What is the best matcha powder? It’s earthy and grassy and nutty and bitter without being astringent. And, for our purposes, it doesn’t cost a bajillion dollars. If you’re making matcha at home, it should be saving you money—not costing you more than picking up a matcha latte at a coffee shop. We tasted 13 different brands of store-bought matcha in search of not only the best matcha green tea powder for matcha tea, but also the best matcha powder for latte making and the best matcha green tea powder for iced matcha.
When preparing the matcha for this taste test, I did my best to follow the instructions on each package. Did I heat the water to precisely 176 degrees Fahrenheit like one box told me to? I did not. Did I whisk it in a tea bowl with a bamboo whisk? I did not. I work in an office, not a third wave tea shop. I did, however, endeavor to heat the water to a temperature below boiling for the optimal, mellow matcha flavor. And I even made a paste with the matcha powder and water first, if the instructions told me to.
I tasted each matcha hot and cold, and I used the instant matcha latte powders to make oat milk matcha lattes, because that is my preferred style of matcha latte. I looked for that signature matcha flavor and judged each by not only how they tasted but also by how easy they were to make. If I followed the directions as well as possible but still ended up with lots of gummy chunks of matcha powder, that was on them, not me. This is a ranking of the best matcha tea powder for the people, damnit.
Here’s all the best matcha powder we found.
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- Republic of Tea UnMatcha
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If you’re looking for a matcha powder on the savory end of the spectrum, this is the best matcha powder for you. It’s rich and definitely bitter (though not overly so) and the flavor really lingers. This tastes a bit like popped rice tea to me. It’s toasty and warming with some earthy flavors. It also dissolves really easily. Major points for not having to stir so much. Along with making a great cuppa, I think this would also be the best matcha tea powder to cook with since it will stand out amongst other ingredients. Use it to make matcha pancakes or matcha cookies or even matcha popcorn (a thing I just found out exists).
Credit: Merc
- Aiya Matcha to Go
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This ceremonial grade matcha powder comes in little packets, so you can always have a couple at the ready whenever a matcha craving strikes. Though you can make it hot, I think it’s the best matcha powder for iced matcha. All you do is pour it into a bottle, top with cold water, and shake! The flavor is grassy and almost fruity, which is accentuated when you drink it cold. And it’s not bitter at all. Try it with a squeeze of lemon or use it in a matcha Arnold Palmer. Or just chug it out of your giant water bottle.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Chamberlain Coffee
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Here’s how good this matcha powder is: You need to whisk it for one to two minutes (!!) and I am still including it on this list of the best matcha green tea powder. It’s just so bright and fresh and not too bitter. It makes me think of a garden in springtime. And it has this wonderfully creamy texture that almost has a latte quality to it (I guess it’s all that stirring). Plus, I love the little green guy on the can.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Matcha Love Sweetened Barista Craft Blend Japanese Matcha
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All you need is water, milk, and this powder and you have yourself an instant matcha latte that is already perfectly sweetened. This matcha powder is made with just matcha and sugar—that’s it. Other matcha latte powders we tried contained all sorts of other stuff. But if you’re looking for the best matcha powder for lattes, you really only need matcha and sugar. Simplicity is the key. Mixed according to the instructions, this mix creates a matcha latte that tastes just like what you’d get at a coffee shop. And it’s great as an iced matcha latte, too. It’s creamy, it’s just bitter enough, it’s not too sweet. It tastes like melted matcha ice cream. I love it.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Jade Leaf Organic Ceremonial Matcha Teahouse Edition
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This is the most involved of all the matcha powders on this list, but it’s also the best matcha powder (and it happens to be the best organic matcha powder, if you care about such things). First, you stir the powder with a shot of cold water to dissolve it. Then, you add hot water and stir to finish. You totally avoid any lumps this way. Pretty smart. The flavor is very light and delicate and mild. There’s barely any bitterness. Instead, there’s a gentle wave of grassy earthiness, and a creamy finish. This matcha powder makes a perfect cup of matcha tea to sip on a quiet morning—or to drink in a travel mug while you’re screaming at traffic. Either way, the matcha is going to taste great.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best for Cooking
Best for Iced Matcha
Best Mild and Mellow
Best Matcha Latte Powder
Best of the Best
Other matcha tea powder brands we tried: 365 Organic Powdered Matcha, Ito En Matcha Green Tea Matcha Powder, Everyday Matcha, Mighty Leaf Organic Matcha Green Tea, Navitas Organic Matcha Powder, Sunfood Super Foods Organic Matcha Superlatte, Energizing Mushroom Blend, Jade Leaf Matcha Latte, Four Sigmatic Organic Matcha Latte Mix with Lion’s Mane
