This is my first time going instant! I’ll say that it has a distinctly ‘instant’ flavor, but it’s not altogether bad once you accept it for what it is. I went with verve because of a Wirecutter article that had it highly ranked. The other option I considered is an instant coffee from cometeer you have to keep frozen for up to 3 days before use. It seemed too fussy for me initially, but I think I’ll give it a try next time.