Skip to content
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • custom-logo
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
Learn

5 Practical and Inexpensive Ways to Up Your Tea Game

October 31, 2016January 31, 2022 Post a comment
5 Practical and Inexpensive Ways to Up Your Tea Game

When I first got into tea I was overwhelmed by all of the gadgets and gizmos that can go along with it. Looking back, I think I purchased everything related to tea that I could find. Luckily I had some really wonderful folks who set me straight before too much damage was done. You don’t actually have to spend a fortune on stuff in order to make a perfect cuppa. Here are a few practical and inexpensive ways to up your tea game:

1. Thermometer

For a lot of folks, one of the major realizations when it comes to tea is that they shouldn’t all be made with boiling water. You can buy a thermometer that is specifically made for tea but really any food-safe one will do. I’ve even borrowed meat thermometers in a pinch. Knowing the temperature of your water makes a world of difference when it comes to preparing green and white tea. Just combine a thermometer with the timer on your cell phone and you’re good to go.

2. Electric Tea Kettle

I cannot recommend getting an electric kettle enough. They are reliable and much more efficient than traditional stovetop kettles. When I still lived at home I used my mom’s kettle until one day I realized that it never got the water quite to boiling and sometimes I would wind up with a wide range of whistling temperatures. You can even get a variable temperature model, allowing you to forego the first item on this list. A kettle doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive to get the job done. Trust me on this one. You won’t regret making the switch.

Electric kettles are efficient and help make sure that your water reaches the correct temperature for your tea.

3. Gram Scale

Tea is commonly measured in teaspoons. The trouble with this is that it isn’t a very accurate unit of measure at all. The size of it has changed over time but the current standard for a culinary teaspoon is 1/4 of a tablespoon or about 1.5g of tea. Tea leaves can be large and vary quite a lot in shape. A teaspoon of CTC black tea will not be the same as a teaspoon of long, wiry dan cong oolong. All you need to achieve a more standardized cup of tea is a simple digital pocket scale.  It will come in even more handy if/when you advance to gongfu style brewing.

4. Smaller Teacups

We love our venti lattes from Starbucks and 7-Eleven Big Gulps. The only thing is that gulping your tea can make it hard to really taste it. Switching to smaller teacups (8oz or less) can dramatically change the way you experience what you drink. The thimble-sized cups used in gongfu service might look silly but they actually force us to truly focus on every sip. That effect is amplified even more if you slurp. Seriously! Try drinking the same tea out of a few different kinds of cups. You’ll definitely notice a difference.

5. Notebook

Make a habit of taking notes about the teas that you drink. Record any information that seems important at the time, even if it’s just a thought or feeling. Make sure to include all of the details of how you brewed the tea. I like to use old-fashioned notebooks but you can use Excel spreadsheets or whatever system works best for you. Having a record to look back through can prove invaluable as you progress on your tea journey.

Is there something else that you think should be on this list? Let me know in the comments!

I receive a small commission from these affiliate links. Proceeds are used to purchase items for the blog.

GuideHow ToTea
About Nicole Wilson

About Nicole Wilson

Nicole Wilson is a tea writer and educator who has been sharing her love of the leaf online for more than a decade. Her website, TeaforMePlease.com, is the longest continuously running tea blog written by a female author. In 2018, she won the World Tea Award for Best Tea Blog. Every week you can expect to see reviews of specialty teas and related products, informative articles, reports on important events, and more.

Related Posts

What Do Tea Certifications Mean
What Do Tea Certifications Mean
How Tea Helped Women Win the Right to Vote
How Tea Helped Women Win the Right to Vote
Legends of the Leaf: Margaret’s Hope
Legends of the Leaf: Margaret’s Hope
5 Reasons Your Gaiwan Should Be Your Best Friend
5 Reasons Your Gaiwan Should Be Your Best Friend

Post navigation

How Many Types of Tea are There?
Tea: A User’s Guide by Tony Gebely

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hey, there!

Hey, there!

Nicole Wilson. Tea Writer and Educator
Do you love to drink tea, but wish you knew more about it? I'm here to help! The world of specialty tea is massive so it can be a lot to take in. On this blog, you'll find over 1,000 articles and tea reviews to start your journey. I'm always happy to answer any questions you might have!

Help Support This Site

patreon

Get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content, my private Discord server, surprise quarterly packages, and more!

My New Book!

My New Book!

Subscribe!

Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for the latest blog posts, tea news, and more!

Categories

  • Connect
  • Learn
  • Sip
  • Sponsored
  • Testimonials
  • Travel

Archives

Instagram

Amazon Rec’s

Amazon Recommendations
  • Blog
    • Learn
    • Sip
    • Connect
    • Travel
  • Beginner’s Guide to Tea
  • Matcha
  • Puerh
  • Tea in NYC
  • Book
  • About Me
Copyright © 2023 | All Rights Reserved | Designed by Little Theme Shop