What's the best instant?

silja

I hope this question isn't going to be pulled for heresy :P

Which instant coffee do you think is the best, and why?
I must admit I prefer the fancy coffee from coffee houses (with flavouring, whipped cream etc), and rarely drink instant, so I don't have a preference-yet! But I was wondering what others prefer?

Mr Magnolia

Douve Egberts Continental Gold Blend would be one of the instant fav's I suppose. Carté Noir would be another one. Don't drink instant unless I'm visiting somewhere any more though

johnnyskeleton

Beweleys used to make a semi-decent instant (that's as good as it gets I'm afriad), not sure if it's still available. Also, try the fair trade instant you get in the oxfam shop. That, plus their gingerstem cookies, gives you a sense of well being that almost, but not quite, makes up for the fact that you're drinking instant.

Gran Hermano

Instant and Coffee.. like comparing McD's to the best organic steak
you've ever tasted !

I must confess that I laugh when I see people pouring BOILING water on
instant coffee - as if it doesn't taste bad enough with out having to burn
the hell out of the coffee. It's up on my list of pet-hates along with people
who keep a jar of instant in the back of the kitchen cupboard for years
for the non-tea drinking visitor.

Back when I used to drink the instant 'coffee' I found Carte Noire the best
of a bad bunch. It's owned by Kraft as is Kenco and Maxwell House.

In all honesty there's no excuse for instant - get a moka pot or french press.

Do you see people drinking instant tea? Would you eat instant mashed potato?

Wishbone Ash

Gran Hermano wrote:

Instant and Coffee.. like comparing McD's to the best organic steak
you've ever tasted !

I must confess that I laugh when I see people pouring BOILING water on
instant coffee - as if it doesn't taste bad enough with out having to burn
the hell out of the coffee. It's up on my list of pet-hates along with people
who keep a jar of instant in the back of the kitchen cupboard for years
for the non-tea drinking visitor.

Back when I used to drink the instant 'coffee' I found Carte Noire the best
of a bad bunch. It's owned by Kraft as is Kenco and Maxwell House.

In all honesty there's no excuse for instant - get a moka pot or french press.

Do you see people drinking instant tea? Would you eat instant mashed potato?

I will drink any kind of coffee once it's strong and black without sugar. I don't care whether it's instant, perculated etc.

Tea is another matter. It has to be perfect. I will only drink tea that I've made myself. The cup must be heated with boiling water first. It has to be strong but fresh and preferably Barry's Gold Blend. None of that Lyon's muck. Why is it that so many Irish people associate strong tea with stale tea, i.e. that has been in the pot for 30 minutes? Yuck!


Re the question - Maxwell House Rich Roast.

homah_7ft

Gran Hermano wrote:

Instant and Coffee.. like comparing McD's to the best organic steak
you've ever tasted !

I must confess that I laugh when I see people pouring BOILING water on
instant coffee - as if it doesn't taste bad enough with out having to burn
the hell out of the coffee. It's up on my list of pet-hates along with people
who keep a jar of instant in the back of the kitchen cupboard for years
for the non-tea drinking visitor.

Back when I used to drink the instant 'coffee' I found Carte Noire the best
of a bad bunch. It's owned by Kraft as is Kenco and Maxwell House.

In all honesty there's no excuse for instant - get a moka pot or french press.

Do you see people drinking instant tea? Would you eat instant mashed potato?

I couldn't let this pass without posting a scene from Seinfeld.
BOOKMAN: Yeah, you don't drink coffee? How about instant coffee?

JERRY: No, I don't have--

BOOKMAN: You don't have any instant coffee?

JERRY: Well, I don't normally--

BOOKMAN: Who doesn't have instant coffee?

JERRY: I don't.

BOOKMAN: You buy a jar of Folger's Crystals, you put it in the cupboard, you

forget about it. Then later on when you need it, it's there. It lasts

forever. It's freeze-dried. Freeze-dried Crystals.

DonkeyStyle \o/

Kenco and Nescafe would be top of my instant list.

Nevyn

Carté Noir

but everything is better them mexwell muck.

Mr Magnolia

johnnyskeleton wrote:

Beweleys used to make a semi-decent instant (that's as good as it gets I'm afriad), not sure if it's still available. .

Must be gone, I tried one of there new instants and it isn't good at all

Kintarō Hattori

Agree with Sparks on the Douwe Egberts, quality stuff. Myself and the missus decided to be adventurous recently and try out a different instant. We bought one of Tesco's Finest instant coffees, I think it was the medium blend and I think I'm going to give it away. It's horrible horrible stuff, it tastes like it's been burnt.
Tesco Finest anything is usually pretty decent, but this is simply foul.

BTW - When I was in Poland in Febuary I had possibly the nicest instant I've ever had which was Tchibo Gold. Can't get it here, but you can get the stuff for the perculator in the polish shops. Haven't tried that myself, but must do one of these days.

lubie76

I used to work in a bar with a really posh cappucino machine. The amount of customers who would only drink instant coffee (Nescafe) was amazing! Sacralidge!

cast_iron

Gran Hermano wrote:

I must confess that I laugh when I see people pouring BOILING water on
instant coffee - as if it doesn't taste bad enough with out having to burn
the hell out of the coffee.

Exactly - milk, then water....

And Carte Noir is probably the best of the instant.

RE*AC*TOR

I despise instant coffee. I never drink it, if its the only option I will drink something else. Its not what I think of when I picture coffee. I can't understand why so many people need coffee so fast.

bluestarshine

I found the Cafe Direct instant is really good, its a fair trade coffee and you can get it in most supermarkets or in the oxfam shops. Lots have people have said its the nicest cup of instant they've had.
Try it

JIZZLORD

Douwe Egberts or bewleys instant. I'd drink whatever a host has as i'm not a b**tard about things like that.

byte

Currently Kenco Really Rich (though I think my last jar had a different name), or Kenco's Pure Columbian. I intend to sample others in time though.

ianmc38

Carte Noir is definitely the best instant. Kenco is the 2nd best of a bad bunch.

eamon234

Nescafe's Cap Colombie is definitely the best of a bad lot - hate Carte Noir tastes too bleachy

oleras

Maxwell House, the blue one, and i must have about 7 billion labels at home, still waiting for them to being back there offers.....lol

And as for the coffee snobbery, laughable really. Reminds me of people who think they know about wines cos they visited a vineyard in spain once. Nothing wrong with only drinking instant coffee if thats what a person likes, i dont like beans for the simple reason is is never hot enough, and gets too thick if you leave it for an hour or two in the cup and come back to it later, dont see any issue with drinking it cold either, so hot hot or cold, dont give me lukewarm........:D

flogen

Gran Hermano wrote:

Do you see people drinking instant tea?

I've always considered teabags to be "instant tea" - certainly compared to the proper process of a tea pot on the cooker.

I'd probably go with Carté Noir as the best instant I've ever tasted, but since I got a french press there's very little excuse to go for instant (unless I have no real coffee in the house, maybe). I mean, I have to give the coffee grinds a few minutes to blend with the water, but given that I drink my coffee black I'd be waiting for it to cool down a bit during that time anyway.

jos28

Nescafe Black Gold if I have to drink instant.Strong and black.

Rogueish

Nescafe Alta Rica, it is the best of a bad lot......

kahlua

Yup i agree, Nescafe Alta Rica for me....

JC 2K3

eo980 wrote:

Myself and the missus decided to be adventurous recently and try out a different instant. We bought one of Tesco's Finest instant coffees, I think it was the medium blend and I think I'm going to give it away. It's horrible horrible stuff, it tastes like it's been burnt.
Tesco Finest anything is usually pretty decent, but this is simply foul.

lol, you think Tesco Finest is bad? We had Tesco Value coffee in the 6th year kitchen in school at the start of this year...

Sweet. Jesus.

The worst muck I have ever had the displeasure of drinking.

Maxwell house is fairly bad too. I like Nescafe Gold Blend though.

Rogueish

Sorry the Maxwell house red label is the WORST muck you can possibly drink and my mum loves the stuff.....

Gran Hermano

Drink real coffee, get beans or pre-ground.
Asking what's the best instant is like asking
what form of cancer is best to have - it's all bad.

Mr Magnolia

Adding to what Gran Hermano said, if you would like to try real coffee you can buy a French Press for around €10-€15, the coffee is not really anymore expensive after that. You don't have to spend hundreds on a machine to enjoy good coffee.

RE*AC*TOR

I think people who wanna try real coffee would be better off with a drip filter.

French press is too reliant on grind size, and they'll probably end up with a lot of sludge in their coffee.