Summary of "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).
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)
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
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
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”)
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
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
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
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)
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.
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.
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
Category
Product Review
Share this summary
Is the summary off?
If you think the summary is inaccurate, you can reprocess it with the latest model.
Preparing reprocess...