The increasing cost of labor is leading the breeders to select coffee strains with low height which give high yield per area and facilitate the harvesting operation. The present paper refers to a trial established to compare the yielding ability of twelve dwarf coffee progenies of 'Caturra Amarelo', 'Caturra Vermelho', 'San Ramon', 'San Ramon x Bourbon', 'San Ramon x Maragogipe' and 'São Bernardo'. After seven consecutive harvests the total weight of coffee cherries was analysed. It was found that only the progeny 'São Bernardo' - C 1039-48 had a significant higher yield than the tester 'Caturra Vermelho' - C 477-8. The two 'Caturra Amarelo' progenies were in the same group of C 1039-48. Small variation was noticed in connection with bean size and percentages of flat, peaberry and elephant beans. The progenies of cultivar 'São Bernardo' had the largest beans and the highest percentages of normal flat beans. Concerning frost resistance some variation was observed in the susceptibility of the progenies to low temperatures. Only the progeny C 1036-36 revealed to be resistant. The best plants selected in this trial will be used in crossing and backcrossing to normal-growth selected strains, in order to obtain dwarf plants with high yield and good vegetative vigor.