You have a long, hectic day at work and you are already getting late – what do you do? Well, if I were you, I would go find the best instant decaf coffee I could get my hands on, get my cup of Joe and rush to work.
But that is just me, you might have your own preferences when it comes to decaffeinated coffee and why you should or shouldn’t have it. Yes, there is usually a lot of talk about instant decaf coffee and how it might not give you the energy boost that you get from regular coffee.
Well, that is right – we don’t want to mislead our readers. You can never have the same aroma, taste or adrenalin that a regular coffee cup can give to you. However, lowering your expectations and trying to not compare your decaf cup with the regular cup might work in your favor.
Best Instant Decaf Coffee Brands
Let us now walk you through the best instant decaf coffee brands available in the market today:
- Folgers Classic Decaffeinated Instant Coffee
- Nescafe Taster’s Choice Decaf House Blend Instant Coffee
- Douwe Egberts Decaf Instant Coffee
- Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Coffee
- Maxwell House Instant Decaf Coffee
- Café Bustelo Coffee Espresso Decaffeinated Instant Coffee
- Hills Bros. Instant Decaf – Cappuccino Mix, Decaf French Vanilla Cappuccino
- Maxwell House Instant Decaf Coffee
- La Republica Decaffeinated Organic Mushroom Coffee
Folgers Classic Decaffeinated Instant Coffee
Being one of the coffee pioneers since 1850, Folgers have mastered the art of making fine coffee beans – loved by many across the world.
Well Crafted Coffee Crystals
Folgers Instant Decaf coffee gives the true coffee flavor that your taste buds might be looking forward to. The crystals are easily dissolvable without the need of any extra liquids. Regardless of the quantity you are brewing, this instant decaf will make your day better.
Keeping It Green
Through the years, Folgers has been well-known for its green coffee purchasing sustainability. They adopt the best environmental practices by working with only those coffee suppliers that adhere to environmental laws, animal and human rights, safety checks, etc.
Pros
- Easy to use flip-top jar
- Gives you the classic aroma and flavor
- One jar makes up to to 120 cups of 6 fl oz cups
Cons
- Medium taste might be too light for some
Nescafe Taster’s Choice Decaf House Blend Instant Coffee
Made from smooth and mild roasted 100% premium coffee beans, Nestle Taster’s Choice will take care of all your coffee cravings that you might have in the morning.
Known for its unique method of coffee beans brewing as soon as they are roasted, this coffee brand knows well how to maintain the perfect rich coffee flavor and aroma for a decaf coffee cup.
Pros
- Made from light medium roast beans – will give you freshness while maintaining 99.7% decaf levels
- Rich in flavor
Cons
- Compared to other brands of its league like Nescafe Gold or Davidoff, this coffee is considered a bit too mild
Douwe Egberts Decaf Instant Coffee
This instant decaf will give you a well-balanced aroma from the best medium roast coffee beans. The 100g jar is a good option if you are looking for a full-bodied, decaffeinated freeze-dried cup of Joe.
With all the expertise and brewing experience that Douwe Egberts brings to the coffee industry, this decaf coffee jar will certainly get your attention the moment you have the first sip.
Pros
- Made from medium roast beans
- Rich flavor with no bitter aftertaste
Cons
- Slightly overpriced than its competitor products
Mount Hagen Organic Freeze Dried Coffee
The Mount Hagen decaf coffee is the first among its rival products to achieve the 100% organic certification from EcoCert that is in line with the US Dept. of Agriculture compliance guidelines.
To maintain the original, naturally rich and mild coffee aroma, 100% Arabica beans are organically harvested without using any of the preservatives or additives or those artificial substances like fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, etc.
The Patented Decaf Process
From the best cultivations spots around the globe, this organic coffee is made using the CR3 Natural Liquid CO2 Coffee Decaf patented methodology. In this process, the CO2 is used in liquid form at very low temperatures.
The compounds that give the final taste and flavor are left intact, while any other unhealthy chemicals are evaporated – making it a premium 99.99% caffeine-free instant coffee to serve your taste buds well.
Pros
- 100% Organic Decaf
- 99.99% Caffeine-free
- Organic Element Certified by EcoCert
- Patented Decaf Process used
Cons
- Highly Decaf-free might not give you the same delight as the one made from medium-roasted beans
Maxwell House Instant Decaf Coffee
A true American Classic – the Maxwell House decaf is made from 100% Arabica beans that maintain the rich and classic coffee flavor. In addition to this, the easy-to-store jar offers great storage for longer periods as it closes tightly to preserve freshness.
The jar is also easy to open, however, taking out coffee from it might be a little tricky at times and you might get messy if done in haste.
With no bitter aftertaste whatsoever, it’s smooth and caffeine-free rich flavor will serve your coffee cravings any time of the day.
Pros
- Sold in 8 oz Jars Pack of 3 (as shown here) or the single-serve packs for k-cup pods
- Easy for storage coffee jar
- Fairly priced as compared to other products
Cons
- Not easy to take out coffee from the jar
Café Bustelo Coffee Espresso Decaffeinated Instant Coffee
For more than 80 years, Café Bustelo is known for its widely acclaimed coffee-making skills. Due to its cultural and traditional Latin roots, this brand has maintained the classic, fine coffee aroma throughout its product line.
Their instant decaf coffee product range is no different either. It is offered in convenient single-cup serving packets – which means that now you can have your morning cup of coffee made instantly by just adding hot water or milk.
Moreover, these packets are easy to carry around, particularly if you are working at a place where they don’t serve good coffee.
Pros
- No brewing required
- Quick and easy to prepare
- Single-serve packets – easy to carry around
Cons
- Not recommended for those who like brewed coffee taste
Hills Bros. Instant Decaf – Cappuccino Mix, Decaf French Vanilla Cappuccino
If you are looking for the perfect decaf coffee in a different flavor, you need to look no further. The Hills Bros has been serving its coffee lovers for more than 137 years, making perfectly brewed rich flavored coffee.
This decaf French Vanilla cappuccino is really good if you do not wish to consume anything too strong that is going to keep you fresh all night long. Very quick and easy to make, you just have to add hot water, stir and enjoy your flavored decaf cappuccino.
Pros
- Can be consumed at night or after dinner
- Can be made with a froth, mixed with an ice-blended beverage or milk
Cons
- It just a light Vanilla extract – Not recommended for strong-flavored decaf coffee lovers
Maxwell House (Sanka) Instant Decaf Coffee
For more than 60 years, Sanka has been a premium member of the Maxwell House coffee brand. Being the first decaf coffee in the United States, Sanka offers its traditional roasting methodologies that maintain the mouth-watering taste and aroma that it is known for.
The lightweight, easy-to-use jar will give you 120 cups of instantly made decaf coffee. Whether at work or at home, you can now enjoy the delicious caffeine-free instant coffee to make your day better.
Pros
- Pioneers of Decaf coffee in America
- Easy-to-use jar makes 120 cups
- 99.7% caffeine-free
Cons
- Not as rich as the other Maxell Decaf coffee products
La Republica Decaffeinated Organic Mushroom Coffee
If you have been thinking all these years about instant coffee being a secondary or a back-up coffee option, you need to think again. La Republica Decaf instant coffee is something that will surely make your taste buds want more of it as soon as you have your first sip.
Using organically grown coffee beans in their own farms, this coffee doesn’t have any pesticides, fertilizers or any other chemical contaminants that are quite unhealthy if consumed regularly.
Pros
- Made from organic coffee beans
- BPA-free jar (no chemicals whatsoever)
- Close to brewed coffee taste, although it is not brewed
Cons
- A bit pricey as compared to other products in this category
Buyer’s Guide – What to Look For
There will definitely be a lot of myths you will hear about instant coffee, let alone decaf instant coffee. However, if you are having something like Folgers Classic Decaffeinated Instant Coffee, you will know it for yourself that the decaf instant coffee has its own taste and aroma.
You have all the information, reviews and recommendations for various products at your disposal. Apart from our recommendations, we suggest you to do your own research as well before purchasing the product.
Does Instant Coffee Have Caffeine
Instant Regular: As far as regular caffeinated coffee is concerned, an instant coffee cup will have lesser amount of caffeine. For a regular instant coffee cup, one teaspoon might contain around 30–90 mg of caffeine in it.
Instant Decaf: When it comes to instant decaf coffee, if someone tells you that your decaf coffee is entirely caffeine-free, he or she is wrong. This is surely one of the assumptions that a lot of us do have.
According to a study, decaf coffee cup contains about 0-7 mg of caffeine for every 180 ml of coffee serving, as compared to your regular cup of coffee that usually contains 70-140 mg caffeine for the same serving.
FAQs
Is decaf okay for anxiety?
Excess caffeine may overwhelm the central nervous system, cause restlessness, anxiety, digestive problems, heart arrhythmia or trouble sleeping in sensitive individuals. Decaf coffee is healthier as compared to regular coffee.
How long does decaf stay in your system?
It has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours. The half-life is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the drug. The remaining caffeine can stay in your body for a long time.
Is decaf a diuretic?
Studies show it takes as much as 360 milligrams of caffeine to act as a diuretic. However, it must be stressed that decaffeinated coffee has no diuretic effects and is an excellent way to hydrate during the day.
Our Final Word on Instant Decaf
First things first, you need to know why exactly are you going for instant decaf coffee. If you are just trying it out for fun or because you heard or read about it somewhere, we suggest not to. If you are into regular or classic coffee flavors, instant decaf might not work for you.
However, after conducting thorough research and self-realization, if you have come to the point where you actually want to reduce your caffeine consumption and spend less time in coffee brewing – instant decaf coffee could well be your answer.
Find the best instant decaf coffee for yourself and enjoy your decaf life mode here onwards!