You Won't Believe How Good Instant Coffee Tastes Now: We Blind-Tested 24 Brands to Find the Best!

2025-09-30 18:01:22.043

Instant coffee, once synonymous with low quality, is undergoing a renaissance, with modern brands innovating beyond traditional granules. The Drexel Food Lab partnered with The Guardian to conduct a rigorous blind taste test, recruiting 84 testers to evaluate 24 different instant coffee products across categories like steeped bags, freeze-dried powders, and concentrates. Each sample was prepared according to package directions, served hot and black, and presented anonymously to avoid brand bias. The testing identified several standout products. The 'Best Overall Instant Coffee' was awarded to Illy Intenso Bold Roast, a powdered coffee praised for its bold, full-bodied flavor, balanced bitterness, and pleasant aftertaste. For steeped coffee bags, the Whole Foods Organic Steeped Coffee Dark Roast won for its rich flavor, balanced acidity, and notes of fudge and molasses. Among powdered coffees, Starbucks Premium Instant Medium Roast was recognized for mitigating common aftertaste issues and offering a richer flavor. NoNormal Outdoor Coffee, a unique coffee paste in a squeeze tube, was named the 'Best Concentrate' for its smooth texture, semi-sweet undertones, and portability. For 'Best Value', Café Bustelo Instant Coffee stood out for its signature bold flavor at an unbeatable price, while Chamberlain Coffee's The Family Medium Roast Blend was a staff favorite for its alluring acidic notes. The article also addresses common criticisms of instant coffee, such as weak flavor, bitter aftertastes, and chemical notes, noting that steeped varieties generally received fewer negative comments. Tips for preparing instant coffee include starting with package directions and then adjusting the water ratio to achieve desired strength and flavor.