Baristas rate the best (and worst) supermarket instant coffees in NZ
Whether it’s a cost-cutter pick-me-up or your preferred cuppa, instant coffee is a supermarket staple – and a New Zealand invention, by chemist and merchant David Strang in Invercargill in 1889.
But when it comes from a packet or glass, can you get a really, truly good cup of coffee? And does it get better the more you pay for it?
We challenged two Auckland baristas to conduct a blind taste test to decide which instant coffee has the best, boldest flavours and which gives the most bang for your buck.
Meet our experts
Robbie Dalgetty is the beverage operations manager for Daily Bread, and works the tools in their Point Chevalier store.
He’s been slinging coffee for 16 years, so he knows what’s in a good brew.
“I always go for something more balanced,“ he says.
“Not too bitter, but something that’s going to wake me up, get me going, and smooth enough that I can drink it all day.”
Kary Luo is the manager of Atomic Coffee Roasters’ Ponsonby store.
She’s been in the industry for about five years now and was recently a judge at the NZ Specialty Coffee Association’s Brewers Cup awards.
“I think a good cup of coffee is a balanced cup of coffee. So, the flavour, the sweetness, acidity – it’s all balanced, and you can just keep on drinking with a smooth feel in the mouth.”
Our experts judged six randomly selected store-bought instant coffees blind, across four categories: flavour, acidity, body and aftertaste.
Their scores out of 10 for each category were combined and divided to get a final overall score.
With no milk and no prior knowledge of the products, here’s what they thought.
Winner: Juan Valdez
Price (per 95g): $18.90
Aggregate score: 8.75 / 10
This imported product from Colombia gave our tasters a “high-quality Parisian” feel and provided a rich, complex taste.
Both mentioned it had the best aftertaste and came alive on the palate.
“With such a complex flavour profile, I felt like it’s justified in its flavour and body,” Dalgetty said.
“As it cools down, it gets nicer to drink,” Luo noted, adding this brew would be the perfect coffee for the working day.
Both would drink this again.
Runner Up: Jed’s Coffee Co.
Price (per 100g): $9.33
Aggregate score: 8.5 / 10
Smooth, strong, and with surprisingly high sweetness compared to the others, this local supermarket brew was remarkably drinkable for our pair.
Immediately noticing the crema-style foam on top, Luo remarked on its aroma.
“Straight up, it’s nutty, like a sweet hazelnut.”
“It’s got a really interesting flavour profile. It starts very nutty, and then it becomes quite chocolatey,” Dalgetty added.
Both would drink this again.
Moccona
Price (per 100g): $15.54
Aggregate score: 7.63 / 10
While this supermarket staple was “definitely bolder” than other cups, it had less sweetness.
“It’s not bitter, but it’s definitely lacking in the sweetness of the last one. But again, it is a good cup of coffee,” Luo said.
Dalgetty said it would be “a good coffee to wake up to”, while noting that the aftertaste was “a little on the dry side”.
Both would drink this again.
Flight Bomber
Price (per 60g): $37.50
Aggregate score: 7.38 / 10
The most expensive instant on the list, this coffee didn’t deliver as high rankings as we initially expected.
Both baristas noted the floral aroma (likely the orange notes mentioned on the packaging), and its decent body and flavour.
“It smells like I can feel where the beans were grown. Like those little regional characteristics have not been roasted out of them.
“It’s very close to a pour over or a [drip coffee],” Dalgetty said.
“I wouldn’t say this was like a proper delicate brew, but you could fool me into thinking this was a big batch brew,” Luo added.
Both would drink this again.
Nescafe Gold
Price (per 100g): $12.32
Aggregate score: 4.5 / 10
While our experts “wouldn’t be disappointed” with this supermarket brew, they both saw a noticeable drop in quality.
“Body-wise, it’s a little bit watery,” Luo said, while Dalgetty added it reminded him of his mum’s coffee in the late 90s.
While there was an initial “nutty” taste, it didn’t linger, and there “wasn’t much to say” about the flavour profile.
It wasn’t “awful”, but it certainly wasn’t the best.
Starbucks Via
Price (for 12 sachets): $16.90
Aggregate score: 3.25 / 10
The lowest ranking of the bunch, the experts said this coffee was not as pleasant to drink as the others.
“It doesn’t really go anywhere after the first sip. You sip it and then it all hits, and there’s nothing. I can’t even really taste it now,” Dalgetty said.
Luo added that it was “not great” and that the bitterness and smokiness were overpowering.
While this wouldn’t be their drink of choice, the taste testers said “people have different tastes and preferences,” so what one person dislikes, someone else might enjoy.
Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald’s entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke’s Bay Today.