As someone from a coffee crazy family, I have have been drinking coffee since I was seven years old. I have to have a cup of coffee every single day, and when I first arrived at college I was too cheap to buy a coffee maker so I had to get acquainted with instant coffee for a while. Over a course of about four weeks, I went through a lot of instant coffee samples trying to find the best instant coffee brands and with finals week coming up, I just might be reaching for the instant coffee again. Here's a list of my top 5 instant coffees, should you find yourself in a similar situation.

5. Jacob's Kronung Instant Coffee

This coffee has a nice smell and taste. It's a little more bitter than the other coffees on this list, but overall it produces a very enjoyable cup of coffee that's very similar to real coffee.

4. Nescafe Taster's Choice Vanilla

If you like vanilla-flavored, coffee then this is that instant coffee for you! The best thing about this brand is that it comes in sticks that you can take on the go. The Nescafe vanilla instant coffee tastes like real coffee with no bitter aftertaste, and it also smells great.

3. Bustelo Supreme

I really like this instant coffee mix. It smells like real coffee and tastes like it too! The Bustelo supreme mix is reminiscent of diner coffee, kind of like the coffee they serve at Waffle House, so it earns a number three spot on this list of best instant coffees.

2. Starbucks via Colombia

Second on the list is Starbucks' instant coffee from Colombia. This mix smells amazing and the taste is actually so good you almost can't tell that it's not made from real coffee beans. It has a slight chocolate flavor too, which is a bonus.

1. Nescafe Clasico Instant Coffee

Nescafe has a consistently rich flavor. It smells like real coffee and tastes great. It mixes great with milk and cold water if you want an iced drink. I actually wouldn't mind drinking this instant coffee every day, which is why this is my number one on the best instant coffee list.