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.

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.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. 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. 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'. Store all types of coffee in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight. This will help to prevent the flavourful essential oils from evaporating.

We enlisted the help of our long-time coffee expert Giles Hilton to bring you unrivalled insight into what's on the shelf. 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.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 The choice of milk these days can seem endless. Our coffee expert experimented with dairy and plant-based options, and found all of them will sweeten and soften your coffee, but some will cause subtle changes in flavour.

We tried: Nescafé Azera Americano, Nescafé Azera Intenso, Kenco Millicano Americano Instant Coffee, Sainsbury's Americano Microground, Lavazza Prontissmo IntensoI 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. 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.