The 10 Best Manuka Honeys
Updated by · How we research
UMF and MGO grades, batch testing and value compared across 10 New Zealand manuka honeys. Comvita UMF 10+ leads for its certified batches and big jar. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Far more honey is sold as manuka worldwide than New Zealand's bees make each year, so the grade on the jar matters more than the story on the box. A UMF number means an industry group checked that batch, while an MGO number is one lab reading. This guide is for anyone buying a jar for tea, toast or a scratchy throat.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
Comvita UMF 10+ heads the list now, for two reasons. Every batch is graded by the UMF Honey Association, and its big jar costs less per spoonful than any other licensed honey we looked at. Happy Valley, Tahi and Airborne have dropped out of stock with no price, and we couldn't confirm East Cape Active is still sold, so all four are gone. Kiva UMF 20+, Steens UMF 15+, Manuka Health UMF 10+, Wedderspoon MGO 150+ and P.R.I MGO 200+ stay, several in new jars or grades. New picks include New Zealand Honey Co. UMF 15+, Egmont Honey UMF 10+, Puriti Manuka Honey Snaps and Manukora MGO 50+, a cheap multifloral jar that's honest about its label.
The most useful evidence here was ConsumerLab's 2025 lab check of eight manuka honeys from five of these brands: most matched or beat their labeled strength, a couple fell short on freshness, and none carried heavy metals. That, plus the UMF Honey Association's grading rules, shaped the order more than any brand's claims.
November 29, 2020:
Today the well-rated Steens Raw Monofloral comes on board, which is sold in an 8.8-ounce jar and features a high unique manuka factor of 24. It’s independently tested and certified, and its manufacturer is a member of the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association. You can use the code on the label of each jar to trace the product back to it source in New Zealand. It works well as a sweetener for things like ginger and lemon tea, or taken with apple cider vinegar, and some use it in a homemade face wash. You’ll also find it sold in formulas with unique manuka factors of 10, 15, and 20, if you’re looking for lower-priced alternatives. It replaces Manuka Doctor Bio Active, which is not unique manuka factor certified.
We kept Kiva Raw in a prominent spot, which boasts a thick and smooth texture that’s good as a sweetener for tea or coffee. Its ingredients are sourced from farms that practice sustainable methods, and it has just 60 calories per serving. It’s sold in either a tightly sealed jar or convenient single-serve packets. It bears a unique manuka factor of 15+, like Happy Valley Honey, which also remains a reliable choice when it comes to quality and taste. It bears a deep golden brown color, and its rich flavors of caramel and malt make it a good option for spreading on fruit or toast. To help you get started, the manufacturer provides recipes online. Like the newly added Steens honey, the Comvita Premium is also traceable from hive to seller. This gluten-free choice bears a subtle, mild flavor, makes for a nice addition to a hot cup of tea, and also tastes great right from a spoon. As mentioned in our last update, for safety’s sake, check with your doctor before attempting to use manuka honey to treat any physical ailments.
December 11, 2019:
While organic honey is a great choice for conscientious consumers, some prefer manuka honey instead, since it’s believed to be healthier than the standard fare, and many believe it has superior antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits. Many use it when treating ailments like sore throats, stomach aches, wounds, acne, and more.
Today we incorporate into our list some updates of established products in the industry. If you’re researching these products for the first time, you’ll quickly start to see the term “UMF” mentioned in many of their descriptions. This stands for “Unique Manuka Factor” and is a grading system developed by the UMF Honey Association in New Zealand, where much of the world’s manuka honey is produced. In a nutshell, the higher the UMF number, the higher the antibacterial activity (and corresponding believed healing properties) of the honey. As you’d imagine, the price also goes up as the number goes up. This metric can range from 0 to 20+. To be considered potent, manuka honey needs a minimum rating of 10 UMF.
Kiva Raw retains the top spot in this update, as a choice with a UMF of 15+ where each batch is independently tested, verified, and traceable – so you know you’re getting a quality product. Like many others, this one is harvested from the remote hills, forests, and coastal areas of New Zealand. Other popular choices that remain high on our list are Happy Valley Honey, which also carries a UMF 15+ rating and is tested frequently for quality, as well as Comvita Premium, which maintains a 10+ UMF rating and is trackable from hive to store. This latter choice is raw, non-GMO, unpasteurized and halal and kosher certified. It’s also gluten-free, so it’s safe for anyone with related dietary restrictions.
While manuka honey is safe to consume for most people, it does have a high sugar content, like other honeys. As with any type of alternative treatment, be sure to check with your doctor before using manuka honey to treat any physical ailments.
Special Honors
Earthbound Manuka Honey This family beekeeping business in the Bethells Valley, northwest of Auckland, sells its manuka direct from its own shop. It offers a plain manuka honey and a stronger grade rated by methylglyoxal, in medium and large jars, plus bulk raw honey for people who go through a lot of it. earthboundhoney.com
UMF, MGO And What The Numbers Mean
The best known is methylglyoxal, or MGO, which gives manuka its unusual antibacterial activity in lab dishes.
Manuka honey is graded by how much of a few signature compounds it holds. The best known is methylglyoxal, or MGO, which gives manuka its unusual antibacterial activity in lab dishes. Some brands print the MGO reading alone, in milligrams per kilogram. Others print a UMF number, a grade licensed by the UMF Honey Association, which tests each batch for MGO plus other markers that prove the honey is manuka and that it's fresh.
The two scales line up roughly like this: UMF 5+ is about MGO 83, UMF 10+ about MGO 263, UMF 15+ about MGO 514 and UMF 20+ about MGO 830. The association says honey below MGO 83 isn't considered active manuka at all, and that UMF 10 and up is where most buyers should start.
Higher grades cost much more. On this list, a jar of UMF 20+ runs about double a 10+ jar of the same size. Strength also changes the taste, from mild and caramel-like at the low end to dark, bitter and medicinal at the top. For a spoonful in tea or on toast, a 10+ jar is plenty. Pay for 15+ or 20+ only if you want the stronger flavor or plan to take it straight.
How To Tell Real Manuka From A Blend
Fake and diluted manuka is a long-running problem. A UK government survey a decade ago found most manuka-labeled samples lacked manuka's signature activity, and testers in Hong Kong found syrup in some jars, according to the summary on Wikipedia. Since 2018, New Zealand has required every manuka export to pass a government science test of four chemical markers and a plant DNA marker.
At the shelf, look for four things the UMF Honey Association lists: a UMF grade with its quality mark, a license number, a batch number and "Product of New Zealand." You can enter a brand or batch on the association's certification search and see its list of licensed brands. Brands that print only MGO aren't necessarily worse, but look for a QR code or batch report that shows the lab result.
Be wary of words like "blend," "manuka-infused" or a grade with no scale named. A multifloral label is legal and honest: it means the bees also fed on other flowers, so the honey is milder. Independent lab checks are rare, but ConsumerLab tested eight manuka honeys in 2025 and found most matched their labels.
Using It, Storing It And Who Should Skip It
Treat manuka as a food. Most people take a teaspoon straight, stir it into warm (not boiling) drinks or spread it on toast. Some brands suggest a thin layer as a face mask; that's a cosmetic use, not a treatment. The FDA has sent warning letters to sellers who claimed manuka treats eye conditions, allergies or other illnesses, so be skeptical of health promises on any label. Medical wound dressings made with manuka honey are a separate, sterile product sold for that job.
Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months, because it can carry spores that cause infant botulism, the CDC warns. Honey is mostly sugar, so people watching blood sugar should count it like any sweetener, and anyone allergic to bee products should ask a doctor first.
Raw manuka often turns thick or grainy over time. That's normal crystallization, not spoilage. Keep the lid tight and the jar somewhere cool and dry, out of the sun. To soften set honey, stand the jar in warm water rather than microwaving it. Sealed honey keeps for years.
How we researched this
We compared 18 manuka honeys from 15 brands, checked each grade against the UMF Honey Association's rules, read ConsumerLab's 2025 summary of its manuka lab tests, analyzed owner feedback patterns and searched FDA food recall records for every brand on the list.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between UMF and MGO?
MGO is one lab reading of methylglyoxal, the compound most linked to manuka's antibacterial activity. UMF is a licensed grade from the UMF Honey Association that tests MGO plus markers for authenticity and freshness. UMF 10+ equals about MGO 263.
What UMF grade is best for a sore throat?
No study sets a dose or grade for sore throats. Honey is a common home remedy for coughs, but the evidence is limited and isn't specific to manuka. A UMF 10+ jar is a reasonable, affordable choice.
How do I know my manuka honey is real?
Look for a UMF grade, a license number, a batch number and "Product of New Zealand," then check the batch on the UMF Honey Association's certification search. MGO-only brands should offer a batch lab report, often by QR code.
Can babies have manuka honey?
No. The CDC says not to give any honey to a child younger than 1 year old, because of the risk of infant botulism.
Why has my manuka honey gone grainy?
Raw honey crystallizes over time, especially when cool. It hasn't spoiled. Stand the closed jar in warm water to soften it, and avoid microwaving.
Can I put manuka honey on my face?
Some makers suggest it as a face mask, and it's a common cosmetic use. Patch-test first, rinse it off, and skip it if you're allergic to bee products. It isn't a treatment for acne or skin conditions.
