How long does coffee last?

What the sources say

FoodKeeper gives whole coffee beans 3 to 5 months in the pantry from the date of purchase, the same 3 to 5 months in the pantry after opening, or 3 to 4 months in the fridge once opened.¹

Commercially ground coffee in non-vacuum packaging keeps 2 years in the pantry from purchase, but after opening FoodKeeper gives it only 2 weeks in the pantry or 1 month in the fridge.²

Its fridge entry adds that an airtight container is critical.²

In the freezer this ground coffee keeps 6 to 12 months, with a tip not to return it to the freezer once it has been taken out.²

Home ground, non-vacuum coffee has 3 to 5 months in the pantry from purchase, 3 to 5 weeks once opened, and 1 to 2 years in the freezer.³

Instant coffee keeps 1 year in the pantry unopened and 2 to 3 months after opening.⁴

For whole beans, opening the bag does not shorten the FoodKeeper pantry time, while for both kinds of ground coffee the opened pantry time drops from months or years to weeks.¹³²

Of the four kinds, unopened commercially ground coffee has the longest pantry time and unopened whole beans and home ground coffee the shortest.¹³⁴²

The University of Illinois Extension suggests a use for extra coffee: freeze it in ice cube trays and add the cubes to cold drinks.⁵