Instant coffee is booming again. We taste-tested 10 brands and these 3 stood out
Former baristas and food editors sipped options from Starbucks, Illy, Folgers and more to find the strongest contenders.
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Gritty, bitter, flavorless: Instant coffee doesn't exactly have a stellar reputation. But there's been a lot of buzz about it recently, thanks to a new wave of brands — and a new wave of drinkers. According to data from Nielsen
, sales of instant coffee jumped 24% in 2024 from two years prior, and spending is growing the fastest among Gen Z. As one of Yahoo's resident coffee machine testers and a former food magazine editor, I had to taste it to believe it. Is this oft-maligned caffeine fix actually better than ever?
To find the best instant coffee, I ordered 10 of the top-selling nationally available brands, including old-school picks like Folgers and Juan Valdez, alongside instant coffees from specialty roasters like Joe Coffee Company and Verve. I then gathered a group of Yahoo staffers, all of whom love coffee and many of whom worked as baristas at some point in their lives. We sipped cup after cup, rating each one on flavor, aroma and overall enjoyment.
I have to be honest with you: The results of our taste test were mixed. Instant coffee has come a long way, but in most cases, it still can't replace a freshly brewed cup from a pour-over system
or drip coffee maker
. That said, we did uncover three options that we'd gladly drink on hectic days or while camping.
In this story
Best instant coffees of 2026
The Italian brand Illy has been selling ground coffee for home use since the 1950s, so it's no surprise that it earned top honors in our testing. Our panelists thought it smelled the most like a freshly brewed cup, and they ranked it highest for aroma. "Smells like fresh beans," noted one panelist.
In fact, this medium roast made from arabica beans earned high scores all around. Mount Hagen (see below) edged it out slightly in terms of flavor, but the two brands tied for top place when all categories were taken into account.
"The best of the bunch," noted one tester. "Fairly neutral flavor, which I like," wrote another. Some detected a slightly bitter aftertaste, and one person thought it tasted like espresso.
- Pressurized packaging helps keep coffee fresh
- Also comes in a dark roast
- Some testers thought it had a bitter aftertaste
Made with a blend of arabica beans from Papua New Guinea, Peru and Honduras, these freeze-dried crystals wowed most of our taste testers, earning the highest score for flavor and tying with Illy for first place. "A solid instant coffee choice I could see buying for a camping trip," remarked one of our former-barista testers.
Although a few people on our panel thought this coffee reminded them of something you'd get on an airplane, most felt it was a solid option. Even one of the aforementioned "airplane coffee" commenters called it "very subtle, but honestly, super drinkable."
- Comes in single-serve packets or a jar
- USDA-certified organic and Fair Trade certified
- Some testers thought it tasted watery when made according to package directions
Based in California, Verve Coffee Roasters produces a huge variety of instant coffee blends , more than any other brand I could find (aside from Swift Coffee , which I didn't include in our testing because it didn't meet the parameters mentioned in the intro). In addition to being sold at Amazon and the brand's site, the instant coffee is also available at REI, a clear sign that Verve wants you to take its packets with you on outdoor adventures.
Most of our testers would be happy to do that. A few described the medium-roast Sermon Blend as "smooth" and "fruity," and one even detected notes of "lemony citrus at the front." That zesty flavor may explain why several panelists thought this coffee was acidic. As one person put it, "The underlying flavors are not as burnt (though there is still an aspect of that, as in most instant coffees), but the acidity is a bit high." That said, it's "another pantry coffee contender," noted another tester.
A quick note that the Sermon Blend we tested is not currently available at other retailers, last time I checked, but REI sells a Streetlevel Blend that is similar in flavor profile. If you want to try something nuttier or with hints of caramel and chocolate, seek out the Vancouver Blend at Amazon.
- Smooth, fruity flavor
- Many coffee blends available
- Water or milk/milk alternative recommended
- Acidic
Factors to consider when choosing instant coffee
First off, it pays to understand how instant coffee is made. In most cases, a producer roasts and grounds beans, then brews coffee concentrate in massive batches. Then, it's either sprayed into a current of very hot air, evaporating the water and leaving behind a powder, or it's freeze-dried and broken into granules. The best instant coffee should meet the following criteria:
✓ Long shelf life:Whereas fresh coffee is usually best within a couple of weeks of roasting, instant coffee should last for at least a year. Most of the options we tried had a best-by date of sometime in 2027.
✓ Easy to make:You should be able to mix instant coffee with hot or cold water. Some brands, like Verve, also suggest using milk (or a dairy alternative) for a richer taste. Expect to use 6 to 10 ounces of liquid per serving.
✓ Quick to dissolve:All of the coffees we tested dissolved instantly in hot water after a quick stir, and just one (from Joe Coffee Company) was reported as grainy by multiple testers.
All of the instant coffees we tried were extremely dark in color — but that doesn't mean they tasted strong.
How we tested instant coffee
I started by researching the most popular instant coffees on the market that are easily available online and relatively affordable. As a result, I prioritized brands that you can order from large retailers such as Amazon as opposed to directly from specialty coffee companies, as these instant coffees tend to cost more, especially when you add in shipping fees.
Then came the fun part: At Yahoo's New York City office, I gathered a group of 11 coffee lovers who included several former baristas. Because we were using smaller-than-usual sample cups, I made half servings of each instant coffee. I used hot water, following the water-to-coffee ratio recommended on each package. I labeled the cups with only a letter to keep the brands hidden.
The testers drank the coffee black, without any cream or sugar, in random order, rating them from 1 to 5 (with 5 being the best) on flavor, aromaand overall enjoyment.They also wrote down their thoughts on each sample, submitting everything through a Google Form. I averaged the scores and took into account all the comments to come up with this list of the three best instant coffees.
Other instant coffee we tested
Starbucks Via Colombia Instant Coffee :Diehard Starbies fans may enjoy this medium-roast instant coffee, which is made with micro-ground arabica beans and sold exclusively in single-use packets. Our testers, however, were disappointed. Almost all described the coffee as "bitter," and those who didn't called it "chemically." That said, it was far from the worst instant coffee we tried. As one panelist put it, "Not something I would specifically seek out, but totally drinkable if it's the only option."
Starbucks Premium Medium Roast Instant Coffee :Available in metal canisters, this more basic version of Starbucks instant ground coffee performed almost identically to its Via counterpart, edging it out by 0.2 points on overall enjoyment. "While it's a bit on the bitter side, it's not too bad — I'd drink a cup of this," wrote one tester.
Juan Valdez Organic Freeze Dried Coffee :Our least-favorite instant coffee scored a paltry 1.7 out of 5 points when we averaged all the ratings. "I feel like if I blocked my nose and closed my eyes I couldn't 100% tell you if it was hot water or not (until the aftertaste hits)," observed one tester. The aroma also didn't earn it any fans, with a couple of people commenting that it smelled "off."
Battle of the specialty coffee companies! Mount Hagen's freeze-dried granules (left) face off against Joe Coffee Company's finer powder.
(Jessica Dodell-Feder/Yahoo)Nescafe Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee :Although two testers thought this instant coffee tasted reminiscent of popcorn, it still scored higher than both options from Starbucks. "I don't feel strongly about this one one way or the other — it's very neutral and a little watery," noted one panelist.
Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee :If this is what you think of when you think of instant coffee, know that it hasn't changed much. Most of our testers thought it lacked flavor, and several compared it to the worst coffee they've ever had (though they said this one was slightly better).
Saturnbird Medium Dark Instant Cold Brew :This specialty brand's instant coffee is designed to impress — each serving comes in colorful, tiny coffee cups. It's billed as cold brew (it dissolves easily in cold water), but also works as hot coffee and fared pretty well in our testing, ranking fourth. Some reviewers liked the intense flavor; others felt it was too bitter. "I'd consider having this on hand at my house. Not for coffee snobs but easy to drink," wrote one tester.
Joe Coffee Company The Daily Specialty Instant Coffee Packets :As a New York City native, I had high hopes for this hometown roaster. It did ... just OK, scoring the same as both Starbucks options. I mentioned this above, but more than one tester thought it was grainy, which is not an issue we had with the other samples. It averaged a decent 2.9 for aroma, but a few people thought it was too acidic and tasted sour or bitter.
How to make an instant coffee latte
Part of the reason Gen Z is so into instant coffee? TikTok is overflowing with videos of how to make budget-friendly lattes with the stuff. Many of these recipes look a lot like Dalgona coffee, which you may remember becoming popular in the U.S. during Covid. An instant coffee latte is extremely simple to make: Combine 1 tablespoon instant coffee with about half as much sugar and a few tablespoons of hot water. Either shake or stir well (some people use a milk frother ), then add heated milk, which you can also froth.
Must-haves for making instant coffee
Speaking of milk frothers, you can't go wrong with this handheld gizmo. Powered by two AA batteries, it whips up milk into foamy deliciousness in mere seconds, reports my Senior Deals Writer Rebecca Carhart . No wonder nearly 173,000 Amazon shoppers have rated it five stars.
Even if you have no plans to make instant coffee lattes, a gadget like this is handy to keep on your counter for zhushing up a basic cup of joe.
In most cases, you need a tablespoon or two of instant coffee per serving. You could use the same measuring spoons you use for baking, but an extra set specifically for coffee never hurts. You won't have to worry about any coffee flavors carrying over into other ingredients, plus these scoops (which include 1- and 2-tablespoon portions) feature longer-than-usual handles for reaching every last granule. Choose from six colors, including the glam gold finish shown here.
If you tend to sip rather than slurp your coffee, a mug warmer is a must. Place your cup on this electronic pad, and it'll heat up to a precise temperature (choose from four options — 131°F, 145°F, 167°F and 185°F) in just four seconds. Here's hoping you won't need this option, but it can keep your cup steaming hot for up to 12 hours.
More of a minimalist? These Amazon favorites boast rave reviews and have been purchased more than 1,000 times this month alone. They're made from double-walled borosilicate glass to help keep coffee warm longer than a standard mug. Borosilicate is also resistant to thermal shock, so you can place these babies in the fridge, freezer, dishwasher and microwave.
Hardly any of the instant coffees we tried were gritty, but if you really want to shield yourself from an unmixed cuppa, consider a self-stirring mug. Simply charge this stainless steel gadget with the included USB-C cable, then press a button to get things moving. A clear resin lid prevents spills.
An electric kettle was essential for our taste test because it helped me quickly serve our nearly dozen testers. But even if you're enjoying your java solo, you can appreciate its usefulness. This Chefman model boils roughly two cups of water in just 3 minutes, and its clear glass body lets you easily monitor what's happening.
Update, August 14, 2026: We refreshed pricing and availability for all products. Our No. 1 pick for best instant coffee remains unchanged.
We received complimentary samples of some products and purchased others ourselves, but we reviewed all products using the same objective criteria.
