Best Instant Masala Chai (Tea) Premix Brands in India

Chai lovers will agree that nothing replaces a perfectly tailored cup of tea with the masala blend of your liking. Even when away from home! But, it is not practical or feasible to get that same taste from that milky office chai or when you’re traveling.

If you’re someone who just cannot live without chai, no matter where you are, may we suggest a tea premix? For a tea premix, all you need is hot water. Sugar, tea extract, milk, and flavorings are pre-added. We compared six popular brands offering masala chai premix in India for our review to find the best instant masala tea premix. 

After an extensive review, we chose Society Tea Premix and Chaayos Instant Tea Premix as our top picks for their fragrant masala. We also recommend Girnar Masala Chai Premix. Curious why these made the list? Read on.

Instant Masala Tea Premix Brands – Everything You Need To Know

This section discusses the teas we reviewed, their price range, packaging, shelf life, and availability of the instant masala chai premix brands. 

1. Reviewed Brands

For our review, we tested 6 popular brands –

Girnar Masala Tea Premix
Wagh Bakri Masala Tea Premix
Nestle Masala Tea Premix
Chaika Dhaba Chai
Chaayos Masala Tea Premix
Society Masala Tea Premix

2. Form Factor

The tea premixes come packaged in individual sachets. Some premixes also come in large jars. This a fine powder and no tea leaves or spices can be seen.

3. Price Range

On average, the price of tea premixes ranges between Rs 13/- to Rs 25/- per sachet. The price varies from brand to brand depending on the ingredients used and the quantity of the premix per sachet.

4. Available Sizes

Various box sizes of tea premixes are available in the market. Most brands have 10 sachets per box, while some also have 25, 30, and 40 sachets per box-packs. A few brands also offer commercial packs which are suitable for small offices and workspaces.

5. Packaging

Tea premixes are generally available in sachets which can weigh between 14-25 gms per sachet. A few brands of tea premixes also come in jars which are meant for bulk usage.

Amongst the brands we reviewed, a few offer wooden or plastic stirrers which are extremely convenient during traveling. Some also offer containers that help in measuring the quantity of water you need to add.

6. Shelf Life

The shelf life of most tea premixes can range from 6 months to 12 months. Do check the label carefully before purchasing.

7. Availability

We purchased all the brands of masala tea premixes from Amazon. These are easily available on several grocery shopping portals as well. You can also purchase them from selected supermarkets and local grocery stores.

Quick Comparison of Instant Masala Chai Premix Brands

Our Review Factors

1. Taste and Balance Of Flavour

A tea premix has three main components – the tea extract, milk solids/dairy whitener, and sugar. Apart from that, single flavorings or a blend of spices are added. A few commonly available spice combinations are ginger-cardamom, lemongrass–ginger, and many more. 

For our review, we wanted to know if the tea extract, milk, and sugar levels are balanced and in sync with each other? How tasty is the tea made using the premix? Is the spice blend aromatic? Does the masala blend feel too overpowering or is it too subtle to detect?

2. Aroma

Can we smell any dominant spice? If yes, is it pleasing and refreshing? Does that fresh aroma reflect well during the tasting session as well?

3. Sugar Content

Most tea premixes are overly sweet. Adding more water doesn’t really help as it dilutes the overall flavor. Not everyone has a high sugar tolerance, which is why the balance of sugar in tea is extremely important.

Is the tea premix too sweet, balanced or does it leave room for addition of more sugar as per personal preference? 

4. Add Ons

Does the pack come with stirrers? Any other equipment that helps amp up the convenience of the tea premix, especially during traveling? 

5. Convenience

How easy or complicated are the instructions given at the back of the pack? Is the tea premix convenient enough to be carried during traveling or had at an office desk without any special requirements?  

6. Price

Are the tea premixes too costly or priced competitively? For the quality of the tea, is the price justified? What is the average cost per day of a tea premix sachet?

Who Is This Review For?

For most tea-loving folks, a cup of well-made masala chai is as good as a warm hug. Very often the tea you get at offices or while you’re traveling isn’t up to one’s liking. Either it’s too milky, too sugary, or just flavorless. Enter, premixes.

This review is meant for everyone who loves and lives chai. If you’re traveling and looking for the perfect, most convenient tea premix, this could be an extremely helpful review for you. 

This review will also come in handy while choosing the premix for office needs. If you’re not a fan of the ‘dip-dip’ separate tea, our review of the best instant masala tea premix brands in India will be a useful read.

How We Picked Brands

We selected brands specifically labeled as masala tea premixes or those featuring a blend of two or more Indian spices or aromatics. Alongside popular Indian masala tea brands like Wagh Bakri, we also included brands with a strong online presence.

To keep comparisons consistent, we chose premixes with regular sugar, opting not to include low-sugar or sugar-free varieties. Additionally, we focused on sachet packaging rather than jars or bulk packs to evaluate their convenience, particularly for travel.

Brands We Picked

The brands we picked are – 

• Girnar Masala Chai 
• Wagh Bakri Masala Chai Premix
• Nestlé Everyday Chai Life Desi Masala Instant Tea Premix
• Chaika Dhaba Chai Premix
• Chaayos Masala Chai Premix 
• Society One Minute Tea Premix

How We Reviewed? 

We evaluated all the premixes using two key methods:

1. Dry Aroma Inspection
2. Taste Test

First, we inspected the dry premixes to assess the aroma of masala spices. While some had a delightful, fragrant spice blend, others had only a strong scent of dairy whitener.

Next, we prepared each premix according to the instructions provided on the packaging. We then conducted a side-by-side taste test to compare them all.

Best Masala Chai Premix Brands In India – Detailed Review

1. Society Tea Instant Masala Tea Premix

The tea looks and tastes closest to a cup of homemade chai. It’s neither too watery nor too milky. The balance of milk and tea extract is spot on. The dominant aroma and flavor are of ginger and pepper. Both these spices give the tea a very delicate, zingy warmth which is very refreshing.

Another major deciding factor during our review is the sugar content in the premix. Society marginally trumped Chaayos because of the balanced sugar levels. Not everyone likes a high-sugar tea, and Society Tea helps strike that balance of sugar, tea, milk, and flavoring.

2. Chaayos Instant Masala Chai Premix 

Chaayos Masala Chai Premix comes in a lively, illustrated box featuring ingredient-inspired designs. A box of 15 sachets is priced at Rs 375, making it notably more expensive than other options. Each sachet provides 22 gm of premix, though stirrers are not included.

The tea prepared with Chaayos’ premix has a rich, dark brown color, similar to homemade, well-brewed “kadhi hui” chai. The aroma and flavor are robust, featuring pronounced ginger and pepper notes with subtle, warming hints of clove.

The balance of milk, tea, and sugar is well-crafted, though the sugar level is slightly high without being overwhelming.

We appreciated Chaayos for several reasons, especially the generous amount of premix per sachet. Although pricier than other brands, each sachet makes a satisfying 150 ml cup – larger than the standard 100 ml serving offered by competitors.

3. Girnar Masala Chai Instant Premix With Spices – Also Recommended

Girnar’s Masala Chai Premix, packaged in a green-yellow box, is priced at Rs 470 for 36 sachets and includes wooden stirrers, adding convenience.

The tea prepared with Girnar’s premix has a homestyle quality, neither overly milky nor too dark. It boasts a creamy thickness reminiscent of traditional homemade chai, with no watered-down taste. The blend is rich with dominant clove and cardamom notes, which we found delightful.

Although the sugar level may feel a bit high for those who prefer less sweetness, the masala blend is well-balanced and flavorful.

Girnar’s tea premix is truly a value-for-money option, being the most affordable among the brands we reviewed. At only Rs 13 per cup, it’s definitely a worthwhile purchase!

4. Chaika Dhaba Chai Ginger Cardamom Flavoured Instant Tea Premix

Chaika’s Dhaba Chai is packaged in a vibrant orange box, priced at Rs 140 for 10 premix sachets, though stirrers are not included.

The tea has a somewhat artificial orangey color, but the flavors of ginger and cardamom are impressively balanced. Neither spice overpowers the other, allowing the fresh notes of cardamom and the mild zing of ginger to shine through beautifully.

However, the sugar level leans a bit high, which may be noticeable to those who prefer a less sweet chai.

5. Wagh Bakri Masala Instant Tea Premix

The Wagh Bakri Masala Instant Tea Premix is packaged in a maroon-brown box and is priced at Rs 140 for a pack of 10 sachets, each weighing 14 gm.

However, this tea premix falls short in both aroma and flavor. Disappointingly, we couldn’t detect any hint of spice. Instead it’s dominated by dairy whitener, resulting in a bland cup that lacks the warmth and depth expected in a masala tea.

In fact, without the label, it could easily be mistaken for plain tea. Additionally, the sugar content is quite high, further masking any potential masala notes.

6. Nestle Everyday Chai Life Desi Masala Instant Tea Premix

Nestle is a brand we’ve come to associate primarily with milk and dairy products like curd and dairy whitener. Additionally, it’s well-known for chocolates. Therefore, seeing a tea premix from Nestle is quite surprising.

This Masala Instant Tea Premix by Nestle is packaged in a distinctive blue and orange box. Each box, priced at Rs 180, contains 10 sachets, though it lacks stirrers, which would have been a useful addition.

Upon tasting, we found the Nestle Everyday Masala Instant Tea Premix to be overly milky and sweet. Unfortunately, it fails to strike a good balance between tea extract, milk, and sugar. Moreover, we couldn’t detect any hint of masala flavor—it simply tasted like a cup of tea heavy on milk.

Instant Masala Tea Premix Brands – Winners

Why did we choose Society One Minute Tea (Masala) as our Top Pick?

When it comes to masala tea premixes, achieving the right balance of tea extract, milk, and sugar is crucial. Additionally, a well-rounded masala flavor should be aromatic and flavorful to elevate the tea experience.

We chose Society One Minute Tea Masala Premix as our Top Pick because it successfully blends a delicate masala profile, featuring ginger and pepper, with a harmonious balance of tea, milk, and sugar.

Unlike many other premixes, the sugar in Society’s tea isn’t overpowering, allowing consumers the flexibility to add more sugar to taste if desired.

Why did we choose Chaayos Masala Premix Tea as our Top Pick?

We also picked Chaayos Masala Premix Tea as our Top Pick for its bold, robust masala flavor. Additionally, Chaayos provides 22 gm of premix per sachet, which makes a larger serving of 150 ml of tea.

This is considerably more than the 90-100 ml offered by other brands, which is closer to a smaller “cutting chai” portion.

Why do we also recommend Girnar Masala Tea Premix?

We also Recommend Girnar’s Masala Tea Premix for its wonderfully fragrant and warming masala, featuring a mix of cloves and cardamom.

Moreover, it’s the most affordable option among the brands we reviewed, priced at just Rs 13 per sachet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Verdict