Yes a cafetiere or an espresso machine is much preferable. You can always tell a bad restaurent if it has one of those 'Cona' machines half full of stale coffee. I'm not sure that the taste changes but the aromatics all get up and leave, so it's like having coffee if you're suffering from a bunged up nose!

The solvent they used to use to decaffinate instant coffee was a known carcinogen. I don't think they use it any more.