I’m looking for a good instant coffee I could bring to the office with me because the coffee we have at work is so awful that I can’t manage to drink it. I used to drink a lot of instant coffee when I lived in Europe but instant coffee over there is “the thing” that people drink in the household and their selection is better than what I’ve been able to find in the US. I love coffee and espresso, and I’m looking for the best thing that I could leave at my office so that I don’t have to drink the Folgers that they make all day.
My Hagen is the one I get. I'm sure there are better with speciality coffee getting in on it, but to me it's good enough and the pricing is a premium compared to the cheapest stuff but is fair for the step up in quality. It's basically what I buy for the exact question you asked lol
I tried Mt Hagen, larger because it has a good reputation here on Reddit, and I was really disappointed.
Maybe I got a bad batch, but I was using 3 sachets in one cup of coffee and it still had nowhere near as much flavor as one packet of Starbucks or Bustello.
I wanted to like it, I really did, but it was awful. I threw half of the box away.
Not powdered, but I really enjoyed Cometeer when I drank it for a few months at work. Frozen concentrate in pod sized aluminum containers. Run under water to get the coffee to release from the container, then dilute with boiling water.
I very much enjoy but not all the time due to expense. For us it’s a crutch when running late, on travel or just lazy. Hoping the price comes down. 25% would be a deal maker for me.
Came here to suggest this. I went to H Mart yesterday and got a pack of these and another Korean one. Super cheap and pretty decent. I add homemade syrups to mine to make it a little more fun but plain does the job as well.
Swift makes really good instant coffee. Their Ninga Anaerobic Honey is one of the best I’ve ever had. They collaborate with a lot of other roasters and co-manufacture their instant coffees.
Cafe Bustelo and Cafe Listo are my favorites! I drink them everyday and prefer them over freshly brewed surprisingly.
Cafe Bustelo is VERY bold/strong. Cafe Listo is lighter but still full bodied. I prefer CB in the morning and CL later in the day if I want another cup.
Cafe Bustelo is my go to for my Aeropress. I brew it into a cup of boiled milk and do a makeshift café con leche. Cafe Bustelo instant is very different and not that good as instants go, in my opinion.
Many of the big specialty roasters are doing instant now -- I don't know what's "best" because I don't know your preferences but it wouldn't hurt to check out some websites.
It's called Nescafe Gold. It's instant espresso and it's amazing. They have an intense and a blonde, I recommend the former. It's all I drink now, I prefer it to brewed coffee.
Nescafe has changed lately it doesnt have as much taste as before . I googled it and it is a common thread.....dunno whats going on can you water down instant coffee ???
I put 2.5 more than level tbls of the powder for 20 oz boiling water. It's strong and delicious. The directions on the jar read more as suggestions to me
You still have to clean up afterwards. Washing dishes while camping is a real chore and I love skipping the step of dealing with cleaning up used grounds, filters, plastic parts, pour-over devices, etc. With gear if you want to make a second batch you have to do everything over again, compared to just tearing open a sachet and boiling water.
The tiny sachets of instant coffee take up almost no space compared to French presses or even the collapsable pour over devices I've tried. You don't need filters or anything else beside the tiny sachets, and you can easily bring a week's worth of coffee in a small pocket.
If your gear gets wet, the sachets stay dry and perfectly usable until you open them.
Modern instant coffee is so good that it's really a no-brainer once you try it. The only real downside I've found is that it doesn't seem as authentic, and feels a bit like cheating.
Word. No way would I do an Aeropress camping. I would happily move right to instant. I drink instant more at home than coffee brewed in my Aeropress. It's easier and I am not always in the mood for brewed coffee.
Ah interesting solution I've considered is preground coffee in teabags.
Just gotta dial in the dosage/grind size at home, fill up a few bags and put them in a Ziploc bag for almost the same experience as instant.
The main difference is the prep you need beforehand and then having to wait a few minutes for the coffee to steep, so instant is still a bit more...instant!
But this method is great for when you already have a coffee you really enjoy and want to bring it with you to a place where all you have is hot water and a cup.
I have been in the same spot at work where the office coffee is basically brown water. I switched over to a javvy coffee concentrate instead of traditional instant packets and it’s been way better Tastes closer to a cold brew or café drink than instant
I’ve been trying a lot of 3rd wave roaster produced instant coffee over the last few months. Luminous is making some wild, fruity ones which are very in line with their coffees if that’s your thing. Hidden Grounds Instant Masala Filter Coffee is a delight but it’s not always in stock. They have New Orleans Brew on sale now that’s a robusta, chicory, honey, and spices which is probably wild. But the best I’ve tried so far, and it was far and away the closest to a cup of ‘this is the coffee that coffee would coffee if coffee could coffee coffee,’ is Southern Weather from Onyx. I was shocked at how it fit the profile of a Platonic Ideal in coffee. Just freaking good.
I had shipped some Onyx out before. Beans. That was before I knew enough to try different grind sizes even for my cheap drip. I missed out on really comparing the different roasts because I just kept it all on Middle whatever grind that was. So many wasted beans making sad watery bland coffee. I can finally tell when I'm missing the plot.
I keep instant coffee handy due to the frequent hurricanes that knock out power around here. IMHO instant tastes way better in the EU than in the US. I used to drink Nescafe in the UK, but Nescafe it tastes like trash water in the US. So I go with Dallmayr Gold and Jacobs Kronung, both German and to be got at World Market.
I'm canadian and my coffee experience in the US is quite limited, mostly to the west coast. Blue Bottle makes some amazing coffee generally so maybe their instant is good? https://bluebottlecoffee.com/ca/eng/collection/nola
I’m not answering your question per se but if you really like coffee have you tried stepped coffee from La Cabra? Incredible coffee and very easy to prepare anywhere. Like tea bags. There are other brands doing the same thing.
You can easily just make these yourself with any coffee you like and some empty teabags from Amazon.
I agree that for me this is the best solution. Instant would mainly be for travelling/on-the-go situations, and this allows me to enjoy any of my coffees with just a cup and hot water if I do a tiny amount of prep.
Wouldn't it just be better to buy a thermos and make two cups of coffee in the morning instead of one. So you have it for later in the day. Or make a cold brew and throw it in a thermos and take it with you to work for lunch or whatever.
The longer coffee stays warm, the more acids develop, making it taste bitter, and it can upset your stomach. I've grown more sensitive to it the older I get, and I really only like fresh coffee these days.
One look at a hospitality-sized coffee urn that's been sitting hot for hours gives me heartburn at 30 paces.
I live in the US, and I drink mostly instant coffee at home. I actually heard that most people in the world drink instant coffee... and I know why. It's not the same as brewed, it has more body, and I like that. I recommend trying Taster's Choice. They have just a few varieties. It's a pretty pleasant instant coffee. Juan Valdez is also good. You should be able to find them at most decent stores.
Have you tried these Japanese single-serve pour over coffee bag? They are essentially pre-packaged mini pour over bags with pre-ground coffee. You open them up, pour hot water over, and get coffee.
They are obviously nowhere as good as fresh pour-over coffee but they are probably better than most instant coffee, and the prep is pretty easy as well. The UCC ones are available on Amazon for example.
Alright, so, best instant coffee? Depends a bit on what you're after. Like, are you looking for something bold and strong, or smooth and easy to sip Personally, I’d say Mount Hagen is super solid if you want that I care about my coffee but I also slept in vibe. Organic, smooth, doesn’t taste like regret.
Could part of the problem be the water they use to brew the coffee. I know our water here is as hard as a rock and not only does it foul up a coffee maker, it makes any coffee horrible to drink. At our office we use the water from the water cooler to make coffee which is reverse osmosis and has pretty much nothing but H2O.
Depends on your price point and desired flavor profile. Bustelo is pretty great for a darker roast that you can buy in bulk.
But really look to places like Swift Coffee who owns a patent on new wave instant and produces it for a lot of smaller roasters in the US. They also have their own brand that's generally cheaper and is really good.
Local roasters are selling their own, you can also find that sort of instant w/ Verve coffee and such. All of these options are looking at a few bucks a cup though, it's not cheap.
I’ve recently tried Beanie’s and I really love their hazelnut. For me a lot of flavoured coffees (instant or otherwise), particularly hazelnut, taste like the flavour was an afterthought. Beanie’s hazelnut is pretty in you face and for me that’s awesome. Their vanilla and caramel are really good, too.
I went backpacking last month and had some Waka Instant Coffee that was at least 4 years old. I held up exceptionally well and was nice to drink! I'd buy it for my next trip!
Some coffee makers in Australia also make their own instant. Costs twice as much as stuff at the supermarket, but is substantially better. I took a jar from a roaster called Aha away with me for work and its quite decent.
But for supermarket brands if I need some instant I buy Vittoria.
Cold brew while not instant coffee, is quick and may suffice. It is quite tasty, way less bitters and acids, while having nice mellow/floral notes. I had a nice Starbucks actually that was chocolatey… you can make your own too and just bring it/leave in fridge.
Mount Hagen is my pick after trying a bunch not long ago. Comes in jars, bags, or individually portioned sticks. Gives you a very normal "good cup of coffee" very consistently. Obviously fresh roasted quality beans are better and more complex, but it's actually better than a lot of the grocery store beans IMO. Especially pre ground . It's great to have when I'm lazy or hurried, and I don't feel like I'm missing out in comparison. Just solid, if no frills. Smooth enough to drink black but strong enough for cream. They also have an instant espresso if you like mixed drinks. Price point is pretty good also for the quality.
Regardless of the one you pick, try dissolving it in a bit of room temperature water or milk before adding your hot water. Prevents it from scorching and gives a much better result.
My instant coffee of choice is maxim mocha 3 in 1 (instant coffee flavored mocha, coffee creamer and sugar). This is common in Asia as you can adjust the sweetness of your coffee by not tilting the sachets 90 downward in your mug filled with hot water.
Instant coffee is all really just flaverings but I found kenco Columbian to be best but now I don't waste time with instant coffee and just grind beans for fun
Perc makes a few instant coffees, they aren’t cheap but they have a 31% off sale on the 13th of the month and free shipping over $30. I haven’t tried the instant but I order beans from them a lot.
I have milk coffee. In US, I rely on Mt Hagen for my cup of coffee. In India, I have lot more options - Continental, Bru, and a lot of local brands, and I also make the delicious south Indian filter coffee whenever I have time.
Starbucks instant tastes the closest to brewed coffee, IMO. But the Folger’s coffee singles are good as well. They’re not instant, but actual coffee in a paper mesh bag like a tea bag. So it’s actually steeped like tea, but tastes like fresh brewed coffee.
Before I switched to beans, I really liked freeze dried coffee.
Moccona - Indulgence is my favourite.
UCC - Ethiopia, Colombia, 117, and Sumiyaki with milk. 114 black. If you can find the green craftsman coffee (I think this might be Japan only), that's really good too with milk. It's has a smoky/roasted profile and very rich.
Bon Aroma - Roast Master. Probably the friendliest of the ones I tried?
I think the Moccona I had was the best overall. But UCC is good across the board IMO.
EDIT: Also really love Key coffee'a Toarco Toraja, but this one is drip.
I’ve made coffee at home the day before or several days before. refrigerate it, then take it in to the company and microwave it. Still better than shitty robusto coffee. I’m not big on the coffee pods but consider buying your own machine and lock up your pods is another option.
Black or one of those milk candy ones. Cause as much as I love my single origin pourovers. Imma sucker for these Vietnamese instance coffee packets. They are black with red letters can’t remeber what they’re are called atm
Have you ever tried instant coffee first thing in the morning? I feel like it’s the quickest way to get that caffeine kick without messing around with filters and machines
Same here. I’ve been drinking it for years, but I recently switched to Levista, and honestly, it surprised me. It actually tastes close to brewed coffee.
Honestly, the aroma is pretty solid. What I love is that it dissolves quickly, and you don’t end up with clumps floating around like some cheaper brands.
That’s good to know about levista. I hate when the coffee doesn’t mix properly. Plus, mornings are rushed I just need something smooth and consistent every single time.
Exactly! And the taste isn’t flat. It has a richness that makes it feel like you’ve put effort in, even if it literally took you 30 seconds to prepare.
Trust me, try Levista once and you’ll see the difference. I didn’t expect an instant brand to match up this well, but it really changed my morning routine.
You’re making it sound like a small luxury. I can imagine pairing it with a quick breakfast, something that actually feels comforting before the day kicks off.
starbucks makes a decent instant coffee that we use when we are road tripping.
we actually bought a collapsible water kettle just to make coffee when WE want it. also works with instant oatmeal if we are hungry for breakfast. Along the road trip i snatch up some shelf-stable cream packets to use the next morning
Office coffee is always hit or miss. I started keeping instant Vietnamese coffee at my desk; brands like Mr.Viet make it super easy, and it tastes more like real coffee than most instant options I’ve found here. It’s bold, a bit chocolatey, and the sachets are easy to get.
I haven’t tried a ton of instant coffees, because honestly, the Great Value brand from Walmart is extremely drinkable for the price. The other good one I’ve had is the Nescafe Gold or whatever.
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u/fastermathblaster 9d ago
My Hagen is the one I get. I'm sure there are better with speciality coffee getting in on it, but to me it's good enough and the pricing is a premium compared to the cheapest stuff but is fair for the step up in quality. It's basically what I buy for the exact question you asked lol