Budget Coffee

[AntePrincess]

I'm a coffee addict, not a coffee snob. My favorite cup of joe is the battery acid from any local diner, served black (or some espresso, my husband got me stuck on that).

Trouble is, coffee prices have gone up and we've moved to an apartment with no garbage disposal in the sink, so our old solution of using a press pot is no good. I have no counter space to dedicate to a drip or perc pot, so I'm looking at instant coffees.

Anyone have a favorite? I have a jar of Ferraro Instant Espresso and a box of Nescafe Clasico (their spelling, not mine) to try, I'll post a review later once I've tried them.

 

[Hannathy]

What am I missing? Why do you need a garbage disposal to make coffee? And why can't you still use your coffee press?

 

[kathie859]

What am I missing? Why do you need a garbage disposal to make coffee? And why can't you still use your coffee press?

Maybe the OP disposes of the grounds down the sink and is hesitant to do it without a disposal?

Keep the pot and pitch the grounds in the trash!

There is no decent instant coffee!! It's just a poor substitute for the real thing--and, like the OP, I am no coffee snob--I just need my daily dose of caffeine

 

[Hannathy]

Yeah I guessed that but is it really that hard to put them in the trash? I don't put mine down the disposal, takes too much water and trash is cheaper than water. And water is a much rarer resource.

I do agree that I do't know of any instant that tastes as good as even cheap ground coffee.

 

[prncess674]

Go with a chemex pot. It is like drip coffee without the big contraption. Go to Youtube if you want a demo of how it works.

 

[Cruise]

I used the Nescafe Clasico for a while to make lattes at home. I'd use the regular amount of coffee, but way less water to make it strong... then add my flavored syrup and warmed milk. It tasted just like Starbucks to me. Not sure about on its own as a cup of regular coffee, but hoping you like it!

 

[Cruise]

There is no decent instant coffee!! It's just a poor substitute for the real thing--and, like the OP, I am no coffee snob--I just need my daily dose of caffeine

Actually, there's just no decent instant coffee in the US. If you go to Australia or Britain, pretty much all they use is instant coffee. I was hesitant, but it's really quite good. DH actually liked it more than the brewed coffee in the US.

 

[casndan]

If you don't want to dump the grounds in the sink or the trash you can always dump them in the toilet and just flush them.

 

[disneychrista]

I have never heard of putting coffee ground in the sink. You could buy a small 4 cup coffee maker, that takes up less space and throw the grounds in the the trash.

 

[AntePrincess]

What am I missing? Why do you need a garbage disposal to make coffee? And why can't you still use your coffee press?

Maybe the OP disposes of the grounds down the sink and is hesitant to do it without a disposal?

Keep the pot and pitch the grounds in the trash!

I have never heard of putting coffee ground in the sink. You could buy a small 4 cup coffee maker, that takes up less space and throw the grounds in the the trash.

I do dump the grounds in the trash, but no matter how much I scrape, I still need to rinse a lot out. I even rinse into a strainer, but lots goes down the sink, so I'm just looking for an easier, less wasteful solution.

I used the Nescafe Clasico for a while to make lattes at home. I'd use the regular amount of coffee, but way less water to make it strong... then add my flavored syrup and warmed milk. It tasted just like Starbucks to me. Not sure about on its own as a cup of regular coffee, but hoping you like it!

Oo, that does sound good! I'll try some with the single serves I have now. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried the International Cafe instant lattes? If so, how would you say they measure up?

Actually, there's just no decent instant coffee in the US. If you go to Australia or Britain, pretty much all they use is instant coffee. I was hesitant, but it's really quite good. DH actually liked it more than the brewed coffee in the US.

Do you happen to know the brands? I just found the Southern and Central American version of Nescafe at my grocer, so I'm using that right now (but it's individually packages ), we have a Korean market that gets a huge variety of imported teas and coffees, including Australian and UK.

If you don't want to dump the grounds in the sink or the trash you can always dump them in the toilet and just flush them.

I'd be afraid of splashback, I usually wash my coffee pot once a day.


Anyway, I tried the Nescafe Clasico and it's a nice, mellow brew with a nutty flavor that I like. I think it would make a good iced coffee. Now my husband has just handed me a cup of "cafe Americano" brewed with Ferraro instant espresso powder (which I use in all my chocolate recipes, so I wonder why I never tried drinking it before...). It's pretty good all around, a bit dark.

 

[jebobak]

I get my coffee from Amazon...we get whole bean. They frequently have deals where you can get it really cheap - you just have to look around. You can also often save an additional 15% if you subscribe for automatic deliveries. You can set the delivery times from weekly to only twice a year if you want.

I've gotten three 12 oz. bags of Community Coffee for around $7.

 

[Melani]

Have you tried a fluted paper filter in your press?
That may make cleaning easier and they're cheap. Only it may make brewing/steeping take longer.

 

[Gigi22]

OP, does your city promote composting? We put our coffee grounds into our 'green' recycling for compost.

 

[AntePrincess]

Have you tried a fluted paper filter in your press?
That may make cleaning easier and they're cheap. Only it may make brewing/steeping take longer.

I'm not sure how that would work, wouldn't the filter be crushed down into the grounds and everything mixed up when the press is plunged?

OP, does your city promote composting? We put our coffee grounds into our 'green' recycling for compost.

Sadly, no. I'd gladly compost our grounds if that were an option, but it would still be a problem with the rinsings getting down the drain. (Our drains are all very slow, we've talked to the complex and they can't fix it, it's a flaw basic to the buildings because of we're set into a hill. I'm nervous about making it worse since a neighbor told us a horror story about the whole floor flooded once! It's just once in the 30+ life of the complex, but still...)

 

[Friendly Frog]

My mom uses Folgers instant.

I never cared for instant coffee ( except for Via from Starbucks) but I tried it the other day and it tastes better than I had remembered. Mom says the trick it to use less in each cup that it calls for.

 

[Dorisk3]

Coffee is very fine, it is not going to clog up your sink. Take a big spoon get what you can into the garbage and wash the rest down the drain, problem solved.

 

[DawnM]

Coffee beans would have to be completely unavailable to make me switch to instant coffee.

You can throw it in the trash and rinse the rest. It won't clog up your sink.

 

[pezheadmeg]

Coffee beans would have to be completely unavailable to make me switch to instant coffee.

You can throw it in the trash and rinse the rest. It won't clog up your sink.

This.. I myself am a Keurig girl. The smallest one doesn't take up much room at all. Plus the ponds are self contained and cleanup is easy peesy.

 

[Cruise]

Oo, that does sound good! I'll try some with the single serves I have now. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried the International Cafe instant lattes? If so, how would you say they measure up?

I've tried them a time or two and I don't think they're very good. To me, they have a taste that's a cross between watered down hot chocolate and a slightly "greasy" flavor... if that makes sense.

Do you happen to know the brands? I just found the Southern and Central American version of Nescafe at my grocer, so I'm using that right now (but it's individually packages ), we have a Korean market that gets a huge variety of imported teas and coffees, including Australian and UK.

I think we had Rappor once (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=252765549) and then another time, we just had the generic Tesco (local supermarket) one and it was good as well (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=257705936)

On the issue of putting coffee grounds down the sink without a disposal - I just wanted to add that, at one time, we lived in an apartment in Los Angeles and were located on the first floor with two floors above us. One night, the kitchen sink started backing up to the point where it was just at the rim but luckily didn't overflow. When maintenance came to snake it out and the dirty water finally went down, there were loads of coffee grounds stuck to the side of the sink. The guy said that, more than likely, one of the apartments above us regularly put coffee grounds down the sink and it contributed to the clog. I know they weren't ours cause we'd never put any coffee grounds down the sink at all. Very gross.

 

[rluey29]

Nescafe classico is the only brand of instant that I like. I think I only like it because that is what they serve at disney.