Freeze dried coffee can have higher quality and better taste due to the flavor preserving process, while instant coffee powder can taste more burnt.

Instant coffee crystals are similar to the powder in that they are dissolvable, but are in a different form. The crystals or granules are small “crystalized” chunks of the dehydrated brewed coffee. This is usually a result of a freeze drying process. Although it is a longer and more expensive process compared to spray drying, it doesn’t use invasive high heat to dry the coffee. The concentrated coffee is frozen and then put into a vacuum and slowly dried. This process of freeze drying preserves coffee’s natural flavors and aroma, which results in a better tasting coffee.