Terms such as ‘rich’, ‘smooth’, ‘balanced’ and ‘golden’ simply give an indication of the style of coffee. The level of roast (ranging from light to dark) is important to consider as this affects the coffee’s flavour profile. Traverse: Run, jump, climb, swing, boost, and surf in first person across lava filled worlds. Mastering execution will take dedication and skill. While some people are obsessed with coffee - and have all the fancy kit to prove it - others just crave a good brew without the fuss. That's where instant coffee comes in. Our expert tried out five Colombian instant coffees (this is the most popular regional type) and was pleasantly surprised. In fact, Giles said these coffees were 'a leap ahead' from the plainer, everyday instants and the gold blend range. Coffee brands don't have a standardised system for rating strength, but understanding typical types and terms should help you navigate the aisles successfully.

Nescafé's Azera Americano got good remarks – Giles described the aroma as 'good and smooth', also noting it took milk well. This one has a genuine taste as there's 'no bitterness' and 'no real instant flavour'. You don't need to wait ages, or buy a fancy multi-temperature kettle for the best results. Instead, just wait 10 seconds or so after boiling before you pour. When our coffee expert tried this out, he found this amount of time gives a rich, smooth style – but warns against waiting too much longer as you could end up with a thin taste. 2. Choose the right milk I first tried Java Lava some years ago. About the second or third time I made it, I overdid it on the coffee and spent several hours at work in a wired, wide-eyed and slightly jibbering state. That's the presence of Robusta beans for you. It may not have the loftiest reputation among coffee snobs, but good old instant has come a long way. There are now a wide range of options to choose from, including rich everyday blends, single-origin, premium instant and espresso-style options.There are two main types of coffee bean: arabica and robusta. Arabica is grown on hillsides in Central and South America, Indonesia, Africa and India. It has wonderful flavour, style and character, influenced by where it is grown and in what conditions. We tried: Nescafé Azera Americano, Nescafé Azera Intenso, Kenco Millicano Americano Instant Coffee, Sainsbury's Americano Microground, Lavazza Prontissmo Intenso

Nescafe’s Cap Colombia instant coffee drew praise for its ‘bright, stylish flavour’ that ‘stood out as being close to real coffee’. But you don't need to spend more on branded coffee to get a quality drink – M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s own-label Colombian instants were also all considered good options by our expert. How where coffee is grown affects the taste Single-origin coffee comes from one specific region and has a distinct flavour unique to the area it’s grown in. That flavour can be influenced by various factors such as soil, climate and altitude. He particularly liked Sainsburys Taste The Difference Ground Columbian, which he said provided a real coffee aroma and excellent crema. Flavours were enhanced when adding milk. We enlisted the help of our long-time coffee expert Giles Hilton to bring you unrivalled insight into what's on the shelf.

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Semi-skimmed cow’s milk worked better with coffee than plant-based milks, adding smoothness without swamping the character of the coffee. Of the plant-based milks, oat went down best. But although you'll have to pay more for a taste of these coffees, which are a blend of instant and ground coffee, it's worth considering the trade-up if you're after a high-end home brew.

Contrary to popular opinion, don’t keep your coffee in the fridge or freezer - the moisture can cause it to absorb other smells, and dampen the flavour. So, where do you start if you're looking to branch out? To help you make sense of the supermarket coffee aisle, we've put together a jargon-busting guide that explains what you can expect for your money, plus some tips on tasty options to look out for. Sainsbury’s Americano microground went down reasonably well too, so there’s no need to rule out slightly cheaper own-label options.Giles says: 'Full cream is the richest option and creates a heavier, creamy note, while semi-skimmed milk is good as it's smooth and doesn't dominate the coffee.' 3. Store your coffee properly Compete: To find the fastest route using shortcuts and expert execution on the friends leaderboard.