The Best Matcha Whisks and Accessories for Lattes, Cookies, and More

Best Bamboo Whisk

Takayama Chasen Hand-crafted Whisk

View on Toirokitchen.com

While other specialty matcha tools can be considered optional, the most essential and basic utensil for preparing matcha is a bamboo whisk (or chasen). Carved by hand from a single piece of local bamboo, this one is from the village of Takayama in Nara Prefecture. Takayama is famous for its local chasen-making masters descended from long lines of artisans who have been carefully crafting bamboo tea whisks for hundreds of years. 

This bamboo whisk has about 70 bristles or prongs and is tied with cotton thread in your choice of colors: red, purple, or black. If you want a high-quality artisan whisk that will make great matcha and last for a long time if treated properly, this chasen will be worth the investment.

Material: Bamboo | Dimensions: 2.4 x 4.3 inches | Weight: 2.2 ounces

Best Budget Bamboo Whisk

Haru Matcha Traditional Hand-carved Golden Bamboo Matcha Whisk

$22 at Amazon

While it’s not from Takayama village, famed for its bamboo whisks, this chasen is still handcrafted in Japan and is half the cost of our top pick. It has 100 fine prongs, making it ideal for those who prefer foamier matcha, because the more tines a bamboo whisk has, the easier it will be to create a thick and fine layer of bubbles. If you would like to make matcha the traditional way without breaking the bank, this chasen is a great option.

Material: Bamboo | Dimensions: 2.5 x 2.5 x 4.5 inches | Weight: 0.32 ounces

Best Electric Whisk

MatchaDNA Handheld, Battery-operated Electric Frother

$6 at Amazon

If you’re in a rush or prefer a multi-use tool that can be used not only for whisking matcha, but also for preparing foamed milk for lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate, a handheld, electric frother is a versatile alternative. A battery-operated frother will not make matcha as well as a traditional bamboo whisk, however, because it won’t fully incorporate any powder on the very bottom or sides of the bowl.

Matcha experts also maintain that the meditative act of whisking by hand is part of the experience, but this inexpensive frother can be a good choice for those who are more interested in making matcha lattes rather than traditional matcha tea, and those who are not too concerned about the process. 

Material: Stainless steel and plastic | Dimensions: 8 x 2 x 2 inches | Weight: 2.89 ounces

Best Matcha Bowl

Mizuba Chawan Matcha Tea Bowl

$43 at Mizubatea.com

A matcha bowl, or chawan, is used for both preparing and drinking matcha tea and can come in many different sizes, shapes, and styles, often with a design reflecting the season. They are usually made of ceramic. Winter matcha bowls are narrower and deeper with thicker, straight walls designed to keep tea hot in cold weather. Summer matcha bowls are wider and shallower with thinner and more steeply angled sides to allow the tea to cool faster. Summer tea bowls might also be made of a different material, such as glass. Chawan are usually handmade and can be quite pricey—the most expensive can cost thousands of dollars.

If you’re just getting started with making your own matcha, though, you don’t need a chawan for every season or an heirloom-quality piece. For everyday, year-round use, this simple but elegant ceramic bowl, handmade in Japan, is a great choice for homemade matcha beginners. At 4.7 inches in diameter, it’s wide enough to easily whisk matcha with water, and the gently rounded walls fit nicely in your hands for lifting the bowl to sip your tea. The glaze finish is rustic and artistic.

Material: Ceramic | Dimensions: 4.7-inch diameter and 3.7 inches high | Weight: Not specified

Best Matcha Bowl with Spout

Speckled Blue-and-White Ceramic Matcha Bowl With Spout

$46 at Etsy

One style of matcha bowl features a spout and is known as a katakuchi. While it is traditional to prepare and drink matcha from the same bowl, if you usually make matcha to then transfer into a large glass for a matcha latte, this could be the perfect type of bowl for you. The handmade stoneware bowl is beautiful and functional, with a blue-and-white glaze. Each bowl is made to order, so while it may take longer than a mass-produced item to ship, each piece is unique and special.

Material: Ceramic | Dimensions: 4.5 x 3 inches

Best Matcha Scoop

Shizen Bamboo Chashaku Matcha Scoop

$4 at Shizencha.com

Matcha tea scoops (or chashaku) are usually long, thin, and ski-shaped, carved from a single piece of bamboo. They are used to scoop and measure matcha powder from a tea caddy into a tea bowl or sieve. This scoop is handmade from white bamboo and can be used to measure out the perfect amount of matcha powder for a cup of tea. It’s also useful to use the flat bottom to press matcha powder through a fine-mesh sieve before whisking it with water to get rid of any clumps.

Material: Bamboo

Best Whisk Holder

BambooMN Matcha Tea Whisk Holder

$10 at Amazon $12 at Etsy

While bamboo whisks are essential for preparing the perfect cup of matcha, they are delicate and prone to breakage or damage. If stored in the plastic container in which they are often packaged, they can quickly develop mold if not completely dried first.

A whisk keeper or stand, known as a kusenaoshi, is a great solution for these problems. After using a bamboo whisk, simply rinse it well, shake off any excess water, and store it upside down on the holder with the middle tines inserted in the central hole and the outer tines gently arranged around the curves of the holder. The whisk can then air dry without risk of molding, and the holder also helps protect the delicate tines from damage and keep them in their gently curved shape.

These handmade ceramic holders are available in nine different stylish colors and look nice enough to keep your whisk stored on a countertop for quick and easy access.

Material: Ceramic | Dimensions: 2.4 x 2.8 inches

Best Strainer

Norpro 3-Inch Strainer

$8 at Amazon $9 at Walmart

For the best, smoothest, and most consistent matcha, sifting clumps out of the powder is an important step before whisking it with water. Several different tools exist for this step, and while sieves specially designed for this purpose (chakoshi) and imported from Japan exist, they can be expensive. A simple and low-cost strainer will do the job just as well. This miniature, stainless steel, fine-mesh strainer can be used for sifting out large lumps directly into a matcha bowl. (Using the flat bottom of a bamboo matcha scoop helps with this process.)

An added benefit is that this is a multipurpose kitchen tool that can also be used for steeping and straining loose-leaf teas, sifting powdered sugar over desserts, straining liquid, rinsing ingredients, and countless other cooking tasks. 

Material: Stainless steel | Dimensions: 8.25 x 3 x 1.5 inches | Weight: 0.8 ounces

Best Matcha Sifter

Ippodo Matcha Sieve (Burui)

$21 at Ippodotea.com

A simple mini sieve works well for sifting lumps out of matcha powder when you’re making just one or two cups, but if you want to prepare several servings at a time, a traditional "burui" can come in handy. This small tin canister has a built-in, fine-mesh sieve for sifting clumps out of matcha powder and comes with a small bamboo spatula for pushing the powder through the sieve. As an added bonus, the tin doubles as a storage container for matcha powder, protecting it from light and air.

Material: Tin | Dimensions: 2.7 x 2/7 x 3.3 inches | Weight: Not specified

Best Set

TEANAGOO Japanese Tea Set

$53 at Amazon $74 at Walmart

Buying all of your matcha tools and accessories separately can quickly add up, so a complete set is a practical and cost-effective way for beginners to get started. This comprehensive set includes almost everything you need to have a Japanese tea ceremony at home. The ceramic matcha bowl is nearly 5 inches wide—broad enough for easy whisking. It's an attractive light-green color (it's also available in white) with a crackle-patterned finish. A matching ceramic whisk holder and tea caddy are included as well as a bamboo chasen whisk, bamboo scoop, and small ceramic stand upon which you can rest the scoop to avoid dirtying your tabletop. The tea caddy has an airtight-sealed lid, so it’s great for storing small amounts (up to 18 grams) of matcha powder.

The set also includes a fine-mesh metal sifter for removing clumps from matcha powder, a tea cloth for wiping out the matcha bowl and cleaning up spills, and a bamboo tray. The tray features padded feet on the underside to protect your tabletop from scratches. 

While the individual items are not of the best quality, overall it’s a good value for so many pieces and a great initiation set for matcha newbies. It would make a terrific gift for a matcha fan. 

Materials: Bamboo, ceramic and cotton | Number of Pieces: 10 | Included: Bamboo whisk, bamboo tea tray, bamboo scoop, ceramic bowl, ceramic whisk holder, ceramic scoop stand, cotton tea cloth, tea cloth base, matcha powder sifter, ceramic tea canister