Some of us reach for a coffee as soon as we wake up to kick start our day, while for some of us, it's a luxurious treat we have sparingly but savour.

Getting your hands on the perfect coffee brand for your preference can be a mammoth task.

From blends that are too sharp and crisp, to blends that are just too smooth and lack a richness in flavour - coffee can be complex and puzzling to understand.

Instead of heading down to your local coffee shop for a cup of overpriced, often average tasting coffee, why not try one of these independent brands?

They really put the work in to perfect their craft. Since they're not for mass consumption of the level of say, Costa or Starbucks, they can afford to be a little more experimental with what they make.

Read on to discover our pick of the best coffee brands to elevate your coffee experience.

Best coffee brands to buy

1. The Bright Roast

the best coffee brands for a winning cuppa

Slightly different in its packaging aesthetic compared to other rival coffee brands (this doesn't have to be a bad thing), it's not surprising, given that Common Coffee was started by a group of festival lovers who also happened to love coffee.

It's made using washed red bourbon Arabica from the Kayanza region of Burundi. The beans are sun-dried on raised African beds. Enjoy the taste of mandarin, cherry and honey and a heady floral note.

Buy this coffee guilt-free, thanks to its omnidegradable packaging, which is fully compostable and biodegradable in any environment (water, compost and landfill).

Price: £9 | Buy now at Common Coffee

2. Revolver World Fairtrade Organic Honduras Cocafelol

Is this the best coffee you can buy?

Why not try this medium-bodied coffee from Honduras.

It's brought to us by two multinational co-ops, COCAFCAL and CAPECUS, which hope to maximise income for producers as well as campaigning for human rights issues and supporting NGOs.

It has a mild acidic taste and distinct flavours of caramel and apricot.

Price: £3.99 | Buy now at Revolver World

3. Café Direct D.R. Congo Ground Coffee

Delicious coffee with ethical roots

This Fairtrade coffee is marked as a four in strength and is sourced from the Muungano co-operative in the eastern DR of Congo. Translating as 'togetherness' in Swahili, the Muungano co-op unites farmers who has been separated by civil war and also strives to achieve gender equality.

With these humble values in mind – Café Direct also reinvests half of profits back into farming communities.

It's a rich single origin coffee with a strong honeycomb aroma, hints of dark chocolate and delicate lime for balance and a full on flavour experience.

The beans are roasted at the London Fields Roastery, where a combination of art and science brings out the best flavours of the coffee beans. The London Fields range is 100% plastic free and comes in compostable kraft bags, so no guilt there either.

Price: £33 (pack of six, 200g each) | Buy now at Amazon

4. Climpson Estate Signature Espresso

The rock star of coffees

Self described as "rock star coffee," this London-based roastery is committed to ethical sourcing and environmental friendliness.

This signature espresso strain is a single source coffee hailing from the Guji region of Ethiopia.

In it, you'll find notes of milk chocolate, toffeeand marmalade.

Climpson & Sons have been working with, and tweaking this particular coffee for four years to enhance its natural sweetness and make it a firm favourite crowd pleaser.

Price: £7.50 | Buy now at Climpson & Sons

5. CRU Kafe Organic Honduran Ground Coffee

Smooth and mellow

This single origin Honduran coffee is certified Fairtrade, organic and made with ethical values in mind. So you can be sure no nasty pesticides or preservatives, it will work perfectly in your v60, chemex, stove top, aeropress or cafetière.

This versatile coffee offers notes of creamy cashews, sweet caramel, peach, and nectarine - super aromatic and fragrant.

Enjoy this smooth, mellow medium roast at any time of day for a refreshing boost and taste experience.

Price: £29.62 (pack of six, 250g) | Buy now at Amazon

6. Allpress The Good Brew

Delicious coffee from New Zealand

Originally founded in 1989 by New Zealander, Mr Allpress.

This coffee is about fruity and floral notes from the east African beans (from Rwanda and Ethiopia) on a base of Brazilian beans which adds balance to the flavours and a creamy finish.

Enjoy at any time of any day and using any method. This coffee boasts juicy berry flavours and deep chocolate notes.

Price: £9 | Buy now at All Press Espresso

7. Taylors Fika Ground Coffee

Great value and great taste

Enjoy your coffee guilt-free with this Fairtrade, organic blend that takes its inspiration from the Swedish tradition of Fika – making time each day to share a cup of coffee and food with friends.

Great for if you don't want your socks blown off, as it's not too strong (strength three) - so you won't be climbing the walls hours after drinking. You'll notice mellow and serene notes of toffee and nuts from this blend that originates from Central and South America.

Price: £21.95 (pack of six, 227g)| Buy now at Amazon

8. Ozone Brothers Blend

Enjoy a changing seasonal blend of coffee

Another London roastery, if you can't get enough of ozone coffee in its shop, here's your chance to buy it for your home.

It's a seasonal blend, which changes every four- to- six months, so prepare to stock up. Or get used to trying a different taste throughout the year.

This blend brings together coffee from El Yalcon (Colombia), Santa Izabel (Brazil) and Long Miles Coffee Project, Burundi.

Roasted medium- to- light, this coffee is full of clarity and makes the tastiest espresso you can imagine.

Price: £10 | Buy now at Ozone Coffee

9. Union Coffee House Roast Original Blend

A delicious original blend

Best for use with a cafetière (filter and espresso grinds are also available), this original blend from Union Coffee will bring a flavoursome punch to the start of your day. It's stood the test of time, having been created back in 1955, and remains a surefire winner among coffee-lovers.

Created using a blend of beans from family-run farms in Chirinos, Peru and Asprotimana, Colombia, it's a medium roast that's perfect as an everyday coffee.

On drinking, you'll notice intense bold notes of deep naturally sweet chocolate and caramelised toffee and a surprising, but welcomed touch of acidity.

Price: £5.25 | Buy now at Union Coffee

10. Ethiopian Yrgacheffe

From the birthplace of Arabica

This Ethiopian Sidamo Guji coffee is known for its extremely fruity flavours. The coffee beans are harvested from the Beriti region of Ethiopia and due to its high altitude of the region, the coffee produced from here has a distinct floral tone that's balanced by a creamy citrus.

Ethiopia referred to as the 'birthplace' of Arabica coffee, so you can be sure to trust this to tickle your tastebuds.

Described as "fruity and floral with chocolate, berry, cherry and vanilla flavors; sweet with big fruit acidity and a smooth mouthfeel."

Tasting notes include stone fruit, floral and cacao.

Price: £12.50 | Buy now from Roasting Plant Coffee