Decent instant coffee

I've browsed the shelves looking at all the pods and sachet-things made for coffee machines. They are an extortionate price and it seems you get so few for the money! I really do not understand the craze for coffee-making machines, but I say that as a tea lover! I have a friend who views her machine in much the same way as she views the ice cream maker. It seemed like a good idea at the time but now lives in the cupboard under the sink.

I am a one cup of coffee per day person, and often have the decaf version. I do like my one cup to taste good though, so I shun cheap instant coffee in much the same way that I sneer at the expensive coffee-machine products. I suppose I am not much of a coffee enthusiast, so don't understand the need.

Thank you for some of the instant coffee suggestions. I am always worried about buying own-brand instant. Years ago some of them tasted awful. At the moment I use Millicano decaf and tend to like the whole-bean instants. I shall take a trip to the M&S Food Hall soon to dig out their version.

One of the important things about instant coffee for me is whether it dissolves easily in the microwave, or just sits in dark blobs on the surface. And no amount of stirring gets rid of it completely.

The M and S stuff is good for dissolving. And for taste of course!

I have a Senseo Coffee Machine and should use the Senseo Pods available in most supermarkets but they are so bland against the Perla Rich Roast pods available in Albert Heijn Dutch stores and on line from the Typically Dutch site I've discovered--- I needed to find another source because my son is not working in Holland anymore.
For instant coffee I drink a cheap brand from Lidl's as it seems to hit the spot more that any of the brands sold in the UK which again as so bland against the Continental blends.

I have one of those battery operated frothers. I warm my milk up in the microwave and then froth it up so I can make my own latte/cappucino type drink. Transforms even instant coffee into something worth drinking

DH is a real coffee fan and has a jug of real strong coffee prepared each morning for breakfast and always grinds the beans freshly. So I am spoiled as far as instant coffee goes. If I have to make my own coffee, it is Nescafé Alta Rica, the only one strong enough to kick start me in the morning.

Incidentally, what is the point of decaf coffee? Rather defeats the purpose, surely!!

We have a jar of instant coffee in the cupboard for one of our visitors. We wouldn't touch it ourselves. For us it's always been the trusty filter machine, Lavazza coffee and recently a Tassimo machine. We use both as the Tassimo is expensive for every cup you drink. Yum!

I've got one of those frothier thingys somewhere! Bought on impulse and never used! must dig it out
I like weak, milky coffee so posh stuff wasted on me; drinking Millicano at the moment.

I'm a tea person really but I do like one cup of proper coffee per day, made in a mini cafetière - simple and takes no time. I get very annoyed when I am out and want a quick cup of coffee in a café. There is no such thing these days, you have to wait ages while they faff about with their machines. And as for pods - just think of all the resources that go into manufacturing them!