Finding The Best Instant Coffee

In a recent discussion, we talked about coffee and what you might want to consider bringing along on your Walt Disney World vacation if you’re a coffee drinker. One of the suggestions that I offered up was instant coffee. Now, I said it in our original chat and I’ll say it again, I realize that instant coffee isn’t something most coffee drinkers gravitate towards. However, desperate times. . . . . . as they say.

The suggestion, that you might want to consider instant coffee, might have been enough for some. However, we aim a bit higher here at 2 Foolish Mortals and figured we might as well give you the full instant coffee breakdown. In fact, as I’m sure you’ve already determined by the title of today’s post, we’re talking all about instant coffee today.

So, here’s how we’re doing this. . . .

The other day, while at one of our local Walmarts, we decided to hit the coffee aisle and see what instant varieties were on the shelves. After a quick scan, we grabbed a few different options consisting of everything from household names to a complete wild card. We also made sure to select options that would travel well and would fit a variety of budgets.

Over the next week, we put the instant coffee to the test! Each cup of coffee was prepared according to the printed instructions on the package. We also followed any other suggestions, such as temperature of the water, to give the best results possible. Finally, we tried each cup of coffee both black as well as doctored up. Our thoughts on each are what we shared here with you today.

Folgers

Right at the top of our this coffee needs no introduction list is Folgers. Probably the most well known coffee company out there, Folgers is an affordable go-to coffee brand for many. I mean it’s the best part of waking up. . . . am I right!?

Like other instant coffee brands, Folgers Instant Coffee is available both by the jar or in single serving packets. In this case, we’ve got a small box of these single serving packets which was $0.84 [$0.99 at Target] and contains 7 servings. This turns out to be the most affordable option on this list.

After heating up some water and pouring 6oz, as the package suggests, into our cups we stirred in a packet of Folgers Instant Classic Roast. Everything about this coffee was exactly what you’d expect from a cup of Folgers. The smell and taste are exactly the same as it would be had you brewed the cup from grounds. This makes Folgers instant coffee a very ideal alternative if you’re a fan of Folgers.

The only criticism that we had of this coffee is that it doesn’t quite have as strong a flavor as it would had we made it at home. Of course, this is an easy “problem” to solve by simply adding in more packets or purchasing the jar variety and putting in enough to give you the flavor you’re looking for. Personally, if I were making a cup of coffee for myself, I’d likely use 3 packets in 12oz of water. This would be enough coffee to fill what has now become a standard size coffee mug.

👻 Attention Ghouls: Almost all of the instant coffee varieties that we’ll be talking about today have an 8oz serving size. As a reference, a “short” at Starbucks is 8oz and a “small” at McDonalds is 12oz. If you’re using a Disney coffee mug, like we do, 8oz is just about half full. . . . depending on the size of your mug, of course. In other words, this might be something you want to keep in mind if you’re looking at bringing along instant coffee and are crunching numbers. In some cases, like that of Folgers, even using 3 packets only brings your 12oz cup of coffee to $0.36 per serving, but that will not be the case for all brands. .

Death Wish Coffee

Death Wish Instant Coffee is what we are calling our wild card. Not only is it our most expensive option on this list, coming in at $14.99 for 8 packets, but it’s also the most intense offering up 300mg of caffeine for each 8oz serving. That’s equal to just over 3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine in every cup of Death Wish coffee.

That said, though it might be the most efficient vehicle to deliver your morning caffeine fix, I’d imagine Death Wish Coffee isn’t what most people are reaching for. The sticker shock on this one, especially compared to other options on the shelf, is a bit of a turnoff in and of itself. . . and that’s not taking into consideration the caffeine content or warnings on the package. Of course, we could sit here all day crunching numbers about whether or not Death Wish Instant Coffee is worth the money, but the most important thing is whether or not it’s actually good. I mean, if it’s good it might absolutely be worth the price. . . . right?

The first thing that both of us noticed, just about as soon as the contents of the packet hit the hot water, was the smell. It was fairly obvious that this was a higher quality coffee with a bold flavor. After stirring everything in, we tried the coffee black and it tasted just as bold as it smelled. As a person who doesn’t really like black coffee, I wasn’t loving the flavor. However, giving credit where it’s due, it was absolutely very smooth and did not taste bitter. Russ, on the other hand, enjoys black coffee and found this to rank higher than our daily go-to. With the initial taste out of the way, I put in some cream and sugar. This made all the difference for me and Russ felt like it was on par with an after dinner dessert style coffee.

Look, I’ll be the first to admit that my expectations were pretty low when it came to the Death Wish Instant Coffee. I’ve seen this brand on the shelves over the years and thought of it as nothing more than a novelty, which is ultimately what it is. Death Wish Coffee Co. is likely out to capture your interest and hopefully sell some products to curious consumers. That said, the product delivers something that I’d dare say is worth the price you’re paying. Though I wouldn’t recommend Death Wish Coffee to the casual coffee drinker who wants the experience of their morning coffee out of habit, it might be for you if a caffeine fix is what you’re after.

Folgers Instant Coffee

Starbucks VIA Instant

Of all the instant coffee varieties that we’re talking about today, Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee is the one you’re most likely to see out in the wild. No matter where I seem to be traveling or under what conditions, someone’s always got some Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee in their travel kit.

Coming in somewhere in the middle of the pack, as far as price is concerned, Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee is $5.22 for 8 packets. Each packet will make an 8oz cup of coffee, or what is the equivalent of a “short” at Starbucks, bringing the price per serving to $0.65. Not bad at all. The Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee also seems to be unique because of what exactly is included in each packet; instant and microground coffee.

Similar to Death Wish, but in a much different way, the aroma of the coffee was the first thing we noticed when the contents of the packet hit the hot water. The coffee might not have been freshly brewed from grounds, but you could have fooled us based on the smell alone. The same can be said about the flavor. Both black and with creamer, Starbucks VIA instant made a good cup of coffee.

Russ enjoyed this coffee more than the rest when it came to drinking it black. The flavor was right on target for someone who likes bold and slightly bitter coffee. On the other hand, I found that this flavor was bold enough to stand up to the creamer I usually add without the bitterness taking over. However, I think that this might not be the best choice for coffee drinkers who are aiming to mask the strong coffee taste from their morning cup-a-joe. My best guess is that this has something to do with the microground coffee included in this variety, but my guess is as good as yours.

Nescafe Taster’s Choice

In the past, before I had a coffee maker on my kitchen counter, Nescafe was my brand of choice when it came to instant coffee. That said, my expectations were very high when I picked up a box of Nescafe Taster’s Choice. This particular variety of Nescafe Taster’s Choice, which is a medium roast Colombian, includes 16 packets for $3.38 with each packet making an 8oz cup of coffee. Today, we decided to pick up a box of single serving packets, but Nescafe Taster’s Choice also comes by the jar.

👻 Attention Ghouls: If you’re here today learning about instant coffee as a way to cut costs, consider that single serving packets are not [usually] as cost effective as purchasing in a larger quantity like a jar. For example, this Nescafe Taster’s Choice is about $0.21 per serving. If you were to purchase the same instant coffee in a jar it would be $0.08 per serving. This might seem like a drop in the bucket, but it can really add up. Over the course of 5 days, a person who drinks 12oz of coffee per day will spend $2.10 on coffee if they choose packets or $0.80 if they choose the jar. That’s a considerable savings when you’re trying to make every penny count!

Taking a sip of the Nescafe Taster’s Choice was just as pleasant as we anticipated it would be. Comparable to the Starbucks VIA Instant, with a just slightly less bold flavor, Nescafe Taster’s Choice is what we both consider to be the best coffee for the price on this list. The flavor is bold, it’s not as watered down as the Folgers seemed to be and the price is point is more budget friendly than the Starbucks. Personally, I think that this is the ideal option for a group with varying tastes.

Maxwell House International

Maxwell House is another popular coffee brand that you’re not likely to have any trouble finding no matter where you shop. They too offer a wide selection of instant coffee varieties, including the one that we’ve decided to try today.

Now, unlike the other options on this list, Maxwell House International Hazelnut Cafe is everything you need in one package. Unless, of course, you enjoy drinking your coffee black. . . . then they all are everything you need in one package, but I digress. Each serving includes coffee, flavor [non-flavored varieties are also available], cream and sugar. Before even having tried this coffee, I can tell you from experience that these types of all-in-one beverage mixes can be very convenient. Rather than having to bring along coffee, creamer and sugar, all you need is this one package. I will say, I always prefer having the individual packets, but that’s not always available. That said, the downside of having a container like this [in my opinion] is that it doesn’t travel well once it’s been opened. For the average person who will be in one place for a few days, this isn’t a big deal. If you’re going to be doing a lot of moving around [or having a split stay] then the extra step of putting the container in a ziplock baggie might be a good idea.

After stirring our 2 rounded tablespoons of powder into 12oz of hot water, we took a sip and were very pleased! The hazelnut flavor, sugar and cream were in just the right proportions offering up what both of us could agree was a very decent cup of coffee. It also turns out to be the most affordable option at $2.36 for 9 servings; each serving being 12oz. That’s about $0.26 per 12oz serving including cream and sugar, which hasn’t been factored into any of the other options we talked about here today. It’s also incredibly convenient. Like I mentioned before either of us had even given it a try, having everything in one package is pretty much unbeatable. This is even more so the case if you’re a fan of flavored, creamy and sweet coffee.

Having tried all of the different varieties of instant coffee, it seems like there’s only one thing left to do. We’ve clearly got to decide which one is the best. I have to be honest with you happy haunts though, this is no easy task. In fact, I can’t tell you which one is the best, because they are all very good in their own right.

Look, when I first set out to do this little experiment of mine I had an idea of how I thought it would turn out. Surely, I’d have a clear winner stand out above the rest for one reason or another and we could all move on with our vacation planning process. As it turns out, this is far from the case. Each of the varieties of instant coffee that we tried over the course of the past 5 days has not only been interesting in and of themselves, but they all hit the mark for a different kind of person. Even now, as I scroll though everything that I’ve written over the past week, I don’t think that I have one specific coffee that I’d reach for without thinking “ehh. . . that could be good too”. What it really comes down to is the type of coffee you enjoy and what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Of course, we haven’t even gone the route of talking decaf. . . . . which is a completely different road that could be explored as well.

One way or another, our goal here today was to try and help you decide which instant coffee might be right for you and I think that we’ve given it our best attempt. As always, we know that you all have lots of great thoughts and opinions to share and we hope you’ll do that here today too!

What are your favorite instant coffee brands and how do you like to enjoy them? Also, have you tried any instant coffee brands that we talked about here today? What did you think? What about the ones we haven’t talked about?