Tea drinkers can be a picky bunch sometimes, but there’s nothing like giving a great gift to somebody that you care for, especially when they’re surprised that you managed to find them something that they like. Here’s our top picks.
Not all tea drinkers are created equal, but they tend to have some key interests. Sometimes they have an obvious interest in a niche, which can be helpful when you understand the basics of that niche. That’s why we’ve rounded up and provided short explanations for all products—both those with broad appeal and niche products.
The biggest question to keep in mind is: does my tea lover use loose leaf tea? If they only use bagged tea, then you have an opportunity to enhance their teabag experience, or to introduce them to the basics of loose leaf tea (an especially good idea if you’re buying for a self-proclaimed “tea snob”). If you’re buying for someone who uses loose leaf tea, then you really only need to ask yourself what products your tea lover already owns, and if they have a niche interest in, say, Chinese tea ceremony.
Teapots and Infusers ($15+)
The teapot is the undisputed king of tea tools (if you’re buying a gift for a pretentious tea drinker, feel free to also refer to them as the “undisputed king of tea tools”). But what kind of teapot should you give to your tea lover? I mean, there’s a lot of options…
Well, you’ll want to get them a great big teapot if they like to steep a lot of tea at a time. If they take their time drinking their tea, then you’ll want to get a teapot that won’t oversteep the tea. Generally, that means getting a smaller teapot, or one that has an infuser that doesn’t reach too deep into the pot.
If your tea lover is interested in tea ceremony, then you should get them a traditional yixing pot or gaiwan cups. Yixing pots are particularly treasured among tea drinkers, as they “season” with use and can provide a very personal tea drinking experience.
If your tea drinker prefers bagged tea, or is just getting started with loose leaf, then you’ll want to get them something simple.
These are some of our favorite teapots:
- Hiware Glass Teapot ($17): This is a nice, affordable 35 oz glass teapot that any tea lover can enjoy. It may not be as thick as other glass teapots, but it can make tea and it has a spout.
- CUSINIUM Glass Teapot ($34): This is a nice, heavy glass teapot. It holds 32 oz, which is plenty of space for any tea lover. It also has a wide mouth, which makes cleaning easy. There’s a couple of inches between the bottom of this teapot and its infuser basket, which will prevent any tea from oversteeping.
- Genuine Yixing Teapot ($36): Yixing teapots have been loved by tea devotees for thousands of years. They’re expensive, but a 6.8 oz Yixing teapot would be greatly appreciated by serious tea drinkers.
- Music City Tea Gaiwan Set ($30): Gaiwans are, essentially, tiny steepers and saucers for tea ceremonies. This 3.5 oz 8 piece Gaiwan set would be a fantastic gift for people who are specifically interested in tea ceremony.
- Espro Travel Tea Press ($35): If you know a tea drinker who’s always on the go, then maybe you should grab them this 12 oz tea press. It’s great for taking loose leaf out of the house without making a big mess.
- Apace Loose Leaf Tea Infuser Set ($15): Does your tea lover need some basic, stainless-steel infusers? This is a great gift for someone who’s interested in loose leaf tea, or for someone who keeps reusing the same dirty old tea tools.
Tea Storage ($18+)
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