On the shelves of minimarkets and marketplaces, coffee comes in many forms: instant coffee sachets, ground coffee for brewing, and more recently... coffee dip which are used like tea bags. What's the difference, and which one is best for you? Here's a comparison.
1. Instant coffee sachets
The most common type of coffee in sachets is instant coffee: coffee extract dried into a powder or granules, which then dissolves completely in water. Many sachets are 3-in-1 (coffee, sugar, creamer).
- Excess: very practical, cheap, without dregs.
- Lack: 3-in-1 variants often contain more sugar and creamer than coffee, and the coffee flavor tends to be flat.
2. Brewed coffee (powder)
Ground coffee made from roasted beans. It can be brewed by brewing, filtering, using a V60, a French press, or by machine.
- Excess: the richest taste, you are free to adjust the strength and sweetness.
- Lack: It requires tools and time. If you hit it, the dregs will be consumed.
3. Coffee bags (coffee bags / brewing bags)
Pure ground coffee is packed in a filter bag, then dipped in hot water like a tea bag. After a few minutes, the bag is removed.
- Excess: authentic brewed coffee taste, without tools, without dregs, easy to take to the office or on the go. Generally no added sugar.
- Lack: need to wait 3–5 minutes, a little longer than instant coffee.
A brief comparison
- Practicality: instant sachet ≈ coffee bag > brewed coffee.
- Original coffee taste: brewed coffee ≈ coffee bag > instant sachet.
- Dregs: instant coffee bags and sachets without grounds, ground coffee with grounds.
- Sugar control: Coffee bags and brewed coffee are easier to make without sugar.
What about decaf coffee sachets?
Choice decaf coffee sachets In Indonesia, availability is still limited. Most of it is instant decaf coffee. If you want the taste of brewed coffee that's low in caffeine but still convenient like sachets, decaf coffee dip is the middle ground. Each bag is a single-serving sachet. Learn more about decaf coffee.
The correct way to brew coffee bags
- Put one bag into the cup.
- Pour 150–200 ml of hot water (around 90–95°C, or boiling water that has been left to steep for a while).
- Dip and lift the bag several times, then soak for 3–5 minutes. The longer, the thicker it will be.
- Remove the bag and enjoy. Add milk or sweetener to taste.
For the cold version: brew with 100 ml of hot water, then pour into a glass filled with ice and milk.
Wakiro: low-caffeine decaf coffee bags
All Wakiro Kopi Harmoni coffee is in the form of coffee dip, one sachet @10.5g per sachet, contains robusta decaf with no added sugar:
- Classic contents 5 And Classic contents 10 — daily smooth decaf coffee.
- Warm Spice — decaf spiced coffee.
- Active — decaf coffee with whey protein.
- Harmony Bundle — Classic and Warm Spices in one box.
Complete serving guide is on the page Serving Guide.