Brewed decaf coffee has 5.6mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup, decaf instant coffee has 2.4mg per 8 oz cup. Both are small numbers: the 3.2mg between them is a rounding error next to a regular 8 oz cup of coffee at 95mg.
Brewed decaf coffee vs decaf instant coffee: the numbers
| Brewed decaf coffee | Decaf instant coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 5.6mg per 8 oz cup | 2.4mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 0.7mg | 0.3mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg | 71 | 167 |
| Source | Caffeine Informer | Caffeine Informer |
Both figures were checked against their source before this page went up: brewed decaf coffee against Caffeine Informer (source) and decaf instant coffee against Caffeine Informer (source). Brewed drinks and cocoa foods vary by batch, so published figures are averages rather than guarantees.
Why neither one is zero
Decaffeination pulls caffeine out of green beans or leaves before roasting, and no commercial process takes out all of it. A 2006 University of Florida study measured 8.6 to 13.9mg of caffeine in a 16 oz serving of decaf drip coffee, and chain decaf varies widely: Starbucks 15 to 30mg for a medium, Dunkin 7 to 18mg, decaf K-cups 2 to 4mg, per Caffeine Informer. That is why brewed decaf coffee and decaf instant coffee both land in single or low double digits instead of reading zero. If you need genuinely zero caffeine, the answer is a herbal infusion such as rooibos or chamomile, not decaf.
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If you are chasing the low end on purpose, the bean and the process matter more than the brewer: browse decaf coffee beans on Amazon and check whether the bag says Swiss Water or CO2.
For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.
Related reading
- Brewed decaf coffee: the full caffeine breakdown
- Decaf instant coffee: the full caffeine breakdown
- Does decaf have caffeine? Every decaf drink ranked
- Hidden caffeine: the foods and drinks people forget to count
- The verified caffeine database
- Compare any two drinks side by side
FAQ
Does brewed decaf coffee or decaf instant coffee have more caffeine? Brewed decaf coffee, at 5.6mg per 8 oz cup against 2.4mg per 8 oz cup for decaf instant coffee.
How much caffeine is in brewed decaf coffee? 5.6mg per 8 oz cup, which works out to about 0.7mg per fl oz. The figure comes from Caffeine Informer.
Is decaf instant coffee caffeine free? No. Decaf instant coffee carries 2.4mg per 8 oz cup. It is a small amount, but small is not the same as none.
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