There’s a moment, most mornings, when I stand in the kitchen, bleary-eyed, holding a mug and contemplating the great domestic divide. To my left: the kettle and a jar of instant. To my right: the gleaming coffee machine I once swore would “pay for itself in six months.”
The question is simple. Do I want coffee now? Or do I want good coffee?
The reality, of course, is that I probably don’t have time for either because someone’s just announced they’ve lost their shoes and it’s already five minutes past when we should’ve left. But still, I pause—because this, somehow, feels like a defining moment in the day. A small but important decision in a life otherwise ruled by spellings, soft play, and supermarket loyalty cards.
The Case for Instant
Let’s start with instant coffee. Maligned by many, loved (or at least accepted) by parents everywhere. It’s the Ford Focus of the caffeine world—unflashy, but dependable.
There’s no ritual. No ceremony. Just boiling water, a spoonful of granules, and the hope that someone doesn’t interrupt long enough for you to actually drink it hot.
And that’s precisely why it earns its place in my cupboard. Instant coffee is the ultimate parent-friendly brew. It asks nothing of you. It forgives you for yawning while you make it. It doesn’t require precision or patience. It simply exists to get the job done—and in this house, that counts for a lot.
There’s something to be said for anything that can be prepared one-handed while helping a child find a sock, preventing a sibling squabble, and vaguely attempting to look like you’ve got the school run under control.
The Joy of the Coffee Machine
Then there’s the coffee machine. Ours is one of those semi-automatic models with a few buttons, a slightly intimidating portafilter, and just enough flashing lights to make you feel like you’re operating a spaceship.
I love it, I really do. But it’s not exactly morning-rush friendly. It requires time. Attention. Clean-up. A level of focus that doesn’t always exist when you’ve been up since 5:43am because someone had a nightmare about baked beans.
But when I do get to use it—usually at the weekend, or during the golden hour when the kids are at a party and the house is strangely silent—it’s glorious.
There’s something deeply satisfying about going through the motions: grinding the beans, tamping the grounds, watching the shot pour. It feels like reclaiming a sliver of adulthood. And the coffee? It’s better. Smoother. Stronger. Not just hot water with a vague hint of bitterness, but actual flavour.
If instant coffee is about survival, coffee machine coffee is about reward.
Does the Coffee Machine Make You a Snob?
Now, let’s talk coffee snobbery. I’ve flirted with it, I won’t lie. There was a phase where I only bought single-origin beans and referred to the supermarket stuff as “emergency backup.” I even had a brief obsession with pour-over methods, which ended the day I knocked the whole contraption over while reaching for a lunchbox.
But I’ve mellowed since then. Parenthood has a way of levelling these things out. I still enjoy a decent cup, but I’m no longer precious about it.
There’s a difference between enjoying good coffee and turning into the sort of person who won’t accept anything less than freshly ground beans flown in on the wings of Peruvian parrots. And frankly, if the baby was up half the night and your toddler’s just poured milk into your slippers, you’re not in a position to be choosy.
It’s not snobbish to prefer the taste of machine-brewed coffee. But it is a bit much to sneer at instant. We’re all just doing our best—and sometimes that means drinking whatever’s closest and still vaguely warm.
Plus, and I take cover as I say this, some of the newer instant coffee products are actually pretty good.
When to Use What: A Very Unscientific Guide
Over time, I’ve developed a rough guide for choosing between the two. It’s not fail-safe, but it works for me:
- Instant:
- Mornings before school
- When I’m already dressed but still somehow running late
- During tantrums
- After tantrums
- When I realise I’ve reheated the same mug twice and still haven’t drunk it
- Coffee machine:
- Sunday mornings
- Post-bedtime, as a decaf treat
- When I’m working from home and pretending to be more productive than I actually am
- When visitors come round and I want to look like I have my life together
- On birthdays, Christmas, or any day someone calls me “brave” for taking all three kids to the park alone
In short, the machine is for those moments when coffee can be a pleasure. Instant is for the other 90% of life.
At the end of the day, coffee isn’t just about caffeine. It’s about having a moment. A pause. A breath. And when you’re a parent, those moments are gold dust.
Whether that comes from a machine with flashing lights or a jar with a chipped lid doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you get to enjoy it—ideally while sitting down, and not while wiping porridge off the dog.
I’ve learned not to be too rigid about these things. Some mornings, I want the whole ritual. Others, I want speed and silence. Both are fine. Both are normal. Both are part of being a dad in a house that never quite runs to schedule.
So no, I don’t think you have to pick a side. You can love both. You can use both. And if you want to pour your instant coffee into a fancy mug and pretend it came from your expensive machine? Go for it. Your secret’s safe with me.
Just drink it while it’s hot—because in approximately three minutes, someone will need a snack, the toilet, or to show you something urgent involving glitter glue.