For many of us, enjoying the local liquor is part of enjoying a holiday. But if you have a few drinks while you’re on vacation, will travel insurance still cover you? We look at how insurers apply alcohol exclusions and what you can expect.

On this page:

• Does travel insurance cover alcohol?
• When do insurers apply the alcohol exclusion?
• How much alcohol is too much for a travel insurer?
• How does the insurer know how much alcohol you’ve drunk?
• What if my drink was tampered with?
• What about drug use? Can your claim be voided if drugs are detected?
• What to do if your travel insurer denies your claim

Does travel insurance cover alcohol?

Having a couple of drinks won’t void your travel insurance cover for your whole holiday. But travel insurance won’t cover you for events that arise because you were under the influence of alcohol.

If you leave your phone in a taxi or fall off a bar stool and break a bone, your insurer will probably deny your claim if they think it occurred because you were drunk. 

Travel insurance covers you for unforeseen events, but insurers rely to an extent on your own ability to foresee events and take evasive action. So for example, if a volcano affects travellers to Bali, your insurance won’t cover you if you know about the volcano but don’t take action to avoid being impacted by it.

If you’ve had a few too many drinks, your ability to foresee events is blurred. So there’s a much higher risk of something going wrong, and if an event has too high a risk of actually occurring, then insurers don’t want to cover it.

When do insurers apply the alcohol exclusion?

How the alcohol exclusion affects you can be as innocuous as having a few drinks at a wedding and slipping and breaking a leg, or something more sinister like having your drink spiked at a nightclub.

Here’s an  for the ÌÇÐÄVlog travel insurance buying guide.

“Lee (not his real name) was attending a wedding in Phuket, Thailand, when he fell down some stairs at the hotel, breaking his leg and several ribs. Because he’d been celebrating with a few alcoholic drinks, his insurer refused his claim for medical expenses, citing his intoxication at the time.”

“The incident cost Lee $10,300 in medical expenses, which had to be paid in full before he could leave hospital. Lee’s injuries also meant he was unable to work for the next six weeks, causing further financial hardship.”

How much alcohol is too much, according to a travel insurer?

Some insurers specify a blood alcohol limit over which they will not cover you. GoInsurance uses 0.10%, which is twice the legal driving limit, and a level at which your speech might be slurred.

Cover-More and other insurers specify a 0.19% limit. Some people will struggle to walk a straight line at that point.

Many insurers don’t specify a limit though. If they think the amount you’ve had to drink caused or contributed to your claim, they might try to deny it. How they word the exclusion varies between insurers.

Insurer World2Cover, for example, says its cover excludes: “You being under the influence of alcohol where… Your judgement or actions are impaired and this impairment causes or contributes to any loss or damage.”

For Allianz, it’s when you’re “…affected by any intoxicating liquor or drug to the extent that your physical, or mental functions, or your judgement are impaired”.

‘Under the influence’ or ‘affected by’ alcohol is a grey area, but it generally comes into play at the point where the event that caused your claim wouldn’t have occurred if it weren’t for you being drunk.

If you slip on a wet walkway when you’re drunk, an insurer may say that if you weren’t drunk, you would’ve had better judgement and been able to avoid that slippery walkway, or at least walked more carefully across it.

If you break the local law where you are, travel insurance won’t cover you. So if you drive a hire car or moped with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) greater than the legal limit for the country you’re in, travel insurance won’t cover you for any resulting incidents.

How does the insurer know how much alcohol you’ve drunk?

You may find a clause in your travel insurance policy that obliges you to agree to a blood alcohol or breath analysis. So if the insurer suspects you’ve had some drinks, they may get you to take a test before they agree to cover your claim.

If insurers can’t get their hands on a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) test in time, they may use other methods to estimate your BAC in order to decline your claim. In one case, Cover-More estimated a BAC based on the policyholder’s weight and the drinks on their bar bill.

They might also use other methods to estimate it, including testimony from witnesses, bar receipts, medical reports or even how you describe events to the insurer.

How do you know if you’re covered?

When you buy your policy, your travel insurer will send you a Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). The easiest way to find the alcohol clause is to open the document and do a find or Ctrl+F for ‘alcohol’ or ‘liquor’. That should take you to a sobering read of alcohol and other exclusions in your travel insurance policy.

What if my drink was tampered with?

Drink spiking does unfortunately happen. Another common problem is that some drinks may contain methanol, which is toxic. It is sometimes used as a cheap substitute for alcohol in local home-brewed spirits, cocktails, or as a top up in brand-name alcohol bottles.

But if you have a high blood alcohol concentration, it can be hard to prove that it was because your drink was spiked. In this case, preventative action is the best strategy (not only for your insurance, but also for your own health and safety).

 to avoid getting into a fix. These include things like drinking in a safe space, avoiding cocktails or mixed drinks made by a bartender, and looking after your mates.

What about drug use? Can your claim be voided if drugs are detected?

Recreational drug use is legalised to an extent in some destinations around the world, but travel insurers still exclude cover for the use of non-prescription drugs. 

Often it’s in the same clause as alcohol use. For example they exclude a claim that arose because you were “under the influence of any intoxicating liquor or drugs (except a drug prescribed to you)”.

And use of illegal drugs is of course excluded. So you need to know the local laws wherever you’re visiting.

Other alcohol and drug exclusions

Another exclusion you’ll come across is for claims that relate to the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction or substance addiction. This may mean your visit to a rehabilitation clinic, but it can also extend to other people. 

For example, if you want to interrupt your holiday to travel home to visit a sick relative, the insurer may deny your claim if your relative is sick due to chronic use of alcohol or drugs (whereas you claim may be approved if your family member is suffering a different type of medical issue).

What to do if your travel insurer denies your claim

If your travel insurer denies your claim because they reckon you had too much to drink, but you disagree with them, the first step is to lodge an internal dispute with your insurer. Check the insurer’s website or PDS for their official complaints procedure and contact details (usually an email address). 

If the insurer still denies your claim after you lodge a dispute with them, you can raise a dispute with the independent ombudsman, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

Even if you were drinking, the insurer still has to prove you were drunk and that this intoxication actually caused the event that led to your claim. 

A ruling by the Financial Ombudsman Service, AFCA’s predecessor, found that an insurer was not able to rely on the exclusion to deny a claim for a woman who left a backpack in a taxi after a couple of drinks (this was a while ago but it’s not easy to find recent cases where the insurer lost). The ruling stated:

“…she [admits to] consuming a number of drinks on the evening but was not under the influence nor did the loss arise directly or indirectly from the influence of alcohol. Other than this statement, there is no evidence regarding the influence of alcohol.”

“The Applicant claims the backpack was left in the cab in the confusion of trying to settle the cab fare whilst at the same time keeping an eye on children. There is no evidence to contradict this.

“The evidence is not sufficient to establish that the loss arose directly or indirectly from the influence of alcohol.”

The post Does travel insurance still cover you if you’ve had a drink? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• How much do reusable coffee cups cost?
• Why you should use reusable coffee cups
• What to look for in a reusable coffee cup
• Can you recycle disposable coffee cups?

How much do reusable coffee cups cost?

The reusable cups in our test range from $5 up to $60, and you can buy them from kitchenware stores, some cafes and often directly from the companies themselves. Many are also available from major retail chains like Kmart, Myer, Officeworks, Spotlight and Woolworths.

Why you should use reusable coffee cups

Disposable coffee cups are lined with a thin layer of plastic to keep the paper waterproof. Unfortunately, this also makes them difficult to recycle which is why they typically end up at the tip.

Reusable cups, meanwhile, are a much more environmentally friendly option if you’re a regular coffee drinker. While the manufacturing process does contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, it doesn’t take long for things to balance out.

A created a ‘break even’ matrix for the energy inputs in production of disposable paper cups compared with reusable plastic, glass and ceramic cups. This table shows how many times you’d have to use your reusable cup for it to become equally energy-efficient to the production of a paper cup.

The International Reference Centre for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes, and Services (CIRAIG) conducted a similar study in 2014. These results delivered slightly higher figures for ceramic and some plastic cups, but still found them to be a better option for regular coffee drinkers.

However, CIRAIG did point out that reusable cups need to be washed, which can contribute to environmental problems. But this does depend on the type of soap/dishwashing liquid and the amount of water used.

(Note: The is only available in French, but ).

Rewards for reusable cups

Responsible Cafes certifies environmentally-friendly coffee shops based on a range of criteria, including incentives for reusable coffee cups. Many locations will give you a discount for using one each time you visit (usually 20–50 cents).

You can find certified locations at the .

What to look for in a reusable coffee cup

There are a range of factors to consider when shopping for a new coffee cup, from the material (plastic, ceramic or stainless steel?) through to features like insulation (which can make the cup easier to carry) and being safe for the dishwasher safe.

BPA free claims

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that’s been used in plastic production since the 1950s and some studies have shown that it can seep into food and drink if used in storage containers, like reusable coffee cups. Though most studies find that , some manufacturers specifically keep BPA out of their products.

Double walling

Double-walled cups help keep their contents warm for longer by isolating them from the outside layer. This can also help reduce heat transferring between the liquid and your hands which makes the cup easier to carry.

Dishwasher safe

This can save time and water use (depending on the quality of your dishwasher) and will generally be claimed by the manufacturer somewhere on the packaging.

Height and width

Reusable coffee cups with similar volumes can vary in height, so you can’t assume that all 350mL bottles, for example, are created equal. Also bear in mind that if you want to use the cup to get your coffee from a cafe, it will need to be short enough to fit under the group head of the coffee machine.

It’s worth checking the cup’s width as well, if you have small hands or plan to place it in a cup holder while driving to work. You may find particularly wide cups difficult to carry.

Lid fixing and cap seal

The type of lid and cap attachments are important to note if you have limited strength or dexterity. You may find certain cups hard to open or close.

Materials

Most of the cups in our test are made from stainless steel, which is sturdy and generally resistant to smells and stains, unlike some glass or plastic cups. It’s also a good insulator, particularly if the cup is double walled. Plastic and glass cups are usually cheaper but don’t keep their contents warm for as long (even though glass can look quite cool).

Some of the cups we tested also contain plastic or silicone elements, usually in the lid or on the exterior of the cup. The cup and lid materials may also differ.

Coffee husk composite is another option made up of reused coffee bean husks and other materials. Though environmentally friendly, the cup that used a husk composite was the worst overall performer in our tests.

Spare parts

A few brands sell replacement parts online, which are usually cheaper to replace compared to the cost of a brand new cup.

Volume

The cups in our test range from 296mL up to 454mL, so remember to check the volume before buying, especially if you need a big coffee to start your day.

Can you recycle disposable coffee cups?

If you do find yourself at a coffee shop without your reusable cup, there’s no need to head home decaffeinated. You can still enjoy a flat white on the go followed by a trip to the .

It’s a free service with drop-off points in 7-Eleven stores across the country, and Simply Cups uses the recycled cups to make new reusable ones and even .

The post How to shop for the best reusable coffee cup appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Do you need a water filter?
• Do water filters work?
• Types of water filters: pros and cons
• Other water filter options
• What if you have your own water supply?
• How to fix problems with your tap water
• Types of problems with your water
• Microbiological and chemical risks in water

Safe drinking water requires additives you can often smell or taste, such as chlorine, a disinfectant widely used by Australian water suppliers. Your water supplier’s website more than likely carries regular reports on its water quality.

Filtering the water at the tap is one way of removing the taste of additives. But first you must decide what you want to filter out, what filtering device to use, and how much you want to spend. ÌÇÐÄVlog looks at the pros and cons of buying a water filter.

Do you need a water filter?

Tap water is one of our most important basic necessities and can contain many impurities, both natural and artificial. Some are harmless, or only affect what the water looks, tastes or smells like. Others can give you an immediate infection or slowly damage your health over a long period of time.

Some chemicals (such as chlorine and fluoride) are added to your water in the treatment plant. There are ongoing discussions over potential health risks as a result of this, but the benefits of using the chemicals are still thought to outweigh any potential risk. Generally, most Australians don’t have to worry about getting sick from the water they’re supplied with.

The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines specify that water “should contain no harmful concentrations of chemicals or pathogenic microorganisms, and ideally it should be aesthetically pleasing in regard to appearance, taste and odour”.

Water authorities use settling, coagulation, filtering and disinfecting to ensure the safety of our drinking water, using sufficient disinfectant to stop the re-growth of microorganisms as the water travels through the pipe system to your home.

The downside of ensuring safe drinking water is the lingering taste and smell of disinfectant. If you fill up a jug with tap water and leave it to sit for a couple of hours, the disinfectant smell and taste will gradually dissipate, but many people opt for a water filtering system.

Do water filters work?

How can you be sure water filters do what they say, without proof? One thing to look for is certification. The NSF International provides a range of certifications for products that involve initial and periodic testing:

• NSF 42 covers aesthetic effects such as chlorine, taste, odour and particles.
• NSF 53 covers health effects such as cysts (giardia, cryptosporidium), a range of organic chemicals (such as THM and pesticides) and heavy metals.

The Australian standard AS/NZS 4348 covers a wide range of contaminants, such as taste, odour and microbiological and chemical impurities. There are also standards for water softeners – cation exchangers (NSF 44), reverse-osmosis (NSF 58) and distillation (NSF 62) systems.

There may be models that claim to meet relevant performance standards but aren’t certified (certification costs money, which can be an obstacle for smaller businesses). However, how can you be sure? If you’re treating a potential health threat you have to be able to rely on the filter’s performance, and certification is the best available guarantee.

If you’re not happy with the aesthetics of your tap water (its taste, look or smell), looking for a certified product is still a good idea, but may not be as important. In any case, be aware that a filter can make your water’s quality worse if you don’t use it properly.

Types of water filters: pros and cons

The basic pros and cons of each type of water filtering system are included below, as well as a rough estimate of initial costs. Ongoing costs can be determined by checking the volume or time it claims to filter before requiring replacement.ÌýBe sure to factor in the cost of replacement filter cartridges and always replace as instructed, as spent cartridges can themselves harbour microorganisms. What each cartridge can filter varies even within the different types of dispensers.

Bottle filter

• Prices: $18–30 initial (up to $180/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Convenient, portable, and easy to use and replace filters.
• Cons: Heavier than normal water bottles, short filter lives (high ongoing costs) and limitations on filtering.

Jug filter

• Prices: $20–75 initial ($84–432/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Convenient and easy to use and replace filters.
• Cons: Some are slow, prone to clogging and have short filter lives, meaning high ongoing costs.

Tap mounted

• Prices: $25–75 initial ($50–120/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Most convenient at tap filter, small, and easy to use and replace filters. Easily swap between filtered and non-filtered water. Portable if you rent.
• Cons: Slows the flow of water and cannot be used on all taps.

Counter-top

• Prices: $60–350 initial ($100–200/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Filters large amounts of water without plumbing modification. Less likely to clog than jug or tap-mounted filters. Portable if you rent.
• Cons: Clutters countertops and cannot be used on all taps.

Under-sink

• Prices: $180–600 initial ($200–800/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Filters large amounts of water without cluttering up countertop, or attaching to existing tap. Less likely to clog than jug or tap-mounted filters.
• Cons: Takes up under-sink space and requires plumbing modification. Most expensive upfront cost option.

Fridge filter

• Prices: Supplied initially ($50–100/yr ongoing)
• Pros: Easy to replace, usually just a push/twist motion. Can filter as well as countertop/under-sink options, depending on filter.
• Cons: No option but to replace it – it’s a cost that comes with the fridge.

Other water filter options

You can also buy shower filters or ones built into fridge ice and water systems. These are generally carbon filters. There is also an option to fit out the entire house, but they’re expensive and generally only justified in quite specific situations (for example, if you have a poor-quality water supply).

Filter mediums

All the filter systems above can have different types or combinations of filter mediums. Your choice depends on what you want to filter out.

• Filtration/adsorption: Filtration involves using a substance, typically carbon, to make contaminants adhere to the many pores (like pumice) within the carbon source, also called adsorption. The source of carbon can be coconut, charcoal, ceramic, etc. This helps remove odour, taste and particles in the water.
• Softeners: If you have a hard water source, you’ll notice a build-up in kettles, bathtubs and sinks. These are normally a result of large amounts of minerals in your water. A softener medium will reduce the amount of minerals.
• UV treatment: This uses ultraviolet light to disinfect water. However, it only works on relatively clear water, otherwise the light doesn’t penetrate sufficiently.
• Reverse-osmosis: This uses water pressure from your pipes to pass water through a thin membrane. Most contaminants are physically blocked and washed away. It uses a lot of water, and some use energy as well – up to 60% of the water can be wasted in the process. However, it does remove a wide range of contaminants.
• Distillation: This is also energy intensive. It boils the water, collecting the condensing water to remove many contaminants, though not all.

What if you have your own water supply?

If you’re not connected to town water, but use rain or bore water, it’s important to protect your supply from contamination – particularly with bore water – and inspect it regularly.

For example, an animal carcass close to your bore can be a serious health threat, and herbicides or fertilisers may leach into your water supply over time. A dirty roof, peeling paint or bird droppings can affect the quality of collected rain water.

Many water authorities or your local health department will have brochures on what to look for, and how to maintain a storage tank.

Have your water supply tested regularly, and contact your local or state health department. It may check the water body you’re drawing from as part of its own monitoring program, or it can test your water – in many cases free of charge if you have a health concern.

It will also be able to advise you on how to rectify a problem. As a last resort, you may want to consider buying a suitable water filter.

How to fix problems with your tap water

When you turn on your tap, you should see clear, uncloudy water. If not, or it tastes strange, then there are ways to find out why.

• If your water looks, smells or tastes strange, or if your clothing and plumbing (such as sinks and toilets) become stained by it, use our table below as a starting point to narrow down the number of possible causes.
• Ask your neighbours whether they have similar concerns. This may help to find out whether it’s a general supply problem, or one caused by your home’s plumbing.
• Talk to your water supplier about your concerns. If you’ve recognised a potential problem, tell them – it may help them assess and solve the problem more quickly. Ask them for the latest analytical results of your water supply, and the corresponding Drinking Water Guidelines recommendations. If you still have doubts, get a water sample analysed. Your supplier may do that free of charge, especially if there’s a health concern.
• Your water supplier may be able to solve some aesthetic problems fairly easily by flushing the mains, while other problems may require more extensive cleaning or repair of the distribution system in your area, or work on your home’s plumbing.
• If you’ve suffered damage (for example, rust-spotted clothes after a wash), you may be able to negotiate compensation from your supplier.

Types of problems with your water

Except for microorganisms and lead, most of these contaminants are an aesthetic rather than a health problem, as long as they don’t occur in very high concentrations.Ìý

Microbiological and chemical risks in water

Microbiological risks

Supplying water that’s free from pathogenic microorganisms (those that can make you sick) is the most important task for water authorities.

• Bacteria: Most pathogenic bacteria found in water come from contamination by human or animal faeces. Disinfection (for example, with chlorine) usually kills all bacteria. Another potential threat is bacteria growing in the water mains. That’s why water suppliers try to ensure there’s a residue of chlorine to protect the water on its way from the treatment plant to your home.
• Protozoa: This group includes cryptosporidium and giardia. These can cause severe illness, and their cysts can often resist disinfection.
• Viruses: Some viruses that can be found in water are potentially harmful. While disinfecting the water usually kills most viruses, some may survive and make you sick. However, it’s not known how big a problem this is in Australia, as the source of a viral infection (whether it’s water, food or contact with another infected person) is difficult to trace.

Chemical risks

• Pesticides and herbicides:ÌýThese can leach into waterways in rural areas. Some are potentially carcinogenic and live in the environment for a long time. While low concentrations of these chemicals have sometimes been found, our drinking water is usually free of them when tested. However, not all water authorities check for them regularly.
• Nitrate/nitrite: The main sources for these chemicals in waterways are sewage and fertiliser run-off. Groundwater supplies in rural areas are most likely to have high nitrate concentrations. While nitrate itself is harmless, it can be converted into nitrite, which mainly poses a problem to babies and young children – it can reduce the amount of oxygen the blood can carry. In areas where nitrate is a problem, the water supplier will usually advise people to use bottled or rainwater for children under three months.
• Chlorine and chlorination by-products: Chlorine or chloramine is usually added to kill bugs in the water that passes through the treatment plant and to protect against recontamination while the water’s travelling through the distribution system. However, these chemicals can – depending on a number of parameters – react with naturally occurring organic substances in the water to form potentially harmful by-products (mainly so-called trihalomethanes, or THM). The Drinking Water Guidelines state a maximum concentration for these by-products. They also point out that while their concentration should be minimised, the disinfection of drinking water must not be compromised. The risk posed by by-products is considerably smaller than that posed by the presence of pathogenic microorganisms.
• Fluoride:ÌýThis has been added to drinking water since the 1960s and 1970s as it has a proven record of reducing tooth decay. However, fluoride protection is now available from more sources, like many toothpastes or from fluoride treatments applied by your dentist. Critics say fluoridated water is unnecessary, as it may lead to dental fluorosis (mottled teeth) in people who get too much, and we don’t know the potential health risk of drinking fluoridated water over a lifetime.
• Aluminium: Chemicals containing aluminium are used in a process called flocculation, which removes suspended particles from the water, making it clearer. While most of the aluminium used can be filtered out of the water, small amounts may pass through. Some water authorities have phased out the use of aluminium chemicals in favour of alternatives.

The post Do you need a water filter in Australia? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• The tea bags that topped the taste test
• What made these tea bags the best?
• Can you compost tea bags?
• Microplastics in tea
• Is black tea good for you?
• How much caffeine is in tea bags?
• Meet the taste testers
• How we tested

To determine which supermarket black tea bag tastes best, ÌÇÐÄVlog gathered four expert tea taste testers and asked them to rate 32 supermarket black tea bags.

They assessed flavour, aroma, mouthfeel, colour and aftertaste to provide a ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating, and also gave an intensity rating.

The tea bags that topped the taste test

It was a little crowded at the top of the table, with several products tying for their spots. 

• Coming in first place is Aldi’s Just Organic Black Tea.
• Tying for second place are Coles Tea Cup Bags and Tetley Extra Strong Tea Bags.Ìý
• Tying for third place are Lipton Quality Black Tea and Nerada Single Origin Black Tea.

It’s worth noting that three of these top performers – the Coles, Tetley and Nerada products – came in among the cheapest teas (according to the price per tea bag). We always love a frugal alternative that wins on taste!

Just Organic (Aldi) Black Tea

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 81%
• Intensity score: 57%
• Price: $2.99, 6c per bag
• Flavour profile: Floral, fruity
• Compostable bag: No
• Shop Ethical rating: C

Tetley Extra Strong Tea Bags

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 73%
• Intensity score: 54%
• Price: $4.60, 5c per bag
• Flavour profile: Floral, earthy (wood), fruity
• Compostable bag: Yes (remove staple)
• Shop Ethical rating: F

Coles Tea Cup Bags

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating:73%
• Intensity score: 57%
• Price: $1.90, 2c per bag
• Flavour profile: Floral, sweet, earthy (wood)
• Compostable bag: Not statedÌý
• Shop Ethical rating: C

What made these tea bags the best?

There’s more to this pantry staple than you’d think. All tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, but the regions and processing make a difference to the varieties, and therefore the taste of the tea. 

Interestingly, the teas that scored highest were likely to be described as ‘floral’. And the top-scoring tea was a certified organic product – Aldi Just Organic Black Tea.

If you’re looking for a tea that delivers on intensity, our expert judges scored Australian-grown Nerada Single Origin Black Tea and Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea Proper Strong Black Tea as the strongest teas in this test, giving them both an intensity score of 71%. 

Can you compost tea bags?

This comes down to what the tea bag is made of. 

If a tea bag contains nylon or PET mesh, then it can’t be composted at all. If PLA (polylactic acid, a biopolymer made from natural plant material) is used, then it can be composted industrially, but cannot be composted in your home compost. You can put it in your green or FOGO bin (if you have one) for the council to handle.

Two teas we tested claim to be compostable at home after the removal of the staple: 

• Tetley Extra Strong Tea Bags
• Tetley Tea Cup Bags.

The third Tetley tea in our test, Tetley All Rounder Tea Bags, are partially compostable (only part of the string, label or bag). 

Several tea bags in our test are industrially compostable (meaning you can put them in your FOGO council bin): 

• Madura Organic English BreakfastÌý
• Madura English BreakfastÌý
• Madura Premium Blend
• Twinings Assam Bold
• Twinings Australian Afternoon
• Twinings Everyday Black
• Twinings English BreakfastÌý
• Twinings English Breakfast Extra Strong
• Twinings Irish Breakfast
• Twinings Morning Tea
• Woolworths Essentials Black Tea Bags.

T2 states that its tea bags are biodegradable and can be composted at home, but suggests it’s best if they are commercially composted.

Dilmah claims its premium tea bags – which includes Dilmah Premium Ceylon Tea, Dilmah Premium Ceylon Black Tea, and Dilmah Extra Strength Premium Ceylon Tea from our test – are 98% biodegradable and 98–100% compostable.

Microplastics in tea

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic less than 5mm in length. This plastic can break down even further and is then known as nanoplastic. Nanoplastics are less than 100 nanometres (nm). To put this in perspective, a single human hair has a diameter of about 75,000nm.

Due to their small size, microplastics effortlessly enter the environment, mainly through surface water run-off, treated and untreated wastewater sewage, industrial waste, and atmospheric deposition (where particles settle from the atmosphere onto Earth’s surface).

The health concerns around nanoplastics include that they may increase inflammation, oxidative stress and the formation of some cancers.

Tea bags can be made from a range of materials but many are made from plastics, most commonly nylon and polypropylene (PP). Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), also a type of plastic, is often used to seal the tea bag. In a 2022 study, nylon was shown to release considerable amounts of plastic-related particles into the tea. 

Tea bags that use plant materials

Madura tea bags are made from plant materials, with the ingredients including Manila hemp, cellulose and PLA. T2 states that its tea bags are made from corn starch and are biodegradable, and PG Tips, an English brand, states that its bags are also made from corn starch and PLA and are biodegradable. However, PG Tips has come under fire recently as its tea bags supposedly fall apart in the water.

Tetley states that its string and tea bags are made from natural fibre and woven paper derived from abaca (which comes from the stalk of a banana plant) and short wood fibre. The All Rounder tagless tea bags are claimed to be 75% cellulose fibres (plant matter) and 25% non-specified food-safe plastic. Tetley claims this small amount of plastic is important for heat-sealing the teabags so that the tea does not break down in the cup.

Twinings states that its tea bags are made from paper and cotton string that is stitched in, so no glue or staple is used. The inks used on the tags are also biodegradable inks.

Woolworths states its tea bags are made from plant cellulose fibre and thermoplastic PLA biopolymer fibres.

Is black tea good for you?

Apart from the potential microplastics from tea bags, black tea has been shown to have some health benefits. 

It contains many types of polyphenols or antioxidants naturally found in plants that may reduce the risk of developing some chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and some cancers, and can help prevent inflammation.

The types of polyphenols in black tea include L-theanine and epigallocatechin gallate. 

L-theanine has been shown to improve cognitive function in older people. It may also make a small improvement in anxiety, and for those who have anxiety it may improve attention, and may also reduce blood pressure.

Tea also contains GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is naturally found in the body and affects relaxation. However, research into the effects on the body has been inconclusive.

Black tea, if not drunk scaldingly hot, has been shown to be more beneficial than harmful and may reduce the risk of cancer.

Surprisingly, black tea and its extracts have also been shown to be beneficial for oral health in minimising dental caries, and reducing plaque and gingivitis. 

However, a 2022 review showed that drinking more than four to six cups of black tea a day may increase the risk of coronary artery disease. So keep it to one to two cups to be safe.

How much caffeine is in tea bags?

The amount of caffeine in tea differs depending on how the tea is made and brewed. Black tea can have about 19mg per 100mL. Looking at how that compares to coffee, a cappuccino is 47mg per 100mL, and this jumps up to 94mg per 100mL in a double shot. 

So if you’re concerned about your caffeine intake and are a big coffee drinker, try substituting a coffee with a tea to cut down.

Black tea glossary

The type of plant (cultivar) used to make the tea plays a large role in how the tea looks and tastes. 

There are two main types of tea varieties that come from the Camellia sinensis species: Camellia sinensis var. assamica and Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. The sinensis plant is more of a traditional variety of plant traced back to China’s Fujian province; the assamica is usually grown in Sri Lanka, India, Kenya and Indonesia. 

Certain tea industries have continued to cultivate the plants over thousands of years to create unique tea varieties that suit the geographic location, processing techniques and local taste preferences.

What makes black tea different from other teas is that it’s gone through an extensive oxidation process – which means it’s been left to react with air under a certain temperature and humidity longer than other teas. Oxidation creates the flavours and aroma of maltiness unique to black tea.

Assam: Named after a state in northeast India, usually bitter and full bodied.

Ceylon: Black tea grown in the central mountains of Sri Lanka.

Darjeeling: Named after a state in India just east of Nepal, Darjeeling tea is made from the traditional Chinese Camellia sinensis var. sinensis plant and can be astringent.

Australian Afternoon: Dependent on what the manufacturer sees as Australian-style tea. According to Twinings, it is a blend of East African, Assam and high-grown Ceylon teas, while Nerada interestingly has an Australian Breakfast variety (not tested in this review) which uses a blend of Australian-grown black tea with lemon myrtle.

English Breakfast: The blend usually varies but it is said to use full-bodied teas such as Assam, Ceylon and African teas, so is full bodied and astringent.

Irish Breakfast: Said to be a stronger tea, with Assam as the main component of the tea blend.

Meet the taste testers

Cathy Zhang has a Bachelor in Tea Science from South China Agricultural University and a national qualification as a tea ceremony artist, professional tea taster and judge. She judges tea for the Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards and is the founder of Ms.Cattea Tea Bar in Sydney.

David Lyons is the Australian Tea Cultural Society (AUSTCS) founding director, a member of the China International Tea Cultural Institute (CITCI), and owner of 18ThirtyFour. He has over 26 years’ experience in the Australian tea industry as a tea wholesaler, regional manager for The Tea Centre, and tea educator for the past 10 years.

Matthew Tran is the co-founder of Tea Angle, a Sydney-based tea business whose purpose is to make high-quality Chinese tea accessible and available to everyone. Tea Angle works directly with farmers and producers in rural China to bring high-quality, pure teas to tea lovers around the world. 

Adeline Teoh is a writer and tea enthusiast whose mission is to make tea culture accessible through appreciation. She judges tea for the Royal Tasmanian Fine Food Awards and runs The Sydney Tea Meetup, which hosts events for tea enthusiasts ranging from casual catch-ups over yum cha and high tea to more formal tea tastings and workshops.

How we tested

Products

We tested 32 black tea bags that are available nationally in major supermarket chains. We did not test green, oolong, white, chai, fruit or herbal teas, or tea blends (such as Earl Grey) or decaffeinated tea.

Tasting

This was a blind taste test where four expert judges were randomly assigned the tea samples. The total volume of boiled water used with each tea bag was 180mL and each tea was tasted black (without milk).

The ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating was determined by assessing colour, aroma, overall flavour, aftertaste and mouthfeel. Each tea was also given a rating to score its intensity, however this did not form part of the ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating. 

The judges also described the flavour notes of the tea, with profiles including floral, fruity, earthy, vegetal, umami, nutty, sweet, smoky and fire. Most of these also had subcategory profiles. The judges were asked to name the top three flavours they could taste (if any), as well as any other flavour profiles they detected.

Scores

We recommend any tea bag with a ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating of 70% or above.

Shop Ethical ratings

Shop Ethical is an Australian organisation that rates the environmental and social impact of various companies.

Its online tool and app can help you make more informed ethical purchases, with information on the behind well-known brands.

You’ll see Shop Ethical ratings alongside some of our product reviews and test results (where available).

The post Which brand of tea bag makes the best tasting cuppa? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Does the milk go in first or last?
• The most popular way to take tea
• Tea choices and pet peeves
• The best tasting black tea
• How to make the perfect cup of tea

Despite the potential to stir up controversy, we wanted to know how Australians drink their tea. Bravely wading into this contentious topic, we asked our social media audience about their tea-drinking habits. Not surprisingly, the results were varied.

Tea-drinking habits

Even with the rise of coffee culture, there are still plenty of tea fans – around three-quarters of the 884 respondents to our survey told us they drink black tea every day.Ìý

Tea bags and loose leaf were both popular – half said they exclusively use tea bags, while the rest told us they use loose leaf in a pot or infuser, or a mix of bags and loose leaf.Ìý

Just over a third – 37% – say they have one to two cups of tea a day, but a similar amount are drinking double that, and 35% told us they drink three to four cups a day. Around two in three tea drinkers (65%) take milk with their tea, but only around a fifth of respondents add sugar.

But for an answer to perhaps the most controversial tea-drinking question, we turned to an expert.

Does the milk go in first or last?

Is there a more vexatious question in the world of tea-making?Ìý

According to tea expert Cathy Zhang, founder of Ms.Cattea tea company and one of the expert testers from our recent tea test, there isn’t a simple answer to this question.

“There is a big debate about the milk in the tea world,” says Cathy. “Some people claim that adding the milk first makes the tea taste creamier but at the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference.”

The results from our survey suggest that adding the milk at the end of the tea-making process is the most preferred option: 57% said they add the milk last, and only 8% said it goes in first (the rest either didn’t take milk, or didn’t think the order mattered).

And there were plenty of opinions on the subject.ÌýÌý

“Milk goes last so the tea can seep out of the bag. Once you add milk, the oil from the milk creates a film on the bag,” one survey respondent told us.Ìý

“Milk goes in first if I’m making tea in a pot,” said another.

The most popular way to take tea

There were also plenty of strong opinions about other aspects of tea-making.Ìý

A fifth of the respondents told us that when it comes to preparing their favourite brew, they consider themselves to be tea purists.Ìý

More than a third (37%) told us they’d rather not drink tea at all if it isn’t the brand or type they prefer.Ìý

While most took the Goldilocks approach when it came to strength – 44% said they preferred it to be neither too weak nor too strong – strong tea was a close second and much preferable to weak: 41% vs 7%.Ìý

There were also some strong opinions about other aspects of tea drinking, and quite a few commented on how much they value the ritual. The type of cup or mug the tea is drunk from was something that several felt was very important.Ìý

“The tea must be in fine bone china – it just tastes better,” said one. “I don’t like tea served in a thick-walled coffee cup,” said another.Ìý

The colour of the cup was important for yet another tea drinker.

“It must be served in a white mug or cup,” they said, adding that a cup with a dark interior was an “abomination”.Ìý

Tea choices and pet peeves

Others see the type of tea and the way they choose to drink it as something that changes depending on a range of factors.

“Different teas for different times of the day – I have a big tea collection!” said one.Ìý

“I approach tea like I think a lot of people approach their outfit choices for the day. I have over 30 varieties (black, white, green, herbal, fruit tisanes) and which one I choose and how I choose to have it depends on how I’m feeling on any given day,” another enthusiast reported.Ìý

Quite a few people complained about the quality of tea served in cafes, telling us they felt that it was rarely made well.Ìý

“I’m disappointed with the servings of loose-leaf tea in cafes these days. You wouldn’t use half a serving of ground coffee to make a latte, so why be stingy with the tea?” one respondent asked.Ìý

Another complained about the disparity between the way tea and coffee are treated.Ìý

“Buying black tea at a cafe is fraught. While coffee is consistently good in Australia, tea is not,” they said.

The best tasting black tea

Firstly, if you want to make a good cuppa, you’ll need some good tea.Ìý

With tea bags such a popular option for Australian tea drinkers, we recently put a selection of 32 popular tea bag brands to the test.

We recruited a panel of four experts to taste each tea. Each cup was assessed for flavour, colour, aroma, aftertaste and mouthfeel. We also separately rated the intensity of the flavour.Ìý

Leading the pack was Aldi’s Just Organic Black Tea with a score of 81%.Ìý

Two products shared joint second place with a score of 73%: Tetley Extra Strong Tea Bags and Coles Tea Cup Bags.Ìý

There was a fairly small price difference among these top scorers. The Coles bags cost just 2c each, the Tetley 5c and the Aldi 6c. The most expensive bag in our test – the T2 English Breakfast, which costs 52c per bag – scored 66%.

For those who prefer a more intense flavour to their tea, Nerada Single Origin Black Tea Cup or Pot Teabags and Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea ranked highest for intensity.Ìý

For all the results, see our full tea bag review.

But of course, selecting the right tea bag is just the first step in getting the perfect cup of tea.Ìý

How to make the perfect cup of tea

As with so many aspects of tea drinking, there is no clear answer.

“It depends on the tea itself,” says Cathy Zhang, who also has a Bachelor in Tea Science from South China Agricultural University. Everything from the shape of the leaves, to the type of tea, water temperature and whether you’re using a bag or loose-leaf will affect the outcome.Ìý

“Brewing tea with a tea bag requires less time as the tea is very broken, which makes it easy to brew, while loose-leaf tea usually takes longer to brew.”Ìý

It doesn’t end there, though, and many factors can affect the taste of a cup of tea.Ìý

“There is a saying that goes ‘ichi-go ichi-e’, which means that every cup of tea is different, and the cup of tea you are drinking now cannot be replicated,” she says.

In the end, the perfect cup of tea is subjective and it depends on individual preference. As Cathy declares, “tea making is personal”.

Having said that, there are a few rules. According to Cathy, there are some common mistakes people make when brewing their cuppa.Ìý

“Using too much or too little tea is the first,” she says.Ìý

“Brewing with water at the wrong temperature for the tea is another – for example, using boiling water when making green tea.”Ìý

“Leaving the tea in the water for too long is also a common mistake,” she adds.

Ultimately, the definition of the perfect cup of tea will always depend on who you ask. “Tea drinking can be done in so many ways,” says Cathy.Ìý

The post What makes the perfect cup of tea? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What is the best non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix?
• ÌýOur verdict: Are non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix drinks any good?
• How we tested

Gone are the days when the only alternative to an alcoholic beverage was a traditional soft drink or plain water.

As the number of people choosing to drink less or not at all grows, the market is responding with more and better-quality non-alcoholic versions of traditional boozy beverages.Ìý

It isn’t just non-alcoholic beers and wines that are available these days. Non-alcoholic versions of spirits are also easier to find. You can even buy premix non-alcoholic drinks from a variety of brands, with alcohol-free gin and tonics (G&Ts), margaritas and negronis available in our supermarkets and larger bottle shops.Ìý

But how do they taste? We assembled five of the premix G&T options and asked 11 ÌÇÐÄVlog staff to test them out.

What is the best non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix?

It was a close contest, but the winner of our taste test was the Naked Life Classic G&T. Three of our tasters said it was closest to the traditional alcoholic version of the drink.Ìý

Not far behind, in second place was the Lyres G&T. While nobody thought this product tasted particularly like a real gin and tonic, several did comment favourably on its pleasant, slightly gingery flavour.

Here’s how each product performed, from the highest to the lowest rated, according to our tasting panel.

1. Naked Life Classic G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 250ml pack
• Price per pack: $15
• Price per drink: $3.75
• Taste test score: 5.5/10

Ingredients: sparkling water, natural sweetener (erythriol, stevia), citric acid, natural flavour (gin), quinine, lemon extract, orange extract, bitter orange extract, natural botanical distillates and extracts.

What our testers said:

“Easy to drink, refreshing.” (Jane)

“Good taste, sweet, but not overly so.” (Tony)

“Bland and underwhelming.” (Jen)

“Sharp and fresh. Tastes most similar to a real G&T.” (Megan)

2. Lyre’s G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 250ml pack
• Price per pack: $19.49
• Price per drink: $4.87
• Taste test score: 5.4/10Ìý

Ingredients: carbonated water, Lyre’s Dry London (46% – water, glucose syrup, natural flavouring, acidity regulator [citric acid]), sugar, natural flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid), preservative (sodium benzoate).Ìý

What our testers said:

“Interesting flavour, but it doesn’t taste like a gin and tonic.” (James)

“Ginger, fruit flavours. A good balance.” (Deepa)

“Strong aftertaste like ginger. Not unpleasant.” (Tony)

“Refreshing, but I would prefer more fizz.” (Deanna)

“More like watery ginger beer than a gin and tonic.” (Jane)

3. Gordon’s 0% Gin with Tonic and a Hint of Lime

• Pack size: 4 x 330ml bottle
• Price per pack: $16.49
• Price per drink: $4.12
• Taste test score: 4.3/10

Ingredients: carbonated water, sugar, natural flavours with botanicals, lime juice (from concentrate), food acids, preservative, quinine.Ìý

What our testers said:

“Fresh, tangy, but a little too sweet.” (Megan)

“Very floral. Delicate, light flavour but does have an overall artificial vibe.” (Jordan)

“Tastes like soda water with a dissolved lolly.” (Jane)

“Flavour very weak and slightly soapy.” (Deanna)

“Not particularly special in any way.” (Edward)

4. Monday Distillery Classic Non-Alcoholic G&T

• Pack size: 4 x 300ml bottle
• Price per pack: $20.99
• Price per drink: $5.25
• Taste test score: 3.1/10

Ingredients: carbonated Australian spring water, natural distilled gin flavour and concentrate, citric acid, stevia, natural flavours and natural extracts.

What our testers said:Ìý

“Quite watery and not much substance to it, but easy to drink.” (Guy)

“I winced when I first tasted it. Not good.” (Jen)

“A bit sherbetty, and too sweet.” (Jane)

“Bland – more like soda water than gin and tonic.” (Tony)

“Basically tastes of nothing. Not nice.” (Deanna)

5. Yes You Can G&T Alcohol-Free

• Pack size: 8 x 250ml can
• Price per pack: $29.99
• Price per drink: $3.75
• Taste test score: 2.4/10

Ingredients: sparkling water, natural sugar, natural flavour, citric acid, distilled juniper washing, natural lemon lime flavour, ascorbic acid.Ìý

What our testers said:

“Smells like lemonade.” (Edward)

“Almost a medicinal taste. Very sharp and cloying mouth feel.” (Guy)

“Unpleasant, strong and bitter.” (Jane)

“Bitter flavour and not much else.” (Megan)

ÌýOur verdict: Are non-alcoholic gin and tonic premix drinks any good?

Most of our testers were unimpressed by the products they tried and most agreed that they still had a way to go. In particular, the drinks were criticised for lacking the typical botanical flavours they would expect of gin.Ìý

Those who said would be willing to buy these products (only four out of the 11), said they’d probably be willing to pay around $5 for one of these drinks as an alternative to other soft drinks if they were avoiding alcohol and wanted something to enjoy in a social setting.

How we tested

We had a blind tasting panel made up of 11 ÌÇÐÄVlog staff. They tasted the five products in our test and then scored each sample out of 10. All of the samples were served chilled. Scores given are an average.

The post Which non-alcoholic gin and tonic tastes best?Ìý appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Here are 10Ìýdelicious ideas to help you get more our of your jar of instant coffee.

1. Even better bolognaise

Everyone has a secret ingredient that makes their bolognaise “the best”. Italian cuisine purists, look away – we’re here to tell you, a teaspoon of instant coffee in your tomato sauce, added while it’s bubbling away, could well be the secret flavour boost you’re looking for. It can add an intense richness that counteracts the sweetness of the tomatoes.

2. Amp up your chilli

In the same way that it can boost your spag bol, a spoonful of instant coffee will take the unctuous meaty mix that is a good pot of chilli to the next level. It works beautifully with the winning combo of spices, beef and beans, helping to tenderise the meat and add a delicious deep, roasted flavour.

Use a finely ground instant powder and add sugar and salt to balance it out (don’t go too heavy on the coffee as it could create too much bitterness).

3. Next-level cookie batter

Get your morning caffeine hit in cookie form, by adding a dash of instant coffee to a batch of plain batter (you can’t use espresso here as it would be too much liquid). Get baking and enjoy the comforting aroma of roasted coffee wafting through your kitchen.

4. Coffee cakes, buttercream and icingÌý

Using instant coffee to flavour your cakes means you don’t need to add extra liquid to your ingredients, and it gives a more intense result.

As you’re using a powder/granules and not liquid it’s easier to add more if you’d like to up the coffee taste even further.

You can also use it to make coffee buttercream and icings – you may like to dissolve the instant coffee in a tablespoon of hot water before adding to icing though, so you don’t get specks of coarse granules.Ìý

5. Savoury rubs for steaks

Turns out coffee and meat really are fabulous together, with instant coffee a surprise ingredient in savoury rubs for steaks or roasts.

Try making your own with a mix of instant coffee, smoked paprika, brown sugar and dried spices. When deciding how much coffee to add, start small with a ratio of one part coffee to two parts sugar and spices, then adjust to taste (keep in mind the coffee flavour will become more intense while the meat cooks).Ìý

6. Sprinkle it over ice cream

Were you one of those kids who sprinkled Milo over their vanilla ice cream for an instant DIY dessert? Try the grown-up version with a dusting of instant coffee (maybe with a bit of chocolate sauce for a mocha effect).Ìý

7. Milkshakes and smoothies

Whipping up a banana smoothie before you head out the door and looking for a little extra buzz to get you through the day? If you don’t have time to extract a shot of espresso, a spoonful of instant coffee will do just as well. Pop it in along with your banana, yoghurt, milk and honey.

Read more to find outÌýhow much caffeine is in your instant coffee.

8. Magic mocha brownies

Surely you can’t improve on the glorious gift that is a chocolate brownie? Instant coffee says you can. Add a spoonful, dissolved into your wet brownie mixture, to create some mocha magic and take your addiction to dramatic new heights.

9. Coffee crumble

A sweet coffee crumble is an irresistible topping for cakes, muffins, banana breads, pastries and desserts, and is easy to make in a food processor. Just blitz 125g unsalted butter with 1 cup flour and ½ cup sugar, then add 2 tablespoons of instant coffee and blend until coarse and crumbly.

Spread on an oven tray and bake at 180℃ for 20-30 minutes, then break up to sprinkle over your treats.

10. On your body

Step outside the kitchen and experiment by using instant coffee as an ingredient in DIY beauty products, like a body scrub. Coffee is celebrated for its antioxidant properties, after all, and the instant coffees with coarse granules create a great exfoliant that can help promote circulation.

Mix a few spoonfuls with sugar and coconut oil, or olive oil, to find a consistency that suits you and your skin.

Convinced? Find outÌýwhich instant coffee ÌÇÐÄVlog says is the best.

The post This pantry staple is good for so much more than drinking appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Which instant coffee tastes best?
• What makes the best instant coffee?
• Can instant coffee save you money?
• Coffee sustainability claims
• How much caffeine is in instant coffee?
• How to make iced coffee with instant coffee
• How we tested this category
• Meet our taste testers

But with the cost of living creeping up, many of us are looking to save money by brewing our coffee at home. In fact, we spent a massive $1.548 billion on supermarket coffee products in 2022. And it’s not just those with home coffee machines buying up the beans – instant coffee is just as popular as beans and pods.

While it’s no secret that a bad cup of instant coffee can be almost undrinkable, the good news is there are plenty of products that actually taste very good. We had our expert coffee tasting panel sample a selection of instant coffee products and judge them against the same taste criteria as our reference coffee (a long black made on an espresso machine using freshly ground beans).

Which instant coffee tastes best?

The following four instant coffee products received a ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating of 80% or more (scores are based on taste only), outperforming the reference brew, which scored 79%. This means that according to our expert taste testers, any one of these products could give you a better tasting coffee than espresso machine-made coffee using award-winning freshly ground beans – and for a lot less effort.

Bushells Classic Gourmet Instant Coffee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 83%
• Price per 100g: $4.25
• Taster notes: Nice smooth flavour, well balanced, sweet dark chocolate aroma, good flavour, nice undertone, mild to medium acidity, good body, well balanced.

Robert Timms Full-Bodied Granulated Coffee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 81%
• Price per 100g: $4.00
• Taster notes: Smooth, some sweetness, flat but some black tea flavour, not unpleasant aftertaste, OK balance, fruity aroma, fairly robust flavour.

Coles Classic Granulated Coffee Smooth & Bold

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 80%
• Price per 100g: $1.85
• Taster notes: Good flavour, sweet and nutty aroma, some nutty flavours, smooth aftertaste, low to medium acidity, mild to low body, well-rounded, some lingering pleasant notes, mild but some sweetness.

Vittoria Mountain Grown 100% Arabica Instant Coffee Freeze Dried

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 80%
• Price per 100g: $12.50
• Taster notes: Nice well-balanced flavour, flat, mild, OK body, mild sweetness, mild acidity.

What makes the best instant coffee?

Our professional coffee testers look for the following attributes when assessing instant coffee.

Aroma and flavour

Floral, sweet, fruity and spicy aromas and flavours are some of the characteristics often found in a good coffee. The Bushells coffee, for example, was described by our expert taste testers as having a “dark chocolate aroma”. The Robert Timms product had a “fruity aroma” and Coles Classic Granulated Coffee Smooth & Bold had “nutty flavours” and a “sweet and nutty aroma”.Ìý

Acidity

In the coffee world, acidity really refers to sourness or bitterness, and a higher acidity is preferred. Although plenty of instant coffees scored highly for taste, a recurring comment across all the products we tested was that the acidity was on the medium to low side. This seems to be one of the main negative characteristics of instant coffee, as higher acidity is associated with higher quality.

Sweetness

Even with no sugar added, coffee can definitely have a hint of sweetness. The reason for this is a bit of a mystery, as there are very few sweet-tasting compounds present in coffee. One theory behind why coffee tastes sweet is because some of the flavours present in coffee (e.g. nutty, caramel and chocolate notes) are usually associated with sweet foods. Sweetness in coffee is considered a positive attribute, so our testers note whether each coffee sample tastes sweet or not.Ìý

Can instant coffee save you money?

With lots of us looking for ways to cut back on recurring costs, replacing cafe coffees with a cheaper alternative is an easy way to save.

The average cost of a latte in Australia is $5.40. Let’s say you bought three a week, that’s $16.20, which adds up to about $840 per year. If we compare this to instant coffee, the average cost per serve based on our review is a minuscule 14 cents (not including milk). Even if you upped your intake to one a day, it would still cost you just 98 cents per week, which adds up to $51 a year.Ìý

That’s a difference of around $790 a year!

While some may turn their noses up at instant coffee, in our test we found four products on the market that scored higher than a freshly brewed homemade espresso. So if you’re looking to cut back on your cafe spend but don’t want to invest in a home coffee machine, instant could provide a handy solution.Ìý

Coffee sustainability claims

Of the 18 products we tested, 10 had some form of sustainability certification claim on the pack. Most had third-party certification from schemes such as Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade.Ìý

Nescafe’s Blend 43 Smooth & Creamy and Blend 43 Dark varieties included the claims “grown respectfully” and “100% sustainable coffee beans” on their packaging. When we asked Nestle for more detail on that second claim, a spokesperson told us that the company’s aim is to reach 100% responsibly-sourced coffee by 2025 globally.Ìý

They went on to explain that at present, for the coffee made at their Australian factory in Gympie, Queensland, “100% of the coffee beans are verified by an independent, external certifier as responsibly sourced” and that “most of the beans are certified by Rainforest Alliance or 4C”.

How much caffeine is in instant coffee?

Foods containing added caffeine and guarana (a South American plant with high levels of natural caffeine) must be labelled as such, but other natural sources of caffeine (such as coffee) aren’t required to label the presence or quantity of caffeine.

The caffeine content of instant coffee varies depending on the brand. Where we were able to ascertain caffeine content details from the manufacturers of the products we tested back in 2019, they ranged from 2500mg up to 6000mg per 100g. That’s about 63–150mg based on one rounded teaspoon in a 250mL cup. The average is about 78mg per 250mL cup, according to the Australian Food Composition Database. The table below shows how this compares with other caffeine-containing drinks.

For most healthy adults, a moderate intake of caffeine (the definition of which varies from source to source, but 300–400mg a day is commonly cited) won’t pose a problem, but it’s worth knowing what’s in your cuppa if you want to keep track of how much caffeine you’re consuming, especially if you need to limit your intake.

How to make iced coffee with instant coffee

With instant coffee you can make iced coffee, well, in an instant. Here’s how.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 200mL cold milk
• Ice for serving

Method

Combine coffee, sugar (if including) and water in a clean jar. Screw the lid on the jar and shake until frothy and granules have dissolved. Pour into a glass full of ice and fill with milk. Makes one serving.

How we tested this category

Products

We tested 18 instant coffee products that were available nationally in major supermarket chains. Because of the results of the last instant coffee test where the judges noted a lack of flavour, this year we chose dark and richer varieties where available.Ìý

We did not test latte, cappuccino or mocha styles, flavoured varieties, decaffeinated coffee or coffee bags. The price per 100g is based on the price for a 100g jar or the closest available size (not on special).Ìý

Taste

We had our trusted panel of expert coffee tasters blind taste the 18 varieties of instant coffee, rating them against a reference coffee.

The reference coffee was a long black made with Breville’s The Barista Touch Impress BES881, a ÌÇÐÄVlog Recommended home espresso machine. The coffee was made from premium freshly ground beans and 140mL water. We made the instant coffee with one heaped teaspoon of coffee and 140mL of boiled and slightly cooled water.

Scores

The samples were analysed based on the , which assess coffee for fragrance, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, balance, clean cup (the absence of ‘non-coffee’ flavours caused by contamination), sweetness and the taster’s overall impression of the sample. Points were subtracted for any defects found.

Meet our taste testers

Our expert judging panel included brothers David and Matthew Gee, principals of Barista Basics Coffee Academy, as well as Anee Sampath, founder of Beancraft coffee roasters.

The post What’s the best instant coffee? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

While most coffee snobs would never dream of touching instant coffee, desperate times call for desperate measures. And with cafe prices hitting $5.50 for a regular coffee, there are big savings to be made – both in money and time – by DIYing your daily brew.Ìý
Ìý
Interested? We’ll revealÌýthe best tasting instant coffeesÌýand share some tips and tricks to level up your home-made brew.

How to choose the best instant coffee

To state the obvious, you can’t make a good coffee without good coffee. So your first step should be to buy the best tasting instant coffee.Ìý

Our panel of coffee experts blind taste tested 18 popular instant coffees to find out which ones are the best. Shockingly, they found that six products tasted either the same as, or better than coffee from an espresso machine – clearly instant has come a long way!Ìý

And the best news for bean hunters on a budget? Most of the highly rated products are surprisingly affordable. (One of them is even a supermarket own-brand that costs just $3.70 a jar – that’s cheaper than a single cafe coffee.)

The best instant coffees according to our expert panel

According to our coffee experts, these instant coffees tasted better than an espresso made from fresh beans.

Bushell’s Classic Gourmet Instant Coffee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 83%
• Price: $4.25 per 100g

Robert Timms Granulated Coffee, Full Bodied

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 81%
• Price: $4.00 per 100g

Coles Classic Granulated Coffee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 80%
• Price: $1.85 per 100g

Vittoria Mountain Grown, 100% Arabica Instant Coffee Freeze Dried

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 80%
• Price: $12.50 per 100g

These instants scored exactly the same as coffee made from fresh beans on an espresso machine, so they’re also great options:

Alcafe Gold Classic Roast (Aldi)

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 79%
• Price: $3.90 per 100g

Coles Organic Freeze Dried Coffee

• ÌÇÐÄVlog Expert Rating: 79%
• Price: $4.00 per 100g

Hacks to make your instant coffee taste better

Now you know which products are the best, here are some hacks from ÌÇÐÄVlog staff to make your cup of instant taste even better, plus some options for different coffee styles if you want to mix it up.Ìý

Double it

Adding more coffee will give you a better coffee flavour – makes sense, right? Instant coffee-drinking ÌÇÐÄVlog staff universally agree that more is better, so treat yourself to two teaspoons instead of one.

And if you’re buying one of the cheaper options that our experts recommend, you can justify the extravagance of a double dose!

Prep it

Another popular technique is to mix the coffee with some sugar and a little bit ofÌý water to make a paste, then top it up with hot water. This gives your instant coffee a layer of crema, so you can pretend you’re drinking an espresso.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog staffers believe adding cold waterÌýinstead of hot to make the paste canÌýprevent the boiling water from scalding the coffee. ThisÌýreportedly makes your coffee taste smoother and less bitter, and gets rid of the chalky consistency common to some instant coffees. Cold milk can work, too, or even cream if you’re looking for a more decadent taste.Ìý

Froth it

To get that cafe feeling, buy yourself a milk frother and top up your instant coffee with steamed milk.Ìý

You can pick up a frother for around $30, which is a great investment if it helps you transition from barista-made coffee to home-made. Plus it’s way cheaper than buying an entire coffee machine.Ìý

Mix it up: Different drinks you can make out of instant coffee

To break up the monotony of daily at-home coffee, experiment with some different coffee styles to keep things fresh. Here are some ÌÇÐÄVlog staff favourites.Ìý

Iced instant coffee

In a jar, mix two teaspoons of instant coffee with warm water (and sugar, if that’s how you drink it) and give it a good shake until the sugar has dissolved and the mix is frothy. Pour over ice and top with milk.

Vietnamese coffee

Sweeten up your iced coffee with a teaspoon or two of condensed milk instead of sugar.Ìý

Greek frappe coffee

Using a jar, shake up 2–3 teaspoons of instant coffee with ¼ of a cup of cold water until it’s thick and foamy. Pour over ice then top with cold water.Ìý

If you want a sweeter version, add some sugar before shaking.Ìý

Here’s a quick Greek lesson: a Greek frappe with no sugar is called skétos (plain), two sugars is métrios (medium) and four is glykós (sweet).

Dalgona coffee

This Korean coffee hack went viral (no pun intended) during COVID lockdowns. It’s made by whipping up equal amounts of instant coffee, sugar and hot water until it forms creamy stiff peaks, then dolloping it over cold or warm milk.Ìý

You can experiment with other flavours like cocoa and Nesquik, too: How to make Dalgona coffee.Ìý

DIY mocha

Chocolate makes everything better, so try adding some Milo, cocoa or hot chocolate powder into your instant coffee. If you’re using frothed milk, you can sprinkle some on top too for the full cafe experience.Ìý

The post How to make your instant coffee taste better than espresso appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Best milky bubble tea
• Best fruity bubble teas
• What is bubble tea?
• Is bubble tea healthy?
• How we score

We’re sure many fans have a lot to say about which retail brand does the best tapioca pearl, or which does the perfectly balanced milk tea, but we won’t be going into that here.

Instead, we’re looking at the best supermarket bubble teas to make or have at home, based on taste, nutrition and ease of preparation. We tested 21 milk and fruit-based bubble teas, with the taste-testing component carried out by the trusted public and ÌÇÐÄVlog staff.

Best milky bubble tea

Chatime Brown Sugar Milk Tea

ÌÇÐÄVlog score: 92%

Price per serve: $2.50

Taste test notes: “Brown sugar with a mild tea taste”; “Proper pearls (chewy)”; “Right amount of sweetness – the most similar to a store-bought bubble tea of the ones I tasted”.

Best fruity bubble teas

Chatime Passionfruit Iced Tea

ÌÇÐÄVlog score: 88%

Price per serve: $2.50

Taste test notes: “Perfectly sweet, not too passion-fruity”; “[the pearls are] light, cool and slimy”.

Avalanche Mango Bubble Tea

ÌÇÐÄVlog score: 77%

Price per serve: $1.60

Taste test notes: “Not too sweet”; “[the pearls are] chewy, gooey”.

What makes a good bubble tea?

The lower scoring bubble teas had a few things in common, according to the taste testers: they were either too sweet, had little flavour, or the taste resembled milk powder or had an artificial flavour to it. These low scorers were also reported to be more fiddly to make, which had an impact on their ease of use score.

Products that scored higher, such as the Chatime Brown Sugar Milk Tea, were reported to have the right amount of sweetness and were easier to prepare with just a microwave and kettle.

What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea, boba, or pearl tea can be traced back to the early 1980s in Taiwan, but it didn’t take off in the Western world until the 2000s.Ìý

Its ‘bubbles’ or ‘pearls’ are 1cm diameter balls made from a starchy component like tapioca or algae gum. The various bubbles or pearls used in bubble tea are referred to as ‘toppings’, and include black pearls (the standard black tapioca ball), balls filled with syrups, and other creative concoctions in a range of shapes, sizes and flavours.

These toppings are added to various teas, coffee, slushies and milk flavours and are enjoyed hot or cold, drunk through a wide straw.

Save money making it yourself

It’s much cheaper to make bubble tea at home than it is to buy it from a bubble tea retailer. The average price per serve of the supermarket bubble teas we tested was $2.30, compared to about $7 from a bubble tea store like Chatime. Over time, making it yourself could mean big savings, particularly if you’re a regular buyer.

Some kits are easier to make than others

Let’s face it: if you’re going to make bubble tea at home it needs to be simple to put together, otherwise it’s easy to justify spending the extra dollars at Gong Cha.

BBT Club and Boba Luxe products had multiple components and steps, which included draining of the tea and cooking the pearls on the stove. While this can be very exciting to some people, others may find it fiddly and time consuming.Ìý

Our testers found the Avalanche brand bubble teas easier to make. The pearls were able to be microwaved in the pouch for 20 seconds (warning: they were very hot to handle), which after that only required the addition of water to the mix. The fruit Chatime bubble teas already had the popping pearls prepared, so were generally easy to make as well.

Is bubble tea healthy?

Bubble teas contain numerous types of sugars to make them sweet, including sucrose, fructose and glucose. Remember, sugar by any other name is still sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

The average sugar content of the bubble teas we tested was about 6.3g per 100g. By way of comparison, a Coca-Cola Classic drink contains 10.6g of sugar per 100g. The creamers used in most of the milky bubble teas are a mixture of non-dairy fats and yes, more sugar – in the form of glucose.Ìý

The lowest Health Star Rating (HSR) of the products we tested was 0.5, and the highest was 2. HSRs for this category simply come down to energy and sugar content.Ìý

Low in sugar, but low in taste

The two bubble teas that claimed to contain 50% less sugar were Naked Life’s Betta Boba Brown Sugar Bubble Tea and Betta Boba Milk Bubble Tea. They each contained 1.6g of sugar per 100g – significantly lower than the test average of 6.3g of sugar per 100g.Ìý

Much of the sweetness of these drinks comes from sweeteners like erythritol and stevia. It’s a shame these lower sugar varieties scored so low on taste, with taste test scores of 12% and 6%, respectively. For comparison, the two best tasting samples earned taste test scores of 96% (Chatime Brown Sugar Milk Tea) and 90% (Chatime Passionfruit Iced Tea).

How we score

We asked shoppers at Top Ryde Shopping Centre to taste a selection of 21 bubble teas, and then vote for their favourite. We had about 15 public taste testers test each sample.

The ÌÇÐÄVlog score is based on the public taste test results (80%), nutrition score (Health Star Rating, 10%), and ease of preparation score (10%).

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