Kenco Reviews 

Wouldn't even give one star if I didn't have to. The new recipe coffee is absolutley awful it has a bitter taste and leaves a sludge at the bottom of the cup, I have gone out of my way to buy Kenko coffee for years and years and now no more. To add insult to injury there is 10g less per jar which equates to 5/6 cups and sold at the same price.

The quiet removal of 10grams of coffee from the large jars, was bad enough. But what really angers me, is the recipe change. I don't know what they have added, but I suspect it is another ' stretching' ingredient, to save them more money. However, it is false economy. I won't buy Kenco again, because the new blend is unpleasant and leaves a sludgy tidemark and I suspect I won't be the only one leaving the brand behind. It's shame, but in the end the only way to maintain brand loyalty, is to maintain the brand and they just haven't done that.

Why change what was perfect???
It takes awful and the residue left at the end is disgusting

I've been a loyal Kenco smooth drinker for about 15 years, wouldn't buy anything else....however whatever they've done to change their recipe is absolutely awful !! Taste has changed and the awful sludge it leaves at the bottom makes me feel sick :( Having to find a new brand now!

I’ve been a loyal Kenco drinker for many years, but I have to ask, what have they done?! My daughter drinks the blue and I drink the red. We both agree that it’s now weaker, less tasty and, what on earth is that sludge that is left at the bottom of the cup?? I’m sure the company will hide behind the ‘better for the environment’ crap but, come on Kenco, switch it back before your sales go down! I’m already looking for an alternative as I’m sure many others are.

Devastated Kenco has changed its taste. It bitter and not as rich as before. Can’t get used to it. No choice now but to find another really rich brand! Why why why change it , it was delicious and I've been using Kenco products for many years!! Sad to go!

Kenco Instant Gone to Pot Coffee

I have been drinking Kenco Rich Blend Instant for years... Recently the blend provides all the pleasure of coffee grounds strained through an old sock.... when they see there sales plummet someone will be looking for a new job... I will never buy kenco again pure disgusting... do not insult your taste buds this is not coffee any more

Changed Kenco and ruined it. The smooth brand is horrible , coffee sludge on top and bottom of cup, no longer tastes anything like Kenco. Don't think the new shaped jar but smaller size for same price didn't go unnoticed either. Will no longer be buying.

What have you done! Not happy at all. Will be trying to buy as much of the old Kenco rich as I can. Really not happy with new formula it’s the worst and so cheap tasting. Doesn’t desolve at all. Won’t be buying the new jars again so another customer lost.

I've used kenco rich coffee in jars for quite sometime and always been happy with it, until I tried the same product in the refill packets and found it to be no where near as good, there was black gritty bits floating on top and a black sediment in the bottom of the cup, something that I have never had using the jars. It had the same taste but not the same enjoyable experience and was wondering if it was actually the same product.

We have been kenco drinkers for years, time to try another brand as this is now absolutely disgusting no where near how it used to be,lack of taste,sediment all round the cup and in the bottom 😳 so very disappointed, wake up and smell the coffee kenco!!!

Very fed up that Kenco are trying to reduce the volume of usable coffee granules by adding black dust that becomes unpleasant silt and dirties the mug even more. The taste of 'smooth' is stronger and more bitter and is not 'smooth'. Anyone suggest a suitable alternative to this unpleasant mud and blatant shrinkflation?

I’ve been drinking Kenko Smooth for over 20 years but the quality of this product is unacceptable it’s bitter and leaves a disgusting taste and residue at the bottom of my cup, I will not be purchasing this coffee again!!!!!!!

Well that's me done with Kenco coffee, has been my go to for years but since the change I will no longer buy it. Black sludge in the bottom of my mug, terrible bitter taste and grains that no longer dissolve fully, looks like you guys screwed up. It's a goodbye from me.

Kenco - what have you done to our favourite Kenco Rich coffee, not only the reduction in weight but the taste and texture have been ruined. we now get a dark brown scum around the top of the mug and a horrible powdery texture. Looks like we will need to look for another brand.

Ive gone between kenco smooth & douwe egberts pure gold for years. Ill definitely be packing in with the kenco.. Last few refil packs have been awful..weird taste & shocking residue in the bottom of the cup.. I asked chat gpt if there was a problem. It confirmed & told me about all the complaints due to a new recipe. I won't be buying this kenco again unless it reverts back. Looks like im not the only one.

I have been drinking Kenco Rich for well over 16years and have religiously filled my original glass Kenco jar with the refill pouch. I have just filled my jar again using the latest refill and to say I’m disappointed is a severe understatement. The taste was very bitter, sludge remained in the bottom of my cup and also came to the surface when drinking. I have contacted Kenco as I thought it may of been a manufacturing fault but to my dismay I was informed that it was their new recipe. I just can’t believe how this passed the tasting tests assuming that tests were carried out ! I will now go to my local stores and try and purchase some of the old packaged pouches, failing that I will have to change brands. I hope that Kenco read and act upon these comments, or is this change another cost saving exercise like confectionery companies making their chocolate bars smaller. Here’s hoping for a resolution to this issue.

Kenco, what a complete let down of your loyal coffee drinkers. Another casualty of shrinkflation, and a recipe change to boot. You can wrap as much jargon around your recent changes. You've sacrificed flavour and greed to align yourselves with market forces. I for one will never buy your sludge ridden drink ever again. Ask your customers what they want..

The new Kenco Smooth blend is awful. My family and I drink a lot of coffee and have loved this blend for decades. Since August 2026, we all noticed a dark brown/black sludge at the bottom of the coffee after it has settled, alongside a powdery residue, which doesn’t dissolve. We no longer enjoy the taste which has changed considerably and is now bitter and weak. I have a headache and feel very unwell now after drinking the new formulation. I have just found out that the new recipe contains ground beans which explains the above. I have allergic reactions to ground coffee, and deliberately chose Kenco Smooth as it was one of the few instant coffees I could tolerate. The new formulation has ruined this coffee and we will not be purchasing it anymore.

Millicano is now down there with the cheapest supermarket brands but with premium price, it tastes awful now hence I don’t buy it anymore and I suggest you don’t either.
Shame I thought it was really good once, not now.