We put the best supermarket tea bags to the test – but which bag makes the perfect cuppa?
THERE’S not much a cup of tea can’t fix, but what’s the best brew to help you through? PG Tips is the nation’s favourite, but how does it compare to supermarket own competitors? To celebrate National Tea Day today, Hayley Minn challenged tea expert Dr Tim Bond to a blind taste test to give his […]
THERE’S not much a cup of tea can’t fix, but what’s the best brew to help you through?
PG Tips is the nation’s favourite, but how does it compare to supermarket own competitors?
To celebrate National Tea Day today, Hayley Minn challenged tea expert Dr Tim Bond to a blind taste test to give his verdict on which builder’s brew is best for taste and colour.
To keep things fair, we brewed the tea for exactly the same amount of time – “a perfect five minutes,” according to Dr Tim – and put a large spoonful of milk in each one.
PG Tips – £1.40 for 40 bags
8.5/10
THERE was a bit more character to the flavour.
It’s not quite burnt, just a little bit over-fired, but the thickness of the water is decent.
The colour is quite plain, though.
Taste: 3.5
Colour: 5
Asda Everyday – £1.10 for 80 bags
8.5/10
ONE of the cheapest brews in the test I found out later – and one of my favourites.
It’s quite fresh and brisk with loads of flavour.
The milk didn’t come across stronger than the tea flavour either, which is really good.
And the colour is lovely and bright, which is just what you want.
Taste: 4
Colour: 4.5
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M&S Luxury Gold – £2.80 for 80 bags
4/10
I DON’T think much of the colour — it is very dark, dull, and deep brown.
The taste wasn’t much better — musty, old, and not very fresh at all. There was much less vibrancy in the cup.
Surprised to find it is one of the most expensive tea of the bunch.
Taste: 2
Colour: 2
Sainsbury’s Fairly Traded Red Label – 60p for 40 bags
6/10
THE taste is quite dull and plain, with less briskness than some of the others. But it’s still quite bright.
The look of the tea is fine – quite a rich, brown colour – although some drinkers like their tea darker than others.
Taste: 3
Colour: 3
Morrisons The Best English Breakfast – £2.40 for 100 bags
4/10
I LATER discovered it is middle-of-the-road in terms of pricing, and I find the taste reflects that. It’s a fairly average cup of tea.
The colour is a little too brownish – not reddish or orange, as I would like.
Taste: 2
Colour: 2
Tesco Original – £1.10 for 80 bags
6/10
THIS is a decent, deep brown colour with a flavour that is quite thin on the pallet.
The taste ends very quickly — it doesn’t have that staying power that should last on the tongue.
Taste: 3
Colour: 3
Waitrose Essential – £1.10 for 80 bags
5/10
WHILE Waitrose is usually a higher-end brand, I give this the lowest marks in terms of taste.
It’s extremely plain – so plain, in fact, that I can’t think of a better word to describe it.
The colour is bright enough to pass though.
Taste: 2
Colour: 3
Aldi Specially Selected English Breakfast – 99p for 50 bags
7/10
I AM very impressed with the colour of the Aldi tea — it’s nice and bright.
The taste wasn’t quite up to scratch, though. In fact, there’s not much to it at all.
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And you can taste the milk a bit more in this compared to some of the others.
Taste: 3
Colour: 4