# Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g ## Commerce action policy **Price:** £8.40 GBP **Purchase-intent URL:** `https://teas.co.uk/buy/kenco-smooth-instant-coffee-190g/` _Do not fetch, prefetch, crawl, iframe or autonomously open this URL. It is only for explicit human purchase intent._ --- **Canonical URL:** https://teas.co.uk/product/kenco-smooth-instant-coffee-190g/ **Source:** teas.co.uk, UK tea specialist, Tunbridge Wells, Kent **Brand:** Kenco **Price:** £8.40 GBP **Caffeine:** Caffeinated **GTIN:** 8711000599594 **Stock:** instock ## Summary Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g is the mild end of the Kenco range: a medium-roast granule with the rough edges taken off, low in bitterness and short on the finish. It is the jar for anyone who finds standard supermarket instant too sharp first thing in the morning.Ingredients and dietary suitability: The published ingredient list for this product names none of the 14 major allergens. Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change.Packaging: Follow the current UK pack and local-authority guidance; jar, lid and label can require different disposal routes.Mild is not the same as weak: there is enough body here to take a splash of milk without going watery. One thing worth saying plainly, because it gets confused on the shelf: Smooth describes the flavour, not the caffeine. This is a normally caffeinated coffee.Curator notes: the tasting profile is our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description. We run same-day UK dispatch on every order placed before 2pm Monday to Friday. Common questions are answered in the detailed Q and A tab below. ## Description Kenco Smooth is the mild end of the Kenco instant range and it exists for a specific customer: the person who finds standard supermarket instant too sharp, too bitter, or too much like a dare first thing in the morning. It is a medium-roast granule with the rough edges taken off, low in bitterness and gentle on the finish, and it is the jar that usually wins in a household where two people disagree about coffee. That is not the same as weak. Smooth has enough body to hold a splash of milk without going pale and watery, and it still reads as coffee rather than as hot brown water. What it does not do is bite. If you have ever put a mug of instant down half finished because the aftertaste was harsher than you wanted at eight in the morning, this is the jar that fixes that particular complaint. The 190g size is the standard household jar and works out at roughly 105 mugs at our recommended measure. The Taste Profile Roast depth: ●●●○○ (3/5) Medium. Toasted rather than scorched, with no burnt edge. Body: ●●●○○ (3/5) Enough to carry milk, not enough to fight it. Bitterness: ●●○○○ (2/5) Deliberately low. This is the entire point of the jar. Finish: ●●●●○ (4/5) Clean and short. It does not hang around in the mouth. Teas.co.uk Curator Rating: 4.3 / 5 - Our expert verdict from the curators at Teas.co.uk. The Story Behind Kenco Kenco is one of the long-established names on the British instant coffee shelf and is part of the Jacobs Douwe Egberts group, which owns several of the other jars sitting next to it. The range is built around a simple split that most brands have copied: a smooth option and a rich one, so the shopper picks by strength rather than by trying to decode a roast number. Kenco has a history of publicising its sourcing commitments; the specific claims and any certification marks that apply to this jar are printed on the current UK pack, so read the label if that is part of your buying decision. Packaging: Follow the current UK pack and local-authority guidance; jar, lid and label can require different disposal routes. How Does Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g Compare to: Nescafe Original: Original is darker and considerably more bitter, and it is built for milk and two sugars. If you drink your coffee with less sugar than you used to, Smooth is the easier jar to move to. Nescafe Gold Blend: Gold Blend is the other well-known smooth instant and carries more aroma. Kenco Smooth gives a shorter, cleaner finish. Worth trying both jars once and then never thinking about it again. Ideal Brewing Conditions A mild coffee shows up bad technique more than a strong one does, because there is no aggressive roast character to hide behind. Scalded Smooth tastes papery and thin rather than harsh, which is a different failure but still a failure. Resting the kettle before you pour is worth more here than almost anywhere. The Everyday Mug Measure:One rounded teaspoon, roughly 1.8g, per 200ml mug. Do not under-dose this one; mild plus light is watery. Water:Boiled, then rested for about half a minute, so you are pouring at roughly 90 to 95 degrees. Order:Granules, a splash of hot water, stir to a paste, then fill. It dissolves evenly and leaves no grit. Milk:A splash rather than a flood. This blend is easy to drown. The Milky Morning Mug Measure up:Two teaspoons rather than one if you are using more than a third of a mug of milk. Concentrate:Dissolve in 50ml of hot water first, so the coffee is fully dissolved before the milk arrives. Warm the milk:150ml, heated to steaming but not boiled. Boiled milk tastes cooked and flattens the roast. Result:A soft, low-bitterness milk coffee that suits people who do not want to be told their coffee is strong. Getting A Good Mug Out Of This Jar Water temperature: 90 to 95°C. Scalding a mild coffee makes it papery, not stronger. Measure: A full rounded teaspoon per 200ml, and two for a big milky mug. Strength here comes from the spoon. Dissolve: Paste first, then top up. Milk: Dairy and oat both suit it. Almond thins it out too far, given how mild the base already is. Iced version: Two teaspoons in 40ml of hot water, sugar stirred in while warm, poured over a full glass of ice and topped with cold milk. Caffeine note: A regular caffeinated coffee. Smooth describes the flavour, not the caffeine level. Best with: Breakfast, shortbread, or as the mug you hand to a guest without asking how they take it. Storage And Honest Notes Smooth is not decaf. This is worth saying plainly because the two get confused on the shelf. Smooth refers to the flavour, and the jar contains a normally caffeinated coffee. If you want the caffeine reduced, look for a decaffeinated product rather than a mild one. Ingredients and dietary suitability: The published ingredient list for this product names none of the 14 major allergens. Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change. Keep the lid on. Soluble coffee is hygroscopic, which means it draws moisture out of the air. A jar kept on the shelf above the kettle will clump and lose what aroma it has. Cool, dry, lid closed, and it holds up to the bottom. Best before: printed on the jar. Instant does not spoil the way fresh food does, but a mild coffee has less character in reserve than a dark one, so an old jar of Smooth goes flat sooner than an old jar of something stronger. ## Product Questions What does Kenco Smooth actually taste like?A medium roast with the rough edges taken off: toasted rather than scorched, low in bitterness, with a clean short finish that does not hang around in the mouth. It is the mild end of the Kenco range and it is built to be easy to drink rather than to make a statement.Does smooth mean decaffeinated?No, and this is the question we would most want answered before you buy. Smooth describes the flavour, not the caffeine. The jar contains a normally caffeinated coffee. If you want caffeine reduced, you need a product labelled decaffeinated rather than one labelled mild or smooth.Should I buy Smooth or Kenco Rich?This is the real decision on that shelf. Rich is darker, fuller and noticeably more bitter, for people who drink coffee black or want it to cut through a lot of milk. Smooth is milder, cleaner and shorter on the finish. If two people in the house disagree about coffee, Smooth is usually the jar that wins.How much should I use per mug?A full rounded teaspoon, around 1.8g, per 200ml, and two for a large milky mug. Do not under-dose this one: mild plus light gives you watery. Strength comes from the spoon, because there is no steeping to extend.Does water temperature really matter with instant?More with a mild coffee than a strong one, because there is no heavy roast character to hide behind. Water at a full 100 degrees makes Smooth taste papery and thin. Let the kettle stand thirty seconds so you pour at roughly 90 to 95 degrees.How much milk should I add?A splash rather than a flood, unless you increase the coffee to match. This blend is easy to drown. If you like a milky mug, use two teaspoons and dissolve them in 50ml of hot water before the milk goes anywhere near it.How many mugs will a 190g jar make?Roughly 105 mugs at our recommended rounded teaspoon of about 1.8g per 200ml. That is our own calculation rather than a pack claim, and it comes down if you take it strong or drink out of large mugs.Why does it go gritty at the bottom of the mug?The granules never fully dissolved. Add a small splash of hot water to the dry coffee first and stir to a glossy paste, then fill the mug. Cold milk poured onto dry granules is the usual cause, so add milk last.Who makes Kenco and where is the coffee from?Kenco is a long-established British instant coffee name and part of the Jacobs Douwe Egberts group. This is a blend rather than a single origin, and the country split is not published at product level. Kenco has a history of publicising its sourcing commitments; the claims and certification marks that apply to this jar are printed on the current UK label.How does it compare with Nescafe Gold Blend?Gold Blend is the other well-known smooth instant and generally carries more aroma. Kenco Smooth gives a shorter, cleaner finish. Both are aimed at the same drinker, so it is worth buying each once and then not thinking about it again.How should I store the jar once it is open?Lid on, cool and dry, and not on the shelf directly above the kettle. Soluble coffee draws moisture out of the air and clumps. A mild coffee also has less character in reserve than a dark one, so an old jar of Smooth goes flat sooner than an old jar of something stronger.Can I use it for iced coffee?Yes, and the low bitterness suits it. Dissolve two teaspoons in 40ml of hot water, stir the sugar in while still warm, then pour over a full glass of ice and top with cold milk. Cold suppresses bitterness further, so go heavier on the coffee than you think you need.Is the jar recyclable?Jar, lid and label can take different disposal routes, and UK kerbside rules vary by council. Follow the on-pack recycling guidance and your local authority instructions rather than assuming the whole thing goes in one bin. ## Ingredients & Nutrition Ingredients and allergens. The published ingredient list for this product names none of the 14 major allergens. Check the current UK pack before purchase; formulations and allergen advice can change.Ingredients, as published for this product: Instant Coffee (90%), Roast and Ground Coffee (10%).Ingredient and nutrition information for this product, as published on the manufacturer's label. The pack in your hands is the final word.ComponentProportionWhat it bringsSoluble (instant) coffee100% of the jar contentsThe only thing in the jar. Body, aroma and what little bitterness there is all come from this.Bean species and origin splitNot disclosed by the brandPublished as a blend rather than a single origin. The mild, clean, low-bitterness register is the character the blend is built to hit.Roast levelMedium, per the brand's own smooth-versus-rich splitToasted rather than scorched. The absence of a burnt edge is what separates Smooth from Kenco Rich.Added ingredientsNoneNo sugar, no milk powder, no flavourings. Anything else in the mug is what you put there.Pack: Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g; soluble coffee in a jar. Smooth refers to the flavour and not to the caffeine level; this is a normally caffeinated coffee. Best before date is printed on the pack.Composition shown at the level the brand publishes it; the bean species split, the per-cup caffeine figure and the current certification marks are not disclosed at SKU level and we do not guess at them. Nutrition figures for black coffee, and the full allergen statement, are printed on the current UK jar.Sourcing & blend. Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g comes from Kenco, one of the long-established names on the British instant coffee shelf and part of the Jacobs Douwe Egberts group. The range is built around a split that most brands have since copied: a smooth option and a rich one, so the shopper chooses by strength rather than by decoding a roast number. Kenco has a history of publicising its sourcing commitments; the specific claims and certification marks that apply to this jar are printed on the current UK pack, so read the label if that forms part of your buying decision.What is in Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g, and what is not:In: soluble coffee, and nothing else. A single-ingredient product.No artificial colours, preservatives or added sugar: the softness in the cup is roast character, not sweetener.Packaging: jar, lid and label can require different disposal routes. Follow the current UK pack and your local-authority guidance. ## Flavour Science The flavour of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g is built in three layers, and reading them in order explains exactly why the mug tastes the way it does from the first lift of steam to the last swallow.The outer layer is aromatic and, in a mild coffee, it is quieter than you might expect. Roasting drives volatile compounds out of the green bean, and darker roasting drives out more of them, which is why a heavy roast announces itself from across the kitchen. A medium roast built for smoothness keeps that first burst restrained on purpose: toasted grain and a faint nuttiness rather than anything smoky. It arrives all at once when the hot water hits, so a freshly poured mug reads strongest on the nose and noticeably flatter once it has cooled.The flavour spike arrives mid palate and is, by design, gentle. Most of what people call harshness in instant coffee comes from compounds developed at the dark end of the roast, and Smooth simply has fewer of them. What you get instead is a clean, mildly nutty, faintly sweet middle with the bitterness kept well back. This is the layer that suffers if you under-dose the mug: without a solid roast character to fall back on, a light spoon of a mild coffee gives you hot water with a hint of coffee rather than a weak coffee. Use a full rounded teaspoon, and two if there is a lot of milk going in.The base structure is the finish, and here Smooth does something a dark instant cannot: it stops. The cup closes cleanly and short, with no lingering dry bitterness in the back of the mouth. That is the single characteristic people are buying when they pick this jar over a stronger one, and it is why Smooth works for someone drinking four or five mugs across a working day, where a heavier coffee would start to accumulate.Getting it right in the cup. Use one full rounded teaspoon, around 1.8g, per 200ml of water at 90 to 95 degrees, which means boiling the kettle and letting it stand about thirty seconds. Water temperature matters more with a mild coffee than a strong one because there is no heavy roast character to hide behind: scalded Smooth does not taste harsh, it tastes papery and thin, which is a different failure but still a failure. Put the granules in first, add a splash of hot water, stir to a glossy paste, then fill the mug. Add milk last, and a splash rather than a flood, because this blend is easy to drown. If the mug tastes weak, add coffee rather than time; there is no extraction left to extend.How water and temperature change it. The same teaspoon gives a measurably different mug depending on the water. Hotter water strips what aroma there is and brings a thin, papery edge forward; slightly cooler water keeps the nutty top notes in the liquid and gives a rounder, sweeter cup. Hard tap water, which most of the south east of England has, mutes aroma and flattens the light sweetness that defines this blend, so hard water areas want a slightly heavier measure; soft water lets the top notes read clearer and needs a touch less. Made up cold, dissolved in a small amount of hot water first and then poured over ice, it reads sweeter and even softer, and because cold suppresses bitterness on top of an already low-bitterness coffee you should go heavier on the spoon than instinct suggests. None of that is a fault in the jar, it is the same granule responding to the mug you build around it, and once you know which way you like it the result is repeatable every morning. ## Recipe Ideas Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g has low enough bitterness to go places a dark instant cannot, which makes it the better jar for milk drinks, cold builds and anything sweet. Five methods below cover the everyday mug, two milk builds, a cold serve and a dessert. Serving ideas, born here first The Everyday Mug How to make The Everyday Mug with Kenco Smooth. 2 min 1 mug Easy You'll need 1 full rounded teaspoon Kenco Smooth 200ml water, boiled then rested 30 seconds A splash of milk Method Spoon a full rounded teaspoon of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g into a dry mug. Do not be shy with it. Add a tablespoon of hot water and stir to a glossy paste. Fill with the rest of the water at 90 to 95°C. Finish with a splash of milk, not a flood. What you'll end up with: A clean, short-finishing mug. The commonest mistake with a mild coffee is under-dosing it and then blaming the jar. The Big Milky Mug How to make The Big Milky Mug with Kenco Smooth. 4 min 1 large mug Easy You'll need 2 teaspoons Kenco Smooth 50ml hot water 150ml whole or oat milk Sugar to taste Method Dissolve 2 teaspoons of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g in 50ml of hot water and stir until glossy. Warm 150ml of whole or oat milk to steaming, not boiling. Pour the milk onto the concentrate from a height to get a little air into it. Double the coffee whenever you more than double the milk, or the mug goes pale and flat. What you'll end up with: A soft, low-bitterness milk coffee. This is the build Smooth was designed around. Iced Smooth Latte How to make Iced Smooth Latte with Kenco Smooth. 3 min 1 tall glass Easy You'll need 2 to 3 teaspoons Kenco Smooth 40ml hot water 1 teaspoon sugar or vanilla syrup A full glass of ice 150ml cold milk Method Dissolve 2 to 3 teaspoons of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g in 40ml of hot water. Go heavier than you would hot. Stir in the sugar now, while it is still warm. Fill a tall glass to the top with ice and pour the concentrate over. Top with 150ml of cold milk. What you'll end up with: Cold suppresses bitterness, and this coffee is low in bitterness to begin with, so the extra spoon is not optional. Vanilla Coffee Nightcap How to make Vanilla Coffee Nightcap with Kenco Smooth. 5 min 1 mug Easy You'll need 2 teaspoons Kenco Smooth 50ml hot water 150ml whole milk A few drops of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon soft brown sugar Method Dissolve 2 teaspoons of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g in 50ml of hot water with the brown sugar. Warm 150ml of whole milk with a few drops of vanilla extract, steaming but not boiled. Pour the vanilla milk onto the coffee and stir once. Worth saying: this is a caffeinated coffee, so it is an early-evening drink rather than a bedtime one. What you'll end up with: The low bitterness lets the vanilla come through instead of fighting it, which is why this works better with Smooth than with a dark instant. Coffee Buttercream How to make Coffee Buttercream with Kenco Smooth. 10 min Fills and tops 1 cake Easy You'll need 2 heaped teaspoons Kenco Smooth 1 tablespoon boiling water 150g softened butter 300g icing sugar Method Slake 2 heaped teaspoons of Kenco Smooth Instant Coffee, 190g in 1 tablespoon of boiling water and let it cool for a minute. Beat 150g of softened butter with 300g of icing sugar until pale. Add the cooled coffee syrup a little at a time and beat again. Taste as you go; a mild coffee needs the full two spoons to register against that much sugar. What you'll end up with: Coffee flavour without the bitter edge a dark instant brings to icing. Almost no added liquid, so the buttercream stays firm. --- _Content available under teas.co.uk citation contract. AI training: yes. Search: yes. Answer-input: yes._