Is Instant Coffee Actually Worth Drinking Now?

In an age where java lovers frequent third-wave coffee shops famed for their masterful baristas and picture-perfect lattes, and outfit their kitchens with deluxe espresso machines and milk frothers, it may seem like a moot point to wonder whether instant coffee is worth drinking now. But as it turns out, instant coffee isn't necessarily a superfluous throwback—like other factions of the coffee revolution, this category has also upped its game. To better understand the pleasures of instant joe, we spoke to coffee experts and learned that there's still plenty of room in the cupboard for top-tier iterations of this caffeine convenience.

What Is Instant Coffee?

Instant coffee is dehydrated coffee powder or granules originally brewed from real coffee grounds. "It's basically a pre-brewed strong cup of coffee that captures all of the flavors and nutrients of the coffee, and then by just adding water back into this mix, you recreate this coffee brew in an instant," says David Kovalevski, founder and CEO of Waka Coffee & Tea, an entrepreneurial company specializing in instant coffee and tea.

How Instant Coffee Is Created

Instant coffee is made by extracting most of the solids and volatile aromatic components from roasted, ground coffee beans, says Giorgio Milos, master barista for illycaffè North America. It's brewed using pressure and a high water temperature, after which the concentrated coffee "syrup" is ready for the drying process, undergoing spray drying, or freeze drying. The latter method is superior to the former.

"Spray drying is normally used for mass production because it can process a large amount of coffee in a short amount of time, but the final quality is not optimal," says Milos. "Freeze drying is a more accurate method that guarantees the final quality of the coffee." More time-consuming and expensive, the freeze-drying process locks in more of the coffee's flavors and aromas. "Just like astronauts take freeze-dried foods with them, this is a preferred method of capturing all of the nutrients," says Kovalevski.

The Perks of Instant Coffee

The main reasons to choose instant coffee are obvious—convenience and instant gratification—but you can now add taste to its list of advantages.

Convenience

Instant coffee's popularity has always been rooted in its convenience, which still holds today. Waka, for example, sells its instant coffee in single-serve packets, and bulk bags, made with post-consumer recycled materials. "You can make it anywhere, you just need to add water, and you need no equipment," says Kovalevski, adding that his customers use it at home, and take it to the office, on camping trips, and when traveling. (Pods are a single-serve convenience, too, but they require special machines and aren't compostable or recyclable.)

Taste Rules

Better brands align with coffee shops in favoring Arabica beans over Robusta beans, which are considered inferior. Arabica beans, says Kovalevski, are more expensive because they require higher altitudes and don't grow year round. "The combination of freeze-dried, single-origin, Arabica beans, creates something traditional coffee companies don't have. And it makes a delicious cup of instant coffee," he says. (Those factors also account for slightly higher prices.) Milos, too, sings the praises of Arabica beans, noting that illy instant coffee is made with the same complex coffee blend the Italian brand is known for. After freeze-drying, 3 percent of micro-ground coffee is added to improve the flavor.

Shelf-Life

Due to its low moisture content, an unopened, airtight container or sealed bag of instant coffee can last up to two years after its manufacture date when stored in cool, dry conditions.

Dissolves Quickly

Making instant coffee is as simple as opening a pre-measured packet, or adding 2 teaspoons of instant coffee to a mug, pouring in hot water, and stirring the contents. Presto, you have an instant caffeine pick-me-up. Milos adds that you can also make it with cold water (who knew?).

Overcoming the Stigma

Despite its many pros, instant coffee has a reputation to live down, and not all cups are alike. "Instant coffee has been considered the worst method of making coffee just because the quality of the coffee used for instant, in the past, was pretty bad," says Milos. "Nowadays, there are some coffee companies like illy that use high-quality raw material and the best practices to create a 'gourmet' instant coffee," Kovalevski adds that some people rule it out without even trying it. "It has this stigma or association with low-quality products. A lot of those old-school instant coffees have contributed to this mindset, in addition to the third wave of coffee."

Additives

While illy and Waka use no additives, sugars, or sweeteners, some brands still sully instant coffee's rep by adding emulsifiers like soy lecithin, artificial flavorings and colors, preservatives, dried milk solids, and non-dairy creamers.

Acrylamide, a naturally occurring compound that forms from sugars and an amino acid called asparagine during high-temperature cooking processes, is also part of the landscape. Dark roast coffee beans have higher levels of acrylamide, ditto instant coffee, but the amount consumed with each cup is so low, that it's considered unlikely to cause any harm to your health.

When to Drink Instant Coffee

In spreading the gospel of quality instant coffee, our experts aren't necessarily promoting it as a replacement for the coffee drinks you already love, but as a supplement. While you might not drink it as your first cup in the morning, it can easily stand in for that afternoon cup, when you don't want to brew a full pot. Or when you're traveling or on a camping trip. "We realize that, yes, we will never be able to be exactly like your fancy drip cup of coffee or your ritual," says Kovalevski. "We cannot compete on your $6 coffee latte."