I tried eight decaf teas and one supermarket's was so good I may switch

Decaffeinated tea has improved hugely since it first appeared in supermarkets

DEMAND for decaffeinated tea is growing, with people cutting back on caffeine for health reasons.

Decaffeinated tea is regular tea (black, green, or oolong) that has undergone a process to remove 97 to 99 per cent of its natural caffeine.

With an inner ear condition, I was advised to convert to decaf more than a decade ago. It was tough at first - the teas I tried were poor relations to the real deal, but I am glad to say they have improved immeasurably over the years.

I’m a Tetley drinker, and have been for a long time, but thought I would give some supermarket own brands a go.

I was pleased to see that each of the teas is sustainably sourced and display either the Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade logo on their boxes.

I bought eight brands and made several cups of each throughout the day, over a couple of weeks, to confirm my initial findings.

I like my tea fairly strong, so I left the bag to soak for three-and-a-half minutes. They were some marked differences - some were definitely not my cup of tea, and some I would certainly buy again.

*Tesco Decaff Original Tea, 80 bags, 250g, £1.90

This tea had an appealing rich brown colour. It wasn’t bad, but it could have been more flavoursome. The taste was definitely there and it was quite refreshing, but a bit more oomph wouldn’t go amiss.

Pros: colour, taste

Cons: depth of flavour

Mark: 3/5

*Diplomat Decaf Tea, Aldi, 80 bags, 250g, £1.49

This tea was a good colour, but it was weak and tasted bitter. It also left a slightly metallic aftertaste. I didn’t like this one at all, but taste is a very personal thing, and for those who enjoy this brew, it’s very affordable.

Pros: price.

Cons: taste.

Mark: 1/5

*M&S Decaf Tea, 80 bags, 250g, £3.20

This brewed up to a good builders’ tea colour. It was quite a refreshing brew, but with the appetising colour, I expected it to be stronger. It did, however, leave a slightly furry feeling on the edge of my tongue (similar to Lidl’s Knightsbridge), and I debated whether I award it two marks, but it was quite pleasant to drink. Also it’s more expensive than the others.

Pros: appearance, taste.

Cons: after-effects, price.

Mark: 3/5

Tesco Decaff tea bags

Aldi Diplomat Decaf tea bags

M&S Decaf tea bags

Essential Waitrose decaf tea bags

(Image: Newsquest)

*Morrisons 80 Tea Bags, 232g, £1.75

A deep brown colour, this tea was very smooth on the palate, giving offers a soft, rounded feel as I drunk it - the smoothest of the selection. It had good depth to it and a robust flavour - a lovely cuppa. It’s cheaper than the tea I usually buy, so I think I may be a convert. I was very impressed by this cuppa.

Mark: 5/5

*Asda Decaf Tea Bags, 80 bags, 232g, £1.41

These tea bags needed to be gently squeezed with a spoon to extract a decent amount of tea. Even with a gentle nudge, though, the bags split easily. Even after squeezing the tea was a bit lifeless and left a dry aftertaste. A good price, shame it wasn’t more palatable.

Pros: price.

Cons: taste/flavour.

Mark: 2/5

*Knightsbridge Decaf Tea, Lidl, 80 bags, £1.49

This tea had a decent colour but only after I had squeezed the tea bag (which remained intact). Sadly, it lacked depth of flavour. It also left a dry taste in my mouth and left my tongue feeling slightly furry, similar to M&S. A good price, but it won't be going on my shopping list. On the plus side, I love the tea plantation painting on the box - it stands out from the crowd.

Pros: colour, price, box design

Cons: flavour, aftertaste.

Mark: 2/5

Morrisons Decaf tea bags

Asda Decaf Tea Bags, 80 Bags, 232g, £1.41

Lidl Knightsbridge Decaf tea bags

Sainsbury's Decaffeinated Red Label, 80 Bags, 250g, £1.75

*Decaffeinated Red Label by Sainsbury’s, 80 bags, 250g, £1.75

A lovely dark colour and a smooth cup of tea with a rich flavour. I enjoyed it almost as much as Morrisons - which is the same price - but the latter has the edge on smoothness.

Pros: appearance, flavour.

Cons: none.

Mark: 4/5

*Essential Waitrose Original Blend Decaf Tea Bags, 80 bags, £2.00

This cup of tea was a nice, rich brown colour. The taste seemed quite weak at first but as I sipped it, it was actually a reasonable cup of tea - not mind-blowing, but it was fairly smooth and had a decent flavour.

Pros: flavour

Cons: appearance, taste (at first)

Mark: 3/5

*Products purchased in June and July 2026