I tried 5 brands of instant coffee, and there’s only one I’d never buy again

I tried five popular brands to find the best one.

Erin Ajello

I tried five popular brands of instant coffee from the store to see which one is the best.
I picked plain roasts to compare, and Chock Full o’ Nuts was the only real disappointment.
I already knew I was a fan of Folgers, but Nescafé was the surprise winner.

Coffee is a daily necessity for me.

I know making coffee at home instead of buying it at the shops isn’t going to make my savings account skyrocket, but it is an easy way to cut down on frivolous spending. Plus, it’s nice to have easy options on hand.

I tried five brands of instant coffee to see which one was best. Here’s how they stacked up.

Maxwell House has several instant-coffee flavors, but I bought the original roast in the smallest size.

Café Bustelo had the smallest container.

Erin Ajello

I bought a small container of Café Bustelo espresso instant coffee for $2.89.

If you follow the directions as written, the container makes only 11 servings, bringing the per-cup cost a bit higher than other brands.

However, the coffee itself tasted great and was well worth the price.

The description of the coffee as pure and flavorful proved to be accurate. The coffee was rich and had a good, almost hazelnut flavor that reminded me of the blend at McDonald’s.

It also had a pleasant smell. Some of the other brands didn’t have much of a smell at all.

I’ve been drinking Folgers classic roast instant coffee for years, so I already knew I enjoyed it.

The container cost $7.

Erin Ajello

The 7-ounce container from Chock Full o’ Nuts says it makes 42 servings — an estimate that surprised me since the Folgers instant coffee that’s half the size makes almost the same amount.

The description on the container promised “rich, quick, and easy” coffee.

Although it was just as quick and easy to make as the others, I didn’t find it rich at all. The coffee didn’t have any standout flavors, and the slight bitterness left a strong, unpleasant aftertaste.

It was drinkable, but it was definitely the worst of the five.

As with the Chock Full o’ Nuts brand, I had to get a larger container of Nescafé instant coffee.

I was surprised by the Nescafé brand.

Erin Ajello

The only brand of instant coffee I probably wouldn’t go out of my way to drink again is Chock Full o’ Nuts, though it might be a perfectly fine pick for someone who prefers a bitterer brew.

But I’ll be reaching for Nescafé if I want an instant coffee that I’d genuinely be happy to drink and serve to friends.

The coffee smelled and tasted great, and it was well-priced for the number of servings it makes.

This story was originally published in February 2022 and most recently updated on October 30, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider

source:https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-best-instant-coffee-review-2022-2