Techno Toys & Tea

There are several basic needs when making tea. They include a teakettle, teapot, strainer or infuser and a teacup. Along with these basics are items that enhance the tea making and drinking experience. Serious tea drinkers may purchase and use many different pieces of equipment all made to make tea easier to make and taste better.



The kettle is one of the most important pieces of equipment owned by a tea drinker. This is where the water is boiled to make tea, but the tea itself never sees the inside of the kettle. Kettles must have tight fitting lids and it is nice if they have heat resistant handles so they do not burn when being lifted from a burner. Stainless steel kettles are the best choice, but there are enamel and glass types (anything non-reactive). Stay away from aluminum kettles as they can affect the flavor of the tea. Some kettles are equipped with a whistle to alert when the water is boiling and some boast that they have no drip spouts.



The teapot is necessary when brewing tea for more than one cup. Teapots come made in a variety of materials including china or porcelain, clay, and iron. The teapot must have a lid that fits well and a spout designed not to drip. Teapots can be very beautiful and highly ornamented. Be sure those types are utilitarian as well and not just to sit on a shelf and look pretty, unless of course you’re buying as a collector. Pick a teapot that will suit the family. They come in one or two-cup models all the way up to six to eight cup teapots.



A tea infuser or strainer come in handy when using loose tea leaves. There are many different types. Once that are made of metal mesh or that look like a metal strawberry may not be good to use when making a good deal of tea. Tealeaves must have room to expand in the water and if strainer is stuffed full the leaves will not infuse correctly. There are those types of strainers that are placed over the mouth of the cup and the leaves are added directly to the teapot and are strained out when poured. Note however that some people feel whole leaf tea should be left without such contrivances. Then you have something left in the bottom of the cup for Tasseomancy, the art of tea leaf reading.



Tea cups or mugs are an integral part of tea equipment, although in ancient times people drank right out of the pot. They come in all different styles and sizes. They come with or without saucers and with or without handles. Cups with handles are suitable for all teas but particularly for drinking black tea, which requires a higher temperature than green or oolong. Cups without handles are appropriate for teas that do not require such a high temperature. It is suggested to use a cup that is white on the inside. This allows the drinker to be able to observe the color of the tea and decide if it is strong enough to drink.



Tea should be stored away from heat and light and canisters or tins with tight fitting lids are appropriate for storage. Timers are useful for those that are a little forgetful and leave the teapot steeping for hours. A tea cozy is a fabric or knitted "jacket" that fits over a teapot while the tea steeps to keep it warm while steeping or waiting for a second cup.



All tea equipment is designed to make tea drinking a pleasurable experience. It is up to the drinker to decide which equipment they must have. Those who want to learn the art of the Tea Ceremony will need a whole different set of supplies, but the rest of us can be content with the basics to get that hot cup of tea to the table in the morning.



Sarah Page writes tea-related articles for Unity Teapots, selling Yixing teapots and glass teapots.