One of the biggest pros of instant coffee (besides being cheaper than freshly brewed java) is that it’s, well, instant. Just a scoop and a swirl into some hot water, and you’re done. When it comes to cons, on the other hand, it’s generally accepted that instant coffee tastes stale and processed. However, in Tasting Table’s ranking of 9 instant coffee brands, we found one exception: Pilon. The product was evaluated based on taste, texture, aroma, and how readily it dissolved. It excelled in all respects. And, if anyone reading this doesn’t believe it, just listen to some customer feedback Pilon received on Amazon.
One Pilon customer wrote, “It’s hard to get too excited about instant coffee, but this product has earned a 5-star rating. I bet you could serve this to a coffee snob in Rome or Paris and get away with it.” Another customer said, “This has a very different taste than instant coffee – it isn’t as bitter and has a richer, fuller flavor.” A third customer remarked, “I’ve always disliked instant coffees because the flavor was never quite right. Pilon, though, offers all the ease of an instant with the great flavor of a good espresso.”
Clearly, Pilon is the instant coffee that defies all preconceptions you might have. Plus, having some on hand is a great solution for iced coffee drinkers on the go.
Instant coffee drink recipe ideas
Having a product that has a fresh espresso taste without the brewing time makes it easy to prepare different coffee drink recipes. With a container of Pilon, you can easily make a double espresso by combining about 1-2 tablespoons of the instant powder with about 3 ounces of cold or hot water. For a bit of that fresh espresso-like crema, you can use a handheld milk frother to mix it instead of a spoon, but either way the grinds should blend seamlessly into the water to make an espresso that you can enjoy on its own or use as the base of any coffee drink recipe.
Where instant espresso comes in really handy is with ice drinks, as you can easily make an espresso shot with cold water without worrying about the shot potentially melting the ice and diluting your drink. It’s also especially time-saving for people who enjoy cold brew coffee, as all it requires is the mixing of instant powder with cold water until you achieve your desired strength. Instant espresso is also a star ingredient in Dalgona coffee, which had its five minutes of TikTok fame back in 2020. Making it entails blending the powder with water and sugar to create a foamy mixture. You can easily do the same with Pilon’s instant espresso and use it as a topping on the hot or iced lattes you make with it.
