The best tea bags in 2022
A cup of tea can make the day better. But how to choose the most delicious and fragrant? We collected a selection of the best tea bags for 2022 and expert advice

Tea is one of the most common drinks in the world. It is part of the daily culture of millions of people: they drink tea for pleasure and for health, before going to bed and in the morning, in a friendly company and at work. A truly versatile drink. 

There are more than 3000 varieties of tea in the world. You can find dozens of items in any store, and even more in specialized boutiques. True, they do not buy tea bags. And it is very convenient in the office, in the country and when traveling. Many keep tea bags at home – it’s easier than constantly brewing a drink in a teapot.

In this article, we will talk about the best tea bag manufacturers, give some tips on how to choose the right product, and an expert will answer the most popular questions.

Ranking of the top 5 best black tea bags according to KP

With a cup of hot tea, you can relax and have a good rest. But the wrong choice can leave sediment not only at the bottom of the cup. Well, if you have already found “your” drink, and if not yet, we will help you. We have compiled a rating of the best black tea bags to make it easier to navigate.

1. BetaTea “Royal quality”

The raw materials for the production of this product are purchased from trusted certified tea factories in Sri Lanka. In Our Country, the company produces 5 of its own brands, BetaTea – one of them – was awarded the “Quality Mark” of Roskontrol (1). 

Tea does not contain pesticides and radionuclides, has good organoleptic properties. The product is of the highest grade, corresponds to the declared large size of the tea leaf. This product also meets the safety requirements.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionBlack Ceylon tea
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 24 month 

Advantages and disadvantages

Rich taste and aroma; complies with safety requirements; buyers note the natural aroma and the absence of dust in bags.
The presence of a small number of petioles.
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2. Greenfield Magic Yunnan

Selected tea leaves from Chinese plantations are used for production. Magic Yunnan is a ruby-colored tea with prune flavor that brews well. Roskachestvo rates the product at a solid eight. According to the results of the Roskontrol check, no garbage, dyes and mold were found in the drink (2). 

In the reviews, this product is also highly appreciated, tea lovers note a rich, pleasant taste with a slight hint of prunes. 

It is convenient that this product is available in most chain stores and marketplaces.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionChinese black tea
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 24 month 

Advantages and disadvantages

Pleasant, mild taste without bitterness; each sachet is individually wrapped. 
Weak tea flavor.
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3. Tess Earl Grey

This tea bag periodically appears in different ratings. No wonder: the product is sold in almost all stores, a wide range of flavors of this brand is presented at affordable prices. 

Contains natural ingredients: citrus zest, safflower (aka American saffron). But the manufacturer also added flavoring. 

The tea has a bright rich taste and aroma. 

Each bag is packaged separately, which is convenient if you need to take a few pieces on a business trip, on a trip, or treat your office neighbor at work. 

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationKenya
CompositionLong leaf black tea, citrus peel, bergamot flavor, safflower
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 24 month 

Advantages and disadvantages

Complies with GOST; the aroma is bright, rich. 
Contains citrus flavor.
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4. Ahmad tea English Breakfast

Blend (otherwise – blend) may appeal to connoisseurs of invigorating strong tea with a tart taste and rich color. Among the components of this fragrant mixture are selected leaves brought from the regions of India, Kenya and Ceylon. 

Roskontrol rated the product at 6,9/10 (3). Since the physical and chemical parameters correspond to GOST 32573-2013, indicated on the label, and the taste and aroma of the product are at a high level. 

In addition, Ahmad Tea English Breakfast black tea complies with safety requirements – it does not contain mold and harmful impurities.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationKenya, India, Sri Lanka
CompositionTea black loose leaves
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 36 months

Advantages and disadvantages

Complies with safety requirements; rich taste.
Small contents are, in fact, granules; there is astringency in taste – not for everyone.
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5. Hillway 

Exquisite Royal Ceylon black tea is carefully collected on the highland plantations of the island of Sri Lanka.

Roskontrol notes that Hillway is manufactured in accordance with GOST 32573-2013 (4). Tea is safe: there are no pesticides or other harmful substances.

The infusion is quite strong, reddish in color. The aroma is pronounced, the taste is rich, slightly sour. The tea leaf is small, but quite twisted and the mass is homogeneous.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationSri Lanka
CompositionTea black long leaf Ceylon
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 36 months

Advantages and disadvantages

No harmful impurities in the composition; mild pronounced taste; stylish packaging design
Low caffeine content (although this may seem like a plus to some); high price in the segment of tea bags
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Ranking of the top 5 best green tea bags according to KP

Green tea is known for its antioxidant and tonic properties. If there is no time for a full-fledged tea ceremony, you can buy a packaged product. 

We have collected 5 varieties of green tea bags that have earned the trust of customers due to their high quality.

1. Ahmad Tea Chinese

A blend of Chinese green tea may appeal to those who like a bitter drink. Refreshing taste, slightly spicy with a slightly noticeable bitterness. This tea is low in caffeine. 

Roskontrol also tested this product. There is good news: physical and chemical parameters correspond to GOST32573-2013 indicated on the label, pleasant taste and aroma (5). 

But there are a couple of nuances: the appearance of tea, according to experts, is not even enough, and residual amounts of pesticides were found in the composition. However, the tea meets safety requirements.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionChinese green leaf tea 
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 36 months  

Advantages and disadvantages

Produced according to GOST; large size of tea leaves; pleasant spicy taste. 
Tea may contain pesticides. 
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2. Princess Java “Traditional”

A blend of selected varieties of green Chinese tea. Possesses saturated tart taste, the expressed aroma. Fragments of leaves are quite large, and the infusion is transparent, without impurities, light in color.

Roskontrol experts did not find any impurities in the composition, the product received a rating of 6,9/10 (6). 

Quality tea from the “budget” segment. Alas, most likely you will not find this product in the convenience store.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionChinese green leaf tea 
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 36 months  

Advantages and disadvantages

Large tea leaves; pronounced aroma.
Difficult to find for sale
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3. “Azerchay Classic”

Traditional Azerbaijani tea in bags. In the composition – green tea of ​​the highest grade, the tea leaves themselves are quite large. Roskontrol rated the drink 7/10. It is indicated that residual traces of pesticides were found in the composition, but in general the product meets safety requirements (7).

Consumers note: a good combination of price and quality. It turns out a fragrant infusion, moderately rich delicate taste. 

The manufacturer did not focus on the packaging design, which is probably why this product outperforms analogues in price.

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationAzerbaijan
CompositionGreen tea
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 36 months  

Advantages and disadvantages

Premium product without additives and flavorings; low price in the segment of tea bags; complies with safety requirements
May contain residual traces of pesticides; hard to find for sale
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4. Akbar 

Green tea bags Akbar has a tart taste and a pleasant, but not pronounced aroma. 

The manufacturer stated that the product is made from selected leaves collected on plantations in China. But according to the analysis of Roskontrol, the tea itself corresponds only to the first grade. The results of the study indicate that the product is safe according to GOST indicators, although pesticide residues were found in the composition, which, by the way, are not allowed for use in Our Country (8). 

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionGreen tea Chinese fine 
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 24 months  

Advantages and disadvantages

Tart, rich taste; complies with GOST safety standards.
The aroma is not bright enough; small amounts of pesticides may be present.
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5. Riston Pure Green

Riston green tea belongs to the first category of this type of product. The infusion of tea has a balanced taste without excessive bitterness and a delicate aroma. However, for those who are used to a “strong” drink, the taste may seem insipid.

No impurities, flavors or artificial additives. 

Some reviews write that a film may form during brewing. 

Main characteristics

Country of cultivationChina
CompositionGreen tea Chinese fine 
Number of sachets per pack 100
Shelf life 24 months  

Advantages and disadvantages

Tart taste, bright aroma
For lovers of a rich taste, it may seem fresh; the threads are weakly attached to the bags (on glue)
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How to choose tea bags

Tea differs not only in varieties, additives and brands. To make the right choice, our expert, barista, tea master Anastasia Budylskaya:

– The main indicators of tea quality: the color of the dry mixture, its uniformity and leaf curl. When tea is packaged in disposable bags, it’s hard to tell. Therefore, you need to pay attention to other points.

1. Packaging 

  • Pay attention to the region and time of harvest. In the place you can learn about the strength, as well as the taste of the drink. For example, tea grown in Sri Lanka will not be very fragrant, but with a bright taste, while tea from Japanese plantations, on the contrary, will be fragrant, but not with a very rich taste. 
  • Individual packaging for sachets. Whether this is provided for or not can usually be understood by the appearance of the tea box (they are either visible through the slot or they are depicted). If each bag is individually sealed, this will protect the tea from foreign odors and moisture. 
  • Compound. Its manufacturer is obliged to write on the packaging. Choose tea that does not contain artificial colors or flavors.

2. Contents of the package

After the purchase, the product can be examined from the inside. The bags (if the tea is sealed in individual packages) or the box must be free of dust and debris. The tea bags themselves should be neat and whole.

3. Clarity of the drink

Depending on the type and variety of tea, the shade of the infusion may be lighter or darker – this is not an indicator of quality. But what you need to pay attention to is the transparency of the drink.

After brewing high-quality tea, the liquid does not become cloudy, and a film does not form on the surface.

If possible, it is better to buy tea in nylon bags (usually such a product is more expensive). One bag can be brewed no more than once. It is best to prepare a drink in a glass or ceramic mug. Plastic can give a specific smell and affect the taste.

Popular questions and answers

Is it true that tea bags are worse than loose tea? How to properly dispose of used tea bags? These and other questions are answered by our expert Anastasia Budylskaya.

What is the difference between tea bags and loose tea?

It does not matter how the tea is packaged: the technology for its production is the same. Each product goes through several stages of processing:

• withering, ie removal of moisture;

• twisting on special machines – rollers (thanks to it, the tea leaves are shaped);

• fermentation: due to the oxidation process, the tea leaf acquires a brown hue, instead of bitterness, soft astringency and the taste and smell familiar to us appear;

• drying – moisture residues are removed, only 5-7% remains;

• separation, ie sorting the product according to the size of tea leaves. The dried tea mass is separated through a sieve, it turns out large-leaf tea, medium-leaf and small.

If high-quality raw materials were used, all the rules and stages of production were followed, you will get good tea for bags.

How to properly dispose of tea bags?

65-75% of an ordinary tea bag consists of natural fibers, the rest is heat-resistant synthetic materials (for example, polypropylene). This is necessary so that the bag does not get wet in the mug. But polypropylene does not decompose, which means it can harm the soil. 

It is optimal to dispose of it in the following way: send the paper part to waste paper, and the paper clip to scrap metal.

Are tea bags harmful to health?

High-quality tea will not cause harm to health, as it does not contain preservatives, dyes or synthetic flavors. Such additives can negatively affect not only the taste of the product, but also the metabolism, and regular consumption of such tea can cause allergies or other health problems.

Of course, it is impossible to study the composition of tea bags without special equipment. Here it is necessary to give preference to manufacturers who value their reputation and do not save on paper or raw materials.

You can also study the results of research conducted by special organizations.

  1. BetaTea Quality Passport. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/chay-beta-chay-korolevskoe-kachestvo-premium-opa-chrniy-bayhoviy-tseylonskiy-krupniy-list/
  2. Greenfield Qualities Passport. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/greenfield-golden-ceylon/
  3. Ahmad Tea Quality Passport. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/ahmad-tea-english-breakfast-cherniy-v-paketikah/
  4. Hillway Quality Passport. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/hillway-chrniy-bayhoviy-tseylonskiy/
  5. Ahmad Tea Quality Passport. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/chay-ahmad-tea-zeleniy-v-paketikah/
  6. Quality certificate Princess Java “Traditional”. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/printsessa-yava-zeleniy-bayhoviy/
  7. Quality certificate of Azerchay tea. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/chay-azerchay-zeleniy-v-paketikah/
  8. Passport Qualities Akbar. URL: https://roscontrol.com/product/akbar-zeleniy-bayhoviy/

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