Creamy, delicious coffee
For coffee purists, black is the only way. I'm not one of those, I'm just your average coffee "snob" and I prefer mine creamy. I'm not big on breakfast so the bit of milk offers some sustenance during my also non-purist intermittent fasting (learn more →).
When we first split from dairy milk, I tried to go purist, telling myself it was time for my taste to mature. It was a harder sell to bestie, who's embarrassed us at coffee tastings in über trendy Cape Town coffee shops saying she needed milk to "tame it, it's too wild!"
In the end, London had it's way with her. We went to three different breakfast spots in Little Venice one morning before she gave in. It's been an eye-opening, taste maturing, heart deepening journey since then. Bestie switched sides and now bats primarily for the black team for taste. But we both still love a creamy morning cuppa - such a nurturing way to start the day.
Our top creamers
1. Best all-round
- Best for rich, well-rounded coffee taste
- Best for creamy texture
- Great sustainability profile ♡
2. Great taste & more available
- Second best for taste, blends well with most coffees
- More readily available at supermarkets than Barista
- Great sustainability profile
Our runners up
3.
Best taste
- Changes the taste, but in a delicious way
- Second best for creaminess
- Good sustainability profile
The coconut taste isn't for everyone
Try: Any coconut milks (not blends). My favourite:
Alpro Coconut for professionals
4.
4.
Most widely available
- With it's long history as one of the only substitutes for people with dairy allergies, soya is generally widely available, if not at restaurants then at nearby supermarkets.
- The neutral taste doesn't alter the coffee taste.
Not creamy, bland and watery
Almost always has sugar added
Possible mild hormonal effects →
Non-organic soya destroys rainforests
Any responsibly farmed soya milk. We like:
Alpro Soya for professionals
5.
Better than the rest
If it's all that's available, I'll have another kind of oat milk. In the UK, that's most likely Alpro Organic Oat for professionals at restaurants, coffee shops and supermarkets. But if you look a little further or if you're travelling, the range of options is vast. We'll be trying some lesser known brands and updating this page if any make the cut.
- Creamy
- Great sustainability profile ♡
The very oaty taste of most of these doesn't go well with most coffee flavours.
But it is possible to find unicorns.
We found one at Black & White in Woking →
Read more about other milk alternatives we've come across, and why they don't make the cut.