This is all very confusing for me.

I first tried instant mashed potatoes about five years ago.

Before then, I never even knew there was such a thing!

I don't think I can tell them apart from fresh mashed potatoes.

The ones that I have tried are plain (no onion flavoring, etc), mixed with salted butter and coffee cream.

How are people who hate the instant variety preparing them? I am curious if I simply have bad taste, or if it's some other factor.

It's been decades since I last had it but everything was worse. Especially the texture. IIRC you heated water and/or milk and then you just poured the flakes inside and stirred.

It's so easy to make real mashed potatoes that I think there's really no point in using instant.