In a perfect world, the best instant coffee tastes like freshly brewed coffee rather than like freeze-dried coffee crystals that were dissolved in hot water. But as we learned in our first instant coffee taste test, that generally is not the case. Most instant coffee tastes like instant coffee, and I mean that in the worst way possible. It’s either weak or bitter or stale tasting or grainy. But before you click away, I have excellent instant coffee news. Since our last taste test, a new sort of instant coffee has emerged: pour over instant coffee. What I’m talking about are little sachets of coffee attached to paper arms; you use the arms to balance the sachet on the rim of your cup or mug, pour in hot water, and voila! Good coffee in a dang instant.
So, yes, spoiler: The best instant coffee is also the best pour over coffee, no grinder or Chemex needed. That style leads this list, but if you genuinely prefer the instant coffee in its classic format, there’s plenty of that variety on this list, too, including the best instant decaf coffee (although I’m sure when we update this list yet again, our current best decaf will be replaced with a pour over). Whether you’re going camping, living that van life, or simply don’t budget enough time to brew a whole pot of coffee in the morning, this is the best tasting instant coffee according to our taste tests.
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- Great Value Classic Decaf
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If you don’t drink decaffeinated coffee, there’s no reason to have a stash of decaf coffee grounds or decaf K Cups in the pantry—the coffee will just go bad. But if you want to be prepared for the odd guest who prefers not to consume liquid caffeine, having a jar of Great Value instant decaf on hand is smart. There are 120 cups in this jar, but I’d recommend adding more crystals to your cup than the instructions indicate to get a more bold flavor. Your decaf-loving visitors might not clamor for another cup, but they won’t avoid coming over either. It’s the best instant decaf coffee we tried in our taste tests—and it won’t go bad between decaffeinated visitors.
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- Nescafé Clasico Dark Roast
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It’s kind of hard to believe Nespresso and Nescafé share DNA. Both are Nestle products (hence the “Nes”). But Nespresso has become an upscale brand of machines and pods (here in L.A., one of our fancier malls has a whole-ass Nespresso store), while Nescafe’s most popular form is still instant crystals. I guess you could say Necafé walked so Nespresso could run. Anyway, this is a pretty classic and standard instant coffee. It isn’t the best instant coffee by any means, but it’ll get you through the morning in a pinch. A word of warning: When you’re in the coffee aisle, definitely go with this one over Nescafé Taster’s Choice, which we all thought was bitter, sour, and had an off-putting smell.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Café Bustelo Espresso Instant Coffee
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I have a soft spot for Café Bustelo. When I first got an extremely cheap espresso maker in college, I always brewed Café Bustelo because it’s affordable and reliable. This is definitely more aggressive tasting than the other coffees on the list, but that’s kind of what you want from an espresso, right? One taste tester called this “borderline too harsh,” but they meant it in a good way. If you want the best tasting instant coffee in a small dose, Café Bustelo is the best instant coffee brand.
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- Starbucks Via Instant Colombia Medium Roast Coffee
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If bold coffee aroma is your thing, this is some of the best instant coffee to scratch that itch. This is perhaps the most convenient option on the list. You just dump a pre-portioned packet into a mug, add hot water, and you’re good to go. No measuring necessary. As far as flavor goes, this one definitely has a bit of bitterness but nothing you can’t get past. The roasty notes on the nose help it translate into a bold, mostly enjoyable cup of coffee.
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- Starbucks Dark Roast Premium Instant
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Of all the mix-and-stir instant coffees we tried, this is the best tasting instant coffee of them all (it was formerly #1 on our list, in fact). This one comes in a nice little tin that contains 40 cups worth of microground granules. It purports to be “bold & roasty,” and that’s about right. It’s certainly stronger than most of the others we tried, but it doesn’t taste too bitter or burnt (personally, I thought Starbucks’ instant French Roast was too bitter to make the list at all). Between the lovely presentation and the pretty decent coffee flavor, this instant coffee is way better than most.
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- Kuju Coffee Medium Roast Basecamp Blend
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We’ve made it to the instant pour over portion of this ranking—hoorah! First of all, let me say it’s very funny to me that this is “medium roast” coffee because it’s so, so strong. It’s, like, espresso strong. The coffee in the sachet is very finely ground, which I think contributes to the intensity of the flavor once hot water is added, but that’s also the nice thing about these pour over packets. You can add as much or as little water as you want. I would definitely add more hot water to make it more like an Americano than an espresso. The coffee itself promises flavors of oak, chocolate, and honey, and it definitely has plenty of complexity. The package doesn’t have info about the provenance of the beans, but if you’re not a total coffee freak, you probably don’t care. Important thing is, this stuff is good and strong! Kuju is one of the best instant coffee brands and you can find it on Amazon or at REI.
Credit: Liv Averett / REI
- Twin Peaks Original Pour Over 100% Colombian Coffee
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As I already mentioned (a lot of times), the best instant coffee is also the best pour over coffee. Twin Peaks Columbian isn’t super strong but it has that nice, toasty, third-wave smell. As soon as I opened the packet I could tell this was nice coffee. I will admit, I’m not a coffee expert, but this is, without a doubt, a thousand times better than the instant coffee you’re used to. It was also better than all the other pour over packets we tried. Is strong and vibrant with a perfect amount of roastiness on the finish. This coffee is robust and downright silky, and it brews in just a few seconds as you pour hot water over the pouch. Add more water if you want it weak; add less if you want it strong. When it comes to the best tasting instant coffee, the world is your caffeinated oyster.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Best Decaf
Best Classic(o)
Best Instant Espresso
Best Bold
Best Starbucks
Best Strong Instant Coffee
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Folgers Classic Packets, O Organics Instant Coffee, Starbucks French Roast, Trader Joe’s 100% Columbian Instant Coffee, Trader Joe’s Instant Coffee Packets All Dressed Up, Maxwell House Hazelnut Cafe, Beaumont Instant Coffee Classic Decaf, Nescafe Tasters Choice 100% Colombian, Medaglia d’Oro Instant Espresso
