Start your day with the best instant coffee in Malaysia!
It’s quick to prepare with no need to grind or filter the beans yourself! Just add the coffee powder to some hot water. Followed by sugar (optional) and dairy or plant-based milk to your taste!
Below are some really great blends that don’t skimp on the flavor.
Table Of Contents:
- What Is Instant Coffee?
- Types Of Instant Coffee
- 11 Best Instant Coffee In Malaysia
- History Of Instant Coffee
- Tips To Make Better Coffee
PS: You also don’t need the best coffee machine to prepare a cup of instant coffee!
What Is Instant Coffee?
For the benefit of our readers that do not know:
Instant coffee is another form of coffee besides coffee beans or ground coffee. Instant coffee is also known as soluble coffee or coffee powder.
In this way, the beverage can be made simply in a few steps. The very basic things you need are a cup, hot water and a spoon to stir the mixture!
It has several advantages over coffee beans besides faster preparation:
- You need less of it to prepare the same amount of coffee if you were using beans
- It keeps longer as long as it is dry
- More environmentally friendly (lower shipping footprint, no need to use filter papers, etc)
- Does not leave waste behind
- The strength of the coffee beverage can be adjusted easily (i.e. more or less powder)
- Less caffeine than other coffee from beans while still keeping the antioxidant benefits
- Cheaper method to make coffee
- No need to get dedicated paraphernalia
Types Of Instant Coffee
There are 3 ways to make instant coffee and that is how they are usually categorized too. All methods retain most of the aroma and flavor of the coffee extract used.
All 3 methods start with coffee extract:
This concentrated coffee extract is what you get when you remove water from the original coffee brew made from ground coffee beans.
1. Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee
This is when the coffee extract is frozen and broken up to small pieces. For freeze drying in a controlled environment.
Usually more expensive as this is considered the highest quality instant coffee you can get in Malaysia! Typically made with high grade beans!
2. Spray-Dried Instant Coffee
It is what it sounds like. Spray dried instant coffee is essentially a process where coffee extract is projected into heated air. This causes the droplets to dry fast. Forming a fine powder.
Since some flavor is lost during the spraying process, companies don’t often use high quality beans! This method of producing instant coffee is more economical.
Granulated coffee is similar to spray dried instant coffee but with the addition of coffee oil.
3. Liquid Coffee
A relatively new concept. It is a frozen liquid made purely with coffee extract and no additional ingredients (Even preservatives)!
11 Best Instant Coffee Malaysia 2023
1. Moccona Indulgence Freeze Dried Coffee
Looking for a bold instant coffee with a strong underlying flavor? With little bitterness?
Moccona Indulgence Freeze Dried 8 Coffee is premium freeze dried coffee from the Netherlands that you can usually find in Jaya Grocer or Village Grocer.
You can have it plain black or Americano style! It’s equally good with or without milk or cream!
Other flavors include Hazelnut swirl and Classic. As a bonus, the glass jars are very decorative and useful for storing small items after you’ve finished the coffee!
I personally find that the Moccona Expresso is too strong for my liking. Out of all the Moccona flavors, I like the Indulgence the best.
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Netherlands
- Size: 100g
- Price: ~RM23
2. Lavazza Prontissimo Intenso Instant Coffee
Hailing from Italy, a country full of serious coffee aficionados:
The Lavazza Prontissimo Intenso Instant Coffee makes an excellent dalgona or black coffee. With just a slightly bitter aftertaste! It’s doubtless, one of the best coffees in Malaysia! Especially if you lean towards rich and bitter tasting coffee.
One can of this instant coffee should last you 3-4 weeks if you have coffee daily too.
There’s another reason why the Lavazza Prontissimo Intenso Instant Coffee stands out from other instant coffee blends:
There is actually some finely ground coffee (the packaging states 10%) in the Lavazza Prontissimo Intenso Instant Coffee. And every time I finished the coffee, I can see that there is some very fine ground coffee leftover in the cup.
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Italy
- Size: 95g
- Price: ~RM25
3. Davidoff Instant Coffee
The shape of the glass jar is not the only memorable thing about this Swiss product! This robust instant coffee is brewed from quality Arabica beans.
A perfect wake up beverage for the early mornings!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Switzerland
- Flavors: Espresso 57, Fine Aroma, Rich Aroma
- Size: 100g
- Price: ~RM25
4. AGF Maxim Instant Coffee
AGF Maxim Instant Coffee originates from Japan. And with this freeze-dried coffee, there are 4 flavours to choose from – Luxurious, Modern Blend, Classic Aroma, or Rich Smooth.
They vary in richness, bitterness and acidity with the Classic Aroma (Gold) being the richest tasting with moderate bitterness and acidity.
In comparison, the Luxurious (Blue & Gold) flavor is slightly less rich than the Classic Aroma (Gold) but has more obvious bitterness. If you want very rich but noticeably bitter coffee, your best bet would be Rich Smooth (Blue & Brown).
On the other hand, the Modern Blend (Blue & White) under this coffee brand is rich with more sourness than the other flavors. This is in fact, the most acidic out of the available flavors of AGF Maxim Instant Coffee.
| Flavor | Richness | Bitterness | Acidity |
| Classic Aroma (Gold) | 5/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Luxurious (Blue & Gold) | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Modern Blend (Blue & White) | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Rich Smooth (Blue & Brown) | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Japan
- Size: 80g
- Price: ~RM26.99
5. STARBUCKS Dark Roast Premium Instant Coffee
Try your hand at making your own STARBUCKS Americano or latte coffee:
With the STARBUCKS Dark Roast Premium Instant Coffee!
You don’t need much if you do not want to feel the bitterness or acidity. Which is relatively stronger than in other brands.
Note: Dark roast contains more caffeine than medium roast.
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: US
- Flavour: Dark Roast, Medium Roast
- Size: 90g
- Price: ~RM35
6. Haco SuiSS Espresso Dark Roast Freeze Dried Soluble Coffee
Alternatively for around the same price, you can try the delicious Haco SuiSS Espresso Dark Roast Freeze Dried Soluble Coffee from Switzerland.
The rich taste comes from a blend of high grade Arabica and Robusta beans!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Switzerland
- Size: 100g
- Price: ~RM35
7. illy Instant Coffee With Microground Arabica Coffee Beans
illy Instant Coffee With Microground Arabica Coffee Beans is Italian-made with finely ground Arabica coffee beans!
You can opt for the the Intenso for a bold flavor. Or the medium roast (Classico range) which is milder with delicate hints of sweetness!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Italy
- Size: 95g
- Price: ~RM50
8. Boncafé Brazilian Gold Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee
Finally, an affordable freeze dried coffee that many can appreciate! Do note that this coffee is milder and does not smell as fragrant as other on this list.
Furthermore, it leaves no aftertaste!
Made from Brazilian Arabica beans, there is a hint of nuttiness to the flavor!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin (Beans): Brazil
- Size: 200g
- Price: ~RM24
9. Nescafe Gold Rich & Smooth Instant Soluble Coffee
Item 9 in fact, tastes similar to the Nescafe Gold Rich & Smooth Instant Soluble Coffee from grounded Arabica coffee beans. Although the Nescafe instant coffee presents a smoother and thicker blend. With a noticeable aroma!
This is still considered a mild coffee. So anyone looking for a stronger morning pick up may want to look elsewhere!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Switzerland
- Size: 200g
- Price: ~RM35
10. Native Organic Instant Freeze Dried Coffee
A Fair Trade product of Brazil using organic arabica coffee beans:
Native Organic Instant Freeze Dried Coffee is not bitter and will satisfy the coffee snob in you! Especially if you prefer your coffee to have a chocolate-y flavor!
- Type: Freeze Dried
- Country Of Origin: Brazil
- Size: 90g
- Price: ~RM32
11. OLDTOWN White Coffee
Our last instant coffee brand in the list hits a little closer to home.
Malaysian-born brand, OLDTOWN White Coffee is readily available in Malaysia (even in the local supermarkets) and it can even be found all over the world.
Although, it still can’t compare to a fresh cup of authentic Ipoh white coffee, OLDTOWN White Coffee instant sachets are very convenient for consumption as well as gifting to friends.
I find the original version of OLDTOWN White Coffee too sweet and personally prefer the 2-in-1 coffee and creamer version instead as you can decide how much sugar to add according to your tastebuds.
PS: There is also a 30% less sugar version
- Type: 3in1 or 2in1
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size: 15 Sticks
- Price: ~RM16.8
A Quick History Of Instant Coffee
In case you ever wondered where and when instant coffee came about:
Actually, several countries contributed to this type of water soluble coffee or coffee powder. The first instance was in Britain (1771). Back then, it went under a different term, coffee compound.
Later on, the Americans had their own instant coffee during the Civil War (~1851). As it was convenient to distribute among soldiers during rationing. However, it was too thick. And soon enough, a Scottish blend (Camp Coffee) came out in 1876.
But it was finally the French who patented instant coffee in 1881. Followed closely by a New Zealander who came up with the dry hot air process.
A more stable version of the soluble coffee powder was patented in 1903. Shortly after, the first commercial brand appeared in 1910. Becoming a firm staple in US soldiers’ rations during the First World War.
When 1930 came around, the Brazilian Coffee Institute made a proposal to Nestle to turn their surplus of coffee (that was beginning to spoil) into a commercial coffee product.
The end result? Nescafe hit the shelves in 1938. Continuous improvements were made to the process to seal the flavors.
Like freeze drying. Eventually, Nestle even had a decaffeinated instant coffee by 1986!
Tips To Make Better Coffee
- The optimum temperature for the water (before you drop the coffee powder in) should be is 85-95 °C. That means a few minutes after you have boiled the water!
- For the perfectionists out there, dissolve the coffee powder first in about a tablespoon of room temperature water before adding it to the hot water!
- Don’t drink your coffee immediately after preparation! The coffee must sit in the water for a good 2-3 minutes for better infusion. Only add milk after.
- Milk is best heated (preferably by steam) separately too.
- If you’re making iced coffee, make the coffee separately as you normally would. Before adding it slowly to a glass of ice!
In our opinion, the milk you use can make or break your coffee too! We have no plant based milks to recommend as of yet.
But our favorite fresh milk brands in Malaysia are in the following order – the first being our top pick:
- Farmhouse Fresh Milk
- Magnolia Fresh Milk
- Goodday Fresh Milk
- Farm Fresh (local brand) Fresh Milk
Conclusion
Whichever way you like your coffee, you’ll find your next favorite in this list of best coffees in Malaysia!
And before you declare that you don’t like a certain brand, try preparing it a different way.
But to get the most out of your instant coffee, pay attention to the way you prepare it! Water temperature and steeping time both affect the taste of your coffee.
Further reading:
- 8 Handmade Chocolate Brands In Malaysia
- List Of Top Bread Brands In Malaysia
- 13 Best Bread Makers In Malaysia
- 13 Best Electric Kettles In Malaysia
- 13 Best Food Processor In Malaysia
- 11 Best Microwave Ovens In Malaysia
