The 10 best instant coffees to get you through the commute

A couple of tips with coffee, buying Arabica and Colombian is usually a decent shout when it comes to instant coffee. Especially when it’s traceable and ethical. Quokka is based out in Wilmslow (despite the name being the same as an Australian animal) and they supply to offices and people across the UK. If you’re looking for a nice small business bringing high-end instant, they’re certainly one to consider. The Australian connection is no bad thing either, Aussies know their coffee culture. The tin is 100g, which is smaller than some tins you might have had – but you only need a teaspoon or two per cup, so it’ll last a while. 

Price: £6.95
Where? Amazon

You know what doesn’t grow in London? Coffee trees. You know what does? Fungus, loads of them, edible ones too. You can find some in the obvious big green spaces like Hampstead Heath, Wimbledon Common and Epping Forest. You should make sure you know your stuff before you forage though. Not that it matters, as London Nootropic has sorted the mushroom-growing for you. Now why are we on about mushrooms on the second item in a coffee article? Good point, it’s because this is a coffee, it’s just got some mushrooms in it. They’re useful for focus and memory, making for an ideal accompaniment to caffeine. You know? 

Price: £15.00
Where can I buy it? London Nootropics 

This is another hard-to-fault option in the instant coffee realm. It’s a little more lightly roasted than some of them, meaning it’s good if you like a fruitier coffee than a “strong” chocolatey one. The strong selling point here though is that it’s also possible to dissolve these granules in cold water, so you can bang out frappuccinos, make a milkshake, stick it in a protein shake, whatever you like. Ideal to keep at the office if you like a lunchtime gym session but need a morning coffee the second you get off the underground.

Price: £6.90
Where? Amazon 

This has a 4.6/5 review, which is impressive – Little’s is also a bit of a go-to sign for coffee geeks when they’re having an instant. The “premium instant coffee” on the label isn’t completely marketing fodder. The beans selected are high-quality and freeze-dried prompt, which means they keep as much of their top flavour as possible. You can get these in Holland & Barrett, and there are quite a few of them around, nearly as many as Prets actually (well, maybe not, but the coffee will last longer). 

Price: £4.99
Where? Holland & Barrett

For something of a wintery treat, or simply just a way of curing the working from home when you’re used to strutting about the city boredom, these Little’s jars keep the quality but add some fun flavours into the mix. It’s all the same as normal instant coffee by way of function though, they infused the goods right into them granules. Other flavours are available, but given it’s cold out and loosely close to the festive season, starting the day with a fake hot toddy (maybe keep that one at home just incase), having some nice hazelnut in the late-morning and then whatever Christmas spirit is in the afternoon should see you buzzing about like Will Ferrell’s Elf, even in grey old London. 

Price: £14.97
Where from? Amazon 

Not just freeze-dried this time, but also “micro-ground” these small little granules are aimed as a quick alternative to a fresh brew, meaning they’re pretty on point for all the coffee snobs out there. Don’t deny it, Presto Coffee is based in Pimlico, so it’s well aware of the high-end coffee needs of the capital, but also speed. Notes are described as chocolate and almond, so we’re guessing this is around a medium-dark roast. This’ll look pretty snazzy in any kitchen too, from office to apartment thanks to the chic black and white design.

Price: £6.99
Where from? Presto Coffee 

Milky coffee fan? Well then, if having coffee at home seems to leave you feeling like you’re missing out on some silky smooth indulgent flavour, this may well change in an instant. Kenco has been around since 1923, hell of a long time, they’ll get a card off the Queen soon. Anyway, you don’t last that long without knowing your stuff. There’s some milk, sugar, and coffee all blended together inside this tin, so just add a couple scoops and away you go. No need for Coffee-Mate or anything, remember Coffee-Mate? It’s a big tin too, it’ll last ages. 

Price: £12.49
Location: Amazon 

We had to include a decaf. Yes yes, coffee drinkers repent and all that, but caffeine just doesn’t agree with some people. Doesn’t mean a good coffee should be out of the question though, does it. Well, turns out this “coffee” isn’t even a coffee, it’s a coffee alternative. The Quorn of the chicken world. Except it’s made with a bunch of natural ingredients like barley, figs and chicory. All of which are caffeine-free. It’s smooth yet roasty, and does actually feel like a coffee. People swear by it, though it might take a cup or two to get accustomed. 

Price: £2.99
Where is it? Holland & Barrett 

Despite being a medium roast, this is actually one of the more intense options from ‘natural, fair, delicious’ tea and coffee makers Clipper. So if you like a cup that’s got those dark chocolate and tobacco notes (along with an ethical process) this might well be the one for you. It’s still nice and smooth though, with none of those bad bitter notes. There’s 1.2kg here, which is a lot of coffee. If you’re two teaspoons kinda person it should sort you out for well over 100 coffees, or less than 38p a cup. Not bad for an Arabica organic coffee, is it?

Price: £38.97 (for a six-pack)
Where's it at? Amazon 

Italian coffee, you know, it doesn’t really come from Italy right? Hence us chatting heavily about Colombia (other top coffee nations include Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Guatemala) but we all turn our heads at an Italian coffee, even here in London. This is due to their roast levels, it leaves a caramel, strong, roasty taste that we simply gobble up. Illy is as classic as Italian coffee gets, many cafes still use their whole beans. The same quality is kept in their instant too, meaning if you want good Italian-style coffee, you need not turn anywhere else. If it ain’t broke, right? 

Price: £5.83 
Where can I get it? Illy.com