Instant coffee for home use and professional machines

Why choose instant coffee?

No machine, no filter, no grinder. A kettle or a pot on the hob is all it takes, which is why instant coffee turns up wherever there is no room or time for anything else: at the campsite, on a building site, in a caravan or at a desk where you want a coffee between two phone calls. Spoon it in, add hot water, stir, and it is ready. An opened jar also keeps well, as long as the lid goes back on straight away.

How is instant coffee made?

Instant coffee starts the same way as any other coffee: coffee beans are roasted, ground and brewed. Then the water is taken out of the brewed coffee again, and what remains dissolves as soon as you add hot water. There are two ways to do that, and you can usually see the difference in the jar.

Freeze-dried coffee is frozen first, after which the ice is drawn off under low pressure. The result is the chunky, irregular granules you know from most jars. Because the coffee is never heated strongly, more of the aroma stays in.

Spray-dried coffee is sprayed as a fine mist into hot air, where the water evaporates in seconds. That gives a fine powder that dissolves very quickly. It is often used in sachets and in powder for vending machines.

Instant coffee in the office

In a busy office, instant coffee has practical advantages. There is no machine to clean, nothing goes stale in a jug, and everyone makes their cup exactly as strong as they like it. A jar next to the kettle is enough for a small team. Using a vending machine? Not every instant coffee is made for one, so check the product page to see whether a coffee is intended for vending use before you order.

How to make a good cup of instant coffee

Instant coffee is forgiving, but a couple of small habits help. Let the kettle settle for a moment after it boils rather than pouring straight away. Stir the granules into a little hot water first and then top up the mug, so nothing clumps at the bottom. Keep the jar or the sachets closed and dry: instant coffee draws moisture from the air, and damp granules dissolve unevenly.

Taking milk? Stir the coffee into the water first, then add the milk. You get a better read on how strong you actually like it, which helps when you decide how much to spoon in next time.

Instant coffee or fresh beans?

Instant coffee wins on speed and convenience. When you have a few minutes more, freshly ground coffee gives more aroma and a rounder taste. Many people keep both: a jar for the office or the road, and a bag of ground coffee or beans at home for the weekend.