Instant coffee was mentioned several times in the electric kettle thread.
Do you like instant coffee?
My parents drank instant for as long as I can remember. They say they like the taste and I guess it’s all about what you are used to. I will drink it when I visit and don’t have any problem with getting my caffeine fix that way. Like it - no. Gonna make a fuss if that’s what is available - also no.
God YES.
I admit this with no small amount of shame. But I can explain.
When I was a kid, that’s the only kind of coffee we had in the house so that’s what I grew up drinking. I still drink it to this day, every morning, first thing.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a high quality freshly ground french pressed coffee as well. And I rarely miss an opportunity for a great cappuccino. But in the early morning, the thing I want most is that hit of instant double/double.
P.S. HATE Starbucks.
My answer: I like it for its own virtues, but I prefer brewed coffee.
Instant coffee brings memories of camping and such. Everyone knows how different it tastes, but the flavour, to me, is just ‘different’ and not ‘nasty’. I prefer brewed coffee; but when I run out (which doesn’t happen since Community Coffee delivers grounds to my door), it’s not objectionable at all and is more than an ‘OK emergency substitute’. I appreciate it for what it is – and the best way to enjoy it is with powdered creamer and some sugar for the full ‘camping’ effect.
Funny story: The first time I had iced coffee was when I was visiting a girlfriend in my early-20s. It was sweetened, but I don’t recall if it had milk in it. She asked how I liked it, and I pronounced it good. She laughed and said, ‘It’s just like in the commercials!’ and told me that it was made with instant coffee. 
We’ve had threads on this before, and the general consensus if you’re American and under the age of 50, you think it’s the devil’s spew, but if you’re from any European country, England, or Australia, or old, you will say instant is fine, if not just as good as brewed coffee.
Bafflement on both sides will ensue, with each side concluding the other must be brain damaged to hold such an obviously incorrect opinion.
I am not a coffee aficionado or snob. I like gourmet coffees, but am generally fine with drinking ordinary canned coffees from ordinary supermarkets.
However, instant coffee fails to meet even MY low standards.
Yeah it’s funny how Europeans, whom I usually admire for their higher standards when it comes to food and quality of life issues in general, can see instant coffee as a worthy substitute to real coffee. I have a Dutch colleague who will offer me a cup of coffee and I always have to stop myself from automatically saying yes. I first scan his work place to see if he has a pot of real coffee on hand, or if he’s going for the jar of Nescafe (shudder).
Instant coffee is an abomination.
Growing up, it was all my parents drank. As a teen I tried to be a coffee drinker but that horrible shit my parents kept whipping up turned me right off it. Then I moved out and discovered this wonderful hot beverage that is actually brewed and not freeze-dried and heated up. Oh what a wonderful day that was.
I like real coffee in the mornings, but for the rest of the day, instant will do fine. It doesnt’ seem to be as strong, so the caffeine kick is not as bad, and I just like to drink it for the taste and the warmth.
ETA: I am most definitely American and under the age of 50. So nyah to your suppositions. 
If instant were the only option, I’d go without. And bitch/whine about it.
Thanks, Johnny, another poll where I agree with the masses! :rolleyes:
I’m > 50 and I think it sucks. I’ll drink it if that’s all there is, but never by choice. Sanka and its ilk is especially nasty, having the misfortune of being both instant and decaffeinated. shivers
Gosh darn it, I want mac n cheese now.
The only instant coffees that I like are those “International Coffees” tons full of different-flavored coffees that are more like caffeinated hot cocoa. Haven’t had it in years, but my mom used to drink it at home sometimes, and she’d occasionally send me some in a care package when I was in college. Otherwise, no.
(I also have some Starbucks Via instant packets tucked into my disaster stores, to satisfy the caffeine addiction should we lose power for days again. However, now I have a ceramic burr hand grinder and an Aeropress, so I can heat water on the gas stove and come up with an excellent cup of coffee starting from whole beans.)
I will drink it as a substitute, in a pinch, where I will only be wanting the one cup and don’t want to brew a whole pot.
But there is bad instant and not-as-bad instant.
The Nescafe’ sold in Europe seems to be several notches above anything I have found in the US. I got some Columbian instant from Trader Joe’s a while back that wasn’t much better than Folgers. I Brought a jar back from France and horded the packets from the hotel room as well.
I think the American brands, and even Nescafe’ sold here seem to be trying to replicate the taste of bland american style coffee. The Nescafe’ in Europe seems to be trying for decent European style coffee. Though it totally misses the target, a better result is obtained by aiming for the higher standard.
My Parents only drank instant (maxwell house IIRC) while raising me. I never drank coffee until I was in college full time and working ~30-35 hrs/week. I didn’t become a coffee snob until I spent some time in Vienna. A Mr. Coffee makes a right mess if you try to make proper coffee in it.
I said it was a general consensus, not a universally applicable rule.
I drink it sometimes at work. It’s a nice coffee-tasting beverage. It’s not coffee but it tastes a bit like it.
It amuses me that people get so heated about their dislike for it, as though the instant coffee was somehow pretending to be a proper cup of brewed coffee.
I…got that. I was just teasing?
there are people that drink coffee for taste. that’s OK in limited amounts.
if you like coffee for it’s purpose for being on this planet then most people have to resort to instant, unless you have an iron stomach. you just can’t drink 20 or more cups of brewed coffee in a day and not start to get sick. now there are methods to lessen the oils and acids but who has time for that when all you need is the caffeine.
just saw an article on line yesterday where bees are attracted to coffee and citrus plants for the caffeine in the nectar. them bees got a buzz.
I don’t drink very much coffee, maybe once a month or so, but when I do, what type it is generally doesn’t make that much difference to me.