Good instant coffees

Instant coffee is especially popular in Russia. It accounts for 80% of the domestic coffee market.

The reason for this demand is simple. To prepare instant coffee, it is enough to pour boiling water over it.

Instant coffee varieties have different taste and aroma. And therefore, it will not be superfluous to know how to choose a quality product from the variety presented in supermarkets. From the last article, we learned how to choose ground coffee - here.

How to Pick a Good Instant Coffee

Before buying instant coffee, pay attention to the fact that in supermarkets there are coffee drinks on the same shelf with it.

Coffee drink and instant coffee are different things. They differ in taste, price, amount of caffeine. Therefore, you can buy coffee only if there is a note on the label: "100% instant coffee"... This speaks of the naturalness of the drink.

Read about the benefits and dangers of instant coffee here.

Coffee varieties

Of the types of coffee trees, the most popular in the world are acquired Robusta and Arabica... The first is distinguished by a bitter and pungent taste, the second is soft and aromatic. The caffeine content in Arabica is an order of magnitude less than in Robusta.

The taste of instant coffee is influenced, in addition to the variety, climate in the region where coffee trees grow, degree of grinding and roasting.

Remember! GOST defines 3 product grades. The first (highest) grade includes only Arabica. The second is a kind of "mix" of Robusta and Arabica. Accordingly, the third is Robusta, presented in its pure form.

Read about other types of coffee in our next article.

Varieties of this type of coffee

According to the method of drying coffee beans, there are 3 types of instant coffee:

Emulsified (powdery)... Prepared using a special technology. The coffee extract is sprayed in a stream of hot air. It turns out a fine free-flowing powder. This is the cheapest type of coffee, which is its undoubted advantage. Its caffeine content is about 4%.
Agglomerated (granular). To make it, coffee powder is moistened with special mixtures to form porous granules. If there are no lumps in powdered coffee, then a porous structure is characteristic of granular coffee, and the lumps have a different shape and size. This type of coffee is more expensive and tastes better than powdered coffee.
Freeze-dried (crystallized) coffee has another name: frozen. Produced by deep freezing. Water is removed from coffee beans by vacuum dehydration at subzero temperatures. Small crystals are formed - sublimate. This technology cannot be called cheap: the process requires energy consumption and a lot of money. Accordingly, coffee, in comparison with the above two types, turns out to be expensive, but with excellent taste and excellent aroma. The percentage of caffeine contained in it is 3%, therefore, the qualities of a natural product are preserved in freeze-dried coffee. Learn more about freeze-dried coffee here.

Not all those who like to cheer up in the morning with a cup of aromatic coffee have a coffee machine, but almost everyone has a Turk. Learn how to make coffee in a Turk at home - delicious and aromatic.

Find out what kind of turk you need for an induction cooker in this article and why this technique requires special cookware.

Price

If you want to choose the best of all types and varieties of coffee, look at the price. For the manufacture of a quality product, expensive raw materials and no less expensive technologies are used.

For comparison, the production of 1 kg of instant coffee requires 2 kg of fresh coffee beans. Therefore, you should not buy a product that is offered at a suspiciously low price.

Appearance and packaging

Packaging plays an important role in the selection. For packaging the product, bags and cans are most often used.

Quality products are packaged in metal or glass containers. Cheaper ones - in foil vacuum bags.

Good packaging is the key to high quality instant coffee.

When choosing a product, make sure that the packaging is not damaged. In an unsealed package, coffee loses its characteristic aroma and taste.
If you prefer a tin or metal can, check the edges for rust, scratches, and dents.
There should be no cracks or chips on the glass jar. Such packaging is good because the buyer clearly sees the product that he is purchasing.
A very important criterion is print quality. All notes on the packaging of a good product are clear. The first 3 digits on the barcode match the country of origin. Russia has its own national standard - GOST, the icon of which should be placed on the packaging.
Check out the storage period. Otherwise, you run the risk of purchasing an expired product.
3-in-1 bags are a common surrogate. And here, for sure, there is no need to talk about quality.

Dissolution rate in water

Another indicator of quality. Usually good coffee lives up to its name, dissolving completely and without sediment: in hot water - in half a minute, in cold - in 3 minutes. However, it should not stick to the spoon and create lumps.

But you can check coffee for dissolution rate only after purchase.

Smell

The aroma should be characteristic of the coffee. If you smell bread, it is likely that barley or rye was added to the coffee.

Rating of the best brands: which instant coffee is better

TOP-10 includes instant coffee brands that meet all of the above requirements.

So, the rating includes:

Japanese Bushido... Sorts of coffee for its production undergo special processing and even in a soluble form retain their taste and aroma. The product is quite expensive, therefore it is supplied to Russia in small quantities. It contains rare ingredients such as edible gold. We wrote more about Japanese Bushido coffee in this article.
Elite German Grandos from natural arabica. It can only be found in specialized stores. Does not contain food additives or flavors and is also expensive.
Maxim (South Korea)... It is made from natural raw materials, has an excellent taste and aroma.
UCC - Japanese nectar... The taste of this instant coffee is devoid of bitterness, has a light fruity hue, and will appeal to those who like “soft” and weak coffee.
Carte Noire brand familiar to many Russians (not to be confused with the "Black Card"). This is French coffee made from quality Arabica. The entire assortment of Carte Noir coffee and reviews on it can be found here.
Another familiar name is "Moscow coffee house on shares". There are no extraneous additives in the product, only arabica, so it is considered to be of very high quality.
South Korean Taster's Choice a bit like Maxim. Delicious and aromatic Arabica coffee.
Egoiste special made in Switzerland from quality raw materials. It is very similar in taste and aroma to whole grain or ground coffee. You can read about the entire line of Egoiste coffee in the following article.
English sublimated Today pure arabica... Manufactured in Germany. Refers to the premium segment.It cannot be found in a regular supermarket, only in specialized stores.
Instant coffee "Indian Gold Exclusive"... Compared to the above brands, it is a fairly inexpensive product with a pleasant taste and aroma.

A test purchase recently carried out by experts on top-rated coffees involved testing the solubility of the product in hot and cold water, with Carte Noire being the winner.

High quality was also demonstrated by the Bushido brand. It dissolves in water worse than other brands, but at the same time it is recognized as the most expensive coffee out of ten presented.

Read about the difference between a latte and a cappuccino - everything about the proportions, additives and preparation technologies for each type.

You can read about the calorie content of coffee with milk and other most popular additives to your favorite drink here.

For lovers of iced coffee - a recipe from real coffee lovers at:

Recommendations for choosing the most delicious coffee

Coffee is a mono-product and should not contain barley, acorn or chicory extracts.

The type of packaging does not affect the taste and quality of the drink.

An excessively dark color of instant coffee indicates that refried beans were used for its production.

Freeze-dried coffee crystals should not stick together. Each of them in good coffee has a solid structure and sharp corners. High-quality granulated coffee, in turn, is distinguished by large crystals of good density that do not crumble.

The minimum percentage of caffeine in good coffee is 2%, in freeze-dried - 3%.

Reviews

Tatiana Smirnova, 27 years old:

I rarely drink instant coffee, as a rule, I brew it in a Turk. Nevertheless, at work I always keep "Carte Noire" just in case of fire. Great brand! I vote for him!

Alina Bervoeva, 33 years old:

I consider myself an experienced coffee lover. In recent years I have tried many different brands. I love freshly brewed coffee made in a Turk, but usually there is no time to brew. For about three years I have been drinking instant Bushido with pleasure.

Igor Ekimenko, 41 years old:

Of the instant Taster's Choice is the best. At least for me!

Video

Below is a video with expert recommendations on how to choose the best instant coffee and not be mistaken:

Julia Vern

In grocery stores, there is a huge assortment of everyone's favorite invigorating drink. You need not to get lost in this abundance and buy high-quality instant coffee. Which is better? The rating of manufacturers will dot the i's and help you choose the perfect coffee brand.

First you need to decide on the selection criteria. What matters to the buyer? Of course, the price, taste and smell of the drink. The last two parameters determine its quality, which you can get an idea of before buying. When choosing, you should pay attention to:

Colour. High-quality coffee granules should not have a dull shade - they are slightly shiny.

Packaging. It is best to buy coffee in glass or tin packaging - a product produced in a quick and cheap way is often packed in plastic.

After the purchase, you should carefully consider the coffee granules, pouring a handful on a clean sheet of paper. Unscrupulous manufacturers add impurities of plant origin to them: particles of peas, oats, date seeds, chestnuts, acorns. Foreign inclusions are also determined by throwing a pinch of coffee into a glass of water: they can stick together, settle to the bottom, give the liquid a bitter, not coffee-like taste and paint it yellow. And good coffee also dissolves quickly without forming a sediment on the bottom and walls of the cup.

This is how you can define quality freeze-dried coffee without having to taste it. Which manufacturers on the Russian market have won the love of experienced coffee lovers?

Best instant coffee: brand rating

Bushido

One of the best brands in terms of taste, as evidenced by satisfied customer reviews.The country of origin is Switzerland, the country of the brand is Japan. The Bushido assortment contains many unusual packaging and types of coffees - just what is worth, for example, a drink with edible gold! Bushido is made only from Arabica grown in Indonesia, Africa, South and Central America.

Large-sized coffee granules, dark brown in color, without any impurities, have a pronounced aroma. Freshly brewed coffee also has this recognizable aroma. The taste is slightly bitter, but pleasant - coffee-chocolate. The granules dissolve with medium speed. No sediment remains.

Bushido contains 3.2% caffeine, which corresponds to medium strength.

The most significant drawback of this coffee is its price: 100 grams will cost about 700-900 rubles.

Egoiste

The next in the ranking of the best types of coffee is Egoiste from Europe. Produced primarily in Swiss and German factories. Kenyan Arabica is used for the production. In the manufacturer's lineup, coffee lovers can find rather unusual products, for example, Egoiste Special - a mixture of ground and instant coffee. The manufacturer calls this technology In-Fi and promises long-term preservation of the taste and smell of a real drink thanks to granules, the shell of which consists of freeze-dried coffee, and the core is ground.

The color of "Egoist" is light brown, the percentage of caffeine in the composition is 4, which makes it a fairly strong drink. Dissolves quickly and without sediment. The aroma is well expressed and is retained in the finished product. The taste is balanced, with a slight sourness.

The price of coffee fluctuates around 350-400 rubles per 100 grams.

Grandos

German coffee brand. It is not easy to find it in chain hypermarkets, but it will not be difficult in online stores. They fell in love with Grandos for the exceptionally natural arabica in its composition, bright coffee taste without bitter or sour aftertaste, and an affordable price. Buying a 100-gram package of this coffee will cost 250-350 rubles.

Carte noire

The trademark belongs to an American company, the product itself is produced in Russia - at the Kraft Foods factories. Perhaps this is the highest quality and therefore popular coffee in its price segment. An important point: do not confuse it with the "Black Card". Despite the same names, these products have nothing to do with each other.

Coffee is made from Arabica blends, the caffeine content is high - 4%, so the finished drink turns out to be quite strong. Supplied both in glass jars and in portioned sachets.

The granules are light brown, even and large in size, with a characteristic odor. It is less pronounced in the finished drink. The taste is deep, with a slight bitter aftertaste.

As for the price, it is quite high, because Carte Noire is considered a premium coffee. For 100 g of the drink, the buyer will pay from 300 rubles.

UCC

The brand is originally from Japan. Plantations are located in Ecuador and Brazil. The manufacturer is the leader in the Japanese market: this says a lot about the quality of the product, given its high price.

The company was founded over 70 years ago. UCC took great responsibility towards the quality of the drink produced, starting the business with a large-scale research: several hundred Arabica blends were bred on its own plantations, but as a result of strict screening, only two remained, of which premium coffee is currently being produced.

The taste of the drink from UCC is completely devoid of bitterness, it is deep and noble. Aftertaste and smell with a light fruity note - this effect is achieved due to the location of the plantations: they are surrounded by gardens so that coffee absorbs the aroma of fresh fruits. Strength and roast are medium.

The price of the drink is from 400 rubles for a 100-gram package.

Moscow coffee house on paiakh

Domestic brand of coffee, produced at a factory located in the Moscow region.Over the 18 years of the trademark's history, it has become one of the five leading manufacturers on the Russian coffee market. Despite the average price tag, the manufacturer positions its product as having premium quality. It is made only from the best varieties of Arabica. There is also a range of coffee beans.

The coffee granules are smooth, light brown, without friability. The finished drink has a pleasant smell, a mild odor and a rich taste with a slight bitterness. Particles of coffee dissolve in the cup quickly enough, do not form a sediment. The fortress is above average.

The price of "Moscow Coffee House for Shares" is from 350 rubles per 100 grams.

Taster's Choice

South Korea-made coffee with the pretentious name - Gourmet's Choice. The assortment of the brand is represented by three types: standard coffee with a strength of 4%, which is above average; caffeine-free and mild in flavor. You can find American-made Taster's Choice on store shelves, but many who have tried it advise buying only Korean.

The coffee has a homogeneous light brown color, the granules are large, without debris. The aroma is pronounced both in the dry product and in the finished drink. The taste is rich, there is a slightly bitter aftertaste with fruity sourness. The granules dissolve perfectly in hot water without precipitating.

The cost of Taster's Choice is about 300 rubles per 100 grams. It is more profitable to purchase a half-kilogram package - it costs from 900 rubles.

Jardin

Manufactured at factories in Switzerland and Russia. In our country, the manufacturer of this coffee is Orimi Trade from the Leningrad Region. The raw materials for the Jardines - various varieties of Arabica - are supplied from Kenya and Colombia. The coffee is medium in strength, has a light vanilla aftertaste, and its aroma contains floral and fruity notes, there is no bitter aftertaste. Jardin supermarkets are not hard to find. The most popular variety is Columbia Supremo with medium roast and medium grind. This coffee comes in plastic bags or practical glass jars.

The cost of Jardin is relatively low: for a 100-gram jar - 200-250 rubles.

Today pure arabica

Another coffee brand worthy to be ranked among the best. It is produced in Germany. The Today brand is known for experimenting and using the latest technology to improve the quality of its product. The assortment of the company contains only instant coffee made from one hundred percent Arabica, which is as close as possible in taste to a natural drink brewed in a Turk. Pure Arabica is medium roast and medium strength. Freshly brewed Today coffee has a mild, rich taste and deep coffee aroma. On store shelves, the product can be seen in a glass jar with a laconic but original design.

You can buy Pure Arabica coffee at a price of 350 rubles / 100 grams and more.

Moccona

Rounding out the top ten is the Moccona from the Netherlands. In the Dutch market, it is the most famous coffee producer. Since 1990, he is well known to Russians as well - thanks to the branded glass jar in the shape of a cylinder and the excellent quality of the drink.

Moccona - aromatic coffee; This is facilitated by packaging that retains the smell for a long time. In supermarkets, you can find freeze-dried, cereal and ground varieties of different roasts.

The coffee granules are dark, large in size, dissolve well in boiling water. The drink itself is not very strong, the taste has a pronounced pleasant bitterness.

You can buy a 100-gram package of Moccona for 300 rubles.

Of course, no rating will give an unambiguous answer to the question "What instant coffee is the most delicious?" To be sure of the quality of this or that brand, you must definitely try the drink. But the rating of instant coffee shows the most popular and the best, according to the majority of consumers, “taste-price” ratios. How much this opinion corresponds to the truth, every coffee lover will decide for himself.

Millions of people on the planet start their morning with a cup of hot aromatic coffee. The ideal taste of the drink for each person is presented differently: some prefer soft coffee with a taste of chocolate or vanilla notes, others - invigorating espresso with bitterness. True gourmets value only coffee beans, but ordinary office workers, due to the catastrophic lack of time to prepare an invigorating drink in a Turk, have to be content with the taste of an instant drink. But how not to get lost in a large assortment and buy the best instant coffee?

Instant coffee

Criterias of choice

When buying instant drink, try not to neglect the following recommendations:

Do not confuse natural coffee with coffee drinks. These are completely different things, differing in taste, percentage of guaranine and, of course, cost. Choose only from products that are labeled “100% Instant Coffee”.

Elite coffees for sale come in glass containers.

High quality coffee granules are practically the same size. Foreign particles are a sign of poor quality raw materials. In the presence of impurities, it is possible that in the production they resorted to using the fruits of leguminous plants. And this is unacceptable.

The expiration date must be indicated on the packaging. In addition, the shorter the period during which the product is suitable for use, the better its quality.

High quality coffee dissolves well in both hot and cold water. In addition, no precipitation should be observed.

Do not forget to pay attention to what types of coffee beans the product is made from. High quality coffee is made from Arabica. To reduce the cost of goods, some manufacturers use Robusta instead of Arabica. In this case, the drink turns out to be not so aromatic, but even watery in consistency.

Varieties of instant coffee

Depending on how the coffee beans were dried, coffee is divided into 3 types:

Emulsified... It is produced using a special technology: coffee extract sprayed in a stream of hot air, after drying, turns into a free-flowing powder. In terms of cost, emulsified coffee is the cheapest; it contains about 4 percent guaranine.

Emulsified instant coffee

Agglomerated (granular)... Coffee is prepared by moistening coffee powder with special mixtures to form porous granules. If there are no lumps in emulsified coffee, then in granulated coffee, on the contrary, their presence is mandatory. The cost of granulated coffee is higher than powdered coffee, but it is also much better in taste.

Agglomerated (granular) instant coffee

Freeze-dried (crystallized)... This type of coffee is produced by deep freezing. Liquid is removed from coffee beans by vacuuming at a temperature below 0, as a result of which small crystals are formed. Since the technology for the production of freeze-dried coffee requires large energy consumption and significant financial investments, the cost of the product is much higher than the above two types. The percentage of guaranine is 3, which indicates the preservation of the qualities of the natural product.

Freeze-dried (crystallized) instant coffee

The best brands of instant coffee

"Bushido"

Japanese brand coffee has excellent taste, which is confirmed by positive reviews of connoisseurs of this invigorating drink. Coffee is produced in Switzerland. Only Indonesian, African, South or Central American Arabica is used for its manufacture.

"Bushido"

There are no impurities in the large dark brown granules. Dissolution in water occurs with medium rapidity, without the appearance of sediment. Freshly prepared drink has a pronounced aroma.The invigorating drink has a coffee-chocolate taste with a slight bitterness.

"Egoiste"

The production of this brand of coffee is carried out in Switzerland and Germany. It is made from Kenyan Arabica, which is globally recognized as one of the most prestigious coffee varieties. There is also the product “Egoiste Special” in the assortment range of the manufacturer, made using In-Fi technology, due to which an unsurpassed taste and smell remains for a long time. In-Fi technology means that ground coffee is protected from various influences by a freeze-dried shell.

"Egoiste"

Egoiste is a fairly strong coffee, since the percentage of guaranine is 4. The light brown granules dissolve quickly in water without precipitation. The taste of Egoiste coffee is balanced and complemented by a slight sourness.

"Grandos"

"Grandos"

It is difficult to find an instant invigorating drink of the German brand on the windows of chain hypermarkets, it is easier to purchase it in specialized online stores. Coffee lovers liked "Grandos" for its bright taste without bitterness and sourness and at an affordable cost. Well, and of course, coffee connoisseurs could not fail to note that it consists of natural Arabica.

"Carte Noire"

French brand coffee is produced in Russia, at the Kraft Foods factory for the production of packaged food products. It is made from Arabica blends. Since the percentage of guaranine is 4, the freshly made drink is quite strong. “Carte Noire” goes on sale in glass containers filled with even, large, light brown granules. The taste of a freshly prepared drink is deep; after consumption, a slight bitter aftertaste remains.

"Carte Noire"

The main thing - do not forget that the product called "Black Card" has nothing to do with "Carte Noire".

"UCC"

The assortment of the largest manufacturer of instant coffee in Japan includes several types of beverage. Coffee is prepared using modern technologies that allow preserving an impeccable aroma and excellent taste for a longer period of time. In this regard, instant UCC coffee has gained considerable popularity in many countries of the world.

"UCC"

The high cost of the product did not frighten real coffee gourmets, because the quality, deep aroma, soft harmonious taste and pleasant aftertaste of the drink are simply impeccable.

"Moscow coffee house on paiakh"

Over the years of its existence, the domestic brand has become one of the five leading manufacturers of instant coffee on the Russian market. Despite the average cost, the manufacturer defines its product as "premium". In addition to instant coffee, the assortment of the brand also includes grain coffee.

"Moscow coffee house on paiakh"

The light brown granules dissolve rather quickly without the formation of a precipitate. The finished drink has a pleasant aroma and rich taste with a slight bitterness.

"Taster's Choice"

Korean instant coffee comes in three flavors: standard coffee with 4 percent caffeine, decaffeinated and mild flavors.

"Taster's Choice"

The light brown granules do not form a precipitate when dissolved. The finished drink is characterized by a rich taste, pronounced aroma, bitter aftertaste and fruity sourness.

The choice of a particular brand of instant coffee will depend on the personal preferences and financial capabilities of each connoisseur of an invigorating drink. Before deciding which type of coffee you like best, you will have to try each one, because they all have different characteristics. And finally, do not forget that a quality drink cannot be cheap.