The Best Matcha Powder 2026, According to a Daily Matcha Drinker
The Glamour team are a hard-working bunch, spending their evenings and weekends moonlighting as beauty and wellness testers — AKA the best sleep supplements, electrolytes, green powders — to uncover which move them closer to their fitness, focus and health goals.Each willing volunteer was asked to try one matcha powder for a minimum of four weeks, and at the end of their trial period, they were asked to rate it against the following criteria:Ease of use — Were the capsules easy to swallow? Did the powder mix well with water?Efficacy — How long into the four weeks did they notice a difference, if any?Taste — On a scale of one to five, how pleasurable was the taste?Value for money — Would they be happy to commit to the weekly, monthly or bi-monthly spend?But, for matcha specifically, we also considered sourcing, grade, taste, and texture. As a starting point, we considered the sourcing region — all of the matchas recommended below are sourced directly from Japan, many from Uji, the region in the country that’s famous for its history of matcha production.In terms of grade, we only featured brands that used ceremonial or high-grade matcha. Why is this important? “Ceremonial-grade matcha is the highest quality and is the best for drinking, says Remy Morimoto Park, author of the cookbook Sesame, Soy, Spice: 90 Asian-ish Vegan and Gluten-free Recipes to Reconnect, Root, and Restore and founder of Frauth Matcha and contributor to this edit. ”That's because the leaves are picked from the first harvest of the year, the matcha is more flavourful and nutrient-rich, and the colour is more vibrant.“Ceremonial-grade matcha is deemed worthy of use in chado, while culinary-grade matcha comes from harvests that take place later in the year, and is better suited for cooking or baking.”Park continues: “We also considered a few factors printed on the packaging, like ingredients and a best-by date. Park strongly recommends going for a matcha with no added ingredients like sugars or anti-caking agents like starches. As for the date, Mangan says this should be printed on the bottom of the tin or bag, “Matcha is not like wine and after milling does not benefit from age or vintage. Once the leaf is ground, it should be consumed as quickly as possible.”“Finally, we noted the taste and texture. Of course, Park reminds us that the taste of matcha, like coffee, is subjective. Some people prefer a more astringent matcha while others like a deep umami flavour. As for texture, we looked for a smooth mouthfeel without grit, and a matcha that dissolves easily into water once sifted and whisked or frothed.”
