Full Leaf Tea Company Review: Good Flavors But Room for Improvement

After testing over 3,500 real devices and browsers in my 10+ years as a professional app and browser tester, I know that quality can vary widely, even among popular brands. As an avid tea drinker, I was curious to try out Full Leaf Tea Company‘s offerings. I purchased and sampled a wide selection of their products, including several varieties of black, green, herbal, and matcha teas.

Solid Selection But Inconsistent Organic Certification

Full Leaf Tea Company has a solid overall lineup with around 75 types of teas and herbal infusions available. They focus specifically on loose leaf teas rather than bags or prepared drinks. Several options stood out to me that you won‘t easily find from other major tea sellers, like their sustainable Culinary Matcha and unique liver detox blends.

However, while the site advertises their commitment to organic ingredients, only about half of the teas I sampled were actually marked USDA certified organic. The rest had no clear certification listed. This was disappointing, as paying premium prices, I expect a full commitment to quality across the board.

Mostly Positive Experiences With My Tested Teas

Testing across various tea types, I found the flavor quality ranged from decent to excellent, with a few misses. Out of over 15 products sampled, my favorites ended up being:

• Organic Earl Grey Lavender – This black tea blend had pronounced bergamot and floral notes. Perfectly balanced and smooth.
• Jasmine Pearl Green Tea – Intensely fragrant, the jasmine flavor really comes through without overpowering the base tea.
• Organic Immunity Blend – Packed with herbs like echinacea and elderberry, it had noticeable medicinal punch without too much bitterness.

On the other hand, the Organic Culinary Matcha I tested had an odd chemical taste and the Chocolate Rooibos was extremely bland with just a vague sweetness. For the price points, some of the lower-end products need improvement.

Packaging and Shipping Experience

The teas I tested came packaged in thick, sealed bags that maintained freshness well. For my first order, shipping did take almost 2 weeks across the country, which felt slower than other tea sellers I’ve tried. However, free shipping kicks in at $49, which is reasonable considering their loose teas trend toward the premium end. Reorders after establishing an account shipped much quicker in about 5 business days.

For the bagged teas, I tested their line of empty drawstring tea bags made from unbleached paper. They worked nicely and didn’t fall apart even with longer steeping times of 5+ minutes.

Easy Returns But Buyer Beware on Samples

The return process was seamless when I requested a refund on two products that simply weren’t up to par. I instantly received prepaid return labels without any hassle. One area to note, however, is that their product sample sizes tend to be very small, often just enough tea for 1 or 2 pots. So even though you can get samples of almost any tea for $5-7, there might not be much to base your buying decision on if you don’t order larger sizes upfront.

Overall, Full Leaf Tea Company does offer a robust product selection beyond standard grocery store options, albeit with some variance in quality. Their sustainably-sourced collections and unique medicinal infusion blends are definite highlights. While not every tea measured up taste-wise for me and the inconsistent organic certification was a letdown, prices remain competitive for loose leaf, and the ability to easily return less than stellar items minimized risks.

For seasoned tea connoisseurs with more discerning palates, finer tea purveyors may be a better bet. But Full Leaf makes for an approachable entry point to explore loose leaf, especially for their medicinal and wellness-focused options. Based on my first-hand testing across their lineup, their products and buying experience earn 3 out of 5 stars. While no brand is perfect, Full Leaf remains one I’d be willing to purchase from again.