I keep some of their decaf in the kitchen too for late night coffee cravings.
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It’s not an acquired dialect, though, is it? It’s in the jeans.
My instant coffee vote goes to Douwe Egberts
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I live in Tokyo and I’m drinking UCC instant right this moment.
Luckily, I’ve (willfully) managed to avoid being a coffee connoisseur and it’s just fine for my needs.
Supermarket next door sells some other brands not seen in America, but I can say with certainty that Blendy is the worst; I tend toward Nescafe Gold.
On the days when I want to treat myself, I will do beans in my Aero Press. It is absolutely better, but… I dunno… I just can’t be bothered most days.
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Ok, now I have to try this with my chocolate chips! 
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I experimented with Via way back; kept a few packets at work in case the office coffee went too fast. Via contains micro-ground coffee beans (almost a powder), so when I used it, I would let it brew in the cup for a few minutes (not in the instructions) before drinking it. For an instant (plus 4 minutes) coffee, it was surprisingly okay!
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The chocolate chips get uncomfortably hard for me to chew and enjoy.
I am in favor of chocolate–good quality chocolate–served at room temperature. One can certainly taste more of the full profile of flavors at that temperature.
I kinda got spoiled early on, having been offered German and Swiss chocolates once at year at Christmas, as a child, and this ruined me forever, re Hershey’s and even Nestlé “chocolate” products. Having tasted the European stuff of a finer grind and higher cocoa butter content, a Hershey bar tastes a bit like cheese to me. Hershey’s has an interesting history.
Thank goodness they never tried making instant coffee…
ETA: grammar
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A confession.
There are times when I have just had to aim for the fastest, easiest, acceptably-tasty substitute to proper coffee: Korean instant coffee packets. Sugar. “Creamer.” And yes coffee granules. All in a handy weird foil tube!
I got mine from the ridiculously huge Asian supermarket in north Austin but in case you live in a city with a Korean market, I’d go there first.
It’s basically about one step up from “International House” instant coffee but since Koreans take their coffee seriously their instant coffee packets have ingredients that are simple and pronounceable and not from created in a laboratory for the SAD (Standard American Diet).
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Favorite? Douwe Egberts Pure Indulgence , Dark Roast, 7.05-Ounce.
$15 /Amazon
Second best (when I run out of Douwe) is Nescafe Clasico (spelled that way) Dark Roast Instant Coffee 7 Ounce.
Available everywhere for about $6
What I really want is INSTANT coffee. No waiting for hot water. I can now have a cup of joe in 10 seconds. How, you ask?
This is a Zojirushi Water Boiler, it holds 5 liters of water at 208 deg Fahrenheit (adjustable temp control)
Instant boiling water!
Basically this is a kitchen tool I never knew I needed (like the microwave.).
Now that I have one, I love it.
Instant hot chocolate, Ramen noodles in 30 seconds, Instant soup in 30 seconds.If it needs hot boiling water to make it, you are golden.
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I’m in that situation (because I live alone) and I just make a cup with a filter holder and paper filter every morning. In fact I’m having one right now. I don’t see how serving size is an argument for instant coffee.
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Best instant coffee is the one somebody else has to drink. Seriously, if I’d only have hot water somewhere then I’d simply drink tea. That’s what tea is for. Hot water and a cup is all it needs to be perfect. I’d always prefer that to the"not really coffee" that instant coffee is.
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Uhm,.if the recipe just said “coffee” it means liquid coffee, at which point it doesn’t matter whether it originally was instant or not.
Have you ever tried Belgian chocolate? That’s what we use to spoil German kids…
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I try to find the mini-chips, they are easier. This is my backup when I can’t find plain chocolate chip ice cream. There are few flavors I enjoy mixed with mint, and chocolate is not on that list.
One roomie from college grew up in Hershey. She used to bring back those huge bars for everyone on the floor to share, but I couldn’t manage to eat much of it. That article makes me wonder if they didn’t use the same formula to create Ensure® chocolate shakes!
It’s not easy to switch. This is probably the reason I rarely eat chocolate by itself, unless it’s really good. We have a few local artisan chocolatiers, and if all else fails there’s igourmet. So far, I’ve resisted demolishing my emergency stash of the good stuff. If things go any more sideways, they might find me on the floor surrounded by wrappers. 
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Trying to decide if my need for boiling water instantly is worth $175+. I just use a $25 electric kettle. It takes a few minutes to get the water to temperature though.
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This is my fave.
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If I recall it was the way the measurement was written that made it apparent that the addition was solid not liquid. But this was like 30 years ago
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Not too many people will get that. Towards the bottom of this page it’s discussed.
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I am extremely happy that I am not a coffee connoisseur. It has saved me a lot of money over the years and it is so convenient just having a twenty cup urn full of hot water on my kitchen counter ready to mix with whatever cheapass brand I’ve found on sale.
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I am a coffee snob to the point where I have to roast my own beans because nothing I can buy is good enough 
But, I will need caffeine post-apocalypse and Mount Hagen is the most drinkable instant out there. Sprouts sells a store brand instant coffee that I am 95% sure is the same.
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