I was wrong about instant coffee (Britain, I get it now)

Product Reviewed

The video is a taste test of 12 instant coffees available in the UK, comparing brands/flavors, price points, and “roast strength,” with emphasis on how they taste with milk (the reviewer does not drink instant coffee black).

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Key Features Mentioned

How the test was run

• Instant coffee only (no brewing devices; standard scoop + hot water).
• Consistent preparation method:
  • 1 teaspoon of instant coffee for each
  • Similar mug sizes and similar water volumes
• Milk every time, so results reflect instant coffee + milk, not black coffee.
• Some brands include intensity/strength claims and flavor notes (e.g., caramel/chocolate/almond, “iced,” “smooth,” “gold roast,” etc.).

Coffee “styles” called out

• Most common category: “Gold” blends/roasts
• Fair Trade (Co-op)
• “Barista blend” style with stronger flavor claims (Kraft Grind Smooth Barista Blend)
• A later “extract-type” product: chicory and coffee essence (Camp)

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Price + Size Points (Frequently Referenced)

Note: Not every item has a clearly stated final price, but these are the specific callouts mentioned.

• Nescafé Gold: £3.90
• Dewey / “Douwe Egberts” Pure Gold: about £8 (size referenced around 8 pounds at Tesco; intensity rated 3/5)
• Aldi Bar e Barissimo Gold Roast: £2.65 (200g; explicitly called cheaper and blamed for taste)
• Lur(e) Classique: about £8.65 normally (150g), or about $6.95 with Club Card (reviewer calls it the “most expensive” at one point)
• Kenko Gold: £8.35 (195g; “very expensive,” but still in the top ~3)
• Kraft Grind Smooth Barista Blend: £6.50 for 90g (or £4.50 with Nectar)
• Co-op Fair Trade Gold: about £3 for 100g (100g tin)
• Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference (Costa Rica single origin, strength 3): £3.50 for 100g
• Costa Smooth Medium Roast: £4.95 with Club Card (150g; normally almost £8)
• Tesco Gold Rich & Smooth: £2.65 for 200g (called “painfully cheap” and surprisingly good)
• MS Gold Instant Coffee Medium Roast: £3.75 for 100g (called comparable in value)
• Camp Original recipe chicory & coffee essence: price unclear, but described as about £1.95–£2 on sale

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Overall Tasting Outcomes (Pros/Cons + Ranking Comments)

Best / Top Performers (Clearly Liked)

• Nescafé Gold

  • Taste: “tastes like coffee,” possibly a bit weak, but still pleasant
  • Not “memorable/exciting,” yet preferred so far
  • Reviewer calls it “shocked” at how good it is
  • Has an intensity/strength label shown as 7 (implied out of 10)

• Kenko Gold (top three)

  • “Luxurious and aromatic roast”
  • Reviewer acknowledges it’s expensive, but still among the top picks
  • Mentions value comparison (smaller tin vs larger equivalent pricing)

• Tesco Gold Rich & Smooth

  • Major upside: “pretty good” and surprisingly better than expected for under £3 for 200g
  • Called better than Costa
  • Downside: noted as lacking the “roast flavor” the reviewer wants

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Middle-of-the-Pack (Fine / Boring, Not Hated)

• Douwe Egberts Pure Gold

  • Similar to Nescafé (“both taste like coffee”), but a little more watery
  • Has a funny aftertaste and tastes different enough that reviewer prefers Nescafé
  • Ranked not first; reviewer says “not as good”

• Lur(e) Classique Smooth & Aromatic

  • Better than Aldi
  • Still described as fine/boring/less exciting
  • Considered comparable to Nescafé and Douwe Egberts (“reasonable kind of boring”)

• Costa Smooth Medium Roast

  • Middle of the pack
  • Described as more like “coffee-flavored water”
  • Reviewer also notes past Costa instant coffee was bitter and awful; this one feels like a relief

• MS Gold Medium Roast

  • Not loved: described as nutty/caramelly
  • Missing classic roasted flavor
  • Reviewer says it’s below Costa (“lower end of middle”)

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Worst / Disliked (Strong Negatives)

• Aldi Bar e Barissimo Gold Roast

  • “Weird immediate taste and aftertaste lingering”
  • Called different bitter and described as an unpleasant “punch”
  • Ranked bottom

• Co-op Fair Trade Gold Roast (100g)

  • Bitter
  • Not creamy/rich; described as chills-worthy / unpleasant
  • Ranked second worst

• Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference (Costa Rica, strength 3)

  • Disliked due to a weird mouth taste and unfavorable flavor profile
  • Reviewer says it’s similar to Co-op and Kraft, slightly better than some lower ones
  • Still “no thank you”

• Kraft Instant Coffee (Grind Smooth Barista Blend)

  • Called nutty and “tastes weird”
  • Pack claims include milk chocolate/caramel/almond
  • Reviewer likes the “vibe/aesthetic,” but ultimately: not for them

• Camp Original recipe chicory and coffee essence (bonus round)

  • Doesn’t taste like coffee
  • Very sweet
  • Ingredients described with sugar first
  • Because it includes “chicory and coffee essence,” it’s felt to be not truly instant coffee

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Specific Pros Mentioned

• Nescafé Gold: tastes like real coffee; acceptable even if slightly weak; good convenience option
• Kenko: aromatic/luxurious roast profile; stands out positively despite cost
• Tesco Gold: excellent value (cheap large tin) and better-than-expected taste
• Mid-tier “drinkable but not super exciting” notes: Lure, Costa, MS

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Specific Cons Mentioned

Many coffees are perceived as:

• Watery compared with freshly brewed coffee
• Not memorable or lacking “classic roasted” flavor
• Having lingering/weird aftertastes (Douwe Egberts; Aldi; Co-op; Sainsbury’s; Kraft)

Stronger negative language specifically:

• Aldi and Co-op: “bitter,” ranked near the bottom
• Camp chicory/essence: too sweet, not coffee-forward, feels mismatched to what instant coffee should be

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Comparisons Made

Against the reviewer’s normal coffee habits

• Usual coffee: bean-based pour-over (V60) with milk
• Instant coffee treated as a convenience/tea-like substitute, not the same experience

Brand-to-brand comparisons (explicit)

• Nescafé Gold vs Douwe Egberts: both coffee-like, but Nescafé preferred
• Aldi vs others: Aldi treated as a clear outlier in bad taste
• Costa vs Tesco: Costa sits mid; Tesco is better than Costa
• Several disliked brands grouped as sharing a less pleasant profile (Co-op + Sainsbury’s + Kraft)

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Numerical / Rating Details Included

• Nescafé Gold: intensity shown as 7 (implied out of 10)
• Douwe Egberts Pure Gold: labeled 3 out of 5
• Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference: strength 3
• MS Gold: shows 3 out of 6
• The reviewer uses informal grouping like “top three” / “bottom” / “second worst,” but no single final numeric score across all 12 is provided.

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Concise Verdict / Recommendation

If you want an instant coffee in the UK and the video’s taste results matter most:

• Best picks:

  • Nescafé Gold (best overall so far)
  • Kenko Gold (top-three, more expensive)
  • Tesco Gold Rich & Smooth (great value)

• Avoid / weakest:

  • Aldi Bar e Barissimo
  • Co-op Fair Trade Gold Roast
  • Camp chicory & coffee essence (too sweet / not coffee-like)

Overall, the reviewer is surprised instant coffee can be good with milk—but quality varies widely, and several cheaper/specialty options deliver harsh/bitter or weird aftertaste.

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Speaker-Specific Views

• Only one main speaker (Alanna) contributes.
• Alanna’s perspective:
  • Uses a consistent method (1 teaspoon, similar mug size, milk always)
  • Prefers classic roasted coffee notes
  • Dislikes black coffee
  • Expects convenience > gourmet