Pizzawheel

So, I still rely on a mug of instant to get me out of the house most workday mornings. Filter coffee is a weekend/ late start treat, when I'll be having 2-3 mugs.

My favourite is Folgers, but annoyingly Freshco doesn't stock that. I think we'd all agree that Maxwell House is gash and I'm trying to avoid Nestle as their business practices get more and more hard nosed. There's very little selection as instant is such a niche here. I've had WalMart Finest which wasn't bad, and also the instant Espressos until I realised how chemicalled up there were.

I guess this means I should switch to Compliments, just wondered if there were any other hot tips out there? Or just remember when I drop in to get my PC ground coffee, to pick up a tub of Folgers Instant at the same time?

BristolUK

PC ground coffee is my normal choice (West Coast Dark Roast - stock up from Shoppers when it's $6.99 for a big tin ) and I make a pot but don't keep the pot hot.

When I want some, I pour it into a cup and microwave it. It tastes absolutely fine...certainly better than an instant and quicker at 90 secs.

My other choice is a Keurig machine. Buy the pods when on offer and/or combine with PC points and each pod need cost no more than 40c, 50c tops.

You can get the same PC dark roast but there are plenty others good enough.. My favourite is the PC Sumatra one. Strength and smoothness. I usually use them when I just want one cup (same as I used to with instant) and don't want to make a new pot yet, but quite often I can go for days just using the pods, they're that nice. Instant doesn't get a look-in anymore.

My MIL likes weaker coffee and she happily gets a second use from a pod.

Pizzawheel

West Coast Dark Roast here too! And best when it is on sale.

Interesting tactic with the microwave, my machine keeps the pot hot for 2 hours, but I can be out of the house for 10+ hours weekdays so that doesn't work for me.

I'm morally opposed to all pod machines, though the one at work is OK because they have a dedicated recycling bin for the used pods. Otherwise I see these a sa seriously retrograde step (#firstworldproblems?)

Oakvillian

A French press (a.k.a. cafetiere) is your friend. You can get single-cup-sized presses, they are pretty much as quick as an instant coffee (put grounds in press, pour in hot water, leave for a couple of minutes, press the plunger, pour the coffee) and has the advantage that you can use the same stuff you put in your filter machine so you don't have to remember to buy two kinds of coffee.

Or, get yourself a filter machine with a timer, and set it to come on 15 minutes before you get up; that way, you wake up to a pot of warm coffee waiting for you! I had a Black&Decker one for some years, but donated it to my F-I-L last year when his old one gave up the ghost, as my OH likes a cup of tea in the mornings and it's easier to make a cafetiere if the kettle's on for tea anyway...

Pizzawheel

French press has been suggested more than once. Typically I need the instant anywhere for site assignments, I decant some into a wee jar.

Funnily enough my coffee machine is a B&D with a timer, I've never tried making one mug with it though. It's a fairly bigun, weekend I normally make 6 cups worth and that's not even halfway...

Oakvillian

Why are you pouring your coffee into a sample bottle? Ewww....

BristolUK

The PC Sumatra pods - and others too - are 100% compostable. The whole pod, not just the grounds



They are good but it's the standing process that always put me off. The coffee loses its heat.

Danny B

Philistines, the lot of you. You are all British and should be drinking 10 cups of tea per day.

Pica

Dry used coffee grounds and use in the garden. dried used tea leaves are good also.

Siouxie

You can order Folgers Instant from Walmart online. They also have nifty little single serve packets - $1 a box of 7, which are handy when out and about! (in store they also have a decaf one, but couldn't see it for online)

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/folgers.../6000016944152
https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/folgers.../6000188021224

The Finest Excellence is drinkable, if you get stuck; https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/our-fin.../6000197455428

Edited to add Walmart also have Starbucks Instant coffee (various varieties) that come in single serve packets ($8 for a pack of 8)
https://www.walmart.ca/search/Starbu...IA%20InstantTM

Oakvillian

That'd save decanting it into your wee jar, anyway

scilly

I use either drip fine grind coffee and Melitta filters ...... you can buy brown paper filters were chlorine has not been used in their manufacture and they are compostable.

I have 2 sizes of the filters ................ one small to make 1 mug, and large 6 cup one that I use with one of their carafes

Time taken ....... about 2 mins.

Taste .... waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than instant

My alternative is a French Press ............ again I have both a 1 person and a larger press.


Of the two ......... I prefer the Melitta drip

scrubbedexpat133

I do this when I am working. We will each have a cup out of it. I will then put the rest in a glass jug to microwave and take it to work in my thermos for later.

Days off or with company then we have a espresso machine with a built in grinder and steamer. Simply amazing coffee.

beckiwoo

plasticcanuck