Which do you prefer? they all pretty much taste alike, i don't see the reason for the americano which is an espresso diluted with water to taste like regular coffee to still be around when you can just as easily get a brewed coffe or and instant..

I never did like instant. And I like espresso....we were stationed in Germany for 11 years, so I got used to the strong coffees and now that is all I like.
One espresso can keep me going for a while......

brewed coffee is higher in caffeine than americano because the way the flavour is extracted is different and I think it tastes very different. Instant does not even taste like real coffee.

Look at the caffeine levels on this list...compare 8oz cup of filter or brewed with shot of espresso. (not the per mg amount!)

never do americano. Like brewed "sip" enjoy the occasional espresso, cappuccino(I have a machine just a bit more work to accomplish in the morning got 4 kids. in the afternoon however i get the machine rolling). just can't stomach instant no matter what i do to it

it depends. usually i prefer an americano, i get them with a few extra shots though, so they taste stronger than brewed coffee. i love GOOD brewed coffee though. at starbucks i'll get an americano, because their drip coffee is pretty terrible.