Gwynedd Stuart
Ariana Losch
Green tea has a reputation for being a little…divisive. Some people swear by its bright, earthy flavor and health perks, while others write it off as grass water (which, okay, fair). Compared to coffee and richer black teas, the flavor can fall a little flat. But that’s the thing about a good green tea—it’s peacefully energizing, living in the liminal space between highly caffeinated beverages and mellow herbal teas. If you buy the right stuff, you really start to see and feel the appeal.
How we sourced the green tea brands
This is our second time ranking the best green tea brands out there, and it felt long overdue for an update. We went into this update thinking we’d have to focus on specific flavors or specialty types of green tea, but the truth is, there’s so much green tea out there, we had plenty of new brands to explore. Between bagged tea, loose leaf, and matcha powder, we sampled nearly 30 different green teas for this ranking.
What we looked for in the best green tea
We steeped these teas in little cups and tasted them side-by-side, ideally looking for:
- An herbaceous, bright flavor that isn’t too bitter. It can lean earthy, citrusy, or nutty, depending on the brand.
- A balance between strength and smoothness.
- Affordability and authenticity. We didn’t opt to try the more expensive green tea brands this time around, but we still looked for reputable origins (like Japan, China, and India).
Here’s what we recommend for the best green tea to drink on the daily.
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- Lipton 100% Natural Green Tea
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Lipton makes good tea. And while this may not be the best green tea, it won’t disappoint—especially when it costs less than nine bucks for 100 bags. That’s value, baby. Overall, this was a little more mild tasting than some of the green teas that ranked higher on the list (what can I say, we like flavor), but it still gets its point across and even has a little bit of a caffeine-y kick that’ll give you a boost in the morning. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Traditional Medicinals Organic Green Tea with Toasted Rice Matcha
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I absolutely love Traditional Medicinals teas (their Seasonal Sampler got me through a bout of COVID a few years ago), and this green tea is extremely on brand for them: delicious and different. This is a little bit savory thanks to the inclusion of toasted rice, which gives it a nice roasty flavor. It has an aggressive aroma, but its mild flavor and alluring green color will keep you sipping. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Organic India Tulsi Green
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This green tea from Organic India has two ingredients: Tulsi (Holy Basil, an adaptogenic herb often used in Ayurvedic medicine) and Darjeeling Green Tea, a type of green tea from the Himalayan foothills. As someone who’s tried adaptogen and CBD-infused drinks and CBD gummies, I’ll be honest, I didn’t do my usual routine, i.e. sipping this separately to suss out the adaptogenic effects.. I just sipped this in a line-up of other green teas, so, bad news, I can’t tell you if the Tulsi here actually does anything for your mood. Good news: I loved the flavor enough to include among the best green tea brands anyway. It’s bright, herby, and clean-tasting. And not too grassy or floral at all, if that’s a concern. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Tazo Zen Green Tea
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If you like a green tea with flavor but don’t prefer jasmine (lots of jasmine green tea out there), this lemongrass- and spearmint-infused green is an amazing option. The lemongrass gives it a lot of brightness, while the spearmint keeps it from being too citrussy. Because it’s so flavor-forward, this probably isn’t for people who really like the flavor of pure green tea, but it’s definitely the best green tea for folks who want a little something else in their mug. This would be so, so good with honey. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Stash Premium Green Tea
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Stash describes this as a Japanese-style green tea, and that might explain its interesting and complex flavor. This one is different than other green teas—definitely in a good way. I couldn’t quite put a finger on what makes this one unique, but it sort of reminded me of a Korean barley tea. It’s almost savory. In my notes I wrote, “I’m a little confused by it, but I like it.”
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Numi Jasmine Green Tea
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There’s nothing gentle about Numi’s Jasmine Green Tea, but trust me, I mean that in a good way. The Jasmine flower’s more floral notes really enhance how deep, rustic, and earthy the tea tastes. I know we’re talking about steeped water here, but the flavor itself seems to have texture and grit that lingers in your mouth. Don’t oversteep this one, or you’ll be left with something a little too bitter and biting—but personally, I love how bold and memorable the flavor is. I could easily start to crave this every day if I let myself develop a green tea habit. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Jade Leaf Organic Ceremonial Matcha Teahouse Edition
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Coffee-addicts, if you like to complain that matcha tastes like grass, well, this one’s for you. This ceremonial-grade powder has a mild earthy flavor with only a touch of bitterness. The gentle grassiness (emphasis on gentle) ends on a smooth, creamy finish, making it one of the most peaceful matcha powders we’ve tried to date. This would make even the most stubborn matcha skeptics raise an eyebrow. Trust me. All you need is a little vanilla creamer, and you’ll see what the matcha hype is all about. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Uncle Lee’s Organic Green Tea
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I really didn’t want to like this green tea, because I found it in the back of my cabinet well after I’d already finished the rest of this taste test. I tried to cast the “please don’t be good, please don’t be good” spell on this as it brewed, to no avail. It’s incredible. The flavor is very nutty, smooth, and balanced. It isn’t very bitter at all, but it does have a certain crispness that would probably make for some of the best iced tea you’ve ever had. Uncle Lee’s tea comes from the Fujian Province of China, but you can buy it in the US simply at Walmart. Oh, capitalism. —Ariana Losch
- Choice Organics Jasmine Green Tea
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This green tea is super fragrant while it steeps, but don’t let that trick you into thinking that it’s going to go down like a bottle of grandma’s perfume. Of all the jasmine teas we tasted, this one had the most pleasant and harmonious floral flavor by far. Rather than masking the tea, the jasmine really complements the pleasant-tasting green tea. I definitely still want bath products that smell like this, but it’s nice that it doesn’t only taste like something you’d soak in. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Merc / Target
- 365 Organic Green Tea
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Whole Foods house brand 365 can be hit or miss, but they make an exemplary bag of green tea. This tea has an excellent, complex green tea flavor without being bitter—a lot of the teas we tasted were bitter, and this is proof that they don’t have to be. Some of the flavored teas might be more exciting and some of the matchas might have a bolder flavor, but if you’re looking for something simple and reliable, this is the best green tea you can buy. No surprises here—just good tea.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best Budget Green Tea
Best Roasty
Best with Adaptogens
Best Flavored Green Tea
Best Savory
Best Earthy
Best Matcha Powder
Best Nutty
Best Jasmine Green Tea
Best of the Best
Other products we tried: Sprouts Organic Sencha, Bigelow Jasmine Green Tea, Swanson Organic Green Tea, Happy Belly Jasmine Green Tea, Bigelow Classic Green Tea, Good & Gather Organic Green Tea, Pukka Supreme Matcha, Twinings Jasmine Green Tea, Trader Joe’s Organic Green Tea, Lipton Magnificent Matcha, TeeLux Green Tea Bags Natural Pure Green Tea, Yogi Tea Organic Green Tea Pure Green, VitaCup Green Tea Instant Sticks, Numi Organic Gunpowder Green Tea, Tadin Green Tea Caffeinated Herbal Tea, ITO EN Oi Ocha Green Tea, TIAN HU SHAN Sencha Green Tea Loose Leaf, Chaganju Sencha Green Tea Loose Leaf
Griffin Parker
Jessica Block
Jordan Myrick
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