GROUND COFFEE: Is a storage tin that won't hold water (i) also not airtight? (ii) flavour-tight?

APennySaved

We have just bought a handy new 'coffee' illustrated storage tin (standard rolled-edge design; no clip-down or rubber seal).

It will be used to store (shop-bought) ground coffee for our percolator & cafetiere.

However, I washed it before I began to use it - never know what glue etc. is still on it from the manufacturing process!

Then I saw the water + washing-up liquid seep out of the base of the tin!

Only then did I noticev that, like many modern tins, it has a base that is made of a separate piece of tin to the sides. So have begun to think that such a tin & one that is not watertight also isn't airtight. Which is a fairrly logical assumption I suppose. But am I correct?

It's a pain if we have to throw the new tin out: it wasn't expensive, but it would have been handy because of the 'coffee' illustrations on the tin surface. One of these days I'll buy one of those 'proper' coffee tins, the fancy invention I've seen advertised that has a filter-in/-out gadget in the lid, but not at the mo! I'd like to find out if this tin is reliable, first, as it's the design I liked.

There's no point relying on a tin to be flavour-tight if it isn't. We like coffee that tastes nice & strong!! (BTW: we don't keep coffee in the fridge/freezer; just on the work surface near the kettle.)

I would have thought that a FOOD storage tin would automatically be made to be airtight, so am disappointed this isn't.

Some kitchen tins don't matter, but the coffee we buy does need to keep awhile; so we DO need this tin to be airtight, or at least advisable for storing ground coffee so that it keeps its flavourr/strength.

Any ideas on this?

Owain_Moneysaver

Correct. You could put your coffee in a food-grade zip-lock bag inside the tin, although some people will question whether coffee oils and plastic are compatible.

As water molecules are bigger than air molecules, even something that is waterproof may not be airtight.

[Deleted User]

I use a Costa coffee tin the lid screws tight.

coffeehound

Could you store it in the bag it comes in inside the tin once you've used enough out of the bag? An elastic band to hold the bag shut takes up less room than a bag clip.

Tuscanwoman16

We just keep ours in the freezer and take our coffee out each day. It keeps very fresh and no need for any tins or plastic containers!

APennySaved

Thanks all - some good ideas there.

We have previously tried the bag-in-a-tin idea but, personally, we found the hassle of having to still seal the bag shut within another container, rahter defeated our purpose - of making coffee storage hassle-free! All is to the aim of saving time, too.

I'd rather avoid the freezer - my OH unintentionally left the freezer door open the other day, when getting out some vegs, & didn't notice the cm gap on the edge when closing it, so we had the expected result! (Much lovely meat was lost!!) :eek:

Might give this an idea:

Deleted_User wrote: »

I use a Costa coffee tin the lid screws tight.

Would that be this design of tin - at e.g. https://images.hotukdeals.com/threads/thread_large/default/1807529_1.jpg
Is it made of 1 piece of metal, rather than conjoined bits? (i.e. is it watertight & thus airtight?!?!)
If it's 1 piece of metal that is just rounded at the edge - from the sides over onto the base - then I think this would do perfectly!
(I have come to the opinion that only a 1-piece-of-metal tin - such as the sadly rather costly Coffee Gator/Coffee Vault type of invention - is the solution to much of the airtight issue.)
And IYE does it store for a long'ish time? Not all of us drink 'proper' coffee so the storage needs to last a while!

coffeehound

A glass jar with the locking lever like Le Parfait or Kilner jars are best for longer term storage (somewhere cool and dark).

Keeping it in the freezer will last longer but you then risk moisture ingress when you open it to scoop some out which will turn it bad.

Really though, it won't keep long on the worktop. Best to drink proper coffee every day so it isn't hanging around for long

Wizzbang

I was given a set of Brabantia storage tins (fairly expense and respected make) storage tins when I moved out on my own. They were labelled coffee, tea and sugar and the water leaked out the bottom whenever I washed them. They were useless and not fit for purpose because it does mean they are not airtight- unbelievable considering what they were and the price they sold for. The sugar used to clump and the coffee clumped and went dark and 'off' over time. Being young and naive at the time, I persevered with them (as they were also a gift). I should have sent them back under guarantee, but I did flog them on eBay at a later date!

So I can well believe something being sold for a purpose it's not fit for, particularly if it's cheap!

[Deleted User]

APennySaved wrote: »

Thanks all - some good ideas there.

We have previously tried the bag-in-a-tin idea but, personally, we found the hassle of having to still seal the bag shut within another container, rahter defeated our purpose - of making coffee storage hassle-free! All is to the aim of saving time, too.

I'd rather avoid the freezer - my OH unintentionally left the freezer door open the other day, when getting out some vegs, & didn't notice the cm gap on the edge when closing it, so we had the expected result! (Much lovely meat was lost!!) :eek:

Might give this an idea:

Would that be this design of tin - at e.g. https://images.hotukdeals.com/threads/thread_large/default/1807529_1.jpg
Is it made of 1 piece of metal, rather than conjoined bits? (i.e. is it watertight & thus airtight?!?!)
If it's 1 piece of metal that is just rounded at the edge - from the sides over onto the base - then I think this would do perfectly!
(I have come to the opinion that only a 1-piece-of-metal tin - such as the sadly rather costly Coffee Gator/Coffee Vault type of invention - is the solution to much of the airtight issue.)
And IYE does it store for a long'ish time? Not all of us drink 'proper' coffee so the storage needs to last a while!

That’s the one. I’m pretty sure it’s airtight and I’ve been reusing this same tin for a number of years now.

APennySaved

Wizzbang wrote: »

I was given a set of Brabantia storage tins (fairly expense and respected make) storage tins when I moved out on my own. They were labelled coffee, tea and sugar and the water leaked out the bottom whenever I washed them. They were useless and not fit for purpose because it does mean they are not airtight- unbelievable considering what they were and the price they sold for.

[...]

So I can well believe something being sold for a purpose it's not fit for, particularly if it's cheap!

Sounds truly annoying. I mean, yes: cheap items, you have to expect this kind of thing might happen, but Brabantia? Not!

That's why I won't invest £30 in a special 'coffee vault' if I can get the same effect using something that isn't a 'rip-off'.

I have a relative who insists on buying loads of stuff from Harrods as she says this is the best quality. She makes special trips to London, as she doesn't live there, just to do so. I have told her that IMHO she's not necessarily (or at all!) getting the best VFM; but each to his/her own! Hey-ho! Maybe she just enjoys the days out (been there!) of the shopping trip!

APennySaved

Thanks everyone for your ideas.

Re:

Deleted_User wrote: »

That's the one. I'm pretty sure it's airtight and I've been reusing this same tin for a number of years now.

That's great. Will give it a go. Even better VFM: that way, I'll also get coffee with the jar purchase!

If that doesn't work, I'll try the clip-down lid idea coffeehound mentioned (have seen those made out of 1 piece of metal).

The coffee storage problem recently became more 'important' as I saw a new - VFM! - large bag of coffee (quality too: Taylors Of Harrogate Rich Italian Coffee 454G) introduced at the supermarket. It's twice the size of the average bag of gtound coffee, for - at £6.00 (at Sainsburys) - nowhere near twice the price. :T Sainsburys also sell a 454g bag of their own brand of coffee (for even < £6), so it's looking up for VFM bags of the good stuff!

But as it's not VFM if the coffee then 'goes off' I intend to get a better storage tin before I open this large pack.