The downside is that coffee packaged this way costs more, and excess packaging isn't great for the environment. This makes it convenient to take with you to work, on camping trips, or anywhere else you might need an easy caffeine hit. Some instant coffee comes packaged in individual sachets. That said, coffee with added microgrounds can still be slightly grainy. The quantity of the microgrounds is small enough and the grind is fine enough that drinkers aren't left with an excessively gritty cup of coffee. These add some complexity to the flavor that can be missing from instant coffee. While instant coffee is effectively a dried form of brewed coffee that's rehydrated when you add water, some types contain small quantities of extremely finely ground coffee beans, called microgrounds. For instance, one might be a blend of robusta beans and lesser-quality arabica beans to add more of a punch. This might not seem all that important, and it isn't necessarily important on its own, but it's an indicator that the producer of the coffee has thought carefully about what unique qualities the grower or region imparts to the brew.īlended types can use different types of beans to make up for what one is lacking. Single origin instant coffee is made using beans from a single coffee grower or geographic region. It isn't always obvious which drying method was used, though spray-dried coffee has a finer consistency, so might come in powdered form, while freeze-dried coffee tends to come in larger granules.īestReviews What are the features of instant coffee? Single origin vs. ![]() However, freeze-drying is a more involved and expensive process, so this type of instant coffee can be pricier than its spray-dried counterparts. The freeze-drying process generally retains more flavor compared to the spray-drying method, so freeze-dried coffee tends to taste better. Instant coffee can either be freeze-dried or spray-dried. It isn't for everybody, but it's a perfectly valid choice and it will save you money. Of course, there's nothing wrong with liking affordable everyday instant coffee. If you tried an everyday brand and didn't like it, it's worth giving a premium option a try. The difference in flavor between everyday and premium is undeniable. Premium brands cost more but are made using carefully selected beans and often roasted in small batches for freshness. It's inexpensive and these brands don't necessarily pay much attention to bean selection or brewing process. You can roughly group most brands of instant coffee into everyday or premium, and this is where the big difference comes in.Įveryday is what most people think of when they consider this type of coffee. Anyone who is apprehensive about trying it should try a high-end option and let their taste buds decide. Just like any product, you can find some top-notch instant coffees and some that are worth less than the jar they come in. ![]() On the other hand, ask someone who's perfectly content with grocery store ground coffee made in a traditional percolator and they might say they're happy to drink instant. Ask someone who only drinks coffee made from the highest-quality coffee beans and has spent thousands of dollars on brewing equipment and they'll probably say the instant variety is trash. Whether the coffee is good is subjective because some people are more discerning about their coffee than others. The reason instant coffee isn't more popular among coffee aficionados comes down to taste. How to choose the best instant coffee Is instant coffee any good? ![]() Here are the coffees we tried, ranked.If you like a shot of syrup in your coffee-shop brew, you might want to try flavored instant coffee. Considering that the bar is pretty low for instant coffee, we were surprised to find how much of a difference there was between each brand-some smelled and tasted pretty close to freshly brewed coffee, with subtle notes of chocolate or fruit, but others reeked of burnt rubber and tasted bitter, sour, or flat. In an effort to find the best instant coffee, I organized a remote taste test of 10 popular brands with editors Marguerite Preston and Marilyn Ong, two of my colleagues from the Wirecutter test kitchen. And now that more and more specialty coffee roasters are selling instant coffee, we’ve found it’s not always as bad as it used to be. Although it’s probably not the ideal choice for your morning cup of joe, instant coffee can be a saving grace when access to fresh-brewed coffee isn’t an option. There’s a reason instant coffee gets such a bad rap: It usually tastes terrible. Sign up for Wirecutter's Top Picks newsletter to get independent reviews, expert advice, and the very best deals sent straight to your inbox.
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