While instant coffee is a pre-packaged, single-use form of coffee, ground coffee is a bulkier product that you need to measure out and prepare yourself. Ground coffee is literally ground up coffee beans.
To make coffee, you need to pour hot water over coffee beans and then run the mixture through a filter. Dissolvable coffee made from brewed coffee beans that you can have instantly.
In this article, we will define instant and ground coffee, and walk you through the process of how each is made.
We will explore the differences between instant and ground coffee in terms of aroma and flavor, caffeine content, health benefits, cost and convenience, the brewing process, and the environmental impact of each type of coffee.
We’ll discuss the advances made in instant coffee, which has significantly improved its taste.
We will briefly talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of coffee before declaring a winner. Spoiler: it’s not going to be instant coffee.
If you want to learn about instant coffee and how it relates to ground coffee, this is the right place for you. Let’s dive in.
Instant coffee
Instant coffee is a lab experiment gone wrong – it’s a quick and easy alternative to coffee that is lower in quality and doesn’t taste as good.
Convenience is the main focus for instant coffee, however the taste and quality are not as great. Many people end up regretting their decision to buy instant coffee.
You might not believe it, but instant coffee is made using real coffee beans. While Arabica coffee beans are usually used to make coffee, instant coffee is typically made from robusta beans. Robusta beans are more bitter and acidic, and not as enjoyable as Arabica beans.
Robusta beans are used in instant coffee because they are cheaper, and those who drink instant coffee are not concerned with taste or quality anyway.
Instant coffee is made from robusta beans that are brewed in a factory to create a concentrated brew.
The grog is concentrated and then freeze dried into a powder-like consistency that can be stored for decades without going bad.
Drying and freezing coffee beans zaps the flavor and aroma. Robusta beans have more caffeine than Arabica beans.
The final product is a coarse brown powder that is not very good and can be mixed with water to make a coffee-like drink. The coffee-like powder, when mixed with water, changes the water’s chemical structure and then changes again once it enters your system.
You can use instant coffee as a replacement for real coffee in baking, as it won’t ruin the dish.
Assuming you have instant coffee and hot water, you can make a cup of coffee in a pinch. It’s not going to be as good as coffee from freshly ground beans, but it’s still coffee.
Is instant coffee really always so terrible though? As coffee snobs, we’d like to say yes. In reality, over the last five to ten years, the quality of instant coffee has greatly improved.
There are several brands of premium instant coffee that are made from better beans, and the coffee that you get from the powders is at least as good as what you would get from drinking a mainstream low-end coffee brand through a cheap drip coffee machine. We’ll give you more details below.
Ground coffee
The grounds of coffee are what is left after you grind up the whole coffee bean. These grounds can then be extracted into a liquid to create coffee.
You will get the freshest possible cup of coffee if you brew your grounds immediately after grinding the beans.
The size of the coffee grounds depends on the type of coffee beverage being made.
When brewing cold brew coffee, it is best to use coarse coffee grounds. For pour over and electric drip coffee, medium to medium coarse grounds are typically used, while finer grounds are used for espresso and Turkish coffee.
Ground coffee is not processed or created in a laboratory like instant coffee is. The coffee grounds are only roasted before being packaged, which enhances the flavor and smell.
Coffee experts believe that beans that are ground right before brewing produce the best cup of coffee.
Differences between instant coffee and ground coffee
1. Aroma and flavor
Ground coffee has a more intense flavor and aroma than instant coffee, making it more enjoyable to drink.
Ground coffee can be complex, well-balanced, and widely varied. An instant coffee typically has a light body and is bitter with an aroma that is easily forgotten.
2. Caffeine content
Instant coffee has less caffeine than ground coffee. If you want energy, it’s better to drink coffee.
This is because the water is only in contact with the grounds for a short time. Caffeine is extracted from ground coffee during the brewing process because the water is only in contact with the grounds for a short time. The release of caffeine occurs when hot water interacts with coffee grounds.
The caffeine content in your cup of coffee is decided by the brewing process. No matter which brewing method you use – french press, drip coffee maker, or cold brew – you will always end up with a strong coffee.
When it comes to caffeine content, ground coffee gives you more control than instant coffee. You can control how much caffeine you get in a cup of coffee by using ground coffee. When it comes to instant coffee, you don’t have a choice.
To get more caffeine in your coffee, use less water. Too much caffeine? You can bring it down a notch with ease.
Unfortunately, you don’t have this flexibility with instant coffee. The amount of caffeine in a product is determined during the manufacturing process and cannot be changed.
3. Beans selection
The right coffee bean can make an excellent cup of coffee. There are two main types of coffee beans used all over the world, Arabica and Robusta.
Arabica coffee beans are considered to be of a higher quality than other coffee beans, and as such, they are more expensive. You don’t see this happen often in the world of instant coffee.
In contrast, Robusta coffee beans are of lower quality than Arabica. Robusta beans are cheaper and most instant coffee powder on the marker is made from them.
Currently, even coffee makers that produce instant coffee are using high-quality Arabica coffee beans to produce a higher quality product.
If you want to get the best possible coffee, it is important to choose the best quality beans. Unless you get Arabica beans, you will not taste the better coffee out there.
Even if you choose instant coffee, pick Arabica-based coffee for the best experience.
4. Brewing method
The method used to brew coffee is the next big differentiator between instant and ground coffee. There is no brewing method involved in making instant coffee. To prepare this dish, simply add hot water or milk. The word “instant” is key here, and it works great.
But coffee that has been brewed has many different ways to be made. Some of the popular brewing methods are
- French press
- Percolator
- Drip
- AeroPress
- Espresso
- Cold brew
There are many different ways to brew coffee, each of which produces a unique cup.
For instance, an espresso shot provides a concentrated cup of coffee. A French press coffee maker would give you a strong cup of coffee. Drip coffee is the best option if you want a plain black coffee.
While certain brewing methods might require specialized and expensive equipment, others will not. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, stick with the cold brew brewing method.
If you are not interested in learning how to brew coffee or in buying brewing equipment, then instant coffee is the right choice for you.
5. Dissolving ability in water
One of the most defining aspects of instant coffee is that it can completely dissolve in water. Ground coffee does not dissolve in water, whether the water is hot or cold.
Why is this important, you ask? This is not a big deal for coffee lovers.
But instant coffee folks want an instant solution. If you have to work to get your coffee to dissolve in water quickly, then it’s not really “instant” coffee.
You can make instant coffee from ground coffee, or brew a cup with instant coffee. Drink a cup of coffee to that!
6. Health benefits
Both coffee and coffee grounds are good for you, as long as they are consumed in moderation. Coffee grounds hold a slight edge in overall antioxidant numbers, but both forms are well matched in terms of health benefits.
You will get the same health benefits from both instant and ground coffee if you’re going to drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day. We prefer ground coffee because it tastes better and has more health benefits.
7. Cost and convenience
Instant coffee has to win somewhere right? If the people in charge are insisting, it looks like they are. Instant coffee is an economical and convenient option for coffee drinkers. It is easy to make and requires minimal cleanup. If you don’t have much time or money, instant coffee is a good choice.
Environmental impact
Most people think that anything that has been processed is bad for the environment. In this instance, they would be wrong. Ground coffee production often involves pesticides and insecticides, while most instant coffee brands have eliminated these harmful chemicals. While ground coffee production often involves the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides, most instant coffee brands have eliminated these chemicals, making instant coffee less environmentally harmful overall.
Since instant coffee requires less packaging, it also creates a smaller carbon footprint than ground coffee. You can help the environment by using reusable cups for your coffee instead of disposable cups.
One way you can help the environment is to recycle your coffee grounds by using them to create compost.
Instant coffee wins
Instant coffee wins in some areas too. How does instant coffee manage to taste better than ground coffee? Read on.
Shelf life
Instant coffee can be used for a much longer time than ground coffee.
You need to store your ground coffee beans properly and use them within a set period of time to make the best coffee possible. The older ground coffee gets, the staler it becomes.
Unless, of course, you enjoy drinking a cup of sludge. We don’t like to drink coffee that is made from stale coffee grounds because it tastes like sludge. With instant coffee, you don’t have this problem. Instant coffee is a processed food item that has a long shelf life.
Cost
Coffee that is instant is cheaper in comparison to regular coffee. The most expensive part of being a coffee lover is buying high-quality coffee grounds.
After that, you might have to invest some money in specialized equipment if you need them. A French press is not too expensive, but an espresso machine will cost you a lot of money.
Instant coffee is a cheaper alternative to traditional coffee methods and does not require any special equipment. If you want instant coffee with flavor-locked coffee granules, you might have to spend more money.
No waste
Instant coffee also doesn’t leave any waste behind. Since instant coffee fully dissolves when mixed with water or milk, there is no need to worry about leaving any residue behind.
You will have to deal with the leftover coffee grounds when you use ground coffee. The coffee grounds can be reused to make a weaker cup of coffee or simply used in your garden. If you use coffee pods, you will produce a lot of waste. So instant coffee definitely takes the win here.
Ease of making coffee
Instant coffee is easy to make. Period. In order to make instant coffee, all you have to do is boil water or milk and add it to your instant coffee powder or granules. That’s it.
It takes 5 minutes to brew regular coffee.
Instant coffee is a better choice than regular coffee if you’re looking for a quick way to get caffeine into your system before you head to work.
Even though they may complain about it, coffee lovers still enjoy the process of brewing their coffee. They see it as an art form where they can continue to make improvements. Many people have a morning ritual that involves brewing coffee.
Overall differences
The main difference between the two is the quality, with one being noticeably better as it is fresh, while the other is a processed product that is not very good. The two have different tastes that are easy to notice, as well as different smells. Instant coffee does not compare to freshly brewed coffee.
Coffee aficionados are known to think less of people who like instant coffee. But honestly, there is no need for that.
Instant coffee provides a convenient way to enjoy coffee without having to go through the trouble of brewing it. Although it does not have the same quality, taste, or wholesomeness as ground coffee, it still manages to make a large portion of the world’s population happy.
When it comes to coffee, ground coffee is the best option. If you don’t have a lot of time but still want to get caffeine, then instant coffee is a good choice.