6 Store-Bought Matcha Powder Brands Ranked Worst To Best

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When searching for a caffeinated beverage to start the morning, more and more people are turning to matcha rather than coffee. Matcha, coffee's smoother, less jittery counterpart, is a type of green tea powder that dissolves easily in water. Matcha also contains a variety of antioxidants and helps regulate your energy levels better than a typical cup of coffee. Because of how it's processed, it differs from regular green tea, coming in a vibrant, bright green powder and containing more caffeine than a normal cup of leafy tea.

While matcha has existed for centuries in Japanese tea culture, it has recently gained popularity in the American beverage scene. You can now get a matcha drink from most coffee chains and can even find it in a variety of baked goods. If you're looking to make your own matcha drink at home though, it is pretty easy and can be more affordable. There are many tips for achieving the perfect cup, but choosing a high-quality matcha powder is an important first step. When tasting a good matcha, you want one that is slightly bitter at first, with notes of grassiness and umami depth that become smooth and slightly sweet on your palate. We tasted six store-bought matcha powders and ranked them from worst to best, so you know which brands make the best cup at home.

The worst matcha we tried was MatchAiA USDA-Certified Organic Matcha. When prepared without milk, it tasted watery, sharp, and bitter, lacking the umami complexity of many of the other powders we tasted. Unfortunately, that sharp taste also did not smooth into the slight sweetness quality that matcha is supposed to have. Even after we added a splash of milk, the dull bitterness of this drink couldn't be masked, and it was borderline undrinkable.

We noted that the package indicated it was culinary grade, which, compared to ceremonial-grade matcha, is generally processed more crudely, leading to bitter, less palatable flavors. This powder might be a better candidate for a baking project or a smoothie, where the bitterness can be masked and balanced by other flavors.

The Carrington Farmers Matcha Powder left much to be desired. From the first sip, this matcha powder was extremely bitter, leaving a bad aftertaste. Additionally, it lacked complexity and almost tasted bland. It didn't have any of the expected fresh, grassy notes, and what could maybe be described as earthy, almost had a burnt taste. There was little to no sweetness in this matcha. 

This powder is also culinary grade, so it isn't necessarily the best candidate for a perfect cup. While Carrington Farms claims you can drink it in latte form, they also recommend using it as a mix in smoothies or yogurt bowls. It would probably be good as an addition to other culinary savory matcha recipes as well, such as a mix-in in butter. The presence of creaminess and other ingredients may help to balance out what is otherwise a bitter product lacking in complexity.

The Kuli Kuli Matcha Moringa Organic Superfood Latte is a ceremonial-grade matcha powder that's combined with other superfoods like moringa, lion's mane, and B vitamins. Kuli Kuli claims it can boost mental focus and vitality while providing a lower-caffeine alternative to coffee. This matcha powder placed in the middle of our rankings — the overall taste was enjoyable, touted lots of extra health benefits, and had notes of chocolate and a slight sweetness.

The biggest critique we had was that it had a slightly artificial taste and was a little too sweet for our tastes. Overall, this drink tasted less like matcha and had a stronger, sweeter, mushroomy flavor from the lion's mane. It should be noted that while this isn't a plain or traditional matcha powder in any way, it is a great coffee alternative, with the added benefits from the superfood ingredients.

We enjoyed drinking the Japanese Sweetened Matcha Powder from Aiya. Not made for purists, this one is sweeter, with a very mild matcha flavor, and very little grassiness and earthiness. While delicious, it is not traditional. The packet includes pre-mix ins of sugar and milk — but although you don't receive all the nuances of a traditional matcha, the sweetness and creaminess of this powder make for an enjoyable sip.

This one is perfect for those looking to get into matcha because of its approachable, mild flavor. While tasting it alongside the purer options, the Sweetened Matcha had a slightly artificial sweetness, but it still maintained a dominant matcha flavor. Because it already has sugar and milk, it is a simple matcha latte to prepare if you're looking for a quick, convenient option.

The Trader Joe's Matcha Green Tea Powder surprised us by being a top contender among the store-bought brands that we tried. Coming in a strong second place with very prominent matcha flavors, TJ's option checked many of the boxes we look for in a pure matcha experience. Upon the initial sip, it was very bitter, yet still had hints of fresh grassiness. As the flavor settles into your mouth, though, you're left with a smoother sweetness. If you add a splash of milk (or coffee creamer), this sweetness is even more enjoyable, and the matcha flavor becomes quite balanced. 

We liked how strong this matcha was. It was good with either water or milk, and the flavor strength seemed good for baked goods and cooking as well.

Our favorite matcha we tried was the Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha from Jade Leaf Matcha. It had all the desirable qualities you would want in a matcha, but what distinguished it most was the earthy, complex flavor in the initial sip. While most of the matcha powders on this list were bitter, the taster had to get over it to enjoy the other nuanced flavor profiles matcha offers. This matcha, however, was good from the first sip.

One of the best parts of matcha is its evolving flavor profile. The Jade Leaf Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha captures this quality better than any other powder we tasted. After the initial earthy notes, the flavor mellows into a beautiful, slightly sweet aftertaste. This matcha checked all of our boxes and produced a very satisfying cup of tea.

We chose brands to compare from the selection available at our supermarket. Consistent preparation of matcha is essential to conducting a uniform taste test. All of the matcha powders we tasted were prepared in a matcha bowl and whisked with water that was heated to the proper matcha temperature, around 158 degrees Fahrenheit. All matchas were tasted first plain, and then with a splash of milk per the preferences of our tasters. We then evaluated overall taste, and ranked against the traditional markers of a quality matcha: an initial fresh, savory, and slight grassiness, and then a subtle sweet smoothness in the aftertaste.