I know making coffee at home instead of buying it at the shops isn't going to make my savings account skyrocket, but it is an easy way to cut down on frivolous spending. Plus, it's nice to have easy options on hand.
I tried five brands of instant coffee to see which one was best. Here's how they stacked up.
Maxwell House has several instant-coffee flavors, but I bought the original roast in the smallest size.
Although the description said the coffee would be rich, I didn't find it that flavorful.
I originally made a cup with the directed coffee-to-water ratio, which was fine but kind of weak. Then, I added an extra teaspoon of the coffee to try to get more of the flavor.
This was a mistake. The result was too bitter to drink.
If you follow the directions as written, the container makes only 11 servings, bringing the per-cup cost a bit higher than other brands.
However, the coffee itself tasted great and was well worth the price.
The description of the coffee as pure and flavorful proved to be accurate. The coffee was rich and had a good, almost hazelnut flavor that reminded me of the blend at McDonald's.
It also had a pleasant smell. Some of the other brands didn't have much of a smell at all.
I've been drinking Folgers classic roast instant coffee for years, so I already knew I enjoyed it.
The description on the container was vaguer than the others I tried. It said only that the coffee was "100% pure," with no information about the flavor.
The description on the container promised "rich, quick, and easy" coffee.
Although it was just as quick and easy to make as the others, I didn't find it rich at all. The coffee didn't have any standout flavors, and the slight bitterness left a strong, unpleasant aftertaste.
It was drinkable, but it was definitely the worst of the five.
The only brand of instant coffee I probably wouldn't go out of my way to drink again is Chock Full o' Nuts, though it might be a perfectly fine pick for someone who prefers a bitterer brew.