The instant coffee thread
 

which instant coffee is way better than the rest? is there one you always bring back home when abroad?

my favorite Israeli instant coffee is Elite Platinum columbian. but looking for other winners, or one similar to this for my American relatives.

Nescafe Noir. Originally sold only in France, but Nestle has started to market it in various countries around the world (such as NZ); but not yet in the US. Maybe never, it is too strong for the US palate -- surprisingly good for an instant.

This is actually a very good question.

I personally like the Nestle Mocha Instant Coffee but others will say that is not really instant coffee.

In Asia, they seem to love instant coffee. In fact, in peoples homes I visit, when they ask if I want coffee, they mean instant coffee which is something I usually avoid. When living in Canada, they rarely offer instant coffee.

thank you:)

i think this is my husband's favorite. He first found it in Cyprus, but now it is available occassionally here in Israel, too. Actually there are two Nestles he likes--the noir and the alta rica.

I think that in North America, regular instant coffee has really lost its appeal with the advent of Starbucks, Tim Hortons', Dunkin Donuts etc....

But here in Asia, everybody still buys and drinks the stuff. I can't stand it when they use condensed milk and tons of sugar.

Best instant coffee bar none is "Jamaica Mountain Peak" packaged in Jamaica - home of the famous Blue Mountain Coffee whose beans sell at about $60.00/lb at most specialty coffee stores.

Though mostly available on the island the instant can now be found in many supermarkets in area of south Florida with a significant Jamaican population.
Though not made entirely for the highly sought after Blue Mountain (whose next 10 years production has been 80% bought up by Japanese brokers) its in the opinion of many far superior to anything out of Colombia or elsewhere.

mike

I've noticed that especially for younger and lower income Asians the apartments/rooms don't come with what we would call a kitchen or kitchenette. Instead there will be a cabinet top adorned with a hot water pot, a rice cooker, and maybe a microwave or hot plate. So instant coffee (usually Nescafe) or 3-in-1 coffee (instant coffee, creamer and sugar all mixed together in packets) tends to be the norm. In Thailand there are still coffee carts where you can buy hot or cold Thai coffee, but it seems to be more popular with older rather than younger Thai. Thailand also has lots of coffee shops these days, including overpriced Starbucks, of course.

I often bring back a couple of 10-packs of Khao Shong mint coffee mix, but I only use a couple of spoonfuls added to brewed coffee as a full cup of the stuff is too sweet for me.

I see it in the UK too. The plant I regularly visit there has a very fancy machine that produces a cup of instant coffee. I'm not impressed with any instant coffee anywhere. I'll keep my eyes open for Nescafe Noir.

The only Elite coffee I tried was total crap. I hate instant coffee. I'd rather boil the water and use a french press. of course Tim Hortons or Starbucks also is good for coffee. Surprisingly I like both Tim Hortons (weak coffee) and Starbucks (strong). I only use 18% cream in my coffee. I find 10% (half/half) has a really yucky cheesy/fatty taste and smell.

If I may, I'd like to follow on to the OP's question: What's the best instant coffee available in the US? When I travel, particularly in Asia, I like to bring instant coffee with me in case it's not available in my hotel room. I've yet to find a brand available in America that even tastes like coffee (at least it has caffeine).

Any suggestions?

Taster's Choice. It is even available vanilla flavoured (but unsweetened). I think the instant vanilla coffee is quite an acceptable coffee alternative (and distracts from comparing it to real coffee).

You did read my post above right?

The product can be found in most Publix supermarkets in South and Central Florida.

mike

Well, I guess I should have said, "widely available in the U.S." I'd love to try it, but south and central Florida are a little far from the San Francisco city center. ;)

Carte Noire, from France, particularly in the individual cup packets, http://www.cartenoire.fr/, Vastly superior to anything I've tasted in the U.S. It's 100% pure Arabica beans.

I have French friends who insist I bring this back for them.

I prefer the hazelnut.

Elite makes a lot of differnet kinds. The regular is awful, but the platinum is quite good, imho.

Have just started using Nescafe Partners' Blend Fair Trade instant coffee - VERY nice!

Not a huge fan of instants, I tend to only use them when I'm somewhere remote, and even then only until I can fashion a filter from an old dishcloth :)

However, some of the Fairtrade ones aren't too bad: the UK Co-op organic one was reasonably palatable, and the Traidcraft one is decent. I don't touch any Nestlé products.

Nestle imports an instant Nescafe' from Mexico. It's in a globe shaped jar. It is fairly easy to buy in Texas. It is much better than the American market Nescafe' in the square jars. And costs less.

Nescafe' Dark Roast in Australia was good and was in nearly every hotel room I stayed in. Instant powdered coffee in a little tube shaped packet.

Ah! I had that while I was in Mexico. Sooo much better than American Nescafe, but nothing beats a french press. :D

Here in Central Asia, I've become addicted to MacCoffee.

When I'm in S. Korea, it's Maxim all the way.

Makes a good mileage/coffee run though! :)

mr. haniboo also likes the nestle cap colombe.

interesting how nestle make so many different varieites.

Those Japanase brand ones are my favorite. ^

For decaf, its Taster's Choice.
Regular - its Folger's crystal

I can't drink instant coffee. Not after tasting some of the best coffees the world has to offer.

Is Nescafe Noir the same as Nescafe Black Gold (UK)? We're currently drinking this for everyday slurps at home and we quite like it.

Similar, but not quite the same (Noir is a bit better, richer and a darker roast; I guess Nestle decided that the Brits couldn't handle it full-force). Both are much darker/richer/better than the US version. Very annoying that Nescafe has created a dozen different products, customized for each country, and you find one you like but then can't get that elsewhere. Sometimes with the same brand name.

I tell you what.. I just tried the Starbucks "Via" instant coffee sample I received a few days ago. And it's not bad. Tastes more like real coffee than instant, although not as strong as I would like. But for an instant coffee it is quite good.

Grown up with Instant or percolated coffee, cant stand coffee in the US as its either weak or strong and bitter. The favouite instants are Cap colombie, ALta Rica, and Dowe Egberts Gold

Instant coffee for the traveler on the go!
 

I know this has been asked before but I didn't really get a usable answer out of the old threads. I'm trying to find a passable instant coffee that I can bring with me on my travels. When I lived in the UK I liked the Clipper brand but I'm in the US now and can't find it. I picked up some Nescafe Taster's Choice Gourmet Roast and its undrinkable! What do you guys like?

Addl requirements: Available in the US, either widely in supermarkets or online...

The Starbucks Via isn't bad for instant coffee. But, it's stronger than most intant coffees I've had previously.

I use Via also. It's far better than the crap in the hotel rooms but it's not as good as my coffee at home.

I haven't tried via but I've heard that its good. Its expensive for instant though. On the advice of a comparison review article I found I bought some Cafe Bustelo. Actually its not bad - I would say it is comparable to the Clipper instant.

Add my vote for the Starbucks Via. It's always packed in my carry-on to use instead of those awful hotel packets.

Also I think Via is far better than the coffee served on airplanes.

Generally I drink two cups as soon as I wake up but if I've had to take a red eye and don't have time to pick up a cup at a coffee place in the airport, I will drink the Via instead of the airplane coffee. That stuff is nothing but hot brown water.

One thing to get straight - There is no such thing as "good" instant coffee. There is only tolerable instant coffee until you can find real stuff.

Taster's Choice used to be good, and certainly better than Folgers, but its not
the same.

I think Via is awful. Not just bad because its instant, but truly awful tasting swill and really overpriced. Also, you should qualify the statement about airplane coffee. LH and AF have excellent coffee. UA's coffee (a special blend made for them by the Evil Green Mermaid) is ok if it is super fresh, but goes off 5 minutes after the pot is brewed.

You find Tim's weak and Starbucks strong? I find Tim's strong (and yummy, especially for the price) and Starbucks burnt and hollow. I would never take a Starburnt over a Tim Hortons.

As for cream, UHT packets of 18% isn't widely available in the US. Not to mention that I have, since I was a kid, loved the taste of half and half.

Fair enough.

I fly Delta and I dislike their coffee enough to do without. It's just hot brown water to me.

I like Nescafe Clasico. I believe its from Mexico, but its widely available, at least here in N California. It's not the same as brewed coffee but if I'm in a hurry or out of regular coffee, I don't find it the least bit unpleasant. Definitely better than some brewed coffees.

I find it useful to have on hand for making a quick iced coffee with milk or when added to Mexican hot chocloate (Ibarra for me) to cut the sweetness.