Charteas Reviews 11

Ordered a selection online to try after visiting a local cafe that stocks their teas.
Ordered a selection and all of them are delicious. Can highly recommend the lavender tea. Will be a committed returning customer.

Easy to order, quick delivery, excellent teas.

Tea prices at Char Teas are pretty much what they are at other suppliers, cheaper than many. If you want good tea, you have to pay for it. I think you have to be realistic about prices given the current state of UK economics afffects small traders.

Also get free samples which (I only drink green and jasmine teas) makes it easier to decide if you like before buying. non-green samples I give away. A couple of people have liked it som much they are regular customers now.

I'm a big tea lover and have sourced my tea from many different online sellers over the years. I have used Char Teas a few times but have found a much more reasonably priced and very helpful supplier with a great selection of classics and their own blends.

I recently returned to Char Teas to place an order because my mum requested some Lady Winchester, which only Char Teas supply and which really is a lovely flavoured blend. I added something for myself, hoping to qualify for free postage, but was dismayed to find this doesn't feature, even for very expensive orders, when others like Simpli-Special and Teas Direct offer this for orders over £20.

What was worse though is that I bought the autumn Darjeeling at a fairly high price of nearly £10 per 100g to treat myself and it doesn't seem to have much flavour at all, I wouldn't been able to tell it's Darjeeling, tastes more or less like water to me. I acknowledge people have different taste buds and mine have not got better through since Covid, but I have recently drank Darjeeling from my other supplier and it tastes like Darjeeling. I feel cheated.

They sent two free samples which is a nice touch I appreciated. Of the samples, the Early Grey variant was good but I didn't rate the Swedish breakfast tea much as it had that rather artificial, cloying peachy smell some flavoured teas seem to have (even though it tasted a lot less peachy, strangely, but rather unexciing and it seemed to not know what it was about).

I guess what I'm saying is, the offering seems patchy while prices are inflated. Lady Winchester is excellent though. I would recommend to regular customers to branch out and try some other suppliers, where they might get similar or better quality tea for half the price.

I discovered Char teas during a trip to Winchester and was impressed by their range. After trying the teas, I found the quality and taste of the teas lovely.
As there are now no teas shops where I live anymore, so I tracked down Char teas and now order online. I am so glad I've found a decent tea shop, who respond promptly to emails. The range of tea offered online is good and the quality remains high. Plus the free samples to try different teas you may not have discovered

I first shopped there 12 years ago on a day trip, and not since. Placed an order this week, a set of lovely teas. So glad they are still in business as a lot of my other to go tea places shut down over the years!

I have been purchasing my tea from Char Teas for approximately two years now and really enjoy the taste. However, last December I also purchased the small Chinese Tea Pot. I use this about three times a week when at home and the infuser inside has completely broken and allows the tea to escape into the pot. I contacted Char Teas regarding a replacement and was informed by a very indignant gentleman called David that he was obtaining some infusers and if I was prepared to pay the postage he would send me one. When I informed him that I wasnt he told me that he wasnt prepared to send one and terminated the call. What a disgraceful situation and with goods only 6 months old. Never again would I use an unproffesional company.

I first bought from Char teas last year a glass teapot and some green tea. I love that they give samples of their other loose leaf tea. The quality and taste of their tea are superb.

Their glass teapot is my favourite thing and recently, I broke the teapot lid by accident. I emailed asking if they sell replacement parts, instead they send me a new one in the mail with some samples!!! This is fantastic customer service and will definitely keep buying from them.

Thank you very much!!!

Tea is an industry full of unethical practices, environmental damage and exploitation of adults and children, just Google it. Schemes such as Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance and the Ethical Tea Partnership work to end these practices and all the reputable tea companies have commitments to work in ethical ways, stop environmental damage and stop exploitation. Char Teas positions itself as a reputable establishment, selling "world class teas" no less, and their website claims that they work "closely with growers". So what do they say on their website or packaging about their own ethical standards? Nothing, not a word. Anything about limiting environmental damage? Nope. Anything about not using exploited labour? Silence. Child labour? Sorry, came up empty!

Their tea may or may not be nice, but I prefer to do business with people that are transparent about how ethical they are or are not.

Recently discovered Char Teas and they have now become our primary source.
My wife has been enjoying sencha vanilla from another company until they stopped doing it. Searching elsewhere we found Char and are pleased to say we prefer their take on it!
I think something we are really pleased about is their little samples with each delivery. Has led to us ordering sencha spring and orange oolong.
Great company.

Char Teas delivers a refreshing and sobering ballast to the ghastly dehumanising customer experience delivered by Leviathan online retailers. Do one thing and do it well. That's my need as a customer, that's what I'm looking for.

In this case that one thing is tea. It's been an increasingly integral part of my routine and my self-care over the past four years. It took me a while to step from tea bags to loose leaf. My procrastination was due to lack of knowledge and putting it off. It's only a cup of tea, right?

The final nudge came when I kept reading about the bags used in the sachets. I don't understand the science, but I instinctually connected with the idea that leaving something bleached and processed in boiling water could be bad for me. Where's the due diligence of potential health effects over time?

So I stepped into the world of loose leaf tea. Char was one of the first websites I visited and immediately found their selection and the usability of their website inclusive. The ordering process was seamless and I used PayPal for peace of mind. They delivered first class next day.

There was helpful info about storing and brewing included. They have an offline presence in Winchester which I feel adds expertise and prestige to the brand. They're experts and it's clear, there's no self-indulgence or sanctimonious quasi-spiritual messaging wrapped up in their voice. I've been using Char for a year or so and the quality and personal attention to detail has remained consistent.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in my journey into loose-leaf tea, is that I have saved so much money. I didn't know that many quality teas are suitable for multiple infusions; in fact, I have found that sometimes the second and third infusions reveal the true nature of the tea with more vivid character than the first. So I am using one to two tbsp of tea per day, spending 20-25 pounds per 4-6 weeks. For some of the best tea in the world! Not this dusty afterthought that you get in most bags.

The only criticism I have is that they are perhaps a bit China heavy on their inventory and with recent publications around latent heavy metal content in Chinese green tea, it'd be good to have somewhere else to explore. Also more exposition around caffeine content and some useful dietary guidance on RDA for certain teas that are particularly caffeine heavy, or those which impact the body's ability to process iron - so what should be avoided around meals.

I emphasise that this is hyper-critical and perhaps something the customer should actively seek themselves. It's certainly not the responsibility of the brand. But it's what would push the customer experience from the realms of great to excellent, in my humble opinion.

I highly recommend this company for anyone looking to get serious about tea.