s gluten and lactose-free as well. The only negative about this product is that in cold temperatures it becomes kind of hard, but that can be easily remedied by placing it in warm water and letting it return to its liquid state.
Best Liquid Creamer: Coffee-Mate Liquid French Vanilla Creamer
Yes, we know that this is the second Coffee-Mate creamer on our list so far, but that’s only because this company has been doing a good job of making creamers that we like. This shelf-stable liquid creamer has a French vanilla taste that we adore and it doesn’t have to be refrigerated until it’s opened. It comes in a 16-ounce bottle that easily fits in a refrigerator door and has a top that dispenses the creamer perfectly. Now anyone looking to add a hit of French vanilla goodness to their favorite coffee only has to flip up this product’s lid and pour out the goodness.
Best Creamer Singles: Nestle Coffee-Mate Hazelnut Liquid Creamer Singles
There are a few things that we like about these coffee creamers and one thing that we don’t like about them, so let’s start with the good first. We like the fact that these single-serving containers are easy to carry around, have a nine-month shelf life and require no refrigeration whatsoever. They’re a non-dairy liquid creamer that’s lactose-free and kosher-free as well. And they don’t contain any cholesterol at all. With those positive things being said, let’s move on to our biggest complaint about this product. What we didn’t like about this product was that we usually had to open several of them for a cup of coffee. Not a big deal in the end, but well worth noting.
Best Value: N’Joy Powdered Coffee Creamer
Even though we understand that not everyone likes powdered coffee creamer, this one is pretty decent. Sure, it doesn’t dissolve as quickly as we would’ve liked in hot coffee, but it does eventually dissolve and it has a great taste to it. The main reason to purchase this product, however, isn’t its taste but it low-price. This is one of the more economical coffee creamers available, so consumers never have to worry about running out of it. For a very low-price, the coffee lover can have 8-pounds of this stuff available for many, many mornings of coffee.
Best Vegan Creamer: Califia Farms Almondmilk Barista Blend Creamer
Anyone who has been searching for a vegan coffee cream that’s capable of being turned into a full-bodied foam or being stretched for latte art is going to want to check out this product. This Almondmilk creamer is soy-free, dairy-free, carrageenan-free, gluten-free and is made from non-GMO ingredients. It’s also a product that’s plant-based and is Kosher as well. Most importantly, however, this product has a smooth and delicious flavor anyone can appreciate. This creamer may cost more than comparable brands, but it’s still one of the best creamers for coffee currently available for purchase.
Also Consider (Vegan Creamer): Native Joy Superfoods Zen Focus Creamer
Even though this coffee creamer costs more than other brands, it does have a lot going for it. For example, it has a delicious taste that many people are going to enjoy. It’s soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free, too. It’s a vegan and Paleo creamer that’s made without using any refined sugars and is formulated on a plant-based formula. It’s also a creamer that’s made with L-Theanine, an ingredient that’s supposed to boost cognition when it’s combined with caffeine. All things considered, we think it’s a decent creamer that some people are going to want to add to their coffee.
Best Mineral-Supplemented Creamer: Laird Superfood Vegan Coffee Creamer
This plant-based coffee creamer is gluten-free, dairy-free and ready to add a little bit of taste and nutrition to just about anyone’s cup of Joe. This creamer is made with Aquamin calcified sea algae that are designed to add minerals to each cup of coffee and it’s made without any additional additives such as artificial sweeteners, colors, or artificial ingredients. This cream is made with coconut milk powder, organic coconut sugar, and just a few other quality ingredients. Sure, it’s a little more expensive than most other creamers, but it does taste good and seems to be a healthy formula.
A Coffee Drinker’s Guide To Creamers
All of the coffee creamers that we’ve listed are the best ones available, but that doesn’t mean that it will suit everyone’s preferences. Some people will want different types of creamers or creamers with different flavors. We understand that. After all, we all have our personal preferences when it comes to the things that we eat and drink. That’s why we’ve decided to go ahead and write this guide on buying the best coffee creamer available. Now anyone who doesn’t like the selection of creamers we’ve rounded up can learn what they need to consider when they go searching for a creamer that they will like the best.Â
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Step One: Start With The Base
The first thing that coffee drinkers are going to want to keep in mind is what they want their creamer to be based on. There are a lot of different creamers out in the world, so consumers should carefully think about the bases that they will or will not consume. For example, some people demand a creamer based on dairy products, but someone else may want to avoid that ingredient entirely. Below are some of the more common coffee creamer bases and what benefits they provide the coffee drinker.
- Cream-Based Formulas: These are thick and creamy, but they’re not suitable for people with lactose problems.Â
- Milk-Based Formulas: These creamers are not as rich as cream-based ones, but they’re healthier. Unfortunately, they too aren’t suitable for lactose-intolerant individuals.
- Soy Milk & Almond-Based Formulas: These are good for vegans or those who want a cream that’s not made with animal products.Â
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Step Two: Choose A Liquid Or Powdered Form
The next thing that coffee drinkers will want to consider is whether they need a liquid creamer or a powdered one. Usually, liquid creamers are creamier than powdered ones, but powdered ones are usually cheaper and have a longer shelf life. Therefore, the consumer has to decide between taste and creaminess versus shelf-life and price.Â
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Step Three: Choose The Appropriate Size
Another thing the consumer will want to think about is the size of the coffee creamer they need. Does the consumer needs a travel-size pack for taking on the road, or would they be better off buying a larger bottle that might be cheaper? It all depends on how much creamer the consumer intends on using each week, and how convenient they need the creamer to be. Once they’ve answered these two things, then they’ll be ready to pick a size that’s appropriate for them.Â
[wc_fa icon=”cutlery” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Keeping Your Creamer In Good Condition
Now that we’ve given our readers all the information they need to make an informed decision, we would like to conclude this guide with some helpful advice on keeping that newly purchased bottle of creamer in the best conditioner possible for as long as possible. Below are some tips that consumers are going to want to keep in mind when buying and using coffee creamer.Â
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Check Expiration Dates
The best thing that the consumer can do when buying and storing coffee creamer is to check the expiration date listed on the package. Every consumer should make sure to use their creamer within that expiration date window or throw it out if it’s past that date. That will ensure that the consumer doesn’t make themselves sick by consuming out-of-date coffee creamers.
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Coffee Creamer Shelf Life
Each different type of coffee creamer has a different expected shelf life, so consumers should keep that in mind when purchasing and using creamer products. Below is an overview of some of the more common types of creamers and their expected shelf or refrigerator life. Of course, the following guidelines are just that, guidelines. Therefore, the consumer should never use them in place of the actual expiration dates listed on the product’s label.Â
- Powdered Coffee Creamer Products: Expected shelf life of over 6-months.
- Mini-Coffee Creamer Capsules: Expected shelf life of approximately 3-months.
- Non-Dairy Creamer: Expected shelf life of 2-4 weeks.
- Unopened Shelf-Stable Dairy Creamer: Expected shelf life of 3-weeks.Â
[wc_fa icon=”spoon” margin_left=”” margin_right=”10″ class=””][/wc_fa]Store The Coffee Creamer Properly
Another thing that the consumer needs to do is to make sure that they store their coffee creamer properly. This means following the instructions that may be listed on the label. For example, if the creamer says that it needs to be refrigerated after opening, then the consumer should make sure that they do that. They should also make sure to avoid exposing their coffee creamer to extremely cold or extremely hot conditions to ensure that it not only doesn’t spoil but that it doesn’t lose its consistency or quality level.Â