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trust me i should know

I Tried Dozens of Instant Coffees Over the Past Year. These 12 Are the Best.
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trust me i should know Aug. 5, 2021


I TRIED DOZENS OF INSTANT COFFEES OVER THE PAST YEAR. THESE 12 ARE THE BEST.

By Chloe Anello

Chloe Anello writes about everything from skin care to bedsheets. Most of all,
she loves asking celebrities what they can’t live without.

Chloe Anello writes about everything from skin care to bedsheets. Most of all,
she loves asking celebrities what they can’t live without.

Photo-Illustration: The Strategist. Photos: Courtesy of the Retailers

I don’t own a coffee machine and I have no interest in getting one. It’s not
that I don’t like coffee — I very much enjoy it. But when I drink it, I only
drink one cup, which has never seemed enough to make investing in even a cheap
coffee-maker worthwhile. Last year when everything closed down, I was forced to
quit my habit of picking up a latte at the café down the street. Not willing to
give up my routine or caffeine, I took a chance on Jot, an instant coffee that,
to my surprise (and delight), tasted comparable to what I was used to from my
coffee shop. Even non–coffee snobs like me know that instant coffee has always
had a reputation as sort of the Franzia of the coffee world: a cheap (and
cheap-tasting) imitation of the real thing. But my love for Jot — which my
coffee-snob boyfriend also approved of — got me wondering if there were other
instant varieties that are just as good.

The short answer? Yes. After spending more than a year trying more than two
dozen kinds of instant coffee, I now consider myself a bit of a connoisseur. For
those who haven’t had it in awhile — or ever — instant coffee now comes in lots
more forms than the chalky powder you might think of. That’s not to say there
aren’t good powdered instant coffees — there are — but my favorites also come as
single-serve bags, concentrates, and even latte mixes (none of which made me
react like Ross and Chandler when they tried instant lattes on Friends). Each
style has its strengths. Single-serve bags work best for those who seek precise
brew strength because you can control how long they steep for. Concentrates work
best for those who want a strong cup. And if you’re short on time or
particularly lazy (or both), a mix or powder are generally the easiest to
prepare without much effort. My 12 favorite instant coffees below should include
a variety for most anyone — including the dairy-free, because I’m
lactose-intolerant.







BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR EVERY KIND OF PALATE

Swift Cup Coffee Mainstay Blend
$11
$11

Swift Cup Coffee actually produces the instant coffee for many brands, including
some that are on this list. According to the company, the proprietary technology
it uses to roast and freeze-dry coffee as a powder is why other brands seek it
as a production partner. But after trying Swift’s own powder instant coffee
along with varieties it makes for other companies, I would say Swift’s is
better. The texture is the smoothest of all the instant coffees on this list and
every cup tastes café-quality, whether black or with a splash of milk. You
really can’t tell it’s instant.

$11 at Swift Cup Coffee
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE THEIR COFFEE BLACK

Joe Coffee Instant-Coffee Packets
$20
$20

I used to stop into Joe Coffee for black coffee at least once a week when I
commuted to the office. The coffee was always so rich and smooth that I never
needed to add anything to it. I’m happy to say the brand’s powder instant
coffee, served black, tastes just the same. Joe Coffee is actually produced in
partnership with Swift Cup Coffee, which explains why it’s of such high quality.
Even though it is clearly not fresh — it is freeze-dried coffee powder — somehow
this tastes like it was just roasted.

$20 at Amazon
Buy
$20 at Amazon
Buy



BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER DECAF

Voila Equator Decaf Colombia
$15
$15

Sometimes I want the taste of coffee but not the caffeine. Decaf coffee of
course has its stigmas, one of which is that a lot of it tastes off. I’ve felt
this way about both instant and machine-brewed decaf coffees, but Voila is an
exception. I’ve tried the brand’s caffeinated coffees, too, and the decaf tastes
so similar that I sometimes forget which variety I’m drinking. There’s no weird
aftertaste and the powder dissolves seamlessly.

$15 at Equator Coffees
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE LIGHT ROAST

Chamberlain Coffee Early Bird Steeped Bags
$20
$20
Photo: Courtesy of the Retailer

I spoke to Emma Chamberlain last year after she rebranded her coffee company.
Her team sent me samples in preparation for our interview and, despite my
preconceptions that she maybe was just slapping her name on anything, I really
liked the coffee. I drank it so much that once my samples were gone, I bought
more of the single-serve bags myself. I’m typically a medium-to-dark-roast
person, but the brand’s Early Bird, a light-roast, is what I enjoyed most,
especially on days I didn’t get a lot of sleep. It has the highest caffeine
content of all of Chamberlain Coffee’s blends and definitely wakes me up. The
taste is crisp, not heavy or rich — another reason why I prefer it on mornings
when I’m feeling more tired.

$20 at Chamberlain Coffee
Buy





BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE MEDIUM ROAST

Starbucks Premium Instant MultiServe 90g, Medium Roast
$17
$17

I first heard about this instant coffee from Tan France, who to be fair
partnered with Starbucks to promote it. Again, the brand sent me some to try —
but they did not send some to my dad, whom I gave a cup to one day when he came
over to hang some pictures. He is a loyalist to Maxwell House and uses his
Cuisinart coffee-maker to brew it, but when he tried this, he couldn’t believe
it was instant. Tan, meanwhile, described it as “exactly like the medium roast
you get at a Starbucks store,” and I’d have to agree. Of all the powder instant
coffees on the list, this is also the easiest to blend. I only need to stir it
for maybe five seconds before it’s good to go.

$17 at Amazon
Buy
$17 at Amazon
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE DARK ROAST

Steeped Coffee Dark Roast Odyssey Blend
$15
$15
Photo: Courtesy of the Retailer

Steeped Coffee offers all sorts of instant-coffee blends, from French roast to
light roast. Of the two I’ve tried (medium and dark), I recommend the dark for
its chocolatey, caramel-y notes. The instant coffee comes in single-serve bags
and, to me, tastes a bit fresher than other bagged varieties. Apparently this is
due to a patent-pending process that involves nitro sealing each bag to preserve
the freshness of the grind, according to the brand. Each bag is also sealed
without glue or staples, elements that prevent other single-serve tea or coffee
bags from being compostable. So this instant coffee is a bit more
environmentally friendly, too.

$15 at Amazon
Buy
$15 at Amazon
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER LATTES

Intelligentsia Single Serve Instant Oat Latte
$14
$14

This one bugged me at first because each time I made it, it tasted bitter and
almost burnt. I wrote it off as just a bad instant mix until my sister and
sister-in-law told me that the temperature of the water you use to brew matters.
Not being a coffee snob, I didn’t yet know this. But once I did, I gave the
latte mix another go with 200-degree water instead of the 212-degree temperature
I usually let it rise to. The lower temperature made all the difference: That
cup, and each one since, has tasted like a real latte. Because this is a latte
mix, you don’t have to add any milk — it already has oat powder in it that turns
very creamy as soon as the water touches it. It foams a little on it’s own
through stirring, but you won’t get any intense froth. You also have to
vigorously stir it for longer than the few seconds the brand suggests to make
sure it doesn’t clump (or use a frother if you have one). Even so, it’s worth
the extra effort for those who love their lattes.

$14 at Target
Buy




BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER FROTHY LATTES

Clevr Coffee SuperLatte
$28
$28
Photo: Courtesy of the Retailer

A lot of instant latte mixes require you to foam your milk outside of the latte
if you want real froth. The best part about this mix from Clevr is that you
don’t need to add anything to it to get a frothy latte. You do, however, need a
frother — but given how perfectly foamy this mix gets each time, buying one
would probably save you money on coffee-shop lattes in the long run. Just add
eight ounces of water to three tablespoons of the mix, blend it with a frother
for ten seconds, and the included oat milk and coconut cream make it foamier and
creamier than any other instant latte I’ve tried. To those who don’t have (or
want) a frother, I’ve also stirred this together and it works. But the resulting
latte isn’t as foamy.

$28 at Clevr Blend
Buy



BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER COLD BREW

Lucky Jack Coffee Cold Brew Concentrate
$10
$10
Photo: Courtesy of the Retailer

You usually have to plan ahead in order to make cold brew because it has to sit
for at least 12 hours. Lucky Jack solves that problem: Because it’s a
concentrate, you just mix it with water and you’re done. I’ve tried it hot, but
I think this really shines when served cold. They also have different varieties,
like vanilla and caramel, if you prefer your cold brew with a little flavor.

$10 at Instacart
Buy
$9 at Mercato
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO SWITCH BETWEEN HOT AND COLD BREW

Jot Ultra Coffee
$24
$24
Photo: reatailer

Jot, the instant coffee that got me hooked on instant coffees, still holds a
place in my lineup. It’s a concentrate like Lucky Jack, but I think it’s
slightly more versatile because it tastes as good brewed hot or cold. I’ve
determined this is due to the consistency; Lucky Jack is thinner than Jot, which
makes it taste kind of weak served hot. Because of its thicker consistency, Jot
also requires less of the concentrate in order to get a strong taste.

$24 at Jot
Buy




BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO USE CREAMERS

Laird Superfood Instafuel Instant Coffee
$12
$12

I normally don’t love creamers. They often have an awful aftertaste that can
instantly ruin a cup of coffee. The reason I gave this powder instant coffee
that includes a creamer a shot is because Strategist editor Maxine Builder wrote
an ode to the brand’s creamer years ago; if she liked it, I figured I might like
the coffee. I’m happy to say that Maxine did not lead me astray. The instant
coffee is creamy without being heavy and, more importantly, does not have a bad
aftertaste. When you add water, don’t be alarmed if unappetizing clumps of
powder float to the top: An intense stir (you really need to stir this one)
blends it all into what tastes like a normal cup of coffee.

$12 at Amazon
Buy


BEST INSTANT COFFEE FOR PEOPLE WHO PREFER FLAVORED COFFEE

SteamCafe Gourmet Flavored Instant Coffee, Chocolate Sea Salt
$15
$15

Flavored coffee can often taste too sweet and leave my stomach feeling
uncomfortably heavy after drinking a full cup. To be honest, I saw this brand on
Amazon and took a chance. I liked that it contains no chemicals and is sweetened
by monk fruit, which is subtler and less saccharin than sugar. And I love
chocolate. This is by far the best of the handful of mocha-latte-type instant
coffees I tried. The powder instant coffee is rich to be sure, but not heavy
enough that I feel queasy after drinking it. The chocolate and sea-salt flavors
taste natural, too. I like it so much that I plan to try the brand’s salted
caramel and vanilla varieties when I finish this bag.

$15 at Amazon
Buy
$15 at Amazon
Buy



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I’ve Tried Dozens of Instant Coffees. These 12 Are the Best.


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