PG Tips Tea Review (2026): Is It Worth It? Best & Worst Blends

This is the heart of the brand and the blend we'd put in front of almost anyone. The PG Tips Original Pyramid Tea Bags brew a deep amber cup with a brisk, malty backbone and just enough tannic grip to stand up to a generous splash of milk. It's the classic British 'builder's brew' — strong, reliable and uncomplicated.

The pyramid bag matters. The three-dimensional shape gives the leaves room to swirl and unfurl, so you get a fuller, faster extraction than the flat 'non-pyramid' bags PG Tips still sells separately. Brew it 3–4 minutes for a standard cup, or push to 5 if you like it dark. It's not a nuanced, single-origin sipping tea — it's a dependable everyday cup, and on that count it's about as good as bagged black tea gets.

PG Tips The Strong One uses extra-pressed tea leaves to deliver a noticeably darker, more robust brew than the Original. Where the Original is balanced, this leans into intensity: deep color fast, a heavier tannic edge, and enough body to carry a lot of milk without disappearing.

The flip side is balance. Brewed long, it can tip into a slightly harsh, over-tannic finish that the Original avoids. For most drinkers we'd still reach for the Original first, but committed strong-tea people — the 'stand your spoon up in it' crowd — will love this. It's the right pick for a hard, dark morning cup.

Decaf black tea is usually a disappointment — flat, papery, a shadow of the real thing. PG Tips Decaf is a happy exception. It uses a natural CO2 decaffeination process that strips the caffeine while leaving more of the tea's flavor intact than the older solvent methods, and the result is a cup that's recognizably PG Tips: malty, brisk, milk-friendly, just a touch lighter in body.

It's traditionally chosen by people cutting back on caffeine for sleep or sensitivity — and while we won't make health claims, the practical point stands: you can have a real-tasting evening cuppa here. It's slightly thinner than the full-caffeine Original, but the gap is smaller than with almost any rival decaf. An easy recommendation for the evening shelf.

PG Tips Loose Leaf is the same Assam-Ceylon-Kenyan blend in its purest form — no bag, just the leaf — and a 250g bag yields around 80 cups. Brewed in a pot or basket infuser, it gives a fuller, rounder cup than the bags, with a little more depth and a smoother finish, because the leaves have unlimited room to expand.

The trade-off is convenience: you need a teapot, an infuser or a strainer, and you'll have leaves to clean up. For a single mug on a busy morning, the pyramid bags win. But for a weekend pot or anyone who genuinely tastes the difference, the loose leaf is the most rewarding way to drink PG Tips.

PG Tips Green Tea is a light, approachable green in the same pyramid format. It's smooth and inoffensive, with a mild grassy note and very little of the bitterness or astringency that puts beginners off green tea. As an easy daily green for someone transitioning from black tea, it does the job.

Where it falls short is depth. Specialist green teas — sencha, gunpowder, or a good Japanese blend — offer far more nuance, umami and aroma. PG Tips Green is competent rather than memorable. If green is your main tea, look elsewhere; if you want a mild green to keep alongside your black tea, this is a low-risk, low-cost option.

PG Tips Earl Grey pairs the brand's reliable black-tea base with a twist of citrus bergamot. The base is genuinely good — it's PG Tips, after all — and the result is a smooth, drinkable Earl Grey that takes milk well, which not all Earl Greys do.

That restraint is the whole story. Lovers of a bold, fragrant Earl Grey will find this underpowered next to specialist blends. But if you want a mellow, milk-friendly daily Earl Grey on a budget, the strong base tea carries it. It's the best of PG Tips' flavored line — which, honestly, isn't a crowded field. A safe, gentle choice rather than a standout.