There are many different instant coffee brands. In this review article, we’re going to look at some of the best instant coffee brands available. You are most likely to choose your instant coffee based on the roast, which affects the taste. There are other brand-specific items that you might consider. Quality, cost, and ease of preparation are all important. Learn more about finding great instant coffee brands, and see what makes our list of the best instant coffee options to try. You may see popular names such as Starbucks and Nescafe, but you can also discover some lesser-known great instant coffee brands.
Benefits of Instant Coffee
There are so many reasons why instant coffee is a popular coffee drink the world over. In fact, in 2020, instant coffee accounted for around 25% of retail brewed coffee’s global consumption. Lots of people like to start their days off with a cup of coffee. There’s something about an early dose of caffeine that can wake you up and get you ready for the day. Instant coffee is a top choice for some of the reasons below:
- Easy to prepare- Coffee, water, and condiments are all you need.
- Simple clean up- There are no machines or resides.
- No coffee maker required- All you need is a mug.
- Caffeine effects- Caffeine is known to have many benefits.
- Health benefits- Coffee contains antioxidants.
Instant coffee can be beneficial to you if you drink it in moderation. If you consume too much coffee regularly, there are adverse effects of caffeine.
Caffeine is a natural and effective way to boost your mood, metabolism, and energy levels. However, when you take too much caffeine, you can experience jitters, insomnia, and an increased heart rate. Caffeine addiction is a real thing, and people are advised not to exceed 400 mg of caffeine on a daily basis. If you prefer not to have caffeine, you can always take decaf coffee.
How to Select the Best Instant Coffee Brands
With so many instant coffee options to choose from, there has to be a way to select the best one. There are a few different criteria to consider when evaluating coffee brands. A lot of it also boils down to personal preferences.
Perhaps you want a single-serve instant coffee. For some people, sourcing is essential, and they might prefer organic or Fair Trade instant coffees. The best instant coffees all offer great value and make a high-quality coffee blend or single-origin products. The quality of a bag of instant coffee granules or powder is affected by the coffee brand’s quality and whether the farming is organic and sustainable. The coffee variation, like Arabica coffee, and the drying method are also significant.
Instant coffee is produced by first roasting the coffee beans before they are cooled and ground into small particles. After that, the granules are combined with hot water in an extraction process to collect the coffee’s flavor and aroma. The liquid coffee concentrate produced is then dried to make instant coffee. There are two main drying methods. Spray drying is a fast process used for high volume production. Freeze drying is not as fast. Coffee made with this method, however, has a higher quality of aroma and flavor. The lower temperatures used are gentler and preserve the coffee goodness in the concentrate.
If you are after the caffeine kick or are trying to cut down on it, you might also want to look at the amount of caffeine per serving of each coffee. Instant coffee can be decaffeinated.
There are also various instant coffee roasts, which affect the coffee’s color and flavor, including light roast, light-medium roast, medium-dark roast, and dark roast instant coffee. There is also an Italian roast and a classic roast. An Italian roast is when coffee is roasted to make a dark and oily bean. The Italian roast is one of the darker options and is one of the best for expresso. Darker roasts have less of the original coffee flavor and more of the flavor of the roasting process.
How to Prepare Instant Coffee
Making instant coffee is very easy to do, as the name suggests. While this type of coffee might not always produce the same rich flavor as a coffee brewed over time, it is comparable. More and more instant coffee products make coffees that have similar taste and flavor to the coffee brew from regular ground coffee and whole coffee beans.
The Best Instant Coffee Brands
We’ve gathered some of the best instant coffees in this review. You can order them online and enjoy a quick mug of great-flavor coffee at home at any time. The list includes all kinds of unique instant coffees to cater to various taste preferences. We have added some instant coffee blends and single-origin varieties for a full mix of some of the best instant coffee products available from a wide range of brands.
When coffee is prepared, the method depends on the form of coffee. If the coffee is in powder or granule form, adding hot water to 1-2 teaspoons of coffee in a mug is sufficient. Some coffee products also allow you to add cold water or cold milk to dissolve the coffee granules. If the coffee is in ground coffee or whole bean form, you need to know how to brew it. You might consider using a coffee maker or French press to extract all that good flavor.
Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee
If you’re a fan of Starbucks, then you are going to love their Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee. This particular product is a medium roast, but it is available in other roast levels. The flavor for this packet of Starbucks Via is Pike Place. The product is also available in the following flavor options: Colombia, French, Italian roast, Veranda, and Decaf Italian Roast.
Each box of Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee comes with 50 individually wrapped packets for your convenience. These single-serve packets are easy to open and ready to brew. This Starbucks Via product is made of 100% Arabica beans processed into instant and micro-ground coffee. Pike Place has a smooth, light-medium roast taste with subtle elements of cocoa and roasted nuts as far as the flavor. You can expect about 130-140 mg of caffeine per serving of Starbucks VIA coffee in terms of caffeine content. This is a lot of caffeine compared with other coffees, but you have the option to look for low caffeine or decaffeinated option.
To prepare the Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee, all you have to do is open up one of the individual packets, add hot water, and stir. No equipment or machinery is required. This brewed coffee can be enjoyed from anywhere and can be served hot or cold.
One of the critical factors that distinguish Starbucks from other companies in the industry is the commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability, all while delivering a high-quality product from high-grade Arabica beans.
If you prefer a house blend product, then Starbucks VIA has that as well. This smooth coffee has a great flavor and a hint of nut and cocoa, as you might expect from a house blend. All you have to do to prepare it is to open a packet of house blend coffee, add hot water, and after 10 seconds, you can enjoy the quick brew with a lovely flavor.
Mount Hagen Freeze-dried Instant Coffee
The next product we recommend and another one of the best instant coffee blends is the Mount Hagen instant coffee. This 100% Arabica coffee is a kosher freeze-dried coffee product suitable for camping, hiking, and other travel purposes. Mount Hagen organic instant coffee is a clear frontrunner in the organic coffee category.
You can get this in a 7.05 oz. resealable doypack bag, which can be used to refill coffee jars. Mount Hagen organic coffee is available as a combo product of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. You can expect about 40 mg of caffeine per serving of caffeinated coffee in terms of caffeine content.
Mount Hagen is well-known as one of the pioneers in Fair Trade coffee making, which has been an important part of keeping the coffee industry in check. You can rest assured knowing that all the Arabica coffee beans used are grown and harvested by workers working under fair conditions. The company’s commitment to fairness and respect is evident. Mount Hagen organic instant coffee is single-origin and is derived from Arabica beans cultivated in Papua New Guinea.
As far as the flavor of this popular Mount Hagen instant coffee, you can expect a sophisticated and complex flavor, with a mild and velvety taste for your morning cup of coffee brew.
Nescafe Clasico Instant Coffee
It’s hardly possible to prepare a list of the best instant coffee brands without mentioning Nescafe Clasico Instant Coffee. The brand has been around from the early stages of instant coffee and has consistently produced great instant coffee. In many parts of the world, Nescafe is a household name.
The product comes in a pack of four 10.5 oz. jars and is a dark roast instant coffee. It is made from 100% pure coffee that has been roasted with the utmost care and expertise. There are small jar and pack sizes available as well, for added convenience. In terms of the caffeine content, there is about 57-65 mg of caffeine per serving.
As far as this instant coffee’s flavor, you can look forward to a rich and bold flavor. Nescafe doesn’t disappoint with the popular instant coffee for coffee lovers.
Douwe Egberts Pure Gold Instant Coffee
For a well-balanced and aromatic coffee brand, you can try some of Douwe Egberts instant coffee. This is one of the best instant coffee brands out there. It is a high-quality 100% freeze-dried instant coffee and has a medium level roast.
Douwe Egberts instant coffee is available in various packaging, including this 7.05 oz. 200g glass jar. Many people love this Dutch coffee from Douwe Egberts. It is made using a blend of the finest coffee and is perfect for brewed coffee any time of the day. In terms of the caffeine content, you can expect about 65 mg of caffeine per serving.
You can always look forward to great quality coffee from the Douwe Egberts brand. It has been around for over 260 years and has a wide range of great coffee products, all with fantastic flavor.
Folgers Instant Coffee
If you don’t have time to make a fresh cup of brewed coffee, then a great cup of Folgers instant coffee is a good substitute. These classic roast instant coffee crystals come in an 8.0 oz. plastic jar with a convenient flip-top lid. It is made of 100% pure coffee with a medium roast level.
All you need for a wake-me-up instant coffee cup using Folgers coffee is a rounded teaspoon of the coffee crystals and some hot water, and you are good to go. You can also use Folgers instant coffee crystals in made recipes for drinks and baked goods that call for a coffee flavor.
Folgers coffee is roasted locally in New Orleans, Louisiana. The company has been around since 1850. One of the company’s principal values is sustainable sourcing. It acquires green coffee from farms that promote sustainable farming, environmental protection, human rights, and safe practices.
The flavor and taste of Folger instant coffee are well-balanced. It is carefully crafted to make a blend with a fantastic aroma and flavor. The product is also available in other versions, including a decaf blend and in single-serve packets of instant coffee. In terms of caffeine content, you can expect about 60-80 mg of caffeine per serving.
Taster’s Choice House Blend Instant Coffee
Nescafe has many different coffee products. It produces another one of the best instant coffee options, and this is Taster’s Choice instant coffee. This is a house blend of instant coffee.
House blend refers to the fact that the coffee is a blend of fine Latin American coffee beans that have been roasted until they are a dark chestnut color. House blend coffee is full of great flavor, has a well-balanced taste of nut and cocoa.
This Nescafe Taster’s Choice house blend instant coffee comes in a two-pack of 7.0 oz. jars. Other flavor options from the brand include French, Colombian, and Decaf House if you want less or no caffeine.
This product is made from 100% pure premium Robusta and Arabica coffee beans sourced responsibly. The mild roast produces a refined and smooth flavor. In terms of the caffeine content, you can expect about 98 mg of caffeine per serving.
Jacobs Kronung Instant Coffee
Jacobs Kronung instant coffee is another one of the best instant coffee brands. In this format, it comes as a pack of two 200 Gram or 7.05 oz. jars. The roast level is a dark roast, which gives it a strong flavor. This instant coffee contains caffeine.
Jacobs instant coffee comes in different formats, making it a great choice to enjoy at home or when you are on the go. Many flavor varieties are available, including the classic Jacobs Coronation, Jacobs Classic, and Jacobs Gold.
To prepare this instant coffee, you should never use boiling water to make the brewed coffee. This can burn the coffee and spoil its taste. Instead, water at a temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended. To make the basic coffee, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of the instant coffee to a mug and dissolve it with a tablespoon of cold water. After that, you can then hot water, followed by any condiments you like.
If you want to make iced coffee instead, you can mix the instant ground coffee with cold water and all the condiments you want to have. The coffee dissolves in a couple of minutes. Iced coffee made this way is delicious and ready to drink in no time. As far as the caffeine content, you can expect around 62 mg of caffeine per serving.
Alpine Start Instant Coffee
We recommend Alpine Start instant coffee for the outdoor person looking for an instant coffee with a great flavor. Many travel packets of instant coffee have an acceptable taste, but Alpine Start does much better. It makes great taste and convenience its priorities, making the company one of the best producers of premium on-the-go instant coffee.
This original blend of Alpine Start instant coffee has a roast level of medium roast. The premium coffee is 100% high altitude Columbian Arabica coffee. It comes in a box of eight single-serve packs. The caffeine content of this coffee is 120.9mg of caffeine per serving.
This Arabica coffee is easy to carry around in individual packets. It also dissolves in cold water as well as other beverages like milk. If you need a coffee additive for baking or making cocktails, then the Alpine Start instant coffee is a great pick. This product is the original blend, but you can also find the coffee with added creamer latte or as a dirty chai tea latte, depending on your preferred coffee brew. Instant coffee is versatile and quick to prepare.
Jiva Freeze-dried Instant Coffee
We have become accustomed to enjoying instant coffee in a particular way, either as a powder or in granule form. For a unique twist on instant coffees, you can give Jiva instant coffee a try. The product comes as instant coffee cubes rather than in a powder form. All you have to do to prepare the coffee is to drop one of the cubes into boiling water, and your coffee is ready in just 1 minute. This is a convenient product, especially for travelers. There is no need for coffee makers, and the clean up is simple and straightforward.
Jiva is a company that is reimagining how we consume coffee. Its innovative instant coffee cubes come in a few different flavor options
s. These include hazelnut instant coffee, caramel instant coffee, and a mocha coffee. This coffee is made from 100% Colombian Arabica beans. As one of the freeze-dried coffee brands, Jiva cubes are high in quality and have superior flavor and taste. They are single-use instinct coffee cubes and also have added raw cane sugar. Organic extracts are also used, but there is nothing else. This makes this instant coffee a quality organic product.
The single-origin, roasted Arabica coffee cubes by Jiva have a smooth and well-balanced flavor profile. You are assured of the very best in instant coffee and that much-needed caffeine boost in the morning. As far as the caffeine content, you can expect 120 mg of caffeine per serving. This is relatively high caffeine content, so you could consider a lower caffeine option if you drink multiple servings of coffee a day.
Cafe Altura
If you are looking for organic, Fair Trade, instant coffee, then consider Cafe Altura. This is a freeze-dried coffee of medium roast. It contains caffeine and is the original flavor. You can also opt for the instant coffee without caffeine from Cafe Altura.
Cafe Altura is an organic coffee roaster in Ventura, California. The company was established in 1980 and makes premium freeze-dried instant coffee, whole bean coffee, canned coffee, and s.
When you buy this coffee, you get a pack of two 76 oz. jars. You can use this Arabica instant coffee into iced or hot coffee. Cafe Altura instant coffee is a masterfully crafted blend of Arabica coffee from three different continents, i.e., Asia, South America, and Africa. The decaf instant coffee is a blend of coffee made with beans from Asia, South America, and Central America. You can enjoy your brew of quality blend coffee knowing that the sourcing and cultivation were sustainable.
Other Instant Coffees to Try
There are so many great instant coffee brands to choose from, whether you go for a Mount Hagen organic instant coffee or a Starbucks VIA instant coffee. The list of brands above was by no means exhaustive. Many companies are producing newer and more innovative instant coffee products, so it’s best to look at both the older, more established players and the newer ones.
Here are a few other great instant coffee brands to look at:
- Waka Coffee- If you are looking for a great coffee, consider Waka coffee. The Waka Coffee company produces a range of products. Waka Coffee brew tastes just like drip coffee, but this freeze-dried instant coffee is quick and easy to prepare. Waka coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans. For the caffeine content, there is 8.75 mg of caffeine per serving.
- Four Sigmatic- Mushroom coffee is another exciting coffee innovation, and Four Sigmatic is one of the leading brands in the space. Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee contains Chaga mushroom powder. This additive has great antioxidant properties, and this supports the immune system and overall well-being. As for the caffeine content, you can expect 50 mg of caffeine per serving.
There are so many factors to compare instant coffee brands. Is it a house blend or a single-origin coffee? You could also consider the roast level, with light-medium roast, classic roast, and Italian roast being some of the options. You could look at the type of coffee in the brands and how it is sourced. For some people, brands with high caffeine content are ideal, while low caffeine content is preferred for others. Other considerations you could make include whether it is freeze-dried coffee as this affects the flavor and how easy it is to prepare and use on the go. We hope you find some new and classic coffee types with fantastic flavor to try from our list of the best instant coffee brands.
