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The best gifts for tea lovers are the ones that help them establish a ritual and make each cup the best it can be, like a peerless electric kettle or a delicate matcha whisk. Of course, a luxurious tin of tea is always a good idea. After all, some people live their lives with their pinkies up—which is to say, if there is an opportunity for tea, you better believe they’re going to take it. These holiday gifts just might provide more of those opportunities. Below, we chose 41 gift ideas for the tea drinkers in your life. And for the people on your list who caffeinate in a differate way, check out our gift guide for coffee lovers.
- A modern glass tea pot: Ferm Living Clear Still Teapot, $120 at Ssense
- The very best reusable brewing basket: Finum Mesh Brewing Basket, $17 at Amazon
- A beloved Japanese tea canister: Denshiro Tea Canister $156 at Jinen
- A luxe herbal tea sampler: Bellocq Tea Sampler Box, $32 at Food52
- A staff-favorite masala chai: Chai Me at Home Masala Chai, $16 at One Stripe Chai
Speedy and stylish electric kettles
This Fellow EKG Pro tea kettle has an integrated tea filter, so after you’ve heated the water on the stovetop to your exact temperature specifications (there’s a handy thermometer built into the lid so you can track your progress), you can seamlessly move to steeping that perfect cup.
At a lower price point, the Oxo adjustable electric kettle also produces boiling water in a flash. The dial on the base lets you select the exact degree to which you’d like your water heated, which makes it ideal for teas that brew best at specific temperatures. It also keeps the water hot for a long time, and has a helpful “auto-off” feature, which turns the heating mechanism off as soon as it reaches temp.
Stunning teapots
If your loved one is the type of person who also appreciates a well-designed object, there are so many stylish teapots out there that would make the perfect gift. For those with more contemporary style, we found several compellingly modern, glass teapots from SSENSE and Design Within Reach. For something more classic, the blue and white tea set from Chinatown's historic Wing on Wo & Co is a great gift idea.
Tea tin upgrades
If the tea connoisseur you’re shopping for has a disorganized cabinet stuffed to the brim with tea bags, give them the gift of organization. You can encourage them to ditch those mismatched tea boxes by giving an assortment of steel canisters from Hay. They’re bright, stackable, and ideal for storing loose-leaf tea or their favorite tea blend. For more serious enthusiasts who want to make sure they're keeping their tea safe from the elements, opt for these vacuum-sealing containers that we reviewed, which are suitable for all types of teas.
Brewing equipment
This micro-mesh, reusable, stainless-steel tea infuser with a plastic frame took home the gold in our test of the best tea-steeping baskets. It fit well into multiple sizes of mugs and kept all kinds of leaves and sediment, no matter how small, from leaking into our cup. It comes with a lid that fully covers the tea strainer—but also acts as a lid for the tea-making vessel so your tea stays hot and aromatic while it steeps.
Dedicated tea lovers who are extremely precise with their measurements might also appreciate a digital scale, like our favorite Escali Primo, for getting those brew ratios down to the gram.
And for those on your list who are serious about iced tea, consider this airtight glass pitcher with a removable stainless-steel filter. It works with loose-leaf and tea bags alike (as well as coarse-ground coffee for cold brew) and keeps the flavor fresh for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Covetable drinking vessels
A true tea-head will no doubt appreciate an artisanal tea cup. We're big fans of East Fork ceramics. They're highly collectable, so if your giftee likes what you gave them, they can always go out and buy more. If you're willing do a little hunting (don't worry, we did it for you here), Etsy is also a superb place to find fun ceramics.
Top-rated insulated mugs
The best gift for tea lovers who are super serious about taking their brew on the go? A high-quality travel mug. The tea mug from Tea Spot (which comes in a number of color options) is made with a built-in steeper that lets them tightly close the lid while their favorite tea brews, which means no waste and a hotter finished cup of tea. Double-walled insulation keeps water hot for 10 straight hours.
Alternately, those who want thermal regulation without the vacuum sealed to-go look will likely appreciate the Ember mug, which will maintain a precise temperature for over an hour. This is especially nice for slow sipping, and prevents that accelerated cool down as you get to the bottom of the cup.
Matcha tea and supplies
For the matcha curious, a tea set from Palais des Thés will set anyone up for a successful tea party. The box contains a chashaku (a skinny bamboo tea scoop that's just the right size for a single serving of matcha), a chasen (the delicate whisk used to emulsify the tea and water), and a ceramic chawan (tea bowl, for mixing and drinking). If they already have all that, getting them a matcha brush holder might be the right move. The stand lets the whisk dry out and prevents the tines from getting knocked around or smashed in a drawer.
An then there's the obvious: Give them a high-quality ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha. Ippodo’s ummon-no-mukashi is rich, full-bodied, and deep emerald in color.
For masala chai lovers
No two masala chais are exactly the same. Dona Chai’s masala chai concentrate is a deeply flavorful, slow-steeped mix of black tea and spices. Just add water or milk (hot or cold), and you instantly have a cup of full-bodied chai or a chai latte—just right for mornings when you’re short on time. Diaspora Co., one of our favorite spice purveyors, also has chai masala mix we love, full of heady Baraka cardamom and Makhir ginger.
Giftable tea collections
It can be tough buying tea for someone who loves it if you are the kind of person who drinks a cup of chamomile once a year. During the holiday season, tea companies release all sorts of gift boxes, giving even the more discerning tea drinker plenty of options to sample. Impress the snobs on your list with the signature yellow box from organic tea atelier Bellocq; they produce consistently outstanding whole leaf blends.
Otherwise, go for an unconventional blend, or a tried-and-tested tea: Tea Pigs' “Morning Glory” blend won our taste test of the best English Breakfast teas. It's comprised of black teas from Rwanda, Assam, and Sri Lanka, and it has a has bold, nutty flavor that we likened to toasted grains. It’s also tannic, which means it holds up to a little sugar and milk. A box makes for a nice stocking stuffer.
As for tea drinkers who prefer caffeine-free herbal blends, we recommend the Gift of Wellness box from Luxmi Estates, which includes a selection of mixes like Valerian Dream and Astounding Ashwagandha.
Looking for more perfect gifts for everyone on your list? Find more gift guides below, including gift tips for coffee lovers.
