At the risk of setting off the STW massif. I’m not able to stomach tea anymore, which is a pita and now I’m annoyingly up in the wee small hours I’m unable to use the bean to cup machine to make a decent coffee as I’ll wake up the entire house.
So instant coffee it is, when I’m up at 3am.
Most of the supermarket instants are “in my opinion” a bit rubbish to put it mildly.
Can anyone here recommend a decent instant coffee ?
I’m not going to be using it during the day, as I’ve got the bean to cup for that, so not too concerned if it’s a fiver for a small tin.
There's no such thing.
Hope that helps.
😉
Also, why would you drink what most people drink to stay awake when you can't sleep at 3am?
Millicano
Gold Blend Smooth
Drip filter coffee using preground coffee (keep in airtight container). As easy as instant but proper coffee
L’Or is pretty good, but only buy it when it’s on “special offer” which it is quite often. Otherwise it’s too pricey. (4-5 quid a jar)
There’s no such thing
Based upon my previous experience of instant I do tend to agree, but there could be one somewhere that hopefully a STW coffee expert knows about.
Even at 3am by the time I’ve been up coughing for an hour the caffeine has largely worn off.
Ringtons instant is very good.
Coffee bags.
Someone recommended some that are apparently pretty good in a recent thread
Percol instants are very good
If the issue is noise why not grind some beans before bed then use a caffettiere.
Aeroppress. No noise, no fuss, decent coffee. Just use preground or grind a few beans during the day? Life is too short to have to accept instant.
Douwe Egberts dark roast is my usual.
No such thing ^.
However, Lidl's instant is OK.
Decaff is also OK, if you just like the taste of coffee and not fussed about the hit.
Sainsbury's Colombian Espresso Microground for non-Aeropress occasions for me.
The Lidl (Bellarom?) instant decaff has been my go-to. But got sick of it lately, so earl-grey rooibos is back on the menu. Top notch.
If the issue is noise why not grind some beans before bed then use a caffettiere
This. Or a stove top pot.
I'd use a Clever Dripper with pre ground I reckon.
There was a brand called sudden that claimed to be doing an instant craft coffee and James Hoffman was involved in the development but I can't see much about it now. There's one called Voila you can get but it's very expensive.
Instant instant, I'd go with Dowe Egberts or Kenco.
"Barista" instant, there's a bunch of them and they're all much of a muchness. Probably a step above freeze-dried but with a price to match.
Beyond that I'd whack up a batch of strong espresso during the day and shove it in the fridge, use it as a starter for an Americano.
Really though, if you're used to B2C then the answer you seek is probably an Aeropress.
Aeroppress. No noise, no fuss, decent coffee. Just use preground or grind a few beans during the day? Life is too short to have to accept instant.
the answer you seek is probably an Aeropress
As above, Aeropress over instant any day of the week. Just buy some decent ground coffee and keep in the fridge/freezer.
If the issue is noise why not grind some beans before bed then use a caffettiere.
How the hell didn’t I think of this, though I’ve just ransacked the kitchen and I’ve just been informed our cheapie cafetière was thrown out. Bugger.
Cue a quick search for a stainless steel cafetière.
Some good suggestions above for instant which I will try out. Apart from the Satansburys option, sorry I’ve had their own brand coffee before and never again.
Aeropress, I’m going to guess this is the de facto STE coffee related answer ? just checked and they’re 75-80 quid ! Look good, but a bit spenny for what I’m trying to solve. Are they worth the money ?
Aeropress, I’m going to guess this is the de facto STE coffee related answer ? just checked and they’re 75-80 quid ! Look good, but a bit spenny for what I’m trying to solve. Are they worth the money ?
I don't know where you've looked, but most places are selling for between £20-25. Yes, they are worth the the money!
Kenco Millicano and Nescafe Azera work for me.
I don’t know where you’ve looked, but most places are selling for between £20-25. Yes, they are worth the the money!
Yes, I just realised I was looking at the wrong thing on Amazon.
I thought this was the aeropress- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nanopresso-Portable-Espresso-Protective-Minipresso/dp/B0752XV66X/ref=sr_1_13?adgrpid=53963397100&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8p2MBhCiARIsADDUFVGDp8nPoMr-iiGZtF1SrcF0eUTfGZ7-GVmDih5R0_gKcUwhM2AbV5MaAngcEALw_wcB&hvadid=259148604940&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1006703&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7370293472101307332&hvtargid=kwd-296619634507&hydadcr=19363_1749090&keywords=aeropress&qid=1636299597&sr=8-13
The Nescafe range like Alta Rica etc are pretty good, or if you don't like nestle most competitors do a parallel range that tastes much the same.
Cue a quick search for a stainless steel cafetière.
Why stainless? Just get a cheapo from the supermarket or TK Maxx, they're all leaky shite at that size anyway. Or get a stove pot, Pezetti > Bialetti (ours furred up near enough after the first use, the Pezettis have all behaved themselves).
“Barista” instant, there’s a bunch of them and they’re all much of a muchness. Probably a step above freeze-dried but with a price to match.
Farmfoods were doing the Nescafe stuff at two for a fiver up until recently. Lidl/Aldi stuff is much a muchness.
Nescafe Azera americano is the best imstant coffee, and i also rate their espresso version
Have you got this stupid cold thays round that leaves you with a sore throat, coaky voice and niggly non productive cough for weeks following initial symptoms?
Mimics covid nicely and gets the heads spinning in tesco.
Percol instants best of all the instants, always buy double if its on offer.
Aeropress or cafetière.
Lidl or Aldi have Bodums on offer at the moment.
Aeropress FTW. Also handy for work, camping etc.
Stove top and pre ground. Being up at the wee hours to me means I must have good coffee. Just have a cup of tea otherwise, instant coffee non merci. Christ make One the night before then microwave it, would still be better than instant. Or get your cat to eat the beans than munch them out the litter tray, still better, and so on.
Nescafe Gold Intense the best so far.
The rest are just weak ...
Stove top and pre ground. Being up at the wee hours to me means I must have good coffee. Just have a cup of tea otherwise, instant coffee non merci. Christ make One the night before then microwave it, would still be better than instant. Or get your cat to eat the beans than munch them out the litter tray, still better, and so on.
That made me laugh and would probably the sort of advise I’d normally give, when asked about instant.
Think I’ll buy a cafetière and an aeropress thing, as I can kind of justify it for when I’m eventually back out on the mtb and need a coffee after a big ride, or hiking.
Thankfully we do have friends that do drink instant, so I can get some mentioned above and it won’t be a complete waste (fingers crossed)
Another vote for percol. Also put a small pinch of ground in as well and it gives the perfume of real coffee. The grounds sink if you leave it a minute or so which is the time it takes for the water to cool to drinking temperature
I actually agree with chewkw Gold Blend Intense
I mostly have Clipper Super Special Organic (the pretentious name won me over :p ) or M&S Columbian - neither I would describe as good coffee but make a pleasant enough drink as an alternative to tea (I'm too lazy to make proper coffee from beans and even gave away my Nespresso as it was a bit too much faff, yes I'm lazy). Most instants are massively over-roasted and people confuse burnt with complex or strong...
Also
is worth a watch but don't expect him to discover some amazing instant, it's really just which is the best of a bad bunch
Percol + Clipper + 1.
I've also watched the James Hoffman video above in which he ultimately chooses Little's, but I've not tried that.
There's a fair few small/smaller UK manufacturer's making instant coffee - please don't buy Nestle.
Percol, tastes good and fairtrade too.
But yeah, the proper answer is Aeropress. If you can boil a kettle you can make a single cup of good coffee.
There’s a fair few small/smaller UK manufacturer’s making instant coffee – please don’t buy Nestle.
Quokka Coffee. One of the lads rides mtb too.
Nescafe Gold Blend, winner every time.
First update - instant Test no 1
bought instant from M&S, Italian style dark roast strength 4. Somehow after pouring boiling water in there’s a decent crema so you get the illusion of it being real coffee, but the cream and the illusion don’t last long.
The taste is ok, bit bitter and not really what I’d describe as Italian style.
But at 3:30 am it’s passable - just.
Will be picking one at random from the suggestions above to try next.
I love a nice proper coffee when I go out but cannot be bothered with the faff and expense of it all when I’m home - I’m the only coffee drinker in the house so it’s not worth buying a fancy machine.
More importantly I’m not a coffee snob like a lot on here so I drink instant at home no problem.
Best one I’ve had so far is the Lavazza Americano instant - picked it up on offer in Sainsburys recently (it’s probably the most expensive instant I’ve seen at RRP!). Really nice taste and it has a great creamy top (called a creama maybe?). It’s not bitter or crazy strong, just really tasty.
This one https://www.lavazza.co.uk/en/coffee/instant/prontissimo-americano-95g.html
Best thing I would say is avoid the dark or intense branded ones, to me they are always bitter and hard to drink.
I also wouldn’t get those coffee bags - tried a couple and blimey they are foul.
Don’t use boiling water in instant coffee too - makes it bitter. Leave it to cool a couple of minutes after boiling.
Get yourself a Bodum Travel Press & some cafetiere ground coffee for a far far better experience with no faffing.
It will keep your coffee hot whist you drink it too.
