Most of just don’t have the time to go to a good coffee shop a taste the pristine blend that is handcrafted by a barista. Instead, the majority of us make do with instant coffees or coffee machines. Although it seems like an inferior substitute, There are quite a bit of amazing instant coffees there. Check out our Best Instant Coffee Brands UK for more details.
The really good Instant Coffees don’t just taste amazing but they can also have health benefits. Of course, these days you can even find organic coffee blends with zero chemicals even during the processing stage.
Related: Check out our list of the Best Coffee Beans UK!
Anyway, let’s get to it, shall we? Here’s the Best Instant Coffee Brands UK.
After reviewing 100 instant coffee brands based on various factors like quality, taste, type, flavour and price, My team and I zeroed in on 6 that really stood out. These 6 were further put through a series of tests to determine the best. We found that:
The Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Pike Place Roast. Manufactured as a homage to their first location, this It’s a medium roasted instant coffee brand is known for its smooth body and rich flavour. The subtle flavours of cocoa and toasted nuts create a balanced and satisfying cup with a smooth finish.
Best Instant Coffee Brands UK
#1 — Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Pike Place Roast
Starbuck’s VIA is an Instant coffee initiative by Starbucks and is primarily sold online. The Via brand has seven different varieties that are unsweetened. There are also three flavoured Via options which have added cane sugar. However, the Pike Roast Place Roast is definitely the best. It’s one of the Best Instant Coffee Brands UK.
- According to Starbucks history, the three founders opened their first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market, way back in 1971. And to reflect that heritage, they created this delicious blend of instant coffee.
- The Via isn’t freeze-dried coffee like most similar products. In fact, it’s a blend made of very finely ground 100% Arabica coffee beans.
- Most importantly, the Starbucks VIA Ready Brew Pike Place Roast is a delicious blend. It’s a medium roasted coffee with a smooth body and rich flavour. The subtle flavours of cocoa and toasted nuts create a balanced and satisfying cup with a smooth finish.
What’s in it for you?
The Caffeine content can range from 130 mg to 140 mg per sachet. This is honestly a perfect amount as it’s enough to wake you without giving you the jitters. All you have to do is add water, stir and drink.
Related: If you more into Teas, Check out our list of the Best Green Teas for Weight Loss!
#2 — Mount Hagen Organic and Fairtrade Instant Freeze Dried Coffee
Mount Hagen Organic and Fairtrade Instant Freeze Dried Coffee is the world’s first organic certified coffee. This brand ethically sources coffee that chemical-free. What’s even more amazing is that even the brewing process is also chemical-free.
- The story behind this brand is quite amazing. In the 1980s a group of German businessmen ventured in the virtually unknown territory of organic coffee at the time. They saw potential and bought organic coffee from a plantation near Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea. Which later became the name of their brand.
- This instant coffee is made from 100% Arabica coffee and is free-dried without any chemicals.
- While it doesn’t taste as amazing as Starbucks Via, it still is pretty damn good, especially for its price.
- It’s mildly roasted and has a natural and well-balanced taste with absolutely no bitter aftertaste. The natural rich flavour of coffee is very prominent.
What’s in it for you?
This jar of coffee yields around 60 cups. It’s perfect for people with a busy lifestyle that don’t want to compromise on quality. You can almost always expect a perfect brew any time of the day without deterioration in freshness.
Related: Check out our list of the Best Coffee Machine For Home UK!
#3 — Cafédirect Fairtrade Instant Coffee
It’s rare to find a more delicious instant coffee that the Cafe Direct Machu Picchu Fairtrade Instant Coffee. Sourced from the Incan Heartland of the Peruvian Andes Mountains, this is one of the Best Instant Coffees UK.
- As mentioned earlier this 100% organic Arabica coffee is hand-picked by farmers from Peru. Specifically, it is sourced from mountains with extreme altitudes near the Sacred Site of Machu Pichu.
- Since it’s grown at such extreme heights. It results in a brilliant tasting coffee. It also goes through a strong roasting process to suppress the natural acidity of the coffee plant, resulting in a smooth and brilliant flavour
- Interestingly, Cafedirect actually gives back 50% of the profits to farmer communities for their development.
What’s in it for you?
A brilliant taste of rich and smooth coffee with overtones of fine dark chocolate. This coffee with a subtle touch of cocoa and nuts is honestly one of the most delicious drinks on the planet. An experience beyond compare. It’s best to drink in black.
#4 — Nescafé Azera Americano Instant Coffee
Although Nescafe is a well-known legacy coffee brand, their Azera Americano Instant Coffee is extremely underrated. Nescafe’s Azera Americano was developed with one thought in mind: Experience barista-style coffee at home.
- Nescafe Azera Americano comes in a tin which is tight enough to not let moisture mess with the powder.
- As mentioned earlier, this Instant coffee is so underrated. It honestly is a brilliant coffee with a velvety smooth creamy texture and a well-balanced flavour. More importantly, it comes with a fruity aroma which elevates this drink by a whole level.
What’s in it for you?
Not only is a unique mix of Arabic and Robusta. This instant coffee is also a special blend of finely ground roast coffee and instant coffee. This enhances the taste to an unimaginable degree.
#5 — Beanies Flavoured Instant Coffee
Beanies Instant Flavoured Coffee is a unique instant coffee brand for those that want a fun culinary adventure.
- You can choose any 6 from a choice of 32 different flavours. You basically, get six 50 gram jars.
- Not only is this coffee tasty it’s also sugar-free with only 2 calories per cup.
What’s in it for you?
It has various blends that range from normal and decaf to seasonal and Vitamin D+ blend.
Related: Check out our list of the Best Filter Coffee Machines UK
#6 — illy Coffee
You might have heard of the popular Illy coffee machines. However, Illy also makes some really good instant coffee. This coffee is extremely similar to the high-quality smooth machine coffee. That’s what really set’s them apart. Check out our Best Instant Coffee Brands UK for more details.
- Illy’s Instant coffee comes in a metal Tin which is perfect for ensuring freshness and avoiding plastic. This coffee is as fresh as a fresh coffee house brew.
- Illy’s instant coffee is made from 100% arabica coffee beans. These coffee beans are selected from all over the world and skillfully blended to create Illy’s distinctive smooth, rich and full-bodied taste.
What’s in it for you?
This is an authentic Italian quality instant coffee. You can taste delicate notes of caramel, orange, blossom, and jasmine with this medium roast blend.
Related: Here are some of the Best Kettles for Hard Water!
How To Choose The Best Instant Coffee Brand
If you drink coffee on a regular basis, you’re probably used to a single brand. However, if you want to explore the various roasts, blends and taste some of the finest instant coffee on the planet, then you will have to consider the following.
Type
- There are only two main types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta. With Arabica being the most popular. It is considered better both in terms of taste and benefits. Most of the Arabica beans have a rich smooth nutty and chocolate taste with hints of berries and fruits.
- While Arabica is highly sought after, Robusta has little to zero fans. However, it does have its own unique aspects. For example, it is extremely cheap and relatively easier to cultivate.
- Majority of the instant coffee brands use a blend of both Arabica and bitter Robusta to save on costs and also to reduce the sweetness of Arabica, giving it a well rounded balanced flavour.
- Now, if you love blends then you just have to make sure that the Arabica content is at least 60%. The best blends always have a higher quantity of Arabica. However, if you really want to go for the most premium instant coffee, then you should look for 100% Arabica.
Quantity and Quality
- Although the capacity of the packaging doesn’t say much about taste. You should still try to get your money’s worth. For example, you can expect up to 25 cups of coffee with a 100-gram tin. So, if you drink coffee on a regular basis (3 cups a day), then it’s best if you get coffee’s that are 125 to 200g.
- This can easily last a week. It’s also better to buy for a week rather than a month as the coffee with start degrading once air/moisture gets into the packaging.
- It is also better to invest in coffee granules than broken bean-like coffee or extremely fine instant coffees. Such coffee granules maintain both taste and flavour. It is also important to buy freeze-dried coffee granules than the regular kind as it retains the freshness and taste. Check out our Best Instant Coffee Brands UK for more details.
Instant Coffee Vs Ground Coffee
While both are coffee, they are extremely different from each other. firstly, it’s important to understand that the coffee beans that come from the plant are dried and processed. Then these beans are roasted to bring out the flavour. Once it’s roasted, it can either be ground and packaged or it can become instant coffee.
So, what the difference?
Well, when beans are ground, it is referred to as ground coffee. The instant coffee on the other hand is quite different. The instant or the soluble type of coffee is essentially already brewed coffee that’s frozen.
So, basically, the Instant Coffee manufacturers, buy a large quantity of coffee beans. Then roast and grind them before brewing large quantities of coffee. Once they brew the coffee solution it is then heated till it is condensed to a concentrated coffee liquid that is later freeze dried.
So, Frozen shards of dried coffee liquid are crushed to prepare instant coffee powder.
Now, which is better?
Instant coffee is not only pre-brewed but is almost always is comprised of Robusta coffee beans. This is why the majority of instant coffee brands taste the same. Also, there is going to be a loss of flavour.
However, Ground Coffee is usually made from Arabica beans. Since it hasn’t been processed like Instant coffee. Fresh ground coffee maintains higher acidity levels and more will contain a better flavour profile.
Of course, to bring out the flavour profile, you need to experience. It is also relatively more time consuming to prepare when compared to instant coffee. So, really, at the end of the day.
Instant coffee is suitable for those who want convenience and caffeine more than taste. And ground coffee is perfect for coffee connoisseurs. Check out our Best Instant Coffee Brands UK for more details.
Which is the best brand of instant coffee?
Honestly, there’s no single brand of instant coffee that can be considered the best. After all, there are tons of brands with different blends and texture that are really good. It’s like comparing Apples and Oranges. However, there are a few brands which are more popular and taste absolutely brilliant.
- Brands like Mount Hagen Organic, Nescafe Azera and Cafedirect’s Machu Pichu stand out from the rest not only due to their amazing and unique taste but also because of unique factors. For example, Mount Hagen Is the world first certified organic Instant coffee. Check out our list of the Best Instant Coffees UK for more details.
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Joanna is a writer, poet, stand-up comedian and holds two master’s in arts and history. She founded Discount-age with the intention of providing her readers with solutions to everyday household problems. During her free time, Joanna loves cooking but usually ends up ordering in.
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