I have too many teas. No, seriously. I can’t even count the number of teas I own. And I would say all of them are teas everyone should own.
But I know that for most Brits, there’s just one tea that they love to drink day in, day out. Whether it’s your Twinings Everyday blend or trusty PG Tips, it’s easy to fall into a rut.
Sure, drinking just one tea regularly is satisfying… but why not broaden your horizons?
I’m not suggesting you get as crazy about tea as me, but just stocking your cupboard with 5 different tea types is enough to bring versatility and something extra yummy to your cup.
These are the 5 teas that everyone should own.
Everyday Tea
This is your comforting, caffeinated tea to drink every day. For me, it’s a malty assam because it’s just so good with milk and easy to brew.
The key here, is your everyday tea should be something you can drink no matter what mood you are in. Go for teabags if you need convenience.
My recommendations:
- What-Cha Assam Mancotta (the fancy option)
- Twinings Everyday (luxury but still high-street)
- Yorkshire Tea (cheap and cheerful)
Afternoon Teas Everyone Should Own
No, I don’t mean fancy tea that you have to serve in teacups! But I do think that everyone should have a nice tea for drinking in the afternoons. It shouldn’t be as strong as your usual everyday tea but still be bursting with flavour.
An Earl Grey wouldn’t go amiss here.
The idea is to pick a cup of tea that’s good for relaxing and savouring. Take a break from work and really taste the tea instead of slurping it down.
- Clipper Earl Grey (simple but great bergamot flavouring)
- Whittard English Rose (delicate and fragrant)
- Ahmad Darjeeling (an unflavoured but light black tea)
Refreshing Teas Everyone Should Own
This will be the tea you cannot live without in the summer. I like a jasmine green tea as my ultimate refreshing tea, but it doesn’t need to be a caffeine tea. The key is that it refreshes you.
You get bonus points if you can drink it hot, iced and cold brewed. You’ll be grateful in the summer when you can keep a jug of iced tea in the fridge. It gives you the caffeine you need without making you overheat.
- T2 China Jasmine (one of my highest rated jasmine teas)
- Kusmi Strawberry Green Tea (fruity, sweet and fresh when iced)
- Teakruthi Zen Mint (light black tea with peppermint)
Calming Herbal Tea
Sometimes you need a cuppa but you don’t want the extra caffeine – this is where your herbal tea comes in. You don’t need to get crazy with flowers and leaves, as there are a lot of herbal teas available in the supermarket and online. Most tea companies have an herbal tea line.
I like to pick herbal tea blends that are designed for soothing anxiety and helping me get to sleep. Chamomile, spearmint, valerian root, etc.
You could also pick a fruit tea.
- Pukka Night Time Tea (gets me to sleep in minutes)
- Novus Egyptian Mint Tea (so fresh and bright)
- Twinings St Clements (sweet orange flavoured tea)
Cosy Winter Tea
This should be your cosiest, warmest, most indulgent tea ever. It’s the kind you can have instead of a hot chocolate and not feel like you’re missing out.
Rich flavours that go well with milk, spices and maybe even a slug of Baileys are all good choices. If you want to go the extra mile, you can dry toast some spices (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, all spice, anise) and brew them with your everyday tea in milk on the stove.
Otherwise, check out these cosy winter teas:
- Basilur Masala Chai (one of my favourite chais)
- Whittard Spiced Chocolate Orange (yes, chocolate tea)
- English Tea Shop Christmas Night (great with a good book)
To help you find a new tea to try, head to my Tea Review Index for a full list of teas that I have reviewed over the years.