As someone from a coffee crazy family, I have have been drinking coffee since I was seven years old. I have to have a cup of coffee every single day, and when I first arrived at college I was too cheap to buy a coffee maker so I had to get acquainted with instant coffee for a while. Over a course of about four weeks, I went through a lot of instant coffee samples trying to find the best instant coffee brands. Here's a list of my top 10 instant coffees, should you find yourself in a similar situation.
10. Giraldo Farms Instant Coffee
Last but not least is the Giraldo Farms Instant coffee. This coffee has a mild flavor with a slight caramel flavor. It's a little too watery for my taste, and the reason this coffee is last on this list is because it leaves a powdery coating on your tongue.
9. Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee
Overall this coffee has a pretty bitter taste, but boy does it do its job. If you need something to wake you up in the morning then this is the instant coffee you need.
8. Douwe Egberts Pure Gold Instant Coffee
I like this instant coffee. It goes down smooth and has a good smell with a hint of a burning caramel scent. This coffee is lower down on the list because you really have to stir for a long time to get the coffee granules to dissolve since they're a bit larger. Overall still a great cup of coffee.
7. Maxwell House French Vanilla Instant Coffee
This instant coffee makes a really good cup in the mornings. It mixes really easily with hot water and has great taste with a hint of French vanilla. I actually tried this one iced and it was really good since you can adjust the amount of coffee you use to get the taste how you want it.
6. Mount Hagen Organic Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee
The taste is similar to good fresh brewed coffee and has none of the acidic bitterness often seen in instant coffee. This coffee has a rich, yet mild flavor and goes down smoothly. The only con about this coffee is that it's a little pricey since it's organic.
5. Jacob's Krönung Instant Coffee
This coffee has a nice smell and taste. It's a little more bitter than the other coffees on this list, but overall it produces a very enjoyable cup of coffee that's very similar to real coffee.
4. Nescafe Taster's Choice Vanilla
If you like vanilla-flavored, coffee then this is that instant coffee for you! The best thing about this brand is that it comes in sticks that you can take on the go. The Nescafe vanilla instant coffee tastes like real coffee with no bitter aftertaste, and it also smells great.
3. Bustelo Supreme
I really like this instant coffee mix. It smells like real coffee and tastes like it too! The Bustelo supreme mix is reminiscent of diner coffee, kind of like the coffee they serve at Waffle House, so it earns a number three spot on this list of best instant coffees.
#SpoonTip: This mix makes a really strong coffee, so if you're not a fan of strong coffee you might have to add some cream and sugar to this.
2. Starbucks Via Colombia
Second on the list is Starbucks' instant coffee from Colombia. This mix smells amazing and the taste is actually so good you almost can't tell that it's not made from real coffee beans. It has a slight chocolate flavor too, which is a bonus.
1. Nescafe Clásico Instant Coffee
Nescafe has a consistently rich flavor. It smells like real coffee and tastes great. It mixes great with milk and cold water if you want an iced drink. I actually wouldn't mind drinking this instant coffee every day, which is why this is my number one on the best instant coffee list.
Hopefully, this list helps anyone looking for a quick but delicious cup of coffee in the morning. If you're a coffee addict like I am, you'll enjoy these instant choices as much as real coffee beans.