Instant Coffee
Every instant coffee we have reviewed, scored on the specifications the maker publishes.
How we rate instant coffee — the 5 criteria behind every score on this page.
Our pick
· research-based, chosen for a reason, not a rating
The best instant on this site, in the format that travels
The best instant coffee, ranked
scored on what the maker publishes · open a row for the working1
Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee Sticks 25ct9.6- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 10.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 10.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 9.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
2
Waka Colombian Medium Roast Instant Coffee Singles9.1- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 9.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 7.7 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
3
Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Instant Coffee8.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 10.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 6.7 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
4
Cartograph Organic Instant Coffee Packets 50ct8.4- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
5
Highground Organic Instant Coffee8.3- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.3
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 6.7 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
6
Intelligentsia Instant Espresso Black Cat Classic8.2- Process & Cup Quality
- 10.0
- Convenience & Format
- 7.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 2.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 2.7 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
7
Starbucks Premium Instant Coffee Blonde Roast8.0- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
8
Kopiko Premium 3 in 1 Instant Coffee Mix 10ct7.8- Process & Cup Quality
- 7.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 7.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
9
Anthony's Organic Instant Coffee 14oz7.2- Process & Cup Quality
- 8.0
- Convenience & Format
- 5.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 10.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
10
Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee7.2- Process & Cup Quality
- 9.0
- Convenience & Format
- 5.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.3
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
11
Skylorin Mushroom Coffee Sticks 30ct7.1- Process & Cup Quality
- 5.0
- Convenience & Format
- 10.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 5.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
12
Intelligentsia Instant Coffee House Blend6.9- Process & Cup Quality
- 7.0
- Convenience & Format
- 7.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 2.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 2.7 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
13
Bevzilla Flavoured Instant Coffee Sticks Variety Pack6.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 5.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 5.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
14
Jot Dark Ultra Coffee Concentrate6.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 7.0
- Convenience & Format
- 5.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 10.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
Read review →PriceFrom $2615
Nescafe 3 in 1 Strong Instant Coffee Sachets 28ct6.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 5.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 5.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
16
Nescafe Classic 3 in 1 Instant Coffee Sachets 28ct6.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 5.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 5.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
17
Nescafe Taster's Choice House Blend Instant Coffee6.7- Process & Cup Quality
- 7.0
- Convenience & Format
- 7.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
18
Nescafe Gold Latte Instant Coffee Sachets6.6- Process & Cup Quality
- 5.0
- Convenience & Format
- 8.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 10.0
Weakest link: Process & Cup Quality — 5.0 of 10, carrying 30 of the 69.5 points scored here.
19
Jot Original Ultra Coffee Concentrate6.4- Process & Cup Quality
- 7.0
- Convenience & Format
- 5.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
Read review →PriceFrom $2620
Nescafe Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee6.2- Process & Cup Quality
- 6.0
- Convenience & Format
- 7.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
21
Ryze Mushroom Coffee6.2- Process & Cup Quality
- 6.0
- Convenience & Format
- 6.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 7.7
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 16 of the 69.5 points scored here.
22
Ferrara Instant Espresso Coffee 2oz6.0- Process & Cup Quality
- 6.0
- Convenience & Format
- 6.0
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 6.7
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
23
Z Natural Foods Organic Instant Coffee Powder Dark Roast5.6- Process & Cup Quality
- 6.0
- Convenience & Format
- 5.5
- Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published)
- 5.0
- Packaging & Shelf Life (resealable not published)
- 5.0
Weakest link: Sourcing Transparency (roaster or process partner named and direct trade not published) — 5.0 of 10, carrying 18 of the 69.5 points scored here.
How to choose a instant coffee
Instant coffee is real coffee that has been brewed, had the water removed, and been left as something that dissolves. Nothing is added. The entire question in this category is how the water was taken out, because that decides how much of the coffee survives.
Spray-dried and freeze-dried are not the same product
Spray drying pumps concentrated brewed coffee through a nozzle into a tower of hot air. The droplets dry almost instantly into powder. It is fast and cheap, and the heat drives off most of the aromatic compounds along with the water. This is what the majority of supermarket instant is.
Freeze drying starts by freezing the concentrate solid, then places it under vacuum so the ice turns straight to vapour without melting. Because it never gets hot, far more of the aroma stays in the granule. Freeze-dried coffee looks like irregular chips or granules rather than fine uniform powder, and it costs more because the process is slow and energy-hungry.
If a jar does not say which it is, it is almost certainly spray-dried. The makers who freeze dry say so.
Specialty instant is a genuinely different category
A wave of roasters now sell single-origin instant in single-serve sachets at prices that look absurd next to a jar. They are doing something different: starting from good, traceable, freshly roasted coffee rather than commodity beans, and often freeze drying in small batches.
The honest position is that the best instant coffee is very good and still not as good as the same beans brewed fresh. What it is genuinely better than is bad filter coffee, hotel-room coffee, or no coffee at all on a mountain. Judge it against the realistic alternative rather than against a pour over you were never going to make.
What to look for on the packaging
Look for the drying method stated. Look for an origin, because a roaster willing to name a country is usually starting from better coffee, and most instant names none. Look for a roast date, which almost nothing in this category prints.
Single-serve sachets keep better than a jar. Instant coffee is hygroscopic, which means it pulls moisture out of the air, and every time a jar is opened the remaining granules take on a little more. That is why the last cup from a jar tastes flatter and clumps together. A sachet is opened once.
It dissolves, so the water rules are different
There is nothing to extract, so there is no brew time and no grind to get wrong. The one thing that matters is water temperature: boiling water scorches the dissolved solids and makes the cup taste harsh and thin. Water just off the boil, around 90 degrees, tastes noticeably better, which is a free improvement most people never try.
Reading on instant coffee
What to know before you pick one.
- Is Instant Coffee Real Coffee?
It is entirely coffee and nothing but coffee. What separates it from the cup you brew is not an ingredient, it is what the drying process took away and never gave back.
- How Much Caffeine Is in Coffee?
By brew method, by bean and by cup size, with the two things that change it most and the one everybody gets backwards.
- Coffee Bags vs Instant: Not the Same Thing at All
One is real ground coffee you brew like tea. The other is coffee that was already brewed, then dried. The difference decides everything about how the cup tastes.
- Does Coffee Have Fiber?
Yes, a small amount, and it is not the kind you are picturing. It comes from the roast rather than the bean.
Frequently asked
Is freeze-dried coffee better than spray-dried?
Generally yes. Freeze drying removes water under vacuum without heat, so far more aroma survives. Spray drying uses hot air, which is faster and cheaper and drives off most of the aromatics. If a jar does not say which method was used, it is almost certainly spray-dried.
Is instant coffee real coffee?
Yes. It is brewed coffee with the water removed. Nothing is added. The difference between good and bad instant is how the water was taken out and what quality of bean was used.
Why is specialty instant coffee so expensive?
It starts from traceable, freshly roasted specialty beans instead of commodity coffee, and is usually freeze dried in small batches, which is slow and energy-intensive. You are paying for the input and the process.
How should I make instant coffee?
Use water just off the boil rather than boiling, around 90 degrees. Boiling water scorches the dissolved solids and makes the cup taste harsh. There is no brew time or grind to worry about, so temperature is the only variable you control.
Do sachets keep better than a jar?
Yes. Instant coffee pulls moisture from the air, so a jar takes on a little more every time it is opened, which is why the last cup tastes flat and the granules clump. A sachet is opened once.
What is the best instant coffee?
Based on our research across the category, Mount Hagen Organic Instant Coffee Sticks 25ct is our editor's pick for instant coffee. The best instant on this site, in the format that travels
Is there a cheap instant coffee worth buying?
Intelligentsia Instant Espresso Black Cat Classic is the least expensive we have reviewed in this category at $13.00. Cheapest is not the same as best value: the review says which corners were cut.
How much does a instant coffee cost?
The ones we have reviewed run from about $13 to $27. Price tracks build material, capacity and how much of the specification the maker publishes.