Recommend a tea please

I'm not much of a tea drinker but since I've been dieting I cut out all coffee and I'm drinking just tea now. But a few days ago I also cut out the splash of milk in my tea and now I find my tea taste like carboard. It's the same with PG Tips and Tetley. Can anyone recommend a nice tasting tea?

So you're now drinking plain black tea - no sugar or milk?

I can't recommend a brand per se. But I do find that when you drink it black, especially in the UK, you don't need to steep it as long. For some reason I find the tea brews up much stronger here. I also always need a touch of sugar or sweetener if I don't use milk. Lemon is also really nice in black tea (and, as you probably know, the more common way to have it in the US).

I'm a pretty big fan of Earl Gray but it's not to everyone's taste. English Breakfast Tea is also nice.

If you've got time and inclination, going to Whittards or Ringtons and actually trying all their different teas might be worthwhile.

The boy swears by his Earl Grey.  But lately we have both been enjoying pure Kenyan Tea from Jacksons of Piccadilly.  I buy it at Sainsburys.  Oh and my wonderful Step Mom back home looooves Yorkshire tea so I just sent her two big boxes of it!

I also do all the caffeine free teas, camomile, peppermint, spearmint-camomile is the boys favorite!

I don't know if you're open to other types of tea besides black, but I recently discovered genmaicha (rice tea) and I love it! It's green, not black tea though. But it tastes best sans sugar or milk.

I do use a teaspoon of Splenda.
I've never heard of rice tea but have heard of all the others people have mentioned. Do shops sell variety packs of tea like they do in the USA? Maybe I can try different ones that way.

Either that, or an herbal tisane - peppermint, camomile, or a fruit variety.  Lady Grey is also very nice - less bergamot than Earl Grey.  British tea is a much stronger variety than the Lipton's type we get in the US.  I grew up drinking Earl Grey, so when I was asked on my first visit here if I took milk, I said no.  I was a bit surprised by the brew I got - looked more like coffee and was nearly strong enough to dissolve the spoon!    British black tea needs milk by my palate's reckoning, and its flavours are robust enough to take it.  Without milk, you may need something more delicately flavoured.  

if you're not taking milk in tea, i'd avoid black teas, and go for something like Rooibos / redbush, or orange pekoe, or some of the pre-prepared chai tea bags.

I agree that black tea really needs milk.

PM me... i can send you some samples of different things! 

Lady Grey is also very nice

That's one of my favourites!

Can't you add your splash of milk back in?

I do use a teaspoon of Splenda.
I've never heard of rice tea but have heard of all the others people have mentioned. Do shops sell variety packs of tea like they do in the USA? Maybe I can try different ones that way.

Yah, they do sell varieties in a pack. I bought a nice one for my mom ages ago. There's a neat little tea/coffee shop in Solihull, they have loads of nice stuff. Including gift packs.

I'm a big fan of Rooibos tea.

I personally drink the cheapest tea possible and think it actually tastes better than a lot of brands.  However, I will second the recommendation for rooibos, if you're look for something different - it's got a very unique (delicious!) flavor that doesn't NEED milk.

I personally drink the cheapest tea possible and think it actually tastes better than a lot of brands.  However, I will second the recommendation for rooibos, if you're look for something different - it's got a very unique (delicious!) flavor that doesn't NEED milk.

And it's decaf.

I am not a big (hot) tea drinker but I do like Kenya tea with a slice of lemon.  of  the herbal teas, Rosehip is my favourite to drink hot, or a mint infusion after a heavy meal is very nice.

I'm another fan of Lady Grey tea.  Earl Grey to just too heavy on the bergamot for me.  I'm a huge fan of Twining's chai tea.

I do use a teaspoon of Splenda.
I've never heard of rice tea but have heard of all the others people have mentioned. Do shops sell variety packs of tea like they do in the USA? Maybe I can try different ones that way.

I first tried rice tea in Ukraine of all places and fell in love. It's green tea mixed with fried brown rice (and it tastes much much better than I'm making it sound, and smells absolutely divinely.) I drink it with a packet of Equal, but it tastes good with or without. I found it as Genmaicha in Whittard and they had it both bagged and loose.