Best Instant Coffee for 2021

Fast Coffee CAN Be Good!

Your Guides: Shaun Gilley  | Updated 2/1/2021

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Our top spot for instant coffee goes to Daily Joe Coffee.  Rated as Amazon’s Choice with four stars, the instant coffee packets are a Rainforest Alliance Certified (RFA) blend from Huila, Colombia and Cajamarca, and Peru. For 17 years, this New York-based specialty coffee brand has warmed the hearts of Big Apple inhabitants.

This instant coffee is available in regular and caffeinated varieties, each with a medium-bodied blend. These are accentuated with warm notes of caramel and chocolate with a sweet edge of cider and cola.

People applaud how easy it is to make coffee with intense flavors, unlike a typical instant coffee. The instant coffee packets are great for travel. As one coffee drinker said, “Oh. My. God. Literally the perfect cup of coffee. It was made for me.” Do we need to say more?

The global coffee trend for 2020 touched the astounding figure of U.S $52 billion. This is projected to grow at a rate of 6% in the next five years. The fast-paced millennial routines are driven by convenience, and thus we see a shift of the consumer market towards instant coffee as their on-the-go caffeine solution.

 Next 4 Top Rated Best Instant Coffees

Cafe Altura Freeze Dried Instant Organic Coffee

One of the best organic blends, this freeze-dried version of instant coffee is neither too bitter nor too sweet. Keeping the balanced flavor, the decaff version is best for that nightcap with a cookie or chocolate cake on cold nights. Containing Certified Organic 100% Arabica coffees from Africa, Asia, and South America, the freeze-dried coffee is robust enough to pass as freshly brewed. Customers give it a five-star rating on accounts that it goes excellent with ice-blended coffee drinks and did not give reflux.

Pros

• A balanced flavor
• Great value at a fair price

Cons

• Not available as on-the-go option

Starbucks VIA Instant

Want to enjoy the Starbucks standard without leaving the comfort of your living room or even when out in the great outdoors? Backpackers suggest get ting the VIA instant by Starbucks to experience an almost five-star caffeine punch mandatory for the drive in the wilds.

Available in eight flavors, the micro-ground coffee is packaged as single-serve, ready-to-brew sachets. Choose from blonde, medium, or dark roast made from 100% Arabica beans that give a bold yet smooth nutty flavor whether used hot or cold, where some fell in love with the robust and robust taste. Backpackers will also love the water-proof packing, which comes in handy while trekking trails.

Pros

• Great for traveling
• Available in different strengths and flavors
• Acidic-sweet and nice toasty after-notes
• Cost-effective purchase
• Water-proof packing

Cons

• Too bitter for some
• Expensive for some customers
• Packaging not environmental-friendly for outdoor use

Mount Hagen

Some claim it to be better than the Starbucks, while others call the Mount Hagen organic instant coffee a tribute to nature conservation and organic yields. All in all, Mount Hagen is a superior instant being certified organic by the USDA and ECOCERT in Germany with Fairtrade certification as well. The brew’s pleasing taste is not bitter or acidic, yet it delivers the caffeine punch a hectic weekday requires.

More than a cup of delicious coffee, the Mount Hagen costs about 21 cents per cup, and that too at the comfort of staying in your living room. A right choice for extended backcountry trips where real coffee isn’t worth the extra weight and hassle. The freeze-dried coffee also has the consumers’ stamp of approval for iced versions. 

Pros

• A cost-effective bargain
• Rich flavor ideal for hot and cold brews

Cons

• Some consumers find the coffee too watery for their tastes
• The coffee needs a few minutes to deliver the bold character

A soft, silky fragrance, all in your cup at home with notes of chocolate, nuts, fruits, and flowers. It sounds good, doesn’t it? The best organic instant coffee for cold brewing, high-quality roasting equipment, as well as the processing of beans in small groups make this brand a very worthy choice for cold brewing.

Pros

• Well-balanced rich flavor
• Good for coffee flavoring of baked goods as well as cold brews

Cons

• The coffee needs to sit for a while to deliver the full flavor
• Carried an off note of rotten fruit or rubbery flavor according to some

More about the Best Instant Coffee

Instant coffee is versatile in its nature because it caters to diverse flavors while preserving the originality of the toasted beans. Coffee craft companies tend to collect authentic flavors for instant coffee that satisfy the localized taste preferences with specialty versions and deliver health benefits via fortification with nutrients.

Instant coffee does not get a high opinion from coffee enthusiasts. Many call it utterly different from the leisurely-dripped coffee, while others call the experience subjective with no significant health differences. The baristas may tell you instant coffee is a disgrace to the tan colored brew.

But it is what it is; instant one is coffee and is named so because it merely is a concentrate of the brew. However, there is no denying that the production methods, quick-drying or freeze-drying, may undergo different vigilance levels. So brands may differ in taste and cater to varying experiences. 

Yet, there is no need for a compromise, even if you are in a rush. Instant coffee does not mean a barter between convenience and flavor. So here are some of the best picks of off-the-rack brews that take a New York minute to prepare.