I tested high street lattes as prices soar by a THIRD – best was cheaper than Starbucks & packed biggest caffeine punch

THERE’S something about foamy, milky coffee and it’s almost knocked tea off the top spot as the national’s favourite drink.

A survey by Open Reach found that 56 per cent of Brits opt to have a coffee when purchasing a hot drink on the go. 

Lattes are picked by 20 per cent as their favourite coffee shop hot drink - compare to 22 per cent picking a leafy brew. 

But bean counters amongst you might want to find which is best value after a recent survey found the cost of a medium latte rose up by 30 per cent between 2021 and 2024.

So where can you get the perfect latte? We put them to the test so you don’t have to. 

Costa, £3.90

The Costa latte smells like the beans have been freshly roasted.

But when drinking it, you have to deal with a ridiculous amount of foam before you get to the actual drink.

While this tastes like super milky coffee, as it should, it leaves a chemical aftertaste behind.

It’s not the worst I’ve tried, but it’s not the best either. In fact, it’s not really memorable at all. 

3/5

Starbucks, £4.10

Underneath the foam, this just looks like a terribly brewed cup of tea - not coffee-like at all.

I can barely smell any coffee coming off it, just the smell of warmed milk.

It doesn’t taste like coffee when you sip it, either. The beanie hit comes after you’ve finished a slurp, as an aftertaste.

It’s ok, but if I’m paying this price, I want more coffee.

I feel like I could drink this and have a nap, no problem. That’s not my idea of coffee. 

2/5

WINNER

Pret, £3.80 

You can smell the coffee before I’ve even taken the mug from the barista.

It’s so strong I can feel the caffeine hit me just though inhaling it.

Taking a sip, I’m hit in the face with pure coffee goodness.

It’s then followed with smooth milk, which rounds off the taste. It’s a perfect meld of the two.

My favourite by far. 

5/5

Nero, £3.50

I can smell the coffee through the lid as I pick this one up to drink.

Within seconds of taking a sip, I can taste the coffee, which hits me like a bolt.

It’s incredibly bitter and the milk does little to temper that.

The strong bean taste lingers well after you’ve finished the cup.

If you’re an espresso drinker who is thinking of branching out, this is the latte for you. 

4/5

Leon, £3.85

This barely smells of anything which makes me wonder how much coffee has actually made it into my cup.

This is a little sickly at first before giving over to a coffee bean bonanza.

The bitterness of the beans is softened by the large amount of milk.

It’s a decent brew but I feel like they’ve added in sugar, which ruins it a bit. I’d buy it again over some of the others. 

4/5

LOSER

Greggs, £2.40

This doesn’t have a strong coffee smell to it when you take the lid off.

Nor does it taste particularly strong.

It's like drinking warm milk with a hint of bitterness rather than a sharp coffee twang.

It’s the cheapest on the list, and it’s clear why. There’s no quality bean in this cup. 

1/5