It’s possible to enjoy your favorite coffee cup, whether you’re at home or in the office. Once you buy one of the best instant coffee brands, this will be possible.
Instant coffee retains the flavors of fresh coffee, so you can enjoy it whenever you like, but you won’t spend much time brewing or grinding your coffee. Keep on reading to learn more about the top brands on the market.
In This Guide...
Reviews of the Best Instant Coffee Brands
High-quality instant coffee brands allow everyone to enjoy tasty coffee when they’re in a hurry. Here are our top picks.
Let's take a closer look at why we love each of these so much.
Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee Dark Roast Packets
Although this instant coffee is rather expensive, it’s specifically made for avid coffee drinkers who want to enjoy the best flavors. It’s made of high-quality Arabica coffee beans to deliver a delicious Italian roast with a rich taste and caramelized sugar notes to make your coffee sweet.
The Italian roast is the right choice for those who like strong coffee that doesn’t taste bitter. Just add water and wait for 10 seconds before stirring it to enjoy the strong aroma.
There are several flavors available, and they all come in individually wrapped sachets to guarantee the freshness of your beverage. It’s made so you can enjoy well-made coffee that tastes just like the one made by a professional barista. However, this blend is more expensive than other instant coffee brands.
What We Like
- High-quality Arabica coffee beans.
- Notes of caramelized sugar to add sweetness.
- Strong taste.
- Individually wrapped sachets to keep the coffee fresh.
What We Don’t Like
- More expensive than other types of instant coffee brands.
Get more information on Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee Dark Roast Packets
Folgers Classic Roast
Whether you like to mix your coffee with water or milk, this instant coffee will provide an excellent taste. The medium roast is the perfect choice for most coffee drinkers. You don’t have to be a professional barista, as the instant coffee blends quickly, so you can enjoy your drink whenever you want.
This is an affordable option that provides up to 120 servings of fresh and strong coffee. The jar is easy to open and seals perfectly to preserve the flavor of your coffee. However, if you like concentrated coffee, this one won’t work for you.
What We Like
- Affordable coffee.
- Mixes instantly with milk or water.
- Provides up to 120 servings.
- Stays fresh for a long time.
What We Don’t Like
- Doesn’t work if you like concentrated coffee.
Get more information on Folgers Classic Roast
Waka Coffee Quality Instant Coffee
For those who like the flavor of Columbian coffee, this blend will be the ideal choice. The coffee beans have been freeze-dried to maintain its natural citric notes without being too acidic. The coffee is made of high-quality Arabica coffee beans to deliver a smooth and balanced taste.
If you’re environmentally-conscious, this package will work for you because it’s made of foil-linked paper. The bag is resealable to keep your coffee fresh, so you can pack it for an outdoor trip. The packet is enough for 80 delicious mugs of coffee, and the instant coffee dissolves quickly once you add hot water.
Moreover, with every packet you buy, you will be contributing to charity because the company donates 4% of its profits to provide people with clean water in 26 countries. Nevertheless, it’s not good value for money because it’s more expensive than other brands.
What We Like
- High-quality Arabica coffee beans.
- Delicious citric notes without being too acidic.
- Resealable package to keep the coffee fresh.
- A part of the company’s profits is donated to charity.
What We Don’t Like
- More expensive than other brands.
Get more information on Waka Coffee Quality Instant Coffee
MEDAGLIA D'ORO Medaglia D'Oro
If you’re fond of espresso, this double blend will be a perfect choice. It’s very easy to make, so you can enjoy the strong double-roasted espresso flavor. This blend works in several recipes because it gives a natural and delicious taste.
The ground coffee beans blend quickly with water to provide a strong taste. You will also enjoy the delicious crema on top. However, the shipping is rather bad, so you might need to keep your coffee in another jar.
What We Like
- Strong double-roasted beans.
- Espresso flavor.
- Can be used in multiple recipes.
- Coffee will have delicious crema on top.
What We Don’t Like
- Poor shipping.
Get more information on MEDAGLIA D'ORO Medaglia D'Oro
Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
This award-winning instant coffee is free of additives and artificial flavors to deliver excellent taste and strong aroma in every coffee mug you prepare. All the coffee comes from a single origin in Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea to provide you with a unique flavor.
The beans have been freeze-dried to maintain the natural taste. It’s an excellent choice for those who want fresh coffee that dissolves quickly in hot water.
One jar will be enough to prepare 60 coffee mugs. However, this coffee has a slightly stronger flavor, so it might be too bitter for some people.
What We Like
- Organic coffee without additives.
- Freeze-dried beans to maintain the aroma.
- Comes from a single source.
- Dissolves quickly in water.
What We Don’t Like
- Might be too strong for some people.
Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade Freeze Dried Instant Coffee
How to Choose the Best Instant Coffee Brand
Instant coffee is different from regular ground coffee because it dissolves quickly in water and doesn’t require any brewing. There are a few factors to think about when you’re shopping for instant coffee.
Coffee Beans
Arabica beans are the most common and popular coffee beans because they deliver strong taste and aroma. Since they’re tastier, 100% Arabic instant coffee beans are more expensive than blends. Robusta coffee beanscontain more caffeine, so they will work for people who need a strong beverage to wake them up in the morning.
Type of Coffee
The processing method will affect how the coffee tastes. Granulated coffee is made of roasted coffee beans and contains coffee oil, which makes the flavor stronger. Freeze-dried coffeemaintains all the natural flavors without being too bitter or strong. This type of coffee will be more expensive because it’s closest to natural coffee beans.
Package
The package affects how your coffee will taste in the long run. If your coffee comes in a glass jar, you need to make sure that it’s sealed to protect your coffee from going stale. Resealable coffee bags keep the coffee fresh for a long time.
Choosing the Best Instant Coffee Brands, Our Picks
There are lots of instant coffee brands on the market, and picking the best type can be a bit tricky.
Let's take a look at all of our favorites one more time:
We chose the Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee Dark Roast Packets as our top pick because it’s made of 100% Arabica beans with hints of caramelized sugar for a sweet taste. Every sachet will retain the natural flavors of the coffee, so you won’t drink stale coffee.
If you're looking for an all around good cup of instant coffee, then consider the Folgers Classic Roast.
If you are a big fan of columbian coffee, then the Waka Coffee Quality Instant Coffee is a great choice, especially with its eco friendly packaging.
Are you looking for easy espresso, or to make dalgona coffee? Then the MEDAGLIA D'ORO Medaglia D'Oro is your go to.
Finally, if you are looking for a good, clean strong coffee, be sure to try the Mount Hagen Organic Fair Trade Freeze Dried Instant Coffee.
No matter what kind of instant coffee you are looking for, rest assured the best brands are in this guide!