What is Matcha?
Matcha is a powdered green tea containing 137 times more antioxidants than brewed green tea (like, whoa). Both come from the tea plant (camellia sinensis), but with matcha, the entire leaf is consumed.
It has traditionally been consumed as part of Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries, but has become more widely known and popular in recent years and is now enjoyed around the world in tea lattes, smoothies, desserts, snacks, and more! Learn more about the fascinating history of matcha here.
Health Benefits of Matcha
Research suggests that green tea supports brain health and has anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-inflammatory effects. And we’ve already established that matcha is even more potent than green tea!
Plus, matcha is a gentler source of caffeine than coffee (we’ve noticed there’s no head rush or jitters with matcha). And it’s rich in vitamin C, the calming amino acid L-theanine, and a flurry of antioxidants (most notably, the powerful EGCG).
Best Matcha Brands
Since not all matcha powders are of the same quality, we did a formal, side-by-side review of some of the most popular and high-quality brands of matcha powder on the market.
Our goal was to test color, aroma, texture, flavor, and overall quality. We wanted to see which brands stood out and which ones weren’t worth the hype in order to save you the time and money of doing the research yourself. Plus (selfishly), we love matcha and wanted to have the best matcha for ourselves, too.
Ceremonial vs Culinary Matcha
Although there are currently no regulations to differentiate “ceremonial” and “culinary” matcha, ceremonial matcha is typically higher quality.
Ceremonial matcha is intended to be mixed directly into hot water and consumed as tea. It usually comes from the youngest tea leaves from the first harvest.
Culinary matcha is more affordable and is intended to be used in smoothies, tea lattes, and baking. Depending on the brand, it can vary in terms of the age and quality of the leaves picked.
In our experience, the quality of culinary matcha varies more greatly than ceremonial powders, making it especially important to choose a high-quality brand when buying culinary matcha.
The Ground Rules
- We tested 8 brands of ceremonial grade matcha powder and 8 brands of culinary grade matcha powder. Most were purchased from Amazon (for accessibility’s sake).
- This review is not sponsored in any way. We were not given free product or compensated for any of our reviews, and we had no contact with any of these brands prior to reviewing the products.
- We selected brands that were organic, grown in Japan, and seemed to be high-quality.
- Shade-grown matcha produces more chlorophyll in the leaves, leading to a vibrant green color. Many of the brands we tested specified that they were shade grown.
- We tried to be as unbiased and objective as possible when reviewing.
- We graded the powders on a scale of 1-5 (1 being poor, 5 being excellent) on:
- Color vibrancy
- Aroma
- Texture
- Flavor
- Overall thoughts
- When testing for texture and flavor, we added 1/2 tsp of matcha powder to a small bowl and slowly poured in 1/3 cup filtered, hot (not boiling) water while whisking with a bamboo whisk.
- For consumer awareness, we also examined:
- Cost per ounce (US $) — subject to variability
- Grade: ceremonial or culinary
- Location of origin
- Additional claims/perks (i.e. shade grown, stone ground, etc.)
- If we would repurchase
Results: Ceremonial Grade
First place: Kyoto Dew Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Second place: Matcha Konomi Akira Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Third place: Matcha Moon Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Fourth place: Kiss Me Organics Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Fifth place: KENKO Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Sixth place: Encha Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Seventh place: Jade Leaf Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Eighth place: Mizuba Nagomi Ceremonial Grade Matcha
The Review: Ceremonial Grade
#1: Kyoto Dew Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.75 – A true vibrant lime green.
Aroma: 5 – Very sweet aroma. Strong vanilla and rose scent. Punchy green tea aroma. Awesome.
Texture: 4.75 – No visible bits left undissolved. Very slight coating on sides of bowl with a tiny graininess. Very silky.
Flavor: 4.5 – Classic green tea flavor. Peppery quality that drops quickly. Subtle bitterness. Nuanced in a good way. Really solid.
Overall thoughts: 4.75 – Seems to be one of the highest quality ones we tested in regard to color, texture, and aroma, which were all exceptional. Maybe the only improvement would be in the flavor category, but it would be very minor.
Approximate cost per ounce: $24.99
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown, hand picked, air dried, stone ground.
Overall score: 23.75/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#2: Matcha Konomi Akira Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.5 – Deep green apple color. Slightly more green than yellow.
Aroma: 5 – Very sweet on the nose, almost has a rose scent, subtle vanilla note, and cacao undertone. Probably the sweetest I’ve smelled. Intoxicatingly sweet — in a good way.
Texture: 4.25 – Easy to whisk, but it does leave a little graininess on the edges of the bowl.
Flavor: 4.5 – Well-rounded bitterness. Very subtle sweetness detectable. Peppery and really pleasant.
Overall thoughts: 4.5 – Exceptional color and aroma. Wish it was a slightly smoother texture, but really enjoyed the flavor.
Approximate cost per ounce: $25.00
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Premium quality, stone ground.
Overall score: 22.75/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#3: Matcha Moon Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.75 – Quite a vibrant green, maybe slightly less than Kyoto Dew.
Aroma: 4.75 – More peppery aroma. Quite a bit of sweetness.
Texture: 4.75 – Very silky. No visible bits. Very slight coating on sides of bowl with slight graininess.
Flavor: 4.25 – Subtle bitterness that drops off. Classic green tea flavor. Pleasant, with more intensity on the front that drops off toward the end.
Overall thoughts: 4.25 – Noticeably high quality. Would do very well as a daily matcha as it’s easy to blend. Pleasant flavor. Not the best, but very good.
Approximate cost per ounce: $24.95
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown, stone ground, small batch, family-owned farm.
Overall score: 22.75/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#4: Kiss Me Organics Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.5 – Slightly more of a yellow-green, but still quite vibrant.
Aroma: 5 – Noticeable sweetness. Slightly stronger vanilla aroma. Really pleasant.
Texture: 4 – Pretty smooth, but a few little bits remained undissolved.
Flavor: 4.25 – Bitterness that is stronger on the front end and drops off at the end. Classic green tea flavor. A kick that is reminiscent of pepper and ginger. A little punchy, but pleasant overall.
Overall thoughts: 4.25 – Could use some improvement on texture. Loved the aroma. The flavor was pleasant overall, but not mind-blowing.
Approximate cost per ounce: $27.97
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Shizuoka, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Third-party testing for chemicals.
Overall score: 22/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#5: KENKO Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 5 – Very vibrant green. Has the fewest yellowish and brownish tints.
Aroma: 4.75 – Classic green tea scent. The sweetness builds in the aroma. Definite rose undertones. Very pleasant.
Texture: 4.25 – Pretty smooth, but took a little effort to get it completely blended. There were a couple bits still undissolved.
Flavor: 3.75 – The flavor drops off quickly, which leaves it a little flat and had us wanting something more.
Overall thoughts: 4 – Despite a very vibrant color and pleasant aroma, the flavor was one of the least enjoyable of the ceremonial matchas. Promising but ultimately a little underwhelming.
Approximate cost per ounce: $27.50
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Nishio, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Youngest, greenest, most delicate leaves used. Shade grown, first harvest.
Overall score: 21.75/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#6: Encha Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.75 – Almost identical to Jade Leaf — vibrant, deep green apple color.
Aroma: 4.5 – More detectable bitterness on the nose. Very subtle sweetness. Almost has a black tea aroma. Not what I expected.
Texture: 4.25 – Pretty smooth, but took a little effort to get it completely blended. There were a couple bits still undissolved.
Flavor: 4 – Bitterness on the front end that lingers. Not as complex as some of the other ceremonial matchas. A couple sips in, I got a wasabi undertone.
Overall thoughts: 4.25 – High quality, beautiful aroma and color, could improve slightly on texture and more balanced flavor.
Approximate cost per ounce: $18.82
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Premium first harvest, tested for radioactivity.
Overall score: 21.75/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#7: Jade Leaf Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.75 – Vibrant green apple color. Subtly more green than Konomi.
Aroma: 4.75 – Smells more true to a classic green tea. Not overly sweet. Earthy in a pleasant way. Very subtle bitterness detectable in the aroma.
Texture: 3.75 – There were little bits that would not fully dissolve.
Flavor: 4 – Quite zesty on the front end. Bitter, but not overly so. Punchy, but not unpleasant.
Overall thoughts: 4 – Texture could use refining, but the flavor was good overall. Not bad, but not the best.
Approximate cost per ounce: $24.95
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown.
Overall score: 21.25/25
Would we repurchase? No
#8: Mizuba Nagomi Ceremonial Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.25 – Very bright green apple color.
Aroma: 4.25 – Pleasantly sweet, a little floral, earthy, and subtle vanilla notes.
Texture: 4.25 – Blended easily, but there was a tiny grainy coating on the sides of the bowl.
Flavor: 3.75 – Slightly bitter, a little harsh, has a gingery undertone. Good, but not great.
Overall thoughts: 4 – Definitely high quality, however, there is a slight grittiness to the texture and the flavor is mostly a harsh bitterness. That said, the color is vibrant and the aroma is lovely.
Approximate cost per ounce: $25.00
Grade: Ceremonial
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: First flush, farm direct, shade grown, stone milled.
Overall score: 20.5/25
Would we repurchase? No
Results: Culinary Grade
First place: Aprika Life Premium Culinary Grade Matcha
Second place: Leopard Fine Culinary Grade Matcha
Third place: Mizuba Culinary Grade Matcha
Fourth place: KENKO Culinary Grade Matcha
Fifth place: Jade Leaf Culinary Grade Matcha
Sixth place: Matcha Moon Culinary Grade Matcha
Seventh place: Kiss Me Organics Culinary Grade Matcha
Eighth place: Epic Matcha Culinary Grade
The Review: Culinary Grade
#1: Aprika Life Premium Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 3.75 – Green apple color, but not as vibrant as Mizuba. Not a neon green, but definitely vibrant. Stays a nice vibrant green after adding to water, too.
Aroma: 4.5 – Aroma is mildly sweet. Almost has a subtle vanilla aroma. Smells really nice and fresh.
Texture: 4.75 – Almost completely blended, but there are tiny bits not blended. Easy to whisk overall.
Flavor: 4 – Noticeable bitterness. A little bit of a lingering spice. No sweetness. Overall really pleasant.
Overall thoughts: 4 – Seems to be a really high-quality matcha with a nice color and flavor. I feel like it would be great for a daily matcha or for cooking purposes, especially for the price.
Approximate cost per ounce: $5.69
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown.
Overall score: 21/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#2: Leopard Fine Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4.25 – The color is beautiful — deep, vibrant lime green.
Aroma: 4 – Peppery, slightly bitter, slightly sweet, almost has a subtle rose scent. Really nice overall.
Texture: 4.75 – Basically completely blended and smooth. Only tiny bits remained unblended.
Flavor: 3.5 – Mild bitterness that carries throughout. Grassy. Not mind-blowing, but really pleasant overall.
Overall thoughts: 3.5 – Seems to be really vibrant and fresh and high quality and would make a good daily matcha. The flavor left me wanting more from it, but really good overall.
Approximate cost per ounce: $8.30
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Kagoshima, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown, hand picked, stone ground.
Overall score: 20/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#3: Mizuba Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4 – Nice bright green apple color, but not quite as vibrant as other matchas I have seen.
Aroma: 4 – Pleasantly sweet. Almost has a vanilla scent to it. No noticeable bitterness. Smells intoxicating.
Texture: 3.5 – Visibly it looks very finely ground. After whisking, it appears mostly combined with some small undissolved bits on edges of the bowl. It doesn’t matter how long you whisk, it feels like there will always be some bits that don’t dissolve.
Flavor: 3.75 – Slightly bitter, but not overly so. Grassy. Pleasant overall, but not amazing.
Overall thoughts: 3.75 – A really good option for an everyday matcha at a good price. The color is vibrant and quality seems fresh, but the flavor left me a little underwhelmed.
Approximate cost per ounce: $8.57
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Farm direct, shade grown, stone milled.
Overall score: 19/25
Would we repurchase? Yes
#4: KENKO Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 4 – Nice bright apple green color.
Aroma: 3.75 – A little sweet on the nose. Grassy. Little bit of vanilla and a little bitter. Smells really nice overall.
Texture: 3.5 – Did blend okay, but there were still undissolved bits on the sides that didn’t seem like they could be blended with more whisking.
Flavor: 3.25 – Subtle bitterness, grassy, a little peppery. Not amazing, but also not bad. Middle of the road.
Overall thoughts: 3.25 – It was good, but wasn’t as nice and smooth as some of the others. The color is vibrant and the texture is smooth, but the flavor could use some improvement.
Approximate cost per ounce: $6.57
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Nishio, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown, hand picked, first harvest, sorted by tea experts.
Overall score: 17.75/25
Would we repurchase? No
#5: Jade Leaf Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 3 – Color is a slightly muted lime green with some brownish, yellowish undertones.
Aroma: 2.75 – Aroma is noticeably bitter and sharp. Grassy, not sweet.
Texture: 5 – It appears to be slightly more clumpy than others before whisking. Completely whisked without clumps in just 10 seconds.
Flavor: 3 – Quite a zesty spice to it. Almost tastes reminiscent of wasabi. Not sweet at all and definitely grassy and very punchy.
Overall thoughts: 3.25 – Seems to be decent quality, but clearly not the highest. Loved the easy whisking, but the flavor was too bitter and overpowering.
Approximate cost per ounce: $9.95
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown.
Overall score: 17/25
Would we repurchase? No
#6: Matcha Moon Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 3.25 – Not quite as vibrant as the others in the culinary group, but still a nice lime green.
Aroma: 2.75 – Has a grassy bitterness and peppery smell. Not sweet.
Texture: 4.75 – Basically completely dissolved with little tiny specks undissolved.
Flavor: 2.5 – Peppery and bitter. Not sweet. Very bitter aftertaste.
Overall thoughts: 2.75 – Not a bottom-of-the-barrel matcha, but not as good as some of the others in the group. Would recommend for cooking, but probably not for a daily matcha.
Approximate cost per ounce: $6.27
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Uji, Japan
Additional claims/perks: Fair trade, family farm.
Overall score: 16/25
Would we repurchase? No
#7: Kiss Me Organics Culinary Grade Matcha
Color vibrancy: 2.75 – Quite a muted lime green. It has a reddish, yellowish, brown undertone.
Aroma: 2.75 – Not sweet. Definitely peppery. Smells bitter.
Texture: 4 – It did whisk pretty well, but there were visible undissolved bits on the sides of the bowl.
Flavor: 2 – Strong bitterness on the front end and absent on the back end. Noticeable bitterness, grassy, not sweet, and unpleasant.
Overall thoughts: 2.75 – It seems to be noticeably lower quality by the color and flavor. I think it would be okay for baking, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a daily matcha.
Approximate cost per ounce: $9.99
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Japan
Additional claims/perks: Third-party testing for chemicals.
Overall score: 14.25/25
Would we repurchase? No
#8: Epic Matcha Culinary Grade
Color vibrancy: 2 – Muted brownish-green.
Aroma: 1 – Super bitter, peppery, and almost chemically. Smells like a mix between wasabi and paint. It’s bad.
Texture: 3 – There weren’t large bits intact, but it looked sandy on the sides. There were little specks that looked like they wouldn’t dissolve.
Flavor: 1.5 – Super bitter, peppery in a bad way. Quite unpleasant, plus sandy texture.
Overall thoughts: 1.75 – Clearly low quality based on color, texture, and flavor. I wouldn’t recommend it at all.
Approximate cost per ounce: $6.99
Grade: Culinary
Location of origin: Japan
Additional claims/perks: Shade grown.
Overall score: 9.25/25
Would we repurchase? No
We hope you found this review helpful! We would happily recommend any of the top 6 brands of ceremonial matcha and top 3 brands of culinary matcha.
Have you tried other matcha brands and enjoyed them? Want to see us review other products? Let us know in the comments!
Curious what other products we’ve reviewed? Check out our:
NUT & SEED BUTTER REVIEWS
- Store-Bought Almond Butter Review
- Store-Bought Cashew Butter Review
- Store-Bought Tahini Review
- Store-Bought Peanut Butter Review
Joelle Permutt says
Thoughts on the culinary Carrington brand that Walmart sells? I realize it’s probably inferior, but curious how inferior? It does check some quality boxes: aroma, color, origin (Japan), etc
Hi Joelle, we haven’t tried that one. Let us know if you do!
Laura says
Would love to see a comparison of brands for heavy metals.. I used to buy encha bc they tested for this, then they were bought out.
We will add it to our list!
Christine Lund-Molfese says
Hello! Thank you so much for your matcha review. I am wondering if your preferences have been updated for 2023, or if you still like Kyoto Dew ceremonial grade the best? I purchased this brand a year & a year ago and agree it was delicious. Could you let us readers know what is your favorite today? :) Thank you!
We still love that one!
Cecilia says
Did any one mention the strong taste of fish. This was with the Matcha brand
It was like salmon skins. Not for me.
Hmm, that’s strange! It definitely sounds like something is off. Perhaps try a different brand?
yehuda says
I’ve tried a lot of matcha and by far the best tasting matcha is man eating tiger, if you want the legit ceremonial grade matcha go there for sure!
Dara says
Great, review thanks! i just purchased one you recommended here. I did go directly to the manufacturers website to order. same price or less i try to buy from them. I used Do Matcha and loved it but these price points are all better so i’m hoping for the best!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Dara!
Jennifer Gartner says
Thank you for putting this together. So helpful!
We’re so glad it’s helpful, Jennifer!
Erin says
Have you tried any matchas from Steeped Tea? I would be curious to know your thoughts on it. They have a plain matcha but also sell flavored matchas – the only company I believe that is doing so.
We haven’t tried them!
Anna says
Thank you, your matcha review made me realize that I know at list something in this world, I have been drinking Aprika Life matcha for more then 2 years (before your review) and it’s awesome. Damn I’m goodđŸ˜‰ I noticed Aprika Life is selling ceremonial matcha (I haven’t tried it, expansive for me) but they are not on the list of ceremonial matchas. Are they bad?
Woohoo, nice pick ;) That’s a great question! We haven’t tried Aprika’s ceremonial grade. When we did this review, we don’t remember coming across that product, so perhaps it’s newer?
Ari says
I don’t know how to get a question on here so I’m just replying to somebody but do you know if these marchers have any metals in them a lot of green tea and marches do contain levels of lead and mercury did you research that? I’d like to know because that’s a real issue for me finding a good macho without let her mercury. Thank you
Hi Ari, in our search, we found that products from Japan typically have less of an issue with heavy metal content, so we only included matcha grown in Japan. We know that Sun Potion does heavy metal testing on their matcha, but aren’t sure about the other brands. Hope that helps!
Lex Barringer says
It’s true that in the USA there is no regulatory agencies that ranks and labels what is culinary grade 01 and 02 (A & B) as it’s seen sometimes. Versus, Cafe 01 & 02, Ceremonial Grade 01 and 02, let alone Imperial Grade (which is the very top Ceremonial Grade but not available to the general public, only the Emperor of Japan and his family and guest have access to this).
Cafe 02 is for fast food, equivalence, Cafe 01 is for sit down formal dining out. The culinary 02 is used for ice cream and anything with a lot of sugar in it, while the culinary 01 is used for something with a more creamy base but less sugar and has less of a harsh taste on it’s own. Often times smoothies are made out of Culinary 01.
Ceremonial 02 is used for weddings and special occasions, the only time Ceremonial 01 is used, is on special holidays as it’s very expensive.
The top shade grown Japanese organic vegan GMO-Free radiation free Ceremonial grade is 02 in the USA, even the first flush (first pick).
You can tell the difference, 02 is grown in the valleys and 01 is grown in the mountains and has a very interesting and intense taste. It’s sweet and creamy all on it’s own, high elevations does this to tea.
I hope you get to taste Ceremonial 01 in your lifetime, it’s delicious!
However, you have to have a contact at the farm where it’s grown and it’s not sold under a trade name or company.
Amy says
Hi Dana,
Great read, love matcha! I recently switched to ceremonial grade matcha and love Wholy Dose’s Ceremonial Matcha (wholydose.com). If you’re reviewing the best matcha powders you should definitely give that one a try, SO good and not bitter (yay!).
Awesome! Thanks for the tip, Amy! xo
Heather says
Hey Dana,
Thanks for sharing this, super helpful! Matchaful is my current favorite – I would try them out sometime. It would be good to know how they stack up. They also test for heavy metals, radiation, etc.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Heather. We’ll check it out.
Alyanna says
I purchased ceremonial grade matcha from directly from Epic Matcha and just by being an avid Matcha user daily for years, I can tell that their ceremonial matcha is not actually ceremonial matcha and I feel it could just be culinary matcha as it matches the taste, color and description as you described here. What’s worse I have emailed their company twice asking about this and have yet to receive a reply as I regrettably purchased 20 refill bags thinking I could stock up and save for whole years worth.
beachmama says
If you want to buy from a company with integrity, buy ceremonial grade Matcha from Mountain Rose Herbs (https://mountainroseherbs.com/matcha-tea) in Oregon. This Matcha is from the Kyoto Prefecture, is organic and fair-trade certified AND about 1/3 of the “first place” matcha reviewed.
Arrika says
Does ceremonial matcha & culinary grade matcha have the same benefits? – I am noticing the difference in price range and I am wondering if price reflects quality (regarding health benefits)
Any time a matcha is more potent, vibrant, organic, it’s going to have more health benefits, just like with organic food vs conventional at the grocery store. But it’s not necessary to buy “ceremonial” as long as it’s a nice quality organic, shade-grown, Japanese matcha.
Julie says
Last summer i went to Paris and i tested Hitomi matcha brand (only in Europe). It was so gooooooood đŸ¥°. I wasn’t able to find such a good one in New York. Can you recommend one as good as this one ?
Hi Julie, we haven’t tried that one so we can’t compare, but we do love the “Kyoto Dew” brand!
Steven says
Hello, bit of a silly question.
First off thank you for the great review it does help when there seems to be 1001 different versions of the 1 item I want to buy.
I’ve decided what matcha I want to buy all that’s now left is where can I get those wood tea scoops you used for this because they are gorgeous!
I believe these are by Magnolia brand!
Lana says
Just wondering if you made all of these with 80°C/176°F water as is recommended for green tea as boiling water burns the leaves. Typically the use of boiling water creates this bitterness, which most high grade matchas dont have
Hi Lana, yes, we used hot (not boiling) water.
Anne says
Thank you so,so much for this review! There’s a million matchas out there, with your review I was finally able to buy a good one!!
We’re so glad it’s helpful! Thanks for sharing, Anne!
Melanie says
Thanks for all the reviews!
I do wish that more of these were not Amazon matcha. I think we can all agree Amazon is destroying small business’ and is horrible to their employees as influencers we should try to uplift the smaller companies :)
Hi Melanie, thanks for the feedback! We can definitely appreciate that. We largely share Amazon links because they seem to be the most widely available to the greatest number of people. It’s often more expensive for our readers who are on budgets to buy from individual retailers where higher prices and shipping costs are common. However, shopping local and from small businesses is something we should all try and do more often, while recognizing it’s a privilege to be able to afford to do so.
Caitlyn says
thank you for your excellent review :) i was wondering if matcha expires? does it lose its taste and benefits after a certain amount of time after opening the package?
Hi Caitlyn, it will eventually, but should last at least 6 months. The time it lasts will depend on freshness when you buy it and the humidity and storage conditions.
Lisa Fascio says
Hello,
Your review is excellent. It seems like you did this review a few years ago so it’s not current? I use a few brands of matcha and I don’t see any of them on this list. Might I suggest doing a new reviews for us readers? On brand in particular, is matcha.com. They were founded by Dr. Andrew Weil. He’s a world leader in health and wellness. Their matcha is the best tasting I ever had, and I’ve had tons of matcha. If the goal of your post is to find the best matcha you might want to add these guys.
They just came on my radar, actually! And this review is one year old. We will update it as we try new matchas! Thanks for the reminder.
Jack Rohim says
I too have been wondering! Would love a 2022 matcha update <3 What brands should I be looking for?
We’ll add it to the ideas list!
Kayleigh says
Matchaeologist’s Meiko ceremonial matcha is the all time best matcha!
Laina says
Dana and team – Thank you for doing all this research! I have been using the Akira ceremonial grade matcha and love it. :) One suggestion/request: All of your links send folks to Amazon to buy these and other products you share on your site. By this point most of us know that Amazon is pretty much the worst, both in terms of environmental impact as well as their use of prison (essentially slave) labor and unfair working conditions for other domestic and international workers. You have such a large platform and following, I would love to see you sending folks to the actually manufacturers and listing the TRUE cost of these things which is likely more if you’re not going through Amazon which cuts all these corners to provide the cheapest/fastest option out there. This would be a huge way for you to contribute to educating your followers and divesting money away from big corporations and into smaller businesses. Voting with our dollars is one tangible way we can all feel empowered to take action and literally put our money where our mouth is. That said, thank you for all you do – I love your site!
Hi Laina, I understand your concerns. On the other hand, consider that it’s often more expensive for our readers who are on budgets to buy from individual retailers where higher prices and shipping costs are common. We largely share Amazon links because they seem to be the most widely available to the greatest number of people. However, shopping local and from small businesses is something we should all try and do more often, while recognizing it’s a privilege to be able to afford to do so. I trust everyone will do their part and do the best they can when making purchasing decisions such as this.
Loo says
This comment made me audibly exclaim “YES” very loudly. Thank you, Laina. I want to like this your comment a million times over.
Ashley Madden | Rise Shine Cook says
This review took so much work! What a fantastic resource! So amazing! Thanks for this Dana!
xo
We’re so glad you found it helpful, Ashley!
Andy says
Hi Dana, I made some almond flour cookies/macaroons with culinary Jade Leaf Matcha, and even though I baked at no more than 300 degrees for 15 minutes, the green turned to kinda brown, and there was hardly any matcha flavor. Is there a matcha powder that you have used for baking that retains the green color and a good flavor?
Hi Andy, we find the color does fade with baking. We like to use matcha in frosting so it retains the color: https://minimalistbaker.com/vegan-matcha-buttercream-frosting-1-bowl/
Andy says
Thanks! I’m thinking of using cashew cream instead of the vegan butter for the matcha frosting, will that work? And also, will the frosting harden enough in the fridge?
We think a cashew cream frosting would work well! Similar to this recipe.
Serena Sciallo says
Hi, I love the four sigmatic matcha latte. Have you had it? How does it rate? Also, any close substitute as it’s hard to get right now! Thank you :)
I’ve tried theirs and think it’s OK. But it’s definitely not as good as buying pure matcha and making your own latte!
Vicky says
Wow such a comprehensive list! Thank you! I’ve tried most of them (except those culinary grade ones) and agreed with you 100%! I find some matcha need to be sifted because some are not pre-sifted at the factory – so sometimes it may not mean it’s bad because of the clumps (without sifting).
I also love a Canadian brand called Whisk Matcha (whiskmatcha.ca) – it’s not available on Amazon but it’s truly amazing! Maybe you guys should give them a try as well.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Vicky! We’ll check it out!
Gill says
I read carefully all the reviews and then looked on Amazon and not one was available to buy here in England. There’s Pure Chimp, Matcha Moments, Kineta, Matchita, Sevenhills,Natural Bio and more, but none you recommended. Hey Ho. Perhaps I’d better do my own research and let you know. I was wondering if some might be the same product but with different brand names for over here for some reason.
Bummer! Let us know what you discover!
Becca says
Hey Gill, i had the same issue as I also live in the UK, after much reasearch and a good read of consumer product reveiws i went for OMGTEA matcha AAA. It’s the first one I’ve tried so nothing to compare it to but seemed to be the best quality in the UK market so went for it and I have to say it is very nice.
Aimee says
Have you tried and rated any of the sweetened Matcha powders? My local coffee shop uses a presweetened one but I’d love to find a way to do it at home. (Other than adding sweetener after the fact)
We haven’t!
Vanessa says
I love these ratings posts! I had tried a matcha latte from Starbucks a while ago and threw it out because it was so bitter and gross. I assumed all matcha taste like that. I was wrong and didn’t realize there were so many factors to a good matcha powder. I purchased the Aprika Life and use it for matcha lattes in my frother. It is amazing! So smooth, not bitter at all and it’s on Amazon.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Vanessa!
Bili says
Kiss me Culinary Matcha green tea powder is fake. Don’t buy it. This product is from China not Japan. Doesn’t smell, look or taste the same as real matcha tea. It’s waste of money.
Nick says
Hi! Great post, I couldn’t believe that you guys didn’t include Matcha Kari (matcha.com).
With Dr. Andrew Weil as founder and a concentration on education + purity (heavy metal tested) it’s surprising it slipped by?
I’m personally a fan of the Tenchi Ceremonial Organic (I get the 80g size), but all of their Matcha is great. I’ve tried them all (most at least)
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Nick! We mostly chose products from Amazon for accessibility sake.
Melanie perrone says
can’t wait to try some of these suggested matchas. since Teavana is no longer open, I have been searching for good matcha. I usually go to our local asian market and have purchased some from Japan. But it’s always questionable if I am going to like it or not. They also have an interesting powdered drink from Korea made from beans, yams, grains, including Job’s tears, which I really like. You mix it with water and it’s really good.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing, Melanie!
Lena says
What’s it called? I’d love to buy some of that powder. I am always on the hunt for new drinks!
Sunny with Sarah says
Wow! I really appreciate you all taking the effort, time, and research to create this article. I love matcha lattes from Starbucks, but have to refrain sue to the high price. I am excited to try one of the brands you recommended and start making green tea lattes/smoothies at home. God bless <3
Thanks so much for your kind words, Sarah! We’re so glad you found it helpful!
Sr. Pentia says
Which matcha is good for making diy face masks, ceremonial or culinary? I’ve seen recipes that include yogurt & matcha and honey and matcha that you mix together and apply to face for 15 minutes. So in your opinion, is ceremonial or culinary better for face masks? Would culinary have same benefits for skin?
We think either would work! Though ceremonial is more expensive, so culinary might be a better fit. Both are going to be rich in antioxidants.
Kara says
Hi there! Does it make sense to use ceremonial quality in daily matcha lattes with almond milk or is it a waste of money? Am I losing out on some of the benefits if not mixed with water?
Thanks!
We don’t think so! Mixing with water is just the traditional way.
Matcha Moon says
Thank you again for your kind review of our Pure Zen matcha. We’re so pleased that you liked it!
Just one small correction if we may.
In your review, you list the cost per ounce as $27.50, but actually, we have sold our Pure Zen 30g matcha unchanged at $24.95 for several years, which according to Amazon works out to $23.76 / Ounce. You may want to update this info for your readers.
Thanks again and Best Wishes : )
Thanks for letting us know about the error. It has been updated. For consistency sake, we changed to $24.95/ounce since we used 30 g = 1 ounce throughout.
Cindy says
Have you ever tried Matchaeologist’s matcha? They’re all Uji matcha Ed but in different varieties. I was wondering how they might compare to any other matcha.
Ooh, we haven’t! But thanks for putting it on our radar.
Alicia McGloon says
I love Matcha! Thank you for this great review.
My favorite matcha is from three leaf tea.
if you want another great one to try! :)
Kristin says
I love these reviews you’ve been doing!! Also love they aren’t sponsored in any way. I’m excited to buy some new matcha now—I just recently started drinking it but have had hit and miss experiences. One matcha from a cafe had a very strong fish flavor. I’ve been using the Tao matcha which I think is okay, but I can’t wait to try your tops for the culinary matcha. Thank you!!!!
xo! Hope you find one you love.
Kathy Kapteyn says
I’m wondering if any of these tea products from Japan have been tested for radiation contamination following Fukushima. I have read that Japanese tea should be avoided for this reason. Thanks. I appreciate your ratings of health products! KK
Erin says
Wow, this was impressive! Doing the Lord’s work;) however.. I’m a Costco fiend! Where does their matcha stand up? I had no idea there were different types of matcha like this. Schooled.
I’ve never tried theirs! Let us know if you do.
Dana Chalamet says
Besides flavor and if it’s been third-party tested for chemicals (should also be testing for heavy metals!), what should be the main focus when purchasing any matcha is LOCATION. You don’t want anything near the Fukushima disaster. I’m actually surprised you didn’t include this vital info in this review, as this is extremely important and everyone needs to know this. There are resources to explain the safest regions for matcha, here is one:
http://www.matchareviews.com/faq-should-i-be-worried-about-radiation-in-my-matcha/
According to this, the matcha you chose from the Shizuoka region is highly questionable along with any listed as coming from Japan. This is nonspecific and you haven’t any idea where it’s actually coming from.
Thanks for sharing this info, Dana. Always so much to learn about our food sources.
Morgan says
I order my matcha from Mountain Rose Herbs (by the pound!) and I love it’s subtle flavor. I have a matcha latte every morning and it is such a blessing to my day!
Ooh, I’ll have to try theirs!
Debbie says
Hi! My daughter is a big matcha drinker so I gave it a try (she uses culinary grade organic Elan, found here in Canada). I’m very sensitive to caffeine and unfortunately this matcha did affect me. I have been unable to find decaf matcha. Are you aware if it exists? Thanks, Debbie
My best option is to try Moringa lattes instead!
elizabeth says
Debbie, Have you tried using less of the powder? I am also very sensitive to caffeine, so only use 1/4 t matcha in my latte and am okay. Everyone is different though.