Jordan Myrick
Ariana Losch
The best chai is robust, a little sweet, and, in reality, purchased from an Indian restaurant or grocery store. But if you don’t live near an Indian restaurant or grocery store, we still found some good recommendations worthy of your cutest fall mug.
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In Hindi, chai literally means “tea.” That’s why you don’t need to say “chai tea.” If you’re not speaking Hindi, you probably hear the word “chai” and think of a hot tea flavored with warm spices like ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. We tried a whole slew of different chai tea bags and these are the best chais we think you should be buying. (Side note: Once you do purchase the best chai tea bags, I recommend using Meeta Arora of Piping Hot Curry’s tips for perfecting your at-home chai experience.)
What we looked for in the best chai tea:
- Bold flavor: Nothing watered down and strong enough to stand up to milk and sugar. (Double bagging it isn’t a crime, but ideally we won’t resort to that.)
- Cozy spice blend: A good mix of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger, and black pepper.
- Aromatic quality: The warm, spicy, autumnal smell should hit you the second the tea bag hits hot water. (One brand on this list does that particularly well!)
If you’re looking for chai tea concentrate, we’ve got a ranking for that, too! In the meantime, here are the best chai tea bags you can grab from the grocery store (or some more niche online retailers, if you’re feeling fancy.)
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- Tazo Vanilla Caramel Chai
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Tazo strikes again! Their vanilla caramel chai is also really good! This could be the best chai for someone who doesn’t love chai. It’s super sweet and the typically bold notes of cinnamon and clove are mild. I would sip on a cup of this for dessert after chowing down on a big Indian takeout meal consisting of garlic naan, shahi paneer, baingan bharta, and dal makhani. Okay, now I’m hungry. Time to get some Indian takeout. (Or at least some Trader Joe’s butter chicken.) —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Yogi Chai Rooibos
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Rooibos, a red herbal tea known for its antioxidants and pleasant, nutty flavor, is a staple in my tea cabinet. I’ve tried a lot of varieties of rooibos over the years, since they make for great uncaffeinated, mid-afternoon pick-me-up teas that aren’t floral or fruity. Even if it isn’t black tea, Yogi’s Chai Rooibos isn’t muted or weak. It has a bold, warm spice on par with (or stronger than) the caffeinated chai tea bags I tried for this taste test, making it a great option for a cozy cup without the added buzz. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Sprouts
- Trader Joe’s Spiced Chai
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The spiced chai from Trader Joe’s has always been my personal favorite, and I’m glad that it really holds up in this taste test. I won’t say the flavor is leagues better than the other best chai tea bags on this list—it has a hint of vanilla, which not everyone wants in chai—but the aroma beats out the competition by a mile. As soon as it’s poured, you’ll get a potent whiff of this stuff from across the room. It’s like someone lit a fall candle (but it doesn’t taste like a candle, I promise) and invited you to sit by the fireplace. I had a pumpkin spice creamer on me from our most recent taste test, so I added a little to this and made perhaps the coziest brew of all time. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s
- Tazo Organic Chai
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I’m generally not a Tazo fan, but their organic chai is good! I have to set aside the fact that consuming anything from Tazo makes me feel like I’m at a Starbucks in 2007, but I will because this chai is delicious. Plus, you can find Tazo almost everywhere. It’s one of the most prominent tea brands you’ll find when you stroll the tea aisle at Target. If you’re looking to get into chai but are not sure where to start, these are the best chai tea bags to grab on your next grocery run. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Benner Chai Black Tea
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If you like your chai sans vanilla, Brenner’s Chai Black Tea is the best chai tea bag for your mug. Aldi is bringing full flavor to the table with this product. It has plenty of spice and not much sweetness, making it perfect for anyone who doesn’t like a sugary tea. The blend of black tea, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, clove, and star anise come together to make a really tasty chai. And since it’s from Aldi, it’s super affordable. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Aldi Reviewer
- Bigelow Vanilla Chai Black Tea
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I know vanilla chai is controversial, but this is simply the best chai we tasted that is available at grocery stores nationwide. The vanilla is perfectly balanced with the other flavors. It’s not too overpowering, like some of the other vanilla chais we tried. I’m not a chai expert, but I do know that this tasted very, very delicious. It’s nice because you don’t need to add anything to this tea whatsoever. It’s flavorful and has the perfect level of sweetness. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best Vanilla Runner-Up
Best Uncaffeinated
Best Aroma
Best Organic
Best Budget
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried:
O Organics, Full Circle, Twinings, Stash, ORGANIC INDIA Organic Tulsi Turmeric Chai, Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea, Yogi Tea Herbal Tea Honey Chai Turmeric, HANDPICK Masala Chai Tea Bags, Clipper Tea Spicy Chai Herbal Tea, Taylors of Harrogate Classic Chai Tea
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