The Best Instant Latte Mix Was Virtually Indistinguishable From The Real Thing

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Lattes are both simple and complicated enough that you may or may not want to make them from scratch — provided you even have the equipment to do so. And once you've invested in an espresso machine, you may not always have time to properly steam the milk and grind the beans for a cafe-quality cup with the taste of fine coffee and the texture of professional micro-foam. There are, of course, simpler ways to make lattes at home without any fancy appliances. But even easy store-bought options are also available. 

To find one worth sipping on, Chowhound ranked eight latte mixes from worst to best for all of your morning caffeine needs. Of all the instant latte options, the Korean-inspired brand Seoulli proved to be an effective shortcut to the desired flavor and consistency without cutting any corners. It tasted as close to the real thing as you're going to get in an instant coffee. Only Seoulli elegantly delivered the notes of a medium roast coffee cut with the milk you'd expect from a barista-crafted latte, with a touch of sweetness.

Our instant latte mix ranking prioritized the same expectations you probably have in your own kitchen, meaning the taste had to reign supreme. Overly artificial flavors or that weird, watery finish you might find from an old-fashioned coffee vending machine automatically knocked any contender down a few pegs. Entries that had coffee's signature perky perfume and polish of a professional offering were given higher positions on our list. And Seoulli had just enough of those superior elements to keep climbing up the chart to No. 1; its actual coffee flavor primary among its perks. 

To even the playing field as best we could, each instant latte mix we evaluated was prepared according to its manufacturer's instructions. We also tried to keep to broadly available brands you can source in-store or online. Seoulli is available to order in boxes of 10 instant latte packets for $15, coming out to $1.50 per coffee. Inside, you'll find a mix made of premium arabica coffee (which delivers 80 milligrams of caffeine), organic brown sugar, and creamer from a top Korean dairy. 

It might come as a surprise to some that a few of the more recognizable labels ended up so far down the list. Maxwell House's vanilla caramel instant latte, for example, had a nice bouquet and a convincing foam cap, but an unpleasant aftertaste that turned bitter, leaving it in the cold at No. 6. Nescafé's 3-in-1 packet was also a dud — smooth at first, but ultimately weaker than the competition and sputtering out in fourth place.

Seoulli's Korean instant latte soared above its peers' shortcomings. An Amazon user even went so far as to say it "feels like a café-quality cup in minutes." Its final product delivered the right balance you might require for beginning a great day. Even its relatively scant foam couldn't set Seoulli back, and you can always add some in with a few seconds and a battery-powered milk frother, in any case. You can also create a cup using 6 ounces of water, the lower recommended measurement, for a more concentrated result.