Why is instant coffeee STILL so bloody horrible?

[Zak33]

I ran out of ground today. Knew it was low and was due to go shopping.. but hey.. there's a jar of Kenko in the cupboard that my Dad drinks when he visits.

It's not cheap stuff.

Gotta be worth a try.... right?







yeuuurrcchhhh.... what in hell's name IS it?

It's instant coffee... but it's 2015... WHY MUST IT BE SO.....HORRIBLE?

ITS NOTHING LIKE COFFEE.....gawd... I had to clean my teeth

[Ferral]

You would be goosed round mine then as we have Sainsbury's Rich Roast as out everyday coffee

[abaxas]

TBH most grotty instant is much preferable to a badly made espresso/filter/etc.

Just remember to add the milk first so not to scortch.

[Rob_B]

Milicano, the best I've had, easier than using my aeropress and gets used more than it probably should

[cam1986]

I love Nescafe

[g8ina]

Jacobs instant is palatable, as is Millicano, but the rest is rubbish

[scaryjim]

Douwe Egbert, Pure Gold or Pure Indulgence depending on how roasted you like your coffee. Most supermarkets do the big 190g jars on offer, and it's pretty good. It's been my office staple for several years, although I'm currently out and putting off buying another jar to give my body a rest from the daily caffeine overdose.

Instant is never going to be the same as ground coffee. You have to approach it differently, with a different mindset. It's what you drink when real coffee isn't practical.

Then again, if you're buying ground instead of whole bean you're still not really drinking coffee

[Jowsey]

My work buy Rington's and it's passable. We have a fancy pod like machine for client use that does surprisingly nice imitations of proper coffee, but nothing will beat a home-made latte with my £25 machine at home using ground.

Really, it's not even an overtly expensive life choice if you're reasonable!

[Smudger]

The coffee that goes into the Douwe Egberts and Kenco jars is exactly the same as the stuff that goes into the supermarket own brand jars. You're better off with Morrison's own...

[scaryjim]

The coffee that goes into the Douwe Egberts and Kenco jars is exactly the same as the stuff that goes into the supermarket own brand jars. You're better off with Morrison's own...

Oh, it really isn't. At least not at the same price point when the Douwe Egberts is on offer. I went for the Morrison's own brand last time I bought some because the DE wasn't on offer, and regretted it for the couple of weeks it took me to get through the jar...

[Galant]

Douwe Egbert, Pure Gold or Pure Indulgence depending on how roasted you like your coffee. Most supermarkets do the big 190g jars on offer, and it's pretty good. It's been my office staple for several years, although I'm currently out and putting off buying another jar to give my body a rest from the daily caffeine overdose.

Instant is never going to be the same as ground coffee. You have to approach it differently, with a different mindset. It's what you drink when real coffee isn't practical.

Then again, if you're buying ground instead of whole bean you're still not really drinking coffee

Second vote for the Douwe Egbert Pure Gold. Nescafe Gold's alright too. However, on a slightly different note, I recently discovered M&S do these packs of one-cup filters which are sort of like the filter-coffee version of tea bags. You put something like a small, plastic Thermos cup on your mug and then pour hot water in.

Maybe worth a try?

[Spud1]

It's a completely different drink imo - so I wouldn't compare the two.

Just like Coffee, Instant coffee can be pretty good as a drink, or absolutely awful, and there are many variations in between.
Personally I really don't like your standard Nescafe, Kenco or whatever other brand of "standard" instant coffee you buy - but it's drinkable in a pinch. I do however quite like Millicano or ideally Nescafe Azera - it's really rather nice.

None of it tastes like coffee though - there is something to be said for buying a bag of beans, grinding them up and using a french press - its a totally different (and imo much more indulgent) drink. When at home I have a pod machine which does the job as a half way house.

I've recently developed a similar opinion of tea; when I have the time I will brew up a small pot of good quality loose leaf tea and it makes for a wonderful drink - I usually don't even need to add any milk The alternative is a tea bag variety like Tetley or PG..which again is drinkable, but requires milk and a different expectation.

So in short - don't think of it as coffee and it's absolutely fine (if you get the "good stuff"). Think of it as coffee and you will be hugely disappointed!

[g8ina]

If you want an alternative, as someone mentioned coffee filters in M&S, Lyons do coffee bags, just ground coffee in bags, like teabags, simple and very convenient - we use em when camping.

[peterb]

Hmm, instant coffee only really has two uses

1. As a flavouring for coffee and walnut cake

2. In a vacuum flask when you need something wet and warm after a chilly dive in the Solent.

[scaryjim]

... M&S do these packs of one-cup filters which are sort of like the filter-coffee version of tea bags. ...

They're pretty good - a few companies do them, and they occasionally turn up in Poundstretcher or similar bargain stores, at which point they're not a bad choice. Proper filter coffee; and although the quality of the coffee isn't amazing it's certainly passable.

If you want an alternative, as someone mentioned coffee filters in M&S, Lyons do coffee bags, just ground coffee in bags, like teabags, simple and very convenient - we use em when camping.

I always found it very hard to get the coffee strength right with those bags, but they're definitely convenient.

[shaithis]

I find the Nescafe Azera stuff palatable but unless I am gasping and there is no other choice, I only drink proper coffee.

In fact, I haven't had a jar of instant in my house for around 2 years. Buy a machine and master it, never buy instant again!