BeanSafe - the Coffee Storage Solution

     Recently, I tried the BeanSafe coffee storage solution.  This canister designed specifically to keep coffee beans fresh is pictured to the left.Like anything perishable, coffee needs to be kept fresh.  Freshness equals flavor, and you get the most out of your coffee's flavor when you keep your coffee fresh.  An opaque airtight container at room temperature is the best way.  I've used the same kitchen canisters for coffee that many use for tea or spices, where the lid contains a latch that shuts the container, and a rubber band under the lid to form an airtight seal when shut.[ad#Google Adsense - use me]BeanSafe takes it a step further.  It is a canister, and it contains four latches and a rubber lid to form an airtight seal.  The feature that makes this unique, and beneficial for coffee specifically, is the one-way valve built into the lid.     What I Liked...- The BeanSafe Pressure Release Valve is built into the center of the lid.  It uses a combination of a silicone membrane and a perfectly round glass ball built into the lid, that together permit CO2 to be released when pressure inside the container builds up.  CO2 is a natural by-product of coffee.  It is released naturally as the coffee expires (and eventually goes stale), and it is produced when you brew coffee.  The one-way valve does not permit air from outside to enter the container, which would accelerate the coffee going stale.- The valve never requires cleaning, maintenance, or replacement.- The standard kitchen canister contains a single latch on the lid, and a hinge so that the lid remains attached to the canister when open.  As a minor inconvenience, this can make a cannister awkward to clean.  With four latches on the BeanSafe, the lid detaches completely, and in my opinion, the cannister cleans easier for that reason.What I Would Change...- To my last point, the detachable lid is great.  However, four latches instead of one makes potential for four different things to go wrong instead of one.  When I pulled my BeanSafe out for the second time, I could see that one of the four latches had not properly shut.  I would have noticed that with a single latch, but did not notice that one the four was not latched shut.  This meant I did not have an airtight seal, and my coffee was expiring at a fast rate until I noticed.- Your typical set of canisters in different sizes will provide you with opaque (relatively) airtight storage, and run you about $25 for the set.  A single BeanSafe container will cost you $20.Is $20 a lot of money to pay to keep coffee fresh?  No, it's not.  A canister lasts a LONG time, and the BeanSafe valve is something unique that controls air into and out of the canister, and in a way the typical kitchen canister does not.  It will provide the same freshness for tea, spices, and ground coffee, as well as coffee beans.Learn more about BeanSafe.