1
Best Overall
Starbucks VIA Instant Pike Place Roast
Credit: Starbucks
Pros
Well-balanced and smooth
Affordable and accessible
Blends into hot or cold water
The well-balanced Starbucks VIA Instant Pike Place Roast was first created for customers that wanted a coffee they could drink throughout the day. It's a medium roast with notes of cocoa and pine nuts, and is so smooth, you can drink it all day long.
2
Best Value
Nescafé Clásico Dark Roast Instant Coffee
Credit: Nestle
Pros
Budget-friendly
Also available in single serve packets
Cons
Best with hot water only
Nescafé Clásico Dark Roast Instant Coffee makes a solid morning cup. It's rich, bold, and robust—exactly what I need to wake up. For under $10, you get a jar that can make up to 150 cups of of coffee. How much better can it get?
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3
Best Light Roast
Waka Light Roast Instant Coffee
Credit: Waka Coffee & Tea
Pros
Enjoy hot or iced
4
Best Dark Roast
illy Ground Intenso Instant Coffee Dark Roast
Credit: illy
Cons
Doesn't come in single-serve packets
For a bold, full-bodied cup of joe, look no further than illy's Ground Intenso Dark Roast. It blends well into hot or cold water, and is clump-free. I loved it iced, too.
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5
Best Decaffeinated
Waka Medium Roast Decaffeinated Instant Coffee
Now 21% Off
Credit: Waka Coffee & TeaPros
Enjoy hot or iced
The Waka Medium Roast Decaffeinated Instant Coffee is made with 100% Colombian Arabica beans. Each cup is well-balanced with notes of citrus—all without the caffeine.
"It's very hard to find single-serve instant decaf coffee that actually tastes good—but Waka does it!" said one reviewer.
6
Best With Creamer
Alpine Start Dairy-Free Coffee + Creamer Instant Latte
Now 50% Off
Credit: Alpine StartPros
Dairy-free, soy-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian
Cons
Best with hot water
The box says it all—instant coffee that actually tastes good. For those who like a little creamer with their coffee, the Alpine Start Diary-Free Coffee + Creamer Instant Latte is a convenient on-the-go option that Carlos Dominguez, Delish Senior Designer, loved. While the coconut creamer gave his cup a good taste, he also liked how it wasn't overpowering.
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7
Best Local
Oslo Specialty Instant Coffee
Credit: Oslo Coffee Roasters
Pros
Can be used with hot or cold water
Cons
Pricey
I've been an Oslo Coffee Roasters fan since I first stopped in for a cold brew, and I've been loving everything they make ever since, including the Oslo Specialty Instant Coffee. With notes of berries, chocolate, and citrus, you'll truly forget that you're drinking instant coffee.
8
Best Dirty Chai
Alpine Start Dairy-Free Dirty Chai Tea Instant Latte
Credit: Alpine Start
Pros
Mixes with hot or cold water
Single serve packets
Dairy-free, vegan, paleo, vegetarian
"I was pleasantly surprised by the Alpine Start Dirty Chai Latte I tried," said Delish Digital Food Producer Camille Lowder. Traditional chai spices, black tea, and 100% Colombian Arabica coffee are blended with soy milk (which Lowder appreciated) to create a creamy, spicy dirty chai. Since Lowder isn't a camper, she said she wouldn't use this regularly, but would reach for this over the office coffee. We hear you there.
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9
Best With Mushrooms
Four Sigmatic Instant Mushroom Coffee With Lion's Mane
Credit: Four Sigmatic
Pros
Less caffeine than traditional cup
Vegan and organic
Single serve packets
Cons
Best blended with hot water
Love coffee but hate the crash? Four Sigmatic Instant Mushroom Coffee is made to keep you jitter- and crash-free. Organic Colombian coffee is blended with organic chaga mushroom, lion's mane mushroom, and rhodiola to make a cup that they say supports immune function, productivity, and creativity—all with only 50 mg of caffeine. While it tastes a bit earthy, one reviewer adds milk and flavorings, and says it tastes just like a regular cup of coffee.
10How We Picked These Products
We searched high and low for some of the best instant coffees on the market, pored over reviews, and taste-tested them ourselves to come up with our top picks. No one like clumpy, instant-tasting coffee, so we looked for those that tasted just like the real thing. When crafting this list, we considered several factors including cost, variety, dietary restrictions, easy of use, and, above all, taste.
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