- 42% of Brits have refused a cuppa made by someone else – with friends the worst offenders
- Milky, weak tea and reused teabags are the UK’s biggest tea turn-offs
LONDON, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — There is nothing more British than a cup of tea, but if someone else is making it, we would rather they didn’t bother. New research released for International Tea Day 2026 (21st May) reveals that 42% of Brits have refused a cuppa from a friend, family member or colleague because of how it was made.
The survey of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by kitchen appliance innovator CASO Design, reveals the brewing mistakes giving the nation the ick. Topping the list is using too much milk, cited by 29% of respondents, followed by weak, under-brewed tea (28%). Reusing a teabag was named by 24%, while cold tea (21%) and overly strong tea (18%) were also big turn-offs.
Friends are the nation’s least-trusted tea makers – 29% of people said they were most likely to reject a brew from a mate. Work colleagues (24%) and siblings (23%) also rank highly, while Brits are more likely to accept tea from a complete stranger (17%) than family members. Only bosses escape scrutiny, just 8% say they would turn down tea from their manager.
Younger drinkers are the toughest critics, 54% of 25 to 34-year-olds having refused a brew. Men are fussier than women, with 45% saying they have turned down a cup of tea compared to 38% of women.
Hygiene was the number one reason people reject a brew (38%), followed by tea being too milky (36%), too weak (30%), or a lack of confidence in the maker’s abilities (22%).
Despite being quick to judge others, Brits remain highly confident in their own skills. 85% believe they make the perfect cup of tea every time, yet the data suggests many are guilty of the mistakes they criticise.
More than half (57%) admit to pressing the teabag against the side of the mug, which can release bitter tannins. More than a quarter (27%) add milk before removing the teabag, while 14% re-boil the same water throughout the day. A fifth (21%) use boiling water for herbal teas, effectively scalding them.
But the biggest mistake – 70% of Brits are not letting their tea brew for long enough.
One in ten leave the teabag in less than 30 seconds, while a third (33%) brew for just one minute. Only 14% follow the recommended two to three minutes.
Carri Hecks, leading tea sommelier and tutor at UK Tea Academy, said: “We all know what we like and like what we know when it comes to tea. Whether it’s strong but milky, tea you can stand your spoon up in or simply waving the teabag near the cup, everyone has their own idea of the perfect brew.
“A cup of tea is a comfort blanket for many people, which is why they can be so particular when someone else makes it.
“As a tea purist, I’d say we started to lose the art of tea making the moment we stepped away from teapots and loose leaf tea. Tea became less of a ritual and more about speed and convenience.
“But today tea making is evolving, and modern technology is becoming part of that evolution. People are time poor, so there’s growing interest in tech that help deliver more consistency, quality and precision without slowing everything down.”
Research by: Censuswide, April 2026
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