‘Dark green dust’: the best (and worst) supermarket green teabags, tested and rated

Green tea can be a mixed bag – we sipped our way through the supermarket shelves to find the ones worth boiling the kettle for

The best (and worst) supermarket teabags

My mother-in-law has a mug that reads: “By replacing your morning coffee with green tea, you can lose up to 87% of what little joy you still have left in your life.” Some people will never like green tea, while others will probably have tried only poor-quality, over-brewed bags filled with the dust and fannings left over from the production of whole leaf tea. Only one of today’s teas contains whole leaves, and the difference is hugely noticeable, though that’s not to say the more economical bags are undrinkable. Some are single-origin or organic, and are certainly satisfactory, so long as you brew them properly.

Due to the large surface area of these tiny broken leaves, you need to be careful not to over-brew them. To stand the best chance of making a half-decent cup, use water at 80C – you can achieve that temperature by quarter-filling a cup with cold water, topping it up with just-boiled water and leaving it to brew for about 90 seconds. You’ll end up with a much sweeter cup, with nuanced kelp, edamame and toasted-straw flavours (all of which are, admittedly, acquired tastes).

Small, individually wrapped bags of green fannings and brown stems with a classic umami, earthy aroma. Chamomile-yellow in colour with a distinct, savoury scent alongside a sweet, brothy tone. Quite astringent, so I’d recommend a shorter brew time. Bags free from plastic.

Dark green dust fannings and brown stems with a seaweedy aroma, from a single estate (Korakundah in the Nilgiri mountains, southern India). A clear, buttercup-yellow brew that holds a bright and complex flavour with a sweet start, an astringent finish and a full mouthfeel. Organic and Fairtrade.

A small, individually wrapped bag of organic dark green fannings and brown stems made from a blend of sencha, Vietnamese and Indian green teas, plus 2% South Korean matcha. A sweet, oceanic aroma, a golden-yellow colour and a honeyed, floral and grassy flavour with hints of citrus. Bright and sharp, with a mild astringency.

The only whole tea leaf in the test comes in a plant starch pyramid teabag full of large, broken dark green leaves with a kelpy scent. A light and clear green-lemon colour and complex, brothy, seaweed aroma. Bright and crisp with an earthy-umami depth, bright, fruity quality and mild astringency. One star Great Taste award in 2025, industrially compostable bags, and this week’s best splurge.

Dark green fannings with brown flecks produce a chamomile-yellow cup with clarity, toasted straw aroma, vegetal notes and a strong, astringent finish. Good tannic structure, too. Rainforest Alliance-certified, and plant-based, compostable bags.

Faded green fannings and brown stems make a sienna-coloured cup with a toasted straw aroma, a savoury, toasted-rice broth flavour and an astringent finish. Fairtrade, plus the bags can go in food or garden waste bins.

Green fannings and brown stems with an umami-seaweed aroma. A yellow-ochre cup with a sweet, toasty aroma of autumn leaves, a savoury broth flavour with a hint of jasmine and a rounded texture. Fairtrade.

Khaki and brown stem dust and low-grade fannings that are clear and yellow-ochre in the cup. A roasted twig aroma and a sweet but sharp, tannic, textural and full-bodied flavour. Rainforest Alliance logo on pack.

Faded olive green and brown fannings that create a bright, amber cup with good clarity and a straw-like, umami aroma. Deep in flavour with a sweet, grassy edge, notes of seaweed and an astringent finish. Texturally smooth and satisfying. Rainforest Alliance logo on pack, and biodegradable bags made from plant-based fibres.

Dark green fannings with some brown stems combine to make a sienna-coloured cup with clarity and a toasted rice and kelp aroma. Astringent but sweet, with a spinach broth quality and a faint floral note. Rainforest Alliance-certified and compostable bags.

For more, read the best (and worst) supermarket coffee