Data studies
Coffee, counted
Original data journalism built on public sources and our own review scores. Every study publishes its full dataset, sources, and method. Journalists are welcome to the numbers and graphics with attribution and a link.
How long does caffeine stay in your system?
Caffeine's half-life averages about 4 hours in healthy adults, with a measured range of 2 to 8 (EFSA). Log your drinks and bedtime to see the band, the peak window and how your day compares with EFSA's figures for your weight.
Lab measurements and USDA references · updated 2026-10-02How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?
USDA puts an 8 fl oz (237 ml) cup of brewed coffee at 95 mg of caffeine, but 14 UK retail filter coffees (FSA, 2004) ranged from 21 to 208 mg, and 124 lab-measured espressos from 51 to 322 mg.
24 years of launch dates · updated 2026-09-09Pumpkin Spice Creep: the year it stopped
Every Starbucks, Dunkin', Krispy Kreme and 7-Eleven pumpkin launch since 2003, two sources each. The season crept earlier for twenty years, then hit a wall in the third week of August. In 2026 the lineups opened between 42 and 26 days before autumn.
Living tracker · updated 2026-10-05The Coffee Inflation Tracker
Bean, bag and barista prices across three decades and 36 countries. US retail coffee is up 53% since 2020, and it rides commodity prices up faster than it ever comes down.
100 US cities · updated 2026-07-09The best and worst tap water for espresso
Every big-city utility's own data, measured against the SCA standard. Memphis wins, San Jose loses, and most of urban America brews out of spec.
World Cup 2026 · updated 2026-07-07The World Cup of Coffee
All 48 World Cup nations ranked on real coffee data, then the actual knockout bracket decided by coffee stats. Spain lifts the trophy.
Price vs quality · updated 2026-06-22Does paying more buy you better espresso?
Bench Score against price for every machine we have reviewed. Quality climbs into the mid-range, then flattens.