Nothing beats a good cup of coffee. Most people can’t start their day without it - I know I struggle to function without my daily caffeine kick. We now drink around 98 million cups of the stuff a day in the UK, according to the British Coffee Association.
Even if you don’t use it to kick off your morning, nothing beats kicking back with a good cup of coffee and a natter with your friends. Some of you might even be lucky enough to have a coffee machine in your kitchen, giving you access to the good stuff whenever you want. Most of us, though, have to get our morning kick from the instant kind - 80% of households, in fact.
So, I’m sure most of us can agree that nothing ruins your morning quite like a bad cup of coffee. But with so many different brands on the market, how can you make sure that you’re starting your day off in the best way possible?
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Italian coffee brand Lavazza is a fan favourite, and you’ll probably see their name slapped across coffee machines in cafes across the country. For those of us who can’t make it to our local coffee shop every day, they also do an instant version. But, at £4.70 per tin, it’s a bit of a bank breaker compared to the alternatives on the market. This got me thinking - is Lavazza really worth the money, or could you get a better supermarket version for much cheaper?
As a self-confessed coffee addict, I took it upon myself to test out five different instant coffees on the market, including Lavazza’s. I dropped by at Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, and Asda to see if their own-brand instant coffees could compare - and save you a few pounds while you’re at it.
Lavazza Intenso
Starting with a fan favourite, I gave Lavazza Intenso, their instant coffee, a go.
To properly test each of the brands, I made the coffees according to the instructions on their tubs - no sugar, no milk, just pure, unadulterated instant coffee. Anyway, if you're looking for something to give you a proper kick in the morning, this is it. Just one teaspoon of the granules is enough to pack a punch.
What starts off as an earthy taste can turn quite bitter, but actually tasted like something you'd get from a decent coffee shop, rather than something you've just knocked up with a teaspoon and kettle in your kitchen. But, out of the five, it's the smallest coffee tin for the most money - you only get 95g for £4.70.
While the taste was pleasant - I kept finding myself going back for more sips, though that might just be the caffeine addiction - I think £4.70 is a bit steep for an instant coffee. Unless it was on offer, I couldn't see myself forking the money out for it on my weekly shop.
Alcafe - Aldi
Next up was Aldi's Alcafe. I used the same amount as I had for Lavazza (one teaspoon), which was also the recommended amount on the tin. But as soon as I poured my water over the coffee, it already looked much weaker than the mug I made with Lavazza. At £2.29, Alcafe is half the price of Lavazza, and offers 5g more - but with half the taste, it seems.
Unlike the kick you get with Lavazza, it takes a while for Alcafe's flavour to emerge, and it doesn't last particularly long either. The taste isn't bad , it's just not necessarily strong. I would definitely recommend adding more than one teaspoon, if you want something stronger than what tasted like coffee-flavoured water. It may be half the price of Lavazza, but I'm not sure it's worth it.
Bellarom Barista Premium - Lidl
I had high hopes for Lidl's Barista Premium as soon as I opened the tin. It hits you with a pleasant aroma that would put anyone (well, coffee lovers mostly) in a good mood to start the day. It's also a price match for Aldi - for £2.29, you get 100g. Bellarom promises to be 'smooth and well-balanced,' but will the taste deliver?
The taste definitely lives up to the smell - the flavour hits you instantly and, while it isn't as strong as Lavazza, is definitely enjoyable and enough to satisfy morning caffeine cravings. If you're looking for a cheaper option for your morning coffee, this isn't something to turn your nose up at and, I would say, is much better than Aldi's equivalent.
Classic Instant Coffee - Tesco
Tesco's Classic instant coffee also has a pleasant smell, but doesn't hit you in the same way the Lidl's coffee does when you open the tin. When I poured the hot water over the coffee, though, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by how weak it looked - and even, strangely, a little bit oily.
The taste wasn't great either - there's a sourness too it than isn't very pleasant, but somehow manages to be weak at the same time. It is, however, incredibly cheap. For 200g - double that of Lidl and Aldi - I only spent £2, so you get plenty for your money and it would last you a long time.
For me, though, I highly doubt that this could coax me out of a cosy bed in the morning.
Rich Roast - Asda
Finally, I gave Asda's Rich Roast a go. It has a really lovely chocolately smell, though the texture of the coffee looks a little strange, being somewhere between a powder and granules. Despite this, it looked much stronger than what Tesco had to offer, and came without the strange, oily residue on the top - which is a bonus for any drink.
While it was among the cheaper options, it certainly made a nice cup of coffee. Although it's definitely not as strong as Lavazza, it lives up to its name of being 'rich' and leaves a nice aftertaste. I got 100g for £1.20, but 200g will only cost you £2, making it a price match for Tesco. If I had to pick between just these two, I would definitely choose Asda's own-brand coffee over Tesco's - it's stronger and the taste is much more pleasant.
The Verdict
Now, I never would have thought of myself as a coffee snob before writing this. Frankly, as someone who has been known to drink three cups of coffee before 11am on a regular basis, I'll often just take what I can get. But, in terms of taste, Lavazza definitely came out on top. Just one teaspoon is enough to pack a punch, and it doesn't taste like you're drinking instant coffee.
That being said, Lidl's Barista Premium could certainly give it a run for its money. At just £2.29, it's less than half the price, so I'd be much more likely to pick it up when shopping than Lavazza. While it isn't as strong as Lavazza, it still has a pleasant aroma and flavour, and I'd certainly be happy to kick off my day with a cup of it. I'll definitely be popping it in my basket from now on. P.S. Drinking five cups of coffee in one afternoon is not for the faint-hearted.
Got your own firm favourites? Tell us the comments below.
