PG Tips vs Tetley: Which British Tea Is Better? (2026)

Brew these two side by side, same water, same steep time, and the difference shows up on the first sip. PG Tips hits brisker and maltier, with more of that tannic grip that says 'strong cup of tea.' Tetley British Blend lands a shade softer and rounder, still got backbone, but it's smoother and more forgiving on the way down.

Neither is 'better' in the abstract. If your idea of a good cuppa is one that wakes you up and bites back a little, PG Tips is your tea. If you want something you can drink all day without it ever feeling heavy, Tetley wins. That's the whole rivalry in two sentences.

This is the most visible difference. PG Tips uses a 3D pyramid bag, the extra space lets the leaf swirl and unfurl, so extraction is fuller and a bit faster. Tetley uses a flat round 'Perflo' bag with roughly 2,000 perforations and no string or tag, which also infuses fast but keeps the leaf flatter against the water.

In practice the pyramid gives PG Tips a small edge in how quickly it builds strength, while Tetley's round bag is dead simple, drop it, squeeze it, bin it. If you compost, note both brands have moved toward more biodegradable bag materials, but always check the current box, as formulations change.

Both teas were built for milk, and both handle it well, this is not where one falls apart. The difference is what milk does to each. With PG Tips, the briskness and malt mean a big splash of milk doesn't wash the tea out; it stays present and strong. With Tetley, milk smooths an already-smooth tea into something very easy and creamy.

Our honest take: drunk neat, both are a little plain, and Tetley in particular reads slightly flat without milk. So if you take your tea black, lean PG Tips for the extra briskness. If you always add milk (and most builder's-brew drinkers do), either works, pick on strength preference.

Price is basically a tie. PG Tips in a 160-count box lands around 6 to 9 cents a cup; Tetley British Blend in an 80-count box runs around 5 cents a bag. Both are a fraction of what specialty loose-leaf costs per serving, and both taste far better than the cheapest supermarket own-brands.

Because the per-cup cost is so close, we'd not make price the deciding factor. Buy the bigger box of whichever blend you prefer and you'll spend pennies either way. If you're squeezing every cent, larger PG Tips boxes (160 or 240 ct) often bring the per-cup number down nicely.

This one can swing your decision depending on where you live. Tetley is the easier buy in the United States, it's the bigger US brand, widely stocked, and the British Blend is made specifically for the American market. PG Tips is the UK heavyweight; in Britain it's on every shelf, but stateside it's often sold as an import, which can mean a higher price or buying online.

So if you're in the US and want the simplest, cheapest grab-it-anywhere option, Tetley has the edge on convenience. If you're in the UK, both are everywhere and it's a straight taste call. Wherever you are, buying online levels the playing field, both ship in bulk.