For anyone who doesn't own an espresso machine, instant cappuccino mixes serve as an excellent and convenient means of whipping up a cappuccino at home. However, given the multitude of brands and flavors available, it can be challenging to determine which instant cappuccino is worth buying.
In this article I’ll quickly cover the basics of instant cappuccinos, and then give you a review of 5 different instant cappuccino mixes that you should try, each with its own unique pros and cons.
If you’re short on time, here's the quick list with links to each mix on Amazon.
5 Instant Cappuccino Mixes You Need to Try
Classic – Nescafe Cappuccino Sachet
For Those on a Budget – Caffe D’Vita Mocha Instant Cappuccino
For Those on a Diet – Nescafe Unsweetened Cappuccino
For Vanilla Lovers – Tim Hortons French Vanilla Instant Cappuccino
For Caramel Lovers – Hills Bros Salted Caramel Cappuccino
Ok, let’s get into it!
What is an Instant Cappuccino?
A cappuccino is a hot coffee drink made from a combination of equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foamed milk.
Normally to make a cappuccino you need an espresso machine with a steam wand to brew the espresso and create the steamed and foamed milk.
An instant cappuccino makes homemade cappuccinos accessible to anyone as all you have to do to make one is mix the powder with hot water.
Most brands' mix will even create a froth on the top of the coffee similar to the milk foam of regular cappuccinos.
Why Drink an Instant Cappuccino
Now obviously a cappuccino powder that comes in packets isn’t going to make as high quality a drink as a real one made by a professional espresso machine and barista, however, instant or powdered cappuccinos may be preferable to a regular cappuccino in some circumstances.
So why drink an instant cappuccino over a regular one?
Convenience
The clearest advantage of instant cappuccinos is the convenience they provide. If you don’t have time to go to a coffee shop or don't have an espresso machine at home, instant cappuccino mixes allow you to still satisfy your craving for a milky coffee drink.
Whether you’re camping, on vacation, in your car, or at home, you can make an instant cappuccino anywhere you can bring or find hot water.
Price
Another big advantage of instant cappuccinos is how cheap they are.
Cafe D’Vita's 4lb can of instant cappuccino mix ends up costing you only about 25 cents per cappuccino. And almost every other brand will cost you less than a dollar.
This is a huge saving when compared to the cost of buying a regular cappuccino at a coffee shop like Starbucks, where a medium cappuccino costs $3.65. Or when compared to buying your own espresso machine which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars.
So now you know why instant cappuccinos are great, but which mix is the best? Below are 5 great instant cappuccino mixes.
5 Instant Cappuccino Mixes You Need to Try Immediately
Classic
The most established and popular instant cappuccino mix out there is Nescafe’s Cappuccino Sachets. Their powdered cappuccinos come in single serve packets that even create some foam on the top of the coffee, similar to the foamed milk of a regular cappuccino.
Nescafe’s cappuccino has a very creamy, milky taste, sort of like a hot chocolate but with subtle coffee flavor.
This mix also comes with a chocolate shavings shaker that you can use to top off your cappuccinos with a little extra sweetness and cacao flavor.
If you’d like to try a classic instant cappuccino, you can get a 10 pack of Nescafe’s Cappuccino Sachets on Amazon here.
For those on a Budget
If you’re someone who’s drinking instant cappuccinos to save money, then Caffe D'Vita is the perfect option for you.
You can get 4 lbs of Caffe D’Vita’s Mocha Flavored Instant Cappuccino Mix on Amazon for less than $20 and with free shipping.
There's 75 servings in the container, which means that each instant cappuccino you make costs you only 25 cents! If you were to replace drinking a Starbucks cappuccino every day for a year with Caffe D'Vita instant cappuccino you would save yourself $1241!
The flavor of this cappuccino sort of reminds me of international instant coffees, and although it doesn’t have much sweetness to it, if you just add in a packet of sugar or sweetener it's pretty dang good.
You can find that 4lb can of Caffe D’Vita Mocha Instant Cappuccino for less than $19 on Amazon here
For those on a Diet
If you want to enjoy an instant cappuccino while keeping your sugar and calorie counts low, Nescafe's Gold Unsweetened Cappuccino is perfect for you.
This instant cappuccino comes in individual packets that contain significantly less sugar, and 35% less saturated fat than the classic Nescafe instant cappuccino, making it perfect for health conscious or dieting cappuccino lovers.
This unsweetened version of course does taste more bitter than regular or flavored cappuccinos, but it still has that creamy, milky, coffee like cappuccino flavor.
If you want to pick up a box of Nescafe unsweetened Cappuccino you can get them on Amazon here.
For Vanilla Lovers
If you’re someone who enjoys vanilla flavor in your coffee drinks, you'll probably like Tim Hortons French Vanilla Instant Cappuccino.
This powdered cappuccino comes with 10 servings in a can with a scooper rather than individual packets.
The cappuccino has a smooth and creamy texture with a very strong and obvious vanilla taste and light coffee flavor.
If you’d like to give Tim Hortons French Vanilla Instant Cappuccino a shot you can find it on Amazon here.
For Caramel Lovers
If you’re more of a caramel fan than vanilla, Hills Bros Salted Caramel Cappuccino may be exactly what you're looking for.
This instant cappuccino mix comes with 14 servings in a canister with a scooper rather than individual packets. It has a creamy and sweet cappuccino flavor with a hint of saltiness that gives it a really unique and yummy taste.
If you're a little adventurous and would like to give this salted caramel instant cappuccino a try, you can get a canister of 14 servings for only $6 on Amazon here.
Final Thoughts
Instant cappuccinos aren't my favorite coffee drink ever, but they do provide a convenient and cheap way for you to be able to enjoy a hot cappuccino, no matter where you are.
Hopefully the 5 options in this article could help you find one that fits your needs, and maybe give you an idea of a few you’d like to try in the future. Best of luck!
If you’d like to learn more about coffee, cappuccinos, and other espresso drinks, be sure to check out the rest of my website!
