Milk or water first for the perfect cup of tea?

We all know someone who INSISTS on pouring cold milk onto a teabag, before the boiling water…

However, the nation has now spoken, and a resounding 78 percent who took part in a recent poll agree, that when it comes to brewing the perfect cup, milk before water is a percolating no-no.

Researchers from Aldi polled the nation to discover what makes the perfect cuppa, after it found that the majority of us (72 percent) drink an average of four cups a day, with 55 percent preferring it to coffee. And seven in ten are so passionate about a good brew that they give specific instructions when someone offers to make them a cup, to ensure they get it right.

In fact, according to the data, we drink a staggering 127,034,668 cups of tea every day in Britain. Yet a quarter (22 percent) are making their tea incorrectly, by adding the milk in first, something which gets on the nerves of the remaining 78 percent.

According to the MAJORITY the perfect cup of tea is English Breakfast (67 percent), adding hot water first before letting the bag stew for TWO minutes to achieve the ultimate shade. Half (49 percent) agree that a splash of semi-skimmed milk should then be added to help bring the temperature down to 57 degrees, which is considered the perfect drinking temperature.

The new research comes as Aldi announces the launch of its new Smart Kettle and at just £29.99, it is set to solve the nation’s tea woes.

Jo Bryant, etiquette consultant:

“It’s clear that tea remains a very important part of our lives, with the average Brit consuming a staggering 1,460 cups a year, and each tea-drinker having their own particulars about how they have their tea.

“I’m with the majority – a cup of English Breakfast tea, freshly-brewed for around two minutes, with a moderate amount of milk – and its always tea first, milk last. It manners when making someone else a cup of tea to check how they like it. Most people simply ask about milk and sugar, but it is better tea-making etiquette to also enquire about strength and any other preferences.

“Try to take the time to make perfect tea for friends, colleagues and family, and make sure you remember just how they like it for next time.”

The kettle is normally on at 7am for Brit’s cup of the day, with (40 percent) having a specific mug that they always use which they believe helps their tea taste its best. Despite our excitement over a cuppa, 48 percent say they often have to re-boil their kettle because they get distracted.

More than four in five (85 percent) feel so strongly about ‘liquid gold’ that they admit that it is important to them that their partner and family know how they take their tea, which is lucky as partners (57 percent) and mums (28 percent) all seem to make the best tea.

In contrast, colleagues (45 percent) are the WORST at making a brew.

Calculation as follows, 55% people reported preferring tea to coffee. 55% of the UK adult population = 31,758,667. Multiply by average number of cups a day (4) = 127,034,668. This research of 2,000 Brits was commissioned by Aldi and conducted by Perspectus Global in June 2025.