The top tea bags for the perfect cuppa have been unveiled.
Asda’s cheap Everyday Tea Bags came first in a probe into the nation’s best brew. The £1.20 box beat branded ones including PG Tips, Tetley, Twinings and Yorkshire Tea.
An expert panel gave it high marks for aroma and looks with more than two-thirds judging that the colour was spot-on. And around half said its taste was just right.
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Natalie Hitchins, from consumer group Which?, the body that carried out the research, said: “A cup of tea is a daily essential for millions and many of us will passionately defend our favourite brand.
“Our results show that the bigger and more expensive brands aren’t necessarily the best for taste – with a supermarket own-brand costing less than 2p per cup emerging ahead of rivals costing up to four times as much. The scores demonstrate that brands and supermarkets know you can’t get a sub-standard cuppa past a nation of discerning tea drinkers – but Which? has proved that you don’t need to spend a lot for a good brew.”
The tea-total panel of 79 people blind-tasted 12 different varieties from supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. And only 5% separated the score of the winner from those at the bottom of the list.
Asda’s Everyday Tea Bags scored 72% with PG Tips Original bagging joint second spot. More than two thirds felt the colour of PG Tips Original was just how a cuppa should look while a similar proportion were satisfied with the strength of bitterness.
Tetley Original scored 71% and was praised for its appearance, pleasant mouthfeel and smell. More than half reckoned it had a good strength of flavour and struck the right bitter note. But 27% felt said it was too bitter for their taste.
Sainsbury’s Red Label also scored highly with three quarters liking the colour, aroma and after taste. Tied at the bottom of the table were Twinings Everyday and Tesco Original Tea.