To think instant coffee is not a disaster?!

[Rafaroo]

Hi all

Just had a friend over for a coffee and I mentioned my Nespresso machine was broken, so I only had Instant coffee. (Azera). She looked horrified, wrinkled her nose and said 'Oh god no. No one I know still drinks Instant. God, I hope you get that sorted before the birthday on Sunday or everyone will complain'.

Ok...so now I am totally paranoid. For me it is not a big deal. If someone only has instant, I drink it. However, for all the coffee snobs out there.....am I making a fatal mistake if I dont have my Nespresso machine back in time for my daughters birthday on Sunday? In total 9 kids and their parents are coming over to our place. This is actually stressing me out. I don't want coffee-gate come Monday morning!

I can tell diet pepsi from diet coke (the coke is sweeter), but not pepsi max from diet coke.

Do all the instant coffee lovers drink it black with no sugar?

With milk. Straight from the fridge. I am a HEATHEN.

I do drink coffee. I have a certain coffee I prefer. But I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a couple of brands outside of that one. And more to the point, when handed a drink at someone else's house I would never be so precious that I would refuse to drink it. I'm there to see my friend not rate their beverage offer on trip advisor.
Instant coffee isn't akin to drinking poison. It's a small infusion of hot water and coffee granules, not arsenic

I can't stand instant and would refuse it. We have a bialetto at home to make coffee (stove top pot). We keep instant in as my sister prefers it.

If I was visiting someone's home and I knew someone could make me a proper coffee, but got there to find it was not on offer, I'd be very disappointed. But I would just politely refuse and have tea instead.

No it’s not arsenic, but it’s a drink many find unpleasant.

They are very different drinks so it’s reasonable to like one and not the other. I visit clients at home and only accept an offer of a drink if I see them making themselves proper coffee anyway. If I can’t have that I’d prefer nothing.

I have Lyons coffee bags at work. They take a bit of brewing (filter coffee consistency - it doesn't have the body of cafetiere-brewed coffee) but taste way better than instant.

However, there is only one word to describe your friend. Snob.

I would never drink instant coffee, ever

I can't ever imagine being 'very disappointed' about a hot drink. This is eye opening-genuinely-not being facetious at all-but I never knew that people could be so emotionally invested in this sort of stuff.

My DP brings me a tea every morning before work. Sometimes it's a bit colder that I would like as he's made it then done something else before bringing it up. I've always shrugged it off but I think I'm going to start refusing it if it's not how I like it going forwards....

Dilys I find the Lidl Bellarom in the gold pack as good as any, frankly. Easy drinking, mellow, not too strong, not too weak. But if you're ordering from Ocado, pick a decent middle strength (no. 3) middle market blend like Taylors or Lazy Sunday, which most people should be happy with. If they're anything like my friends they won't notice anyway.

Thanks Thursdays, (love the name).

I can't ever imagine being 'very disappointed' about a hot drink

I would be. I love proper coffee and I am quite emotionally invested in my first coffee of the day (which is usually around 10am).

I would be disappointed if instant was offered (a totally different drink which I find rank). Obviously I wouldn’t say anything, but I’d be switching to tea quickly.

I like Taylor’s. Lazy Sunday or Rich Italian.

If you feel that strongly about the drinks you have at other people’s houses, you should probably take your own.

I am a control freak on this so like Laurie will have procured my own decent coffee around 10am. I wouldn’t rely on anyone else providing this. Anything after that I am ok with.

I bet the majority can’t tell the difference although they will say they can - we did a taste test at a friends for a joke - eight out of 10 couldn’t tell the difference although the majority rarely drank instant coffee.

I can’t understand why friends would be so critical of your hospitality. If they really are that fussy, get a box of coffee bags.

I'd rather have water than drink instant. I wouldn't be rude about it though.

Your friend can't filter her opinions and you can't filter coffee. The former has got to be a more serious affliction than the latter!

I suspect that some people's opinions of instant coffee come from poor brands. Some people may even be thinking of coffee flavoured drinks instead of actual instant coffee.

I use one now that is much better than Nestle's (not uk). It's mostly to put in milk, but it makes a decent coffee too.

Lweji not at all. Even the more expensive brands of instant taste very different to ground. I’ve tried quite a few.

I keep some decent instant in the house for friends who prefer it, it’s a Lavazza one. Apparently it’s nice but I don’t like it myself.

I'm not a big fan of instant coffee but it's what I expect (and get) if I go to someone else's house usually. I don't think it's a big deal. Your friend sounds a bit silly

Just like people who drink coke can tell the difference between full fat and diet, or coke and pepsi, coffee

I drink coke and I wouldn't be able to tell if someone gave me Pepsi

Do all the instant coffee lovers drink it black with no sugar?

White, no sugar. I could never drink black coffee or tea, it needs milk every time.

What did all the coffee pod lovers drink before coffee pods were invented?!

Instant is vile and I would not drink it. DH drinks it and even the smell is not nice.

I love proper coffee (no not Starbucks watery shit)

53rd way and sawwhet - my point exactly - instant coffee is pretty much only palatable if you add stuff to it. If you have your coffee black then instant coffee tastes horrible. Its not about anyone being a 'heathen' or not. People who drink instant dont drink it black in general