The way to prepare good tasting coffee: Get a quality roasted coffee beans. Grind it. Measure enough and place it in coffee maker. Add water. Plug the device and turn it on. Wait a couple of minutes and a coffee with a strong flavorful aroma and taste is ready.

The easy way to prepare fast but less flavorful coffee: Get a mug. Fill with hot water. Add some instant coffee powder. Stir. The instant coffee is ready to enjoy in couple of seconds.

However, the couple of seconds might take couple of minutes if the instant coffee powder looks like the picture below, the hardened coffee powder. The coffee lumps should be broken down to smaller pieces to get the desired coffee amount.

The hardened coffee powder is tough and slightly pliable. It could not be broken by forcing with a spoon. It should be taken out. Place on chopping board and cut by means of sharp knife. Its a messy way to prepare coffee.

What is the cause of coffee hardening?

Instant coffee powder is very hygroscopic. It absorbs moisture easily. It absorbs moisture when expose to surrounding air. I will absorbs moisture when place in a non airtight container. The moisture serves a  glue which makes the instant coffee particles stick together.

Instant coffee should be placed in airtight container to prevent hardening.