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If you are reading this post, then you might be a coffee person. Can’t successfully start a new day without a cup of good java? Same here! Unfortunately, we are often short of time and just can’t brew a perfect Joe, using one of those slow but fruitful methods - pour over, aeropress, french press methods, etc. However, there is a quick solution - instant coffee! Well, we hunch sarcastic comments from some coffee nerds. But let’s try not to be snobs! There are plenty of good instant coffee options available on the market, they are healthy, tasty, and flavorful.
Don’t know which one to choose? You are in the right place! We put together only the best instant coffee options on our list. Thanks to our comprehensive Buyer’s Guide you’ll learn how to choose the right Java for you. Besides, you’ll find only the best instant coffee brands here. Scroll down!
Top 10 Best Instant Coffee: Comparison Chart
Starbucks VIA Decaf Italian Dark Roast Coffee
Four Sigmatic, Mushroom Coffee
Starbucks Ready Brew Colombian Coffee
Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee
Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee 3 In 1
Starbucks VIA Decaf Italian Dark Roast Coffee
Four Sigmatic, Mushroom Coffee
Starbucks Ready Brew Colombian Coffee
Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee
Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee 3 In 1
Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee
Folgers Crystals Classic Roast Instant Coffee
Nescafe Instant Coffee Dark Roast
Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee Espresso
Starbucks VIA Medium Roast Colombia Instant Coffee
Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee
Folgers Crystals Classic Roast Instant Coffee
Nescafe Instant Coffee Dark Roast
Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee Espresso
Starbucks VIA Medium Roast Colombia Instant Coffee
Best Overall - Starbucks VIA Decaf Italian Dark Roast Coffee Review
If you enjoy deeper and darker flavors and want your coffee to be decaf, then Starbucks VIA Decaf Italian Dark Roast Coffee is the right choice for you. This best instant decaf coffee is made of premium-quality Arabica coffee beans, so it has a rich, deep, sweet flavor with caramelized sugar notes. To make your perfect cup, you need only some hot water and this coffee - mix them, wait for 10 seconds, add sugar or cream if you like, and the Java is ready.
On top of everything else, this option makes the best instant coffee for backpacking since each serving is individually packed.
Why We Like It
- Individually wrapped servings
- 50 packets in 1 box
- Great flavor
Runner Up - Four Sigmatic, Mushroom Coffee Review
Don’t let the name - Mushroom Coffee - deter you! The beverage tastes like coffee, not like mushrooms. Although it has less caffeine, this joey doubles the mental clarity and not only that. It is one of the best organic instant coffee because it contains extracts of natural Lion’s mane, Chaga mushrooms, and Rhodiola Rosea extract. These components are well-known for their beneficial impact on human health. They enhance focus, concentration, memory, and even the immune system. This best instant coffee is compatible with keto-, vegan-, paleo-diet; it’s gluten- and dairy-free.
Why We Like It
- Components are naturally farmed or harvested
- No fillers and artificial flavors
- USDA-certified
Best Nutty Finish - Starbucks Ready Brew Colombian Coffee Review
This Colombian instant coffee is a medium roast, which means the taste is smooth and balanced; it gives juicy mouthfeel and delicious nutty finish. The beans grow on coffee farms in the Andes mountain range in perfect weather conditions; it results in great tasting Java! You can enjoy the beverage in any place at any time; each serving is individually wrapped, making it easy to put a packet into a purse or an office drawer. Take your favorite instant coffee packs and have an energy boost whenever you need it!
It is the best instant coffee granules for true coffee lovers!
Why We Like It
- Portable small packs
- The rich aroma and smooth taste
- 50 packs in a box
Best Among Freeze-Dried Options - Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee Review
Mount Hagen is one of the best instant coffee brands, and this particular product justifies the manufacturer’s reputation. This freeze-dried instant coffee is made of fresh Arabica beans, which grow on small farms in the high-attitude areas with proper weather conditions. What we like the most about this product is its natural origin - there are only the best beans and no chemicals in this brain drink. The granules are packed into a sturdy glass jar; it’ll keep your coffee fresh for a long time. You’ll have about 60 cups of joey from 1 can.
Even the pickiest coffee nerds will appreciate the taste of this best instant coffee.
Pros
- Eco-friendly
- USDA and Fairtrade certified
- Great price
Cons
Best Vietnamese Instant Coffee - Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee 3 In 1 Review
Do you like the sweet, creamy taste? Then this best Vietnamese instant coffee is the right choice for you! It comes in sachets that are filled with 16g of coffee powder, non-dairy creamer, and sugar. Trung Nguyen Instant Coffee 3in1 uses a blend of beans for enhanced aroma and smooth taste. This gourmet instant coffee is robust and flavorful, it has a light scent of vanilla; we like that it’s not overwhelming. These instant coffee packets are perfectly sized even for a woman's purse so that you can have your brain drink at any time and place.
Fill your life with perfect taste and rich aroma thanks to this instant coffee mix.
Pros
- Delicious
- 100 sticks in one package
- Excellent price
Cons
Best Mildly Roasted - Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee Review
This is the best instant coffee for a huge number of customers; some of them even switched from time-consuming brew methods to this joey. 180g of granules come in a reusable glass jar which keeps them fresh.
Beans are mildly roaster to give that smooth and balanced flavor; java tastes just awesome without bitterness which so many beverages have. It can make the strongest instant coffee if you want so - just put more coffee per cup. Make the backup for emergencies when you need an energy boost - buy bulk instant coffee.
This Joe includes all you may need: great taste, rich aroma; and it comes for good money.
Pros
- Convenient package
- Dissolves easily, even in cold water
- Great taste and aroma
Cons
- The lid may not be tightly fit
Best For Making Desserts - Folgers Crystals Classic Roast Instant Coffee Review
Folgers is a trusted American manufacturer that has been producing coffee since the 1850s. It is 100% natural, medium roast java made of mountain-grown beans. This instant coffee has a consistently rich taste and eye-opening aroma. The feature we like the best is that crystals dissolve easily in water, so if you want really fast morning coffee, this one is the right pick for you. Furthermore, this product is versatile and great for culinary use: add it to your brownie, chocolate desserts, buttercream, etc.
This instant coffee is a genuine time and money saver. We like it!
Pros
- UTZ-certified
- Eco-friendly
- Unbreakable jar and comfy flip-top lid
Cons
- Tastes not that good with less water
Sale
Budget-friendly - Nescafe Instant Coffee Dark Roast Review
This instant coffee is one of the most budget-friendly options available on the market. Besides, it lasts long because you need only 6 ounces of coffee per cup. However, its price doesn’t compromise the quality; the aroma is just awesome and will easily wake you up in the morning. As for the taste, it’ll be great if you add the right amount of water. You may go through trial and error, but all in all, you’ll find the perfect ratio for you.
We bet you’ll like the price, taste, and overall convenience of this product.
Pros
- 100% real coffee
- Long shelf life
- Comes in a reusable glass jar
Cons
- You’ll have to find out how much water you need for the perfect taste
Best Espresso - Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee Espresso Review
Cafe Bustelo has been producing coffee for about 100 years. And this is the best instant espresso powder by this manufacturer. If you need a morning wake-up joey, the instant espresso will do the job. Cafe Bustelo Instant Coffee Espresso is one of the most convenient and fastest coffee - it dissolves in no time and doesn’t leave residues on the sides of the mug. You can buy a bulk - 12 boxes with 6 individually wrapped sticks so that you can enjoy the excellent taste and wonderful aroma for a long time.
Enjoy robust flavor? Why not try this instant espresso coffee?
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Quick and convenient
- Perfect for trips
Cons
- Complaints on bad taste. But it really depends on the individual taste
Perfect Taste - Starbucks VIA Medium Roast Colombia Instant Coffee Review
This microground instant coffee by Starbucks VIA is a medium roast, meaning you’ll enjoy the smooth and fruity flavor. The beans grow on coffee farms in the Andes mountain range in perfect weather conditions; it results in great tasting joey! You can enjoy your favorite drink in any place and time; each serving is individually packed, making it portable - take it to the office or when you go hiking. It’s so easy to make your perfect cup - tear open a stick, pour hot water, wait 10 seconds and stir it well.
This instant coffee tastes as delicious as fresh-brewed coffee, but it’s far more convenient.
Pros
- 100% Colombian Arabica
- Walnut flavor
- Convenient
Cons
- Weird packaging - 2 small boxes of coffee in an enormous paper/plastic package
BUYER’S GUIDE: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE BEST INSTANT COFFEE
How Is Instant Coffee Made?
Instant coffee is made of a dried extract of coffee. The process of making it is very similar to ordinary coffee brewing, that’s how they get a very concentrated extract. After that, they remove water from the extract to make dry powder or crystals, which will dissolve when you add water.
Instant Coffee Vs Brewed Coffee?
There is a very small difference between instant and brewed coffee because instant one is literally 100% coffee beans which were roasted, ground, brewed and dried. However, instant coffee contains less caffeine than brewed one.
How Much Caffeine In Instant Coffee?
Instant coffee contains 60-80mg of caffeine, or you can choose decaf option with no caffeine.
How To Choose The Best Instant Coffee?
Flavor
There are 3 main types of flavor which will influence the taste and aroma. Let’s take a closer look.
Dark Roast
Dark roast coffee is made of dark brown beans with an oily surface. Such java has a heavy body and a darker, deeper flavor. This type can make good low acid instant coffee.
Medium Roast
The beans are medium brown with no oil on the surface. Such joey has a balanced taste, aroma and acidity.
Light Roast
Light roast preserves the greater extent of flavors of coffee beans; it contains more caffeine and is more acidic.
Caffeine Levels
Instant coffee contains about 60-80mg of caffeine; if you want more caffeine in a quick solution, try the best k-cup coffee.
Decaf coffee still has a bit of caffeine – 2 mg.
Acidity
The level of acidity depends on the type of roast, dark roast means less acidity. If you want a somewhat acidic drink, pick coffee instant type 1.
Additives
Packaged, flavored instant coffee may contain some additives like sugar, palm oil, low-quality creamer, etc. Generally, such an option tastes great but is not healthy.
Price
High-quality instant coffee is rather expensive. However, there are some options with excellent price/quality ratio, e,g., Nescafe Instant Coffee Dark Roast. Plus, you can get a discount if you buy coffee in bulk.
Best Instant Coffee Types
Spray Drying Instant Coffee
When the spray-drying method is used, they spray coffee extract into a stream of hot air. While the droplets are falling, they become a fine instant coffee powder before they reach the bottom. Thanks to the very fast drying the quality of aroma and taste is preserved.
Freeze Drying Instant Coffee
When the freeze-drying method is used, they froze coffee extract to about -40C, then they cut it into granules. After that, granules are dried under the vacuum at low temperature. This procedure preserves the flavor and aroma.
VERDICT AND OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR 2023
Undoubtedly, nothing can replace freshly brewed java. But there are lots of moments in our lives when we just have no time to make it that’s when instant coffee comes in handy. It features great flavor, aroma and will definitely give you so much needed energy boost. But which one to choose? We, at mykitchenadvisor.com, consider Starbucks VIA Decaf This decaf joey is made of premium-quality Arabica coffee beans, so it has a rich, deep, sweet flavor with caramelized sugar notes. On top of everything else, this option makes the best instant coffee for backpacking since each serving is individually packed.