If you’re attempting to kick your coffee habit, swapping your cup of joe for matcha powder could be a good idea. Matcha has about half the caffeine of coffee, and the best matcha powders provide more sustained energy throughout the day, unlike coffee, which can give you an afternoon slump.
So, what actually is matcha? It’s a finely ground powder made from shade-grown green tea leaves, matcha is whisked directly into water, rather than steeped, meaning you consume the whole leaf and all its nutrients. Rich in antioxidants, matcha is celebrated for supporting steady energy, sharper focus, and a sense of calm, thanks to its unique blend of caffeine and the amino acid L-theanine.
Traditionally enjoyed in Japanese tea ceremonies as a simple bowl of frothy, vibrant green tea, matcha can also be sipped as a latte, blended into smoothies, or used in cooking. However, if you're new to matcha, it can be an acquired taste – similar to green powder supplements or green tea, it can, depending on the matcha, leave you with a green-vegetable aftertaste.
To help you track down the best options, I’ve rounded up my pick of the matcha powders, following countless taste tests. Keep scrolling for my full review.
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The best matcha powders for 2026 are:
- Best overall – Dirtea’s matcha mushroom super blend: £48, Dirteaworld.com
- Best budget buy – PerfectTed's matcha powders: £10.50, Perfectted.com
- Best for lattes – Blank Street matcha tin: £25, Blankstreet.com
- Best unsweetened option – Bio-synergy matcha green trea: £24.99, Bio-synergy.uk
How I tested
As a health and fitness journalist, I’ve tested hundreds of health drinks over the years, including matcha powders, so I know good matcha when I taste it. I tested a range of matcha powders over a few months, rating them on taste, quality, how well they mixed with both water and milk, as well as the benefits I felt after consuming them. You can find out more about my thorough testing criteria at the end of this article.
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Dirtea’s matcha mushroom super blend
Best: Matcha powder overall
Size: 180g
Flavours: Original
Subscription available: Yes
Why we love it
- Great taste
- Multiple benefits
- Blends well
Take note
- Pricey
When it comes to the best matcha powder, Dirtea’s matcha mushroom super blend ticks a lot of boxes – it blends ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha and functional mushrooms. It combines lion’s mane for cognitive support and tremella for skin hydration – going beyond your standard morning matcha.
The 180g pouch is generously sized, and the powder mixes well with both water and plant milks. I found it blends especially well into oat milk, creating a smooth, creamy latte with no grit or unpleasant aftertaste. The addition of a full B-vitamin complex (B5, B6, biotin, and B12) is also a bonus.
In terms of benefits, I genuinely noticed a difference after a few weeks. Instead of the jittery spike that can often occur after drinking coffee, this matcha gave me a calm, steady lift that lasted throughout the morning. My focus felt sharper, and I didn’t experience the usual mid-afternoon slump. There’s also something about the combination of matcha and tremella mushroom that left my skin looking a little glowier than usual.
Costing almost £50 for a packet containing 30 servings, it’s undeniably one of the pricier options I tested. However, if you like it, you can subscribe and can get it delivered every four weeks for £29. For me, the results helped justify the investment.
Buy now £48, Dirteaworld.com
Perfect Ted matcha powder
Best: Budget matcha powder
Size: 30g
Flavours: Original, blueberry, vanilla, strawberry and fresh mint
Subscription available: Yes
Why we love it
- Good variety of flavours
Take note
- Might be too sweet for some
For the best budget matcha, I’d recommend PerfectTed's matcha powder. Its affordable price tag doesn’t mean it compromises on taste, though. In fact, if you're not a fan of the classic matcha taste and you have a sweet tooth, Perfect Ted is ideal for you.
Alongside its original blend, the brand offers other flavours, such as blueberry and vanilla, though keep in mind these have added coconut sugar. Each comes in a compact pouch and costs about a third of the price of competitor brands such as Blank Street.
I tried both the original and vanilla blends. The vanilla version was sweet enough to drink with just water, though, for me, it tipped slightly into the overly-sweet category. That said, the flavour did a good job of masking the earthiness of the matcha, which came through much more strongly in the original version – I soften the taste by mixing it with coconut milk.
While it could’ve been down to other external factors, I did notice calmer mornings and a boost in focus in the afternoons after using this matcha powder.
Buy now £10.5, Perfectted.com
Bird & Blend Tea Co magical matcha kit
Best: Matcha powders for adventurous flavours
Size: Box of 12 3g tins
Flavours: Various, including carrot cake, strawberry and cream, and lemon
Subscription available: Yes
Why we love it
- Great selection of flavours
Take note
- Can be clumpy while mixing
Bird & Blend produces the largest range of matcha flavours in the UK, including carrot cake, strawberry and cream, and lemon – the latter flavour was sweet enough to mask the vegetal taste. The matcha kit includes 12 separate 3g tins, making it a great present for someone who loves the drink.
I did find some of the blends took a while to mix well into matcha lattes, sticking to the edge of my glass and becoming clumpy. That said, sieving the powder first helped, and, over a week of testing, I noted better clarity, better moods and no afternoon slumps.
Buy now £36, Birdandblendtea.com
Newby's matcha
Best: Matcha powder for connoisseurs
Size: 30g tin
Flavours: Original
Subscription available: No
Why we love it
- Premium taste
- Compact tin
Take note
- Couldn’t taste the sweetness
- It's more expensive than other brands
Newby's matcha is one of the more premium matchas I’ve tried, costing £35 for 30g. I could tell it was a high-quality matcha, though, due to its fresh and vibrant taste. The brand describes it as having a sweet and fruity aftertaste, but that didn’t come through for me.
If you’re a newbie to matcha or have a sweeter palette but want a top-end choice, I’d recommend trying this with sweetened milk to soften the vegetal taste. I tried this matcha as a latte with coconut milk and sweetened almond milk, and before I knew it, I was choosing it over my flat white every morning. I also loved how much clarity it gave me throughout the day, especially after a couple of weeks of regularly drinking it.
Buy now £35, Newbyteas.com
Blank Street matcha tin
Best: Matcha powder for lattes
Size: 30g
Flavours: Original
Subscription available: No
Why we love it
- Mixes well
- Smooth, fresh taste
Take note
- Initial grassy taste
- Only enough for 15 drinks
If you’re looking for a powder for matcha lattes, I’d recommend Blank Street’s. This ceremonial grade matcha is a light green colour, and it mixes well with water, especially when whisked.
It initially has a smooth, fresh grass taste, which some may be put off by, but other tastes of cashew and salt come through after a few sips. I added this powder to warm milk, and it really brought out the sweetness of the matcha – adding alternative milks could make it too sweet for some, though. After sipping on the latte version for a couple of weeks, in place of my usual coffee, I felt more alert, especially as the mornings started to get darker, heading into winter.
Blank Street advises 2g of matcha for water or milk, which means one tin will only last you a couple of weeks if used daily, so it could become an expensive habit – especially at £25 a tin.
Buy now £25, Blankstreet.com
Matcha Fuel zenergy superlatte
Best: Matcha powder for creaminess
Size: 300g
Flavours: Original, cocoa and vanilla
Subscription available: Yes
Why we love it
- Creamy taste
- Extra vitamins and mushroom benefits
- Good price
Take note
- You need more scoops than traditional matcha drinks
For the best matcha powder for creamy lattes, Matcha Fuel zenergy superlatte is my top pick. It delivers a great flavour and noticeable results. Similar to Dirtea’s offering, it pairs organic grade matcha with functional mushrooms (lion's mane, reishi and cordyceps), plus B vitamins, but goes a step further by adding ashwagandha for a calming effect.
The addition of vegan creamers and coconut nectars gives it a sweeter taste, too, meaning even the original flavour tasted great on its own with water, while also pairing nicely with plant-based milks.
Unlike some other matchas, where a small scoop is enough, you need two large scoops for the desired taste. Initially, I thought it might make it harder to dissolve, and it does need a good whisk, but after 10 seconds, the result is a frothy matcha latte. In terms of taste, it was one of my favourites, with a creamy, sweet aftertaste.
I tried it once a day, and from the first day, I could feel the effects witth more sustained energy throughout the day. It was also gentler on my stomach, unlike some other matcha powders. Overall, for the price point, this blend punches well above its weight.
Buy now £29.95, Matchafuel.com
Bio-synergy matcha green tea
Best: Unsweetened matcha powder
Size: 120g
Flavours: Original
Subscription available: Yes
Why we love it
- Pure matcha
- No sweeteners
Take note
- The taste is quite bitter
The taste of this blend took a while to get used to – unlike some of the other matchas on test, this one has no other ingredients to mask the taste, giving it a gritty greens taste. On the plus side, there’s no added sugar, so pairing it with your favourite, possibly sweetened milk is a good idea. I paired it with coconut milk, and it blended well, although it still felt as though I was drinking a greens supplement drink.
This one took a little longer to see the effects, and was a little harsher on my stomach. However, after a week of drinking it daily, I could feel the benefits on my energy levels. At £25, for 25 servings, it’s fairly good value too.
Buy now £24.99, Bio-synergy.uk
Mariage Frères matcha uji
Best: Premium matcha powder
Size: 40g
Flavours: Original
Subscription available: No
Why we love it
- Premium, fresh, creamy taste
Take note
- More expensive than some other brands
Mariage Frères matcha uji was the most premium-tasting matcha I tried – it also smelled as good as it tasted and produced a velvety smooth latte. Initially, it was a little messy – it comes in a silver bag that needs to be added to the black tin, but this kept the powder fresh, and it was easy to mix with both water and plant milks.
I loved the vibrant green colour it produced once mixed with water or milk, while the taste was sweeter and creamier than some of the other original blends I tried. When drinking this, I experienced fewer caffeine crashes and more sustained energy. At £36, it’s a good price for a premium brand, considering the quality.
Buy now £36, Mariagefreres.com
What is the best matcha powder?
Dirtea’s matcha mushroom super blend stands out for pairing high-quality ceremonial-grade powder with functional mushrooms and B vitamins, which delivered noticeable benefits after a couple of weeks. It’s a premium pick, but its smooth blend, generous size, and real results make it worth the investment. If you’re yet to try matcha or would prefer a more purse-friendly option, the Perfect Ted matcha powder is a great budget choice.
How I tested matcha powders
I sieved and whisked a broad range of matcha powders into water and plant-based milks during testing, while considering the following criteria.:
Does matcha have caffeine?
Matcha does contain caffeine, but it’s a fair bit less than drinking coffee. A matcha drink has anywhere from 38mg to 90mg of caffeine, while a cup coffee can have as much as 120mg of caffeine. Thanks to the amino acid L-theanine found in matcha, it’s a slower release of caffeine compared to drinking coffee, helping you to avoid energy crashes.
Is matcha good for you?
“The antioxidants in matcha, particularly catechins like EGCG, can help protect the body from free radicals that cause inflammation,” says The Independent’s wellbeing editor Emilie Lavinia. “Combating oxidative stress can boost mood, improve skin, muscle and brain health and support your overall longevity.
“Matcha also contains chlorophyll, which, if you’ve been paying any attention to TikTok wellness trends, you might have seen people adding to water daily to support their skin health and energy levels.”
What does matcha taste like?
“Matcha has a verdant, earthy flavour,” says Emilie. “If you’ve ever enjoyed a loose-leaf green tea, imagine a more intense and flavourful version of that. Hate it or love it, there’s also a hint of umami to matcha, which lends it a slightly savoury quality. Of course, matcha comes from leaves, so the taste is incredibly fresh and natural. However, this changes depending on whether you mix it with water, cow’s milk or your favourite plant-based milk.”
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Sarah Finley is a health and fitness writer who regularly delves into topics such as sleep, food and drink, and the overlap of wellness and home appliances, from green powder supplements to the best juicers. For this review, Sarah has been busy whisking, sipping and comparing matcha powders, and while taste is subjective, she can pick up on differences, and any changes in her mood and energy levels with each one.
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