Is there such a thing as an acceptable brand of instant coffee?

[Alsoflamingo]

Just that really. Clearly fresh coffee is nicer, but if one is bone idle short of time then it would be handy to have instant sometimes. Most vile, tho.

Short answer. no! Not found one yet. I'm keeping an eye on this thread though.

Nescafe Azura isn't bad.

You'll just have to shop around for one that you like for example, Nescafé original is the devil's dehydrated poo crumbs, but I don't mind the gold stuff

Aldi do some single source instants, so maybe on of those to begin with (and won't break the bank in the meantime).

Alternatively, there's the 'tastes like real' millicano stuff?

Carte noise is ok

Noire even

It's personal taste though. I drink Alta Rica at work which is quite a strong instant and can't stand normal Nescafé or mellow Birds or Maxwell House (are these still available)
We have a Nespresso too and use it for an espresso after dinner.

Carte Noire or Douwe Egberts

coop fair trade microground is alright. I prefer fresh but am on instant at the moment as im getting a bit caffiene-sensitive with fresh, and this is ok

I like the Kenco posher ones from different countries, or what Leviticus said. But then I actually like (good) instant!

Millicano's nice. I drink far too much coffee and really don't like instant. Azura not too bad, but still has the instant tang. Millicano doesn't taste like ground exactly, but also doesn't have the weird tangy thing you get with instant.

Option B: aeropress. A minute more than instant to make, and no washing cafetiere!

carte noire is good i think

I prefer Carte Noire to most coffee, real or otherwise. >

Definitely Millicano. Ask Goldrill says, it doesn't taste like instant. I only drink that now (instead of instant). You can get a decaf version too.

Lots of good ideas to try here - thank you. Not too sure what you mean by aeropress, but will check it out. Is it those individual pods of fresh coffee?

I second Nescafé azura over millicano (surprisingly as generally prefer kenco over Nescafé). But definitely one of those two.

ooh - aeropress is a revelation!! have a google. They're about £20 on amazon and may change the way you see coffee...

Can't beat clipper coffee, its lush

Alta Rica is OK.

Kenco Columbia is ok. Or Millicano, can't stand any of the others.

Millicano is the nicest of the lot. My parents use the standard Nescafé which is vile beyond belief.

We got a bargain Tassimo recently (thanks to the Christmas topic here on MN ) and we love it. So the Millicano is now sat in the back of the cupboard, never to be used again.

We use Nespresso as our instant, instant coffee just doesn't come close enough to the taste of the real stuff, I'd rather not bother.

Milicano. I buy for work

I like Millicano and Nescafé cafe Parisienne (if I can find it, usually in Waitrose, think my Tesco has stopped stocking it).

This stuff - Percol Americano - is the only instant coffee I drink.

I've converted my coffee-snob husband (this is a man who has an entire kitchen shelf of labelled jars with single origin coffee beans) and my entire office to this stuff. It's the only instant coffee that is drinkable black IMO. I was first told about it by my dad, who lived in Italy for several years and is also a coffee snob. I won't pretend it;s the same as a espresso, but it's head and shoulders above any other instant coffee I've tried. You can get in in Sainsburys, Tescos etc etc.