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How to Get Started Drinking Tea – Tools of the Trade – Part 3

May 30, 2022May 30, 2022 3 comments
How to Get Started Drinking Tea – Tools of the Trade – Part 3

This is the third part in a series of four posts to help guide the beginner to get started drinking tea. There is a LOT of tea stuff out there and it can be hard to know what to buy first and which things are really necessary. In Part 2, I mentioned that you don’t need to buy all of the things (yet). This post will dive deeper into that idea by covering the basics and some of the nice-to-haves for when you are ready to step up your tea game.

I hope that this series is helpful, but I’m always available to answer any questions you might have. You can leave those in the comments below or by sending a message through my contact form.

Table of Contents
  • The Basics
  • Step Up Your Tea Game
  • Western Style
  • Gongfu Style
  • Japanese Tea
  • Use Technology Where It Works for You
  • Check Out the Other Posts in the ‘Get Started Drinking Tea’ Series

The Basics

When you first get started drinking tea all you need is a cup, a way to strain the tea leaves, and a way to heat water. Seriously. That’s it!

I recommend an open basket style like the one pictured below with very fine holes. This type of design allows enough room for leaves to open up without letting too many particles out into your cup. They are also incredibly durable. It is still the tea tool that I use most often.

Your teacup can be whichever size, shape, or style you want. It could be fancy bone china or an old stained-up coffee mug that has been in the cabinet for years. All that matters is that it holds at least 8oz of liquid and is wide enough to accommodate an infuser basket.

The one place I would recommend investing a little bit more is an electric tea kettle. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but a variable temperature model will be a lifesaver. Lowering the water temperature is one of the easiest ways to reduce bitterness. I don’t recommend using the microwave, but a classic stovetop kettle paired with a thermometer will do the trick as well.

Get Started Drinking Tea - Stainless steel infuser basket filled with green tea leaves
A simple infuser basket is all you need to get started drinking tea at home.

Step Up Your Tea Game

Once you have your initial set up and you’ve been enjoying tea for a little while, it might be time to start thinking about stepping up your game. Exactly what this means is different for every tea drinker. I recommend taking a look at your lifestyle and how you currently drink tea. Do you drink alone or with a group? Are you gravitating to malty Assam or floral oolongs from Taiwan?

I own several large porcelain teapots that are beautiful but rarely used because I am usually drinking tea solo. If I had known better at the time, I would not have spent that money. Taking the time to thoughtfully build your teaware collection will help you pursue tea as a hobby without breaking your budget or accumulating clutter.

Get Started Drinking Tea - A brown kyusu teapot held by two hands is pouring green tea into a group of four white teacups
Take into consideration your lifestyle and the teas you drink most often when building your teaware collection.

Here are some ideas for things you might find useful to get you started:

Western Style

  • Teapots of different materials and sizes
  • French press
  • Different types of infuser baskets
  • Pitchers for making and serving iced tea

Gongfu Style

  • Tea Tray or table
  • Gaiwan
  • Clay teapot
  • Tea pet
  • Sharing pitcher
  • Gram scale

Japanese Tea

  • Kyusu
  • Shiboridashi
  • Chasen
  • Chawan
  • Cold-brew bottle

You don’t need to choose or stick to any one style of making tea. However, most people do find that they are drawn in one direction more than others. Use that as your guide as start accumulating and exploring further. Look for versatile pieces that can be used to brew multiple kinds of tea. Clay teapots should be reserved for a single type of tea that you drink most often.

Use Technology Where It Works for You

Most ways of preparing tea are manual. The ritual of that is part of the attraction, but modern lifestyles don’t always allow time for it. There is nothing wrong with using technology to help you make tea when needed. You’ll find many brands of automatic tea makers on the market. These can be a great tool, especially for unfussy teas that you can pour into a travel mug on your way out the door. My go-to for more than a decade has been The Tea Maker from Breville.


I’m a firm believer that you are better off putting your money towards higher quality tea rather than lots of gear, especially when you first get started drinking tea. Stay tuned for next week as I’ll be finishing this series by sharing some tips for buying tea.

What pieces of equipment would you recommend to someone looking to get started drinking tea? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Check Out the Other Posts in the ‘Get Started Drinking Tea’ Series

  • Drink Lots of It – Part 1
  • Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Part 2
  • Tools of the Trade – Part 3
  • Buying Tea – Part 4

This post was originally published on August 18th, 2011. It was revised and updated on May 30th, 2022.

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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.

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How to Get Started Drinking Tea- Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Part 2
How to Get Started Drinking Tea – Buying Your Tea – Part 4

3 comments

  1. michele says:
    August 19, 2011 at 7:53 pm

    I think with anything new people tend to buy everything associated with it, tea ware, for example. I have done this but still have a favorite set I use repeatedly.

    Reply
  2. Nicole says:
    August 21, 2011 at 3:46 pm

    Thanks for your comment! I did the same thing. I have shelves full of hagi and yixing that I rarely use anymore.

    Reply

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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!

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