I tried all the supermarket instant coffees – one was better than Nescafe at a third of the price
COFFEE has overtaken tea to become the top hot drink in the UK after decades lagging behind the humble cuppa.
Researchers found that shoppers purchased more than 533million packs of coffee in supermarkets over the year to March 2023, compared with 287million packs of tea.
But with prices soaring by 22 per cent, how do cheaper brands compare to classic Nescafe?
Here, Thea Jacobs puts them to the test, rating them out of five for flavour and value.
Nescafe Original Instant
Tesco, £7, 300g 1/5
AS soon as I open the jar, I’m hit with smooth coffee goodness as I breathe in the aroma.
Once mixed with the hot water, the smell is massively diminished.
I’ve barely put a teaspoon’s worth in my mug and this is a strong coffee.
I’m expecting it to be smooth but it’s a bit grainy and harsh on the tongue.
I don’t think it’s really worth the price.
Bellarom Rich Roast
Lidl, £1.99, 200g 1.5/5
THIS doesn’t smell like particularly good coffee and the colour is a bit lacklustre.
It’s bitter to the taste, like something might have been burned in the roasting process.
It also has a chemical aftertaste, which isn’t what I’m looking for in my morning brew.
While it’s a budget saver, you’d probably put any guests off having a hot drink at your home.
Essential Roast
Waitrose, £1.60, 100g 2.5/5
THIS is a chocolatey-smelling blend which finishes with a bitter kick to the nose while undissolved granules sit at the bottom of my mug as I tip it to drink.
Despite smelling sweet, this leaves a harsh, bitter taste on the palate.
That said, the taste lingers long after you’ve taken a sip, which is better than with most of the others.
It’s not a bad blend, but for the price I’d expect something smoother.
Hubbards
Sainsbury’s, £1.99, 200g 3/5
THIS is another sweet-smelling jar from the second it is opened.
A spoonful takes longer than the others to dissolve in hot water, which isn’t a great start.
But this has a sweetness to it that most of the others don’t.
It’s also a very smooth blend that runs easily over my tongue and down my throat.
A great pick for the modest price point.
Fairtrade Gold Roast
Co-op, £3.20, 100g 1/5
THIS smells rather like a slightly burned roast dinner.
The granules are huge and they require a lot of stirring to dissolve into the hot water.
But it barely tastes like coffee and leaves a Fairy Liquid-reminiscent taste when you’ve swallowed your mouthful.
It’s very expensive for a small jar too and, in my opinion, not worth the price at all.
Classic Instant
Tesco, £2.25, 200g 2/5
THIS brew smells a bit like ketchup blended with coffee – which is hardly the most promising start.
Once mixed with hot water in my mug, it barely smells at all.
All the granules dissolve in seconds, which is faster than most of the others.
Thankfully, it doesn’t taste like ketchup but it is very much on the bitter side of the coffee spectrum.
It’s not awful but isn’t my top choice either.
Alcafe Rich Roast
Aldi, £1.99, 200g 4.5/5
THIS doesn’t really smell at all when I open up the jar – and it remains virtually aroma-free when I mix it into hot water.
Coffee coats the bottom of my cup, making it look a bit like sludge.
That said, it is very smooth and coats the entire palate.
It’s towards the sharper end of coffee with a bitter taste, but that’s not a bad thing.
It’s great value for the price.
Rich Roast
Asda, £2.25, 200g 2.5/5
THIS one has an almost chocolatey smell and very sweet undertone.
It still has a strong coffee aroma though that mixes in with the sweetness when water is added.
Disappointingly, despite the enticing sweetness on the nose, this is actually somewhat bland.
It’s a fairly smooth drink but if you’re looking for a nice kick of coffee, sadly this isn’t it.