I Tried 14 Matcha Powders—Most Were Good, But a Few Were Outstanding

The first time I ordered a green tea latte from a coffee shop, I thought the barista must have made a mistake. Surely something this neon-colored couldn’t be made from tea, right?! Although matcha has been around for over a thousand years, news of it hadn’t fully reached the rural corner of Kansas where I grew up by the time a shy, teenage version of me was trying to look nonchalant while Googling, “Why is my tea so green?”

I tell this story not only to keep myself humble but also to show that I know firsthand how intimidating it can be to get into matcha. Truthfully, it took me almost a decade after this encounter to really appreciate the flavor and another few years to discover just how absolutely cool the world of matcha truly is. Sure, it’s chock-full of wellness buzzwords and brands trying to convince you that their matcha is the superfood-iest of them all. But, if you’re willing to look past all the jargon, you’ll find that matcha has just as much nuance as wine, down to cultivar-specific flavor profiles and terroir. 

Whether you’re a hobbyist looking to expand your palate or just want a beginner-friendly matcha to drink on the go, there are plenty of friendly entry points for you. To find the best matcha you can buy online, I tried 14 varieties ranging from under $15 to over $50 per tin. Ultimately, taste is subjective; the best matcha depends on what flavor profile you like and how much you want to spend. I enjoyed (nearly) all of the matcha powders I tried, but I found six that particularly stood out for budget-conscious beginners, latte drinkers, and those who want to savor their matcha.

The Tests

• Manufacturer’s Preferred Method Test: I prepared each matcha according to its manufacturer’s guidelines using a matcha bowl and whisk. Many of the preparations varied in how much water they used, so I also tasted each matcha in an usucha (a traditional “thin tea” preparation of one teaspoon of matcha whisked into two ounces of water) before diluting it to evaluate the flavor notes across the lineup. I rated the matcha powders on their richness, umami, sweetness, bitterness, astringency, brightness, and earthiness.
• Frothy Iced Matcha Test: I used a cocktail shaker to make frothy iced matcha with each matcha powder and noted its flavor profile.
• Iced Matcha Latte Test (Winners Only): I used an electric milk frother to blend one teaspoon of each matcha powder with two ounces of water until dissolved, then added ice and six ounces of oat milk to make an iced latte. I evaluated the matcha based on how well it came through in the creamy drink or whether it lost its complexity. 

What We Learned

What Is Matcha?

This powdered tea originated in China during the Tang Dynasty, which lasted from 618 to 907 C.E. It spread to Japan via Buddhist monks in the 12th century, where it became an integral part of Japanese tea ceremonies (and still is today). Almost all matcha is now produced in southern Japan. Like France, which has regions known for wine (think Champagne or Bordeaux), Japan has notable growing districts for matcha. Shizuoka is the largest, while specific spots like Uji (in the Kyoto Prefecture) and Yame (in Fukuoka) are famed for producing superbly rich teas.

The quality of the tea depends on how it's grown and processed. Matcha isn’t merely the ground version of green tea leaves you might find in a grocery store, although the two do share some similarities. Matcha and green tea (plus black, oolong, and white teas) come from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. While all tea comes from a single species, tea cultivars have been selectively bred for specific growing or flavor properties (similar to how most wine comes from Vitis vinifera whether it's a Riesling or a Pinot Noir).

Unlike green tea, plants grown for matcha are shaded during the final weeks before harvest, which boosts their leaves’ chlorophyll and theanine content. These compounds are responsible for matcha’s bright green color and umami flavor, respectively, but how much they increase depends on the thoroughness and length of time the plants are shaded (which can vary from farm to farm). Once the tea is ready to harvest, producers pick the youngest, most delicate leaves from the top of the plant, steam them to preserve their color, and dry them. The tencha, as it's called at this point, is then ground into a fine powder. After all that, we have matcha.

Culinary vs. Ceremonial Grade: What’s the Difference?

Matcha is commonly labeled under two main categories: ceremonial grade and culinary grade. In broad strokes, ceremonial grade usually refers to matcha made of the youngest, first leaves harvested in springtime after the plant has stored nutrients all winter. It’s shorthand for drinking-quality matcha, or matcha suitable for use during tea ceremonies. It tends to be emerald-hued, nuanced, and balanced in terms of bitterness. It’s well suited to traditional preparations like usucha or koicha. The former is a relatively thin, frothy whisked tea made with a matcha bowl and whisk (aka chawan and chasen), two grams of matcha, and two ounces of warm water. The latter, koicha, is a more formal preparation in which double the matcha is whisked into half the liquid, creating a thick paste resembling melted chocolate that's ultra-concentrated with flavor.

Culinary matcha is not recommended for drinking. It is generally made from more mature leaves and those harvested later in the season. It’s much more affordable and typically olive-toned, one-note, and astringent. However, its intensity can be advantageous when it's sweetened and combined with other ingredients in baked goods. While the “ceremonial” and “culinary” terms may be helpful starting points, they aren’t regulated and may not be applicable (or accurate) for every matcha. They’re used almost exclusively as Western marketing terms (not in Japan), and it’s up to the brands to decide what they think is worthy of the increased price. (Spoiler: Sometimes lower-quality matcha is labeled with the ceremonial classification.) Instead of relying on grades, it’s more helpful to read up on the producer’s suggested uses based on the matcha’s cultivar, harvest blend, and flavor profile. 

Grading Didn’t Really Matter

Even though I knew that a ceremonial designation could be hit or miss, I still went in expecting a lot from the first-harvest, ceremonial grade matcha in the lineup. I quickly discovered how many of the best matcha powders were ungraded. The Ippodo Ummon and the Kettl Shirakawa Uji Hikari both eschewed grades, had vivid hues, and were full of rich, umami flavor. I was also delightfully surprised by a few of the approachable, ungraded blends of first- and second-harvest leaves, like the Rishi Everyday Matcha and the Coldbrew from Breakaway. Comparatively, matcha powders with the “ceremonial” label weren’t automatically good. Namely, the ceremonial matcha from Golde was just as bitter and dull as the Navitas culinary grade matcha but was triple the price per gram. Instead of relying on grades, I found reading about each matcha’s producer’s practices more helpful. Brands that provided more transparent information helped me understand what I was getting and set better expectations for the matcha and its price.

Color Was a Good Indicator of Quality

While grading (or the lack thereof) wasn’t necessarily indicative of the caliber of the matcha, color was a much better clue. Matcha meant for drinking should be a vivid green without muddy hues. There’s no ideal shade for matcha, as each tin will vary depending on its cultivar(s) and when and how it was grown and processed. Yellow and brown undertones, though, can be signs of oxidation and bitterness. The Golde and Navitas matcha powders both fell on the yellowish, olive-green side of the spectrum and were astringent without much complexity. While they would have been okay for baking into sweetened treats, they didn’t make appealing drinks. On the other hand, the Kettl, Ippodo, and Blue Bottle powders were all strikingly blue-green in tone and were pleasantly nuanced with moderate to light bitterness.

Buy Only What You Need

From the moment it's ground, matcha starts to lose flavor potency and color vibrancy. This happens because it oxidizes when exposed to air, light, and heat. Humidity speeds up the process, too, and can cause the matcha to turn clumpy. For this reason, most matcha producers recommend keeping your powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer and using it up as quickly as you can (within three months of opening the package). It’s usually perfectly safe to drink or cook with matcha after this point—as long as it hasn’t gotten any moisture inside—but it's better to buy only as much matcha as you can use while it is at its peak. After all, drinking-quality matcha can be delicious but costly; the ones I tested ranged from $0.80 to $5.20 (!) per teaspoon. For quick reference, matcha for drinking is typically sold in 20-, 30-, or 40-gram tins. Most beverages use a teaspoon of matcha, which weighs about two grams. Therefore, you can expect to get about 10 drinks from a 20-gram tin, 15 drinks from a 30-gram tin, and so on.

Culinary-grade matcha, on the other hand, is often sold in much larger quantities, from 50 grams to one pound. It usually costs around $0.30 or less per gram, making it an attractively thrifty option. (The Navitas one I tried was in an 85-gram bag and cost about $0.20 per gram.) It’s suitable for people who cook with matcha frequently or want the intense flavor that the culinary grade can bring. But remember: It’s usually pretty bitter and dull to start with and will get more so as it ages. Unless you add food coloring, your goodies may turn out muted or brownish, and you don’t want to be left with a pile of matcha powder that’s too astringent to drink, oxidizing away in your kitchen. (Is it obvious that I’m speaking from experience here?) If the recipe you plan to cook only uses a tablespoon or two and you’re not making it regularly, you’re likely better off getting an ounce or two of culinary grade instead of a bulk bag. Or, if it’s a treat in which the tea can shine without too many competing flavors, you can consider using affordable matcha that you’ll also want to drink, like the Rishi Tea Everyday, Naoki Superior Ceremonial, or Jade Leaf Organic Ceremonial matcha.

The Criteria: What to Look for in Matcha

When shopping for matcha, don’t get stuck on ceremonial grading or distracted by generic wellness claims. (The amount of antioxidants, L-theanine, and caffeine will vary depending on the matcha, but all matcha has them.) Instead, look for a producer that’s transparent about its sourcing practices and quality standards. First-harvest matcha powders tend to make less bitter and more nuanced tea, but first- and second-harvest blends can be approachable and affordable for beginners and daily drinkers. For enthusiasts, try seeking out a single-origin, single-estate, or single-cultivar matcha to explore its complexity. Consider what you want to use the matcha for and how much you can reasonably go through in a few months. Robust culinary grade matcha can be good for baking, but an affordable drinking-grade matcha can be easier to use across multiple applications. Try to find a neutral or bluish-green matcha without muddy tones, but know that this can be tough when shopping online because most pictures are adjusted for color. Lastly, make sure the matcha you choose isn’t blended with sugar or flavorings (unless you want that). 

Our Favorite Matcha Powders

What we liked: The organic, single-origin Everyday Matcha from Rishi Tea was hands-down the most approachable matcha for beginners. It was $12 for a 30-gram tin at the time of writing (or $0.40 per gram). Not only was it super affordable, but it was also good. The matcha tasted clean and grassy, balanced with medium bitterness, mild earthiness, and notes of underripe peach. It was an easy sipper in each preparation and would be great for drinking on the go. Given its price, it’s also a tremendous general-purpose matcha to keep on hand for lattes, smoothies, fruity tonics, and vibrant baked goods. 

What we didn’t like: Because it was a blend of first- and second-harvest leaves, it was less vibrant and nuanced than matcha made from first-harvest leaves only.

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Author Of article : Ashlee Redger

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