11 Highest Caffeine Teas
Looking for a great caffeine kick? Then we have just the energizing teas for you!
What are the highest caffeine teas? The highest-caffeine teas provide not just a great flavor but also a jolt of energy that can keep you going for hours. We recommend going with a tea that can provide up to 80–90 mg of caffeine for the best experience.
Read below to learn more about high-caffeine teas, what to look out for, and a few great recommendations!
How Much Is Too Much?
Caffeine is a powerful chemical that has profound effects on the brain and nervous system.
It is the main proponent in any caffeinated beverage and, with the right amount, it can cause you to stay alert, awake, and productive.
How does caffeine do this?
Well, think of your brain as a circuit board. Within the board, there are many transistors and delicate circuitry that change their state depending on a passing current.
In the same way that a switch turns on and off, your brain has certain receptors that can “fire” or relax.
The firing, or “on” state, usually leads to a stimulating effect, while the “rest” state has a depressive effect which leads you to relax and wind down.
If you were to zoom in on our hypothetical brain circuit and focus on the area that controls alertness, you will see that the circuits in that area fire and relax during different conditions.
For example, when you are at the office, several circuits will continuously fire which will help you stay focused and alert.
But when you are back at home and preparing to wind down, the circuits will slowly stop firing and go into a relaxed state which will eventually put you to sleep.
Here’s where caffeine comes in!
When consumed, caffeine makes its way to the brain where it begins to attach itself to certain receptors (or, in our analogy, circuits).
When this happens, it can block the circuits that control wakefulness, alertness, and focus, causing them to remain in an “on” state. This perpetual firing continuously stimulates your brain, which is why you stay up and alert!
The more caffeine you consume, or the more frequently you consume it, the more potent the effect.
But how much is too much?
Many health agencies indicate that adults should not consume more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.
This means that you should try to space out your beverages and only consume 3–4 cups of tea (each with 80–90 mg of caffeine) per day.
Luckily, there are several options that you can choose from to get not just a daily fix of caffeine, but also great flavor!
Buyer’s Guide For Highest Caffeine Teas
Here is what you need to look out for when purchasing a highly caffeinated tea:
- Total Caffeine Per Cup
- Loose Leaf Vs Tea Bag
- Leaf Quality
Total Caffeine Per Cup
The most important thing with high-caffeine teas is to look at the overall caffeine level per cup.
Most companies will not list the exact quantity of caffeine that you will get in each serving, but you should look around the packaging for either a visual indication or a direct reference to the quantity of caffeine in milligrams (mg)
Try to find a strength indicator, if available. This metric will display the strength of the tea in dots.
For reference, 1 dot is low caffeine (around 20–40 mg) and 3–5 dots is high caffeine, which can average around 90–130 mg per cup.
With 3–5 dot teas, you should limit your serving to about 2–4 cups per day. If you are taking an especially strong blend that goes up to around 130 mg per serving, then we strongly recommend that you only consume about 2–3 cups per day.
Remember: caffeine can cause a lot of unwanted symptoms!
Sure, it may keep you awake for longer, but it will also directly affect your heart health and may even put stress on your digestive system, which can lead to a string of separate symptoms.
Loose Leaf Vs Tea Bag
Tea is primarily available in two forms: bagged or loose.
If you are old school and like to brew your tea with painstaking detail, then we recommend that you go with loose leaves and a quality tea strainer or infuser.
Tea bags are a godsend for many people since they eliminate the need for clean-up and are highly convenient to use.
You just add the tea bag to a cup and let the leaves steep in hot water for a few minutes to get instant hot tea within the cup — no mess or fuss!
However, using tea bags for making large batches of tea can be cumbersome — and it isn’t the traditional way to brew tea leaves, which is why many purists abhor the use of tea bags (especially when serving tea to guests).
Whatever your reasons, make sure that you get the right type of tea for your daily use.
If you usually only make tea for yourself, then go with tea bags! But if you like the art of steeping and brewing tea, or if you make tea in large batches, then you should opt for loose tea leaves.
Leaf Quality
Whatever type of tea you choose, please make sure that you are getting your money’s worth.
Most cheap teas will have shredded particles of tea leaves in either bag or loose form. Here’s the thing: tea leaves tend to lose their inherent quality and flavor the more they are processed.
So, if you are going for a highly processed tea, then chances are that you won’t be getting good quality leaves — sneaky manufacturers may even try to hide this fact by adding unnecessary chemicals and stabilizers to mask the flavor of the tea!
For the best experience, look for details on the packaging and try to select manufacturers that have a great reputation in the market.
Highest Caffeine Teas
Now that you know all about high-caffeine teas and what to look out for, here are our best recommendations for great-quality, high-caffeine teas.
Our list is refined through our buyer’s guide, so you can expect a great experience with whatever option you go with!
| Rank | Product | Best Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tazo Green Tea - Energize High Caffeine | Smooth flavor with very refreshing notes. Provides a decent jolt per cup! |
| 2 | Tiesta Tea Energizer | Energize your day with this assortment of loose tea leaves with high caffeine. |
| 3 | Tiesta Tea - Passion Berry Jolt | A brilliant fruity tea designed to refresh your senses and give you a jolt of energy! |
| 4 | Tiesta Tea - Chai Love | Traditional chai leaves with great flavor and lots of caffeine per cup! |
| 5 | Tazo Tea Bags High-Caffeine Earl Grey | Simple but premium Earl Grey tea bags designed to keep you going throughout the day. |
| 6 | Celestial Seasonings Black Tea - Morning Thunder | Shake up your mornings with this strong and refreshing Morning Thunder tea! |
| 7 | Tiesta Tea - Earl Grey de la Crème | A rich, creamy take on Earl Grey that contains both black and maté teas for a boost of caffeine! |
| 8 | Elevate Tea ENGLISH BREAKFAST BLACK TEA | The convenient and classic option for people looking for a no-frills, high-caffeine black tea. |
| 9 | Celestial Seasonings Black Energy Tea | Get the energy flowing with this pack of high-caffeine tea bags. |
| 10 | Tiesta Tea - Superior Matcha - High Caffeine | Make matcha tea or matcha beverages with a kick of caffeine! |
| 11 | PG Tips Extra Strong Black Tea Pyramid | Extra strong black tea to keep you going extra long! |
1. Tazo Green Tea – Energize High Caffeine
We are kicking off with one of the most classic green tea options that you can purchase!
These tea bags are designed to provide you with not just a refreshing ginger, guarana, and green tea flavor, but also a high level of caffeine that is guaranteed to start your day right.
Each bag contains high-quality tea leaves that aren’t as processed as the other options you are likely to find in the market — this means that you will get a smooth brewing experience and a high-quality flavor with every sip.
2. Tiesta Tea Energizer
Get a quick mental and physical boost from this premium black tea that is designed to deliver high caffeine content and subtle flavors that you will otherwise never notice in cheaper brands.
If you aren’t into tea bags, then we highly recommend that you look into these premium loose tea leaves.
All you need to do is to steep them in warm water and enjoy a quick cup whenever you start to feel fatigued!
3. Tiesta Tea – Passion Berry Jolt
This is a great option for anyone who enjoys premium flavored tea.
Just one look at the tea leaves will give you an idea of the quality of this tea. Get a subtle hint of berry flavor mixed with a classic earthy and nutty tea flavor.
Not only that, but this product also comes in a recyclable and reusable airtight container that is designed to keep the tea leaves fresh for longer.
So, you can just throw the container in your bag and make high-caffeine tea wherever you go!
4. Tiesta Tea – Chai Love
Love chai like us? Then you are going to absolutely enjoy this tea flavor!
Made from premium loose tea leaves, Tiesta brings yet another excellent tea flavor that keeps it traditional by offering a spiced blend of high-grade tea leaves.
You get all the natural flavors with just a layer of spiciness like you would usually find in many tea varieties across the Asian subcontinent.
The leaves are guaranteed to provide you with high caffeine in every cup and you can also conveniently store the leaves in the included airtight container!
5. Tazo Tea Bags High-Caffeine Earl Grey
This Earl Grey is super special. If you like to keep your morning tea traditional, then we can’t recommend this tea enough!
It’s made from premium tea leaves (but in tea bag form) that will give you a jolt of caffeine with every cup.
You can also expect a few earthy and floral notes among familiar flavor notes!
The great thing about this tea is that it is a perfect and convenient option for people who want a personalized cup every day.
6. Celestial Seasonings Black Tea – Morning Thunder
Prepare to be blown away!
As the name suggests, this Morning Thunder tea is specifically roasted to provide you with all the energy you need to get through your mornings.
Made from premium and carefully roasted tea leaves, you get all the flavors of a classic black tea without it tasting too acidic or bitter.
Unlike other brands, Celestial Seasonings keeps it natural and provides its customers with only the finest blend using a traditional South American botanical.
7. Tiesta Tea – Earl Grey de la Crème
We think that this tea blend is nothing short of genius — the classic flavor of Earl Grey with hints of vanilla!
That’s right — you can now make a creamy blend of black tea that doesn’t just taste good, but is also able to provide you with high-quality caffeine that is guaranteed to uplift your physical and mental state.
These premium loose tea leaves are extremely easy to steep and you can make large batches of tea without having to deal with multiple tea bags!
8. Elevate Tea ENGLISH BREAKFAST BLACK TEA
Sometimes simple is better — if you like your tea simple but strong, then we recommend that you try this blend of premium tea leaves.
Get a traditional cup of black tea that is designed for people who need a jolt to wake them up every morning.
This black tea contains no additional flavors, chemicals, stabilizers, or preservatives — you just get a simple cup of black tea that can also be a great foundation for any type of caffeinated beverage!
9. Celestial Seasonings Black Energy Tea
Get as much caffeine as a cup of coffee — but in green tea form!
If you love a great-tasting cup of high-quality green tea, then we recommend that you check out this pack of tea bags — each crafted with precision and quality to provide you with a refreshing cup every time!
Forget about all the fancy steeping strategies, just add one tea bag to a cup, pour in hot water, let it steep, and enjoy!
No need to continuously dunk the tea bag and cause spills — the tea bag and leaves are carefully designed to allow for a full brew without the loss of flavor or caffeine.
10. Tiesta Tea – Superior Matcha – High Caffeine
We can’t leave out matcha! Matcha is a great natural option for people who are looking for something beyond their regular cup of Earl Grey in the morning.
This premium-grade matcha is made from high-quality Japanese tea leaves and is specifically targeted toward people who want a strong-tasting matcha with a reasonable caffeine kick!
The powder itself is made from a superior blending process which makes it easier to dissolve and steep.
You can either enjoy this tea on its own, or you can also use it as a base for a range of delicious, matcha-flavored, caffeinated beverages at home.
11. PG Tips Extra Strong Black Tea Pyramid
Unlike other low-quality tea products, this one truly lives up to its label of being “extra strong.”
You get 40 pyramid-shaped tea bags that are designed to help you brew high-quality tea without having to wait or needing to squeeze out the flavors from the bag to get additional color in your cup.
Each bag contains premium-grade tea leaves that will give you all the energy you need to get you through your day!
Whether you work at a desk, or in the field, if you are looking for a beverage that can keep you focused, then we highly recommend that you check out this tea.
