Coffee in a Jiff: Best Instant Coffee Mixes

We have done everything in our power to come up with a varied list of the best instant coffee mixes on the market today. If you’re a North American coffee addict, all of these instant coffees should be readily available to you. However, we also understand that people enjoy the taste of different things. While you may like strong coffee, others may prefer a milky latte. We have made a list of things you can consider when buying instant coffee.

Read our tips on choosing a compatible instant coffee mix below.

Things to consider before buying an instant coffee mix

There are plenty of instant coffee mixes to choose from - how do you even know if you will enjoy a coffee until you taste it? Of course, you don’t know how much you’ll enjoy a coffee before it touches your lips, but you can prepare yourself with some valuable nuggets of information on what makes a great instant coffee mix.

Caffeinated/decaffeinated

Too much caffeine can be damaging to your body. It can cause insomnia, digestive problems, high blood pressure, and, perhaps ironically, fatigue. As such, reaching for a caffeinated coffee when you feel thirsty actually isn’t the best option.

Caffeine is a known diuretic. This means it makes you urinate more, which causes said dehydration. If you love the taste of coffee but want to limit your intake of caffeine, a decaffeinated (decaf) instant coffee mix would be a good option.

It is well known that many people drink coffee to help them stay awake… or simply to wake them up in the morning. A nice hot cup of caffeinated coffee will help you rise to any occasion. If you are not ready to let go of your caffeine addiction completely, a cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning will usually be enough to set you up for a great day.

Eco-friendly and fair trade

Fair trade products ensure the people who pick your coffee beans are properly paid and fairly treated. Buying organic fair trade coffee is believed to be better for the workers and environment because fewer pesticides are generally used.

In addition, you should try to buy your coffee in a glass jar or cardboard packaging which allows you to recycle the container easily. Buying an instant coffee mix from a company that sources the beans from sustainable sources is another eco-friendly option.

Coffee strength

Coffee may taste strong, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it contains more caffeine. If you have been putting two scoops of instant coffee into your mug to get your desired “strength”, it is a good indicator that you need a different instant coffee. Ideally, coffee should yield the perfect flavor with the recommended amount of scoops. This prevents you from consuming too much caffeine.

When looking for an instant coffee mix, look for a strength rating on the packaging. As mentioned earlier, the strength of a coffee has nothing to do with how much caffeine it contains. Also, the strength rating has nothing to do with the type of bean, only how the beans have been roasted. The higher the strength number, the more bitter the taste. This is why you can have decaffeinated coffee with a high strength rating.

Coffee bean

The three main types of coffee beans are Arabica, Robusta, Liberica. Excelsa was considered a fourth type, but has since been reclassified as another variant of Liberica.

Arabica is the most common type of coffee available, and is perfect if you want a full-flavored and aromatic blend. Robusta is a good option for those who drink coffee for the caffeine boost. Compared to Arabica, Robusta contains almost double the amount of caffeine. Although the taste is considered more bitter than other beans, it also contains a lovely hint of chocolate. Most instant coffees contain a mixture of these beans.

Liberica beans are not as commonly used in instant coffee mixes. If you enjoy a smoky flavor with hints of floral fruitiness, it may be worth looking for a Liberica blend. The final bean, Excelsa, possesses a tart and fruity body.

Instant coffee mix price range

Instant coffee mixes range in price from $10 to $30 per package, but there's a wide range of how much coffee is in each package. Buying instant coffee mix in bulk will save you money in the long run, especially if you are the kind of person who drinks multiple cups per day.

How we choose our instant coffee mix

When it comes to instant coffee mix, we wanted to get our suggestion completely right. We do our best to give recommendations that are both current and on-trend. We take into consideration a wide array of factors including taste, strength rating, price, environmental impact, and many others. We also read customer reviews to ensure we are not the only ones who think an instant coffee mix is worth praise.

Rest assured, we would not recommend an instant coffee mix if we would not buy it ourselves.

Instant Coffee Mix FAQ

Q: How many cups will a 10-ounce jar of instant coffee make?

A: This depends largely on the amount of instant coffee mix needed to achieve the proper ratio, so it's difficult to tell. As well, there doesn't seem to be much of a consensus among manufacturers regarding how big a "scoop" is, which further complicates matters.

Q: How many cups of coffee can I drink a day?

A: Many studies have found that drinking up to 4 cups of coffee is a safe amount. If you feel like you might be drinking too much coffee, try swapping a few cups for decaf instead.