Alpine StartOriginal Blend Medium Roast Instant Coffee (8 packets)7.5
NescaféGold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee7.1vsAlpine Start Original Blend Medium Roast Instant Coffee (8 packets) edges out Nescafé Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee, 7.5 to 7.1. It wins on flavor & cup quality, quality & freshness, sourcing & transparency, while the Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee is stronger on value and community love.
Side by side
Every detail, compared.
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- • Backpacking, climbing and ski touring
- • Readers who want mild, smooth instant
- • Iced coffee on the go
- • Iced lattes and caramel macchiatos without an espresso machine
- • Baking and dessert recipes that call for espresso powder
- • Dorm, office or travel coffee
- Tiny 3.1 g sticks that weigh almost nothing in a pack
- Dissolves in hot or cold water or milk
- 100% Colombian Arabica, Non-GMO Project Verified
- Forms a light crema in a 2 fl oz 'shot', which makes iced lattes look and feel café-style
- Dissolves instantly in hot water; no machine or grinder needed
- About 50 cups per 3.5 oz jar
- About $1.25 a cup, pricier than bulk instants
- Caffeine content is not published
- Tastes like strong instant coffee, not pulled espresso
- No origin, roast-date or certification information
FAQ
Quick answers.
Which is better, Original Blend Medium Roast Instant Coffee (8 packets) or Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee?
Alpine Start Original Blend Medium Roast Instant Coffee (8 packets) edges out Nescafé Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee, 7.5 to 7.1. It wins on flavor & cup quality, quality & freshness, sourcing & transparency, while the Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee is stronger on value and community love.
Which costs less per cup?
Alpine Start Original Blend Medium Roast Instant Coffee (8 packets) works out to about $1.25 / cup and Nescafé Gold Espresso Intense Instant Coffee to about $0.33 / cup, based on typical retail prices when we last checked.
How do you score them?
Both are scored on the same five-factor rubric — weighted for flavor or performance, quality, value, sourcing or build, and community sentiment — using public specs, verified creator reviews and community consensus.