Instant coffee recommendations

What coffee brand would you recommend to a first time drinker?
Looking for something I can get off the shelf at the supermarket when it's on sale.

Comments

  • +29

    Moccona

    • +2

      And woolies has it on special at the moment for the big jar. $10 save $8 or $9.

  • +5

    Actually Moccona Indulgence :) see my note below-

    and i do have a proper grinder and Sunbeam machine but they are a bit too noisy at 5am :)
    they get a workout later in the day…

    • +1

      they are a bit too noisy at 5am

      That's the time of day that you need decent coffee the most. Better to grind it the night before than to compromise with 'pretend' coffee at that hour.

      • Nah the Sunbeam makes too much noise too Geewhizz thanks for thinking of me tho ;)

        • +12

          Get an aeropress. :)

        • +1

          This! I was leaving for work with instant because of the time/noise to make real coffee. The aeropress takes the same time and effort as instant, pretty much.

        • He's probably got a a sunbeam EM6910 or variant (twin thermoblock). Mine is also V noisy. I use it to wake the house up in the morning. It's not the grinding, its the coffee machine.

        • @schwinn
          Yes correct EM6910 + EM0480 Grinder

          (have started to look at the Aeropress- any ozbargain deals ???)

        • Not if you include washing… if you don't include washing.. pod coffees take about the same time too

    • Agreed, found the cheaper Robert Timms stuff, pretty bad. But that's just my taste

    • Agreed, its easily the best instant coffee you can get from all supermarkets… well for instant coffee anyway

  • Moccona is quite nice and not expensive. Also the Nescafe "Mild Roast" with the blue label is nice too.

  • +4

    robert timms expresso

    • Is this the one in the bags? If you want anything resembling real coffee this stuff is far and above anything instant will give you.

  • +3

    Moccona Classic Medium Roast

  • +9

    Email each company and ask them to send you a sample

  • +2

    Carte Noire Millicano (Wholebean Instant) and Carte Noire, the normal blend is pretty good. And they are on special (50% off) this week, I believe. Here's some info about it:
    http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/10/can-carte-noires-premiu…

    I tried quite a few instant coffees and am not disappointed with these at all.

    Of course, for me, the best instant coffee will always be the Nescafe Parisien, which I found in London, and not available here. Nescafe has a different range there. I fervently hope that Nescafe will bring this to OZ sometime in the future.

    • +2

      i tried that Carte Noire and is probably the worst instant coffee i have tasted firstly i tried the sample pack it was great went out and got the big jar won't make that mistake again cheap price at 50% at woolworths or coles almost everyweek saya it all.

      • +1

        Hey stevednj48 we did the same bought the big jar at half price from woollies and it tastes like mud, it was that bad I took it to work and sneakily dumped it in the tea room to teach the coffee thieves a lesson :)

    • +1

      With such an epic advert, it must be good. But seriously, I found the Carte Noire one of the best instants. Biggest brand in France supposedly.

  • +2

    get 3in1 coffee mix from your local oriental stores.
    they are great instant coffee. costing ~50 cents

    • +1

      I've been drinking IndoCafe 3in1 for more years than I can remember, close to 10 now.

      I've tried all the Vietnamese, Chinese and even the 'Asian Nescafe' 3in1's etc but keep going back to IndoCafe.

      In Melbourne you can get it at Laguna in QV. Chaddy Mart & some Asian grocery stores also have it.

      IndoCafe costs $6 for a pack of 30 ~ that's 20 cents per coffee!

      Great flavour, sweet and there is no left over 'bits' of residue like some other brands.

      • That's also my number one choice.

        My other favourites are ginseng coffee and sugar cane/hazelnut coffee mix.

  • +4

    International Roast

    • +16

      International roast is what you drink when the tap water doesn't taste good and there aren't any teabags left in your pantry.

      • It is ok in milkshakes though.

        I have a friend who spriinkles it on their icecream, which works out well. My mother visits for a week or so once a year, and drinks only international roast, so when she's gone, I simply pass the can on.

        For what it's worth, the tap water would have to taste pretty bad. lol

  • +6

    go to asian grocery stores and get some instant Vietnamese coffee, way better than anything in Woolies or Coles.

    • Interesting idea. Any particular brands? Is it better than Nescafe Espresso?

      • Not sure if you would want to do that. Unless of course you like sugar and "milk' in your coffee

        Vinacafé's "3-in-1" line of instant coffee, which approximates the taste of Vietnamese cà phê sữa by combining coffee with non-dairy creamer and sugar in a single packet

        • +2

          Not for me then. I only drink black no sugar.

        • +2

          Try Trung Nguyen?
          http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Packs-x100g-200g-Vietnamese-Roa…

          This may or may not be the stuff they brew in vietnam coffee shops. Wish I had asked when I was there.

        • +1

          Viet coffee has a very distinctive taste. To me, even unsweetened black it tastes "sweet".
          Trung Nguyen is a chain of coffee shops similar to Gloria Jeans/Starbucks. I had a coffee there at ruinous expense. Well, pretty close to AU prices which was shocking for Vietnam.

        • You're supposed to hang out with the locals. I hung out with the university students and they took us to this joint which looks fairly run down, and it is (tables and chairs were just like footstools), empty sunflower seed husks were strewn everywhere on the floor, it's pretty much the exact opposite of where a tourist would go. But that's where the locals would drink.
          The coffee was both cheap and amazing.

          Think they had egg coffee and some yoghurt coffee variant as well. Just can't remember what the coffee shop was called.

  • +1

    Moccona Medium Roast in daily diet for the last 2-3 years — too cheap to drink real coffee.

  • Moccona is the way to go for instant, if you have to.

    I personally have a coffee grinder at home and grind enough to use in my plunger cup for the day. Doesn't take much longer than making an instant coffee and tastes much better. Much cheaper than buying coffee every day too.

    http://www.coffeecompany.com.au/accessories/barista-essentia…

  • Trust me. I am a real coffee drinker since a little boy. I drink at least three cups a day now. Just love it's aroma. I had been asking people about the best type of coffee for years and myself tasting all types too. I can tell you now beside Starbucks. coffee, I find those 3 in 1 ESP. Old Town and Ali are the best ones; I do not like it's sweetness, so I use to buy the 2 in 1 ( no sugar) Old Town , and I mix the two for my likeness. Oh they are just perfect especially after meal. Try Old Town with hazanut favourite.Cheers.

    • Where do you buy this from ?

  • +2

    Moccona Indulgence for me is the best in its range. Nothing instant comes close to a real coffee :/

  • For me its a blen of ~ 60% Moccona Classic Medium Roast and 40% Robert Timms Premium Full Bodied Granulated Coffee on the weekends. On weekdays only 'proper' coffee does the trick

  • "first time drinker" you say….
    Well, usually I would say Moccona Indulgence, but Nescafe Gold is a close second and can be had cheaper.

  • +1

    Nescafe Blend 43.

    Get the taste for it now. It's the most commonly available free instant coffee at various venues - offices, functions & other occasions where tea & coffee are provided free of charge.

  • Moccona Medium Roast - I have tried other instant coffees when my work buys different brands but Moccona is my favourite

  • I like Coles original fair-trade instant coffee - it tastes quite good and it's quite cheap while still being fair trade :)

    • It comes as granulated or powder. I find the granulated a close match to Moccona medium, so much so I am suspicious they are the same.

  • +1

    Maccona by far has to be the popular choice and is a nice drop for instant stuff.

    Have a sample pot of some nescafe stuff from my top gear easter show bag which by surprise is a nice drop as well.

  • +2

    Aeropress
    Robert Timms coffee bags (espresso italian)
    Moccona

    In that order.

  • I'm a seed grinding espresso coffee drinker now, but when I used to drink instant I liked Moccona's range. At the time it was the closest tasting to 'real' coffee and when purchased on special it was keenly priced.

  • drink beer

    • Co-ffee

  • first time drinker

    1st time drinker of any coffee or only instant?

    if the former then simply visit a good cafe and try different coffee styles until you like one

    once you hopefully do, buy a plunger or aeropress and ground coffee beans
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/136379#comment-1878829

    much better value/quality than instant coffee and almost just as easy to make :)

  • +4

    First time coffee drinker…
    So are you looking at get into coffee drinking for social reasons? You do realise that it's a highly addictive substance and you will likely end up in a dark alley begging for coffee beans to keep yourself from the raging headaches and to stop the shakes.
    Just so you make an informed choice ;-)
    If you want to look cool, drink moccona. If you want to be hip, go with free trade, if you want it to taste nice, don't drink instant!

    • Agreed - why start?

      I love my coffee but don't forget it is the worlds most frequently consumed drug.

    • +1

      Yes as an addict myself I would strongly recommend not to start. If you are looking at instant it's not too late for you. Save yourself.

  • Best way to make instant coffee taste ok is by diluting the coffee and sugar if you use with 2 table spoons of hot water.

    Then add milk, roughly 150ml, depends on how much you want to drink.

    Microwave for about 1 minute, but stopping every 15-20 seconds to give it a quick stir.

    Amount of coffee, sugar and milk is all user dependent. :D

    • I am more of a black drinker but I find if you put the coffee, sugar and milk in and stir it, then poor in the hot water tastes more creamy.

  • +1

    Am i the only one that likes the Nescafe cafe menu sachets?

    Relatively expensive way to buy coffee 40c each on sale, but you have your latte and a bunch of other flavors all ready to go.

    • No, not alone there. Nescafe sachets are my go to coffee at work too. It is the only instant one that seems to have creamy froth with just hot water and no milk required.

  • Moccona would be one of my favourites. Robert Timms coffee bags have a good taste and are great for outings and peoples houses who don't drink coffee. Nescafe is good but a little middle shelf for most of their coffees.

    Probably my favourite coffee would be NESCAFE SHORT BLACK coffee.

    Even though it is cheaper to buy large bottles oxygen and light degrade coffee. The first cup of a newly opened bottle is always better than the last.

  • +1

    I also recommend the Aeropress, more so than the plunger or instant. Super quick, super convenient and very easy to use.

    Coffee tastes fantastic if you are buying from a local roaster who knows what they are doing.

    • Tried the Coles house brand last time, not to bad for instant coffee.

  • Anyone tried the Nescafe Azera in the silver tin with black lid?
    I saw it on sale at Woolies for $5 for a 85g tin last night.
    I was tempted to buy only because of this thread. Damn you Ozbargain! :D

    But then the cheapskate in me remembered I still have a 3/4 full jar of Nescafe Green blend that I still need to finish off. So I ended up putting it back. :D

    • +1

      Yes - that Azera stuff is pretty good. Although (probably due to the added real beans) - the expiry dates aren't very good, so it's not ideal for stocking up when cheap.

      The empty cans are quite useful too.

  • Im using whatever pre-ground beans are on special with a Swiss Gold filter…I am onto the 2nd batch of the Café Aurora stuff and it is not any worse than the box load of Illy Espresso tins that I managed to get very cheap through a family members office.

  • +1

    I like my instant coffee on the stronger side and generally go for Nescafe Gold Dark or Moccona Mocha Kenya both of which are often on special. I find regular Moccona too dull & almost muddy (likewise Nescafe Gold regular) but have found Moccona Expresso ok. I have yet to try Moccona Indulgence, but will consider for next on special purchase.

    Cheers
    Dennis

  • For something different try Turkish pounded coffee.

  • I find Moccona, Robert Timms, and Nescafe to be decent.

    None of them really taste as good as brewed coffee, pre-ground coffee and a french press is a relatively cheap and easy way to get real coffee.

  • Cheapest way to make ground coffee is using a clothe colander, in Colombia we still use that to make coffee. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z3OEnwaJwk :P

  • I'm liking the Moccona Rich at the moment (Black Label)

    I don't rate the standard Moccona (Gold Label)

  • I use to be able to drink instant coffee but now its harder to stomach.. Perhaps age is catching up :P

  • Buy one jar of Moccona, when it is finished fill it with whatever instant coffee is on special at your local grocery store. You'll probably b e able to fool yourself into thinking it is a premium coffee.

    Or do what I did, buy Moccona, find yourself disappointed, and use the empty jar to keep nails in.

  • Aldi instant coffee. inexpensive and reasonably not crap

  • Nescafe Short Black : http://www2.woolworthsonline.com.au/shop/ProductDetails?Stoc…

    In terms of coffee cordials, this is the best one. You don't actually have to make a short black with it, feel free to add milk for a latte/flat white. The taste is better, for me at least, than any of the moccona or nescafe varieties - I've tried em all.

    If you want to spend a little more, Starbucks, if you can find them, do sell theirs in instant form, i.e. just add hot water, but it costs about $1/satchel. However, much better than any of the instant coffees and better than some pod based coffees (I'm lookin at you Coffee Capsule Delights)

  • I usually like the gold blend types of instant, Nescafe Gold Blend, moccona etc. I recently tried Kenco which has a similar taste and is pretty cheap as well.

  • Moccona

  • I rotate my instant coffee around Nescafe, Robert Timms, even Bushells and anything else (but not International Roast) and then have a Maccona every few months. That way you you don't get sick of the same coffee, and the Maccona delivers a up market hit.
    I don't drink "real" coffee all that often, but when I do it is a real treat.

  • +1

    Yeah Moccona as others have said is so nice. You probably won't go to anything else once you taste this

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