Lykkers, want to make a good cup of tea? These tea sets are essential! Tea is not only a drink, but also a culture and a way of life. In China, making tea for guests is a courtesy and a warm greeting.

However, the key to a good cup of tea is not only the tea leaves, but also the right tea sets! Today, let's take a look at the basic tea sets that are indispensable for making tea, to help you make a more fragrant tea soup.

Before making tea, prepare these tools first!

Brewing tea is like cooking, and you need the right tools to assist. Different tools have different uses, which can make the tea brewing process smoother and show the best flavor of the tea. Using the right tea set can not only improve the taste of the tea soup, but also make drinking tea more enjoyable.

1. Teaspoon—a good helper for cleaning teapots

Teaspoon, also known as "tea pick", is shaped like a small spoon and is mainly used to take out the brewed tea leaves. After brewing, the tea leaves will stick to the teapot. It is not convenient or hygienic to clean them directly with your hands. The tip of the teaspoon can also unclog the spout to prevent blockage. It is recommended to choose a teaspoon of moderate length, which is convenient for storage and more beautiful.

2. Tea clips—safe to take cups without burning your hands

Tea clips, also called "tea chopsticks", are small tools used to pick up hot cups. When brewing tea traditionally, tea cups are washed and disinfected with hot water, but the temperature is too high, and it is easy to get burned if you hold them directly with your hands. At this time, tea clips can come in handy, not only can they pick up cups, but they can also pick up brewed tea leaves to avoid dirtying your fingers.

3. Fair cup—make every cup of tea taste even

The fair cup, also known as the "tea sea", is an instrument used to evenly concentrate the tea soup. Pouring tea directly from a teapot may result in some cups being strong and others being weak, while the fair cup can first gather the tea soup together and then evenly divide it into cups, so that everyone can drink tea with the same taste.

When choosing, it is recommended to choose a style with a larger opening, smooth water flow, and slightly larger capacity than a teapot, which is more convenient for pouring tea.

4. Choose the right tea leaves to brew the best flavor

High-quality tea leaves should be dry and complete, uniform in color, and without too many tea stems or impurities. Different types of tea have different shapes, for example, Longjing tea is flat, Baozhong tea is strip-shaped, and Oolong tea is hemispherical.

When purchasing, you can observe the color, smell the tea, and taste the tea. You can also brew it several times. Good tea can still maintain its sweetness and fragrance even after being brewed 4–5 times.

Traditional Chinese Tea Set (Gong Fu Tea) Explained

Video by XICups

5. Tea tray—keep the table clean

The tea tray is used to place tea sets and collect overflowing tea. When choosing, it is recommended to choose a style with a stable bottom and not easy to tip over. The color should be as light as possible to observe the cleanliness. Bamboo and wooden tea trays are deeply loved by tea lovers because of their warm texture and moderate price, but they need to be kept dry to avoid mold or cracking.

6. Teapot—the key to the flavor of tea soup

Teapots are made of various materials, including purple sand, ceramics, glass, etc. Zisha teapots have good air permeability and can nourish the teapot and enhance its fragrance; ceramic teapots are suitable for brewing all kinds of tea; glass teapots are suitable for appreciating the process of tea leaves expanding.

When purchasing, pay attention to whether the lid of the teapot is tight. After covering it, shake it gently. If the lid is stable and does not shake, it means that the sealing is good, which allows the tea soup to be heated evenly.

7. Tea scoop—clean and hygienic tea leaves

The tea scoop is used to put dry tea leaves into the teapot. Bamboo tea scoops are the most common, which are light and easy to use, and can avoid direct contact of hands with tea leaves, keeping them clean and hygienic. There are also many exquisitely designed tea scoops on the market, which can be selected according to personal preferences.

8. Kettle—Good water temperature for good tea

The kettle is the basic tool for making tea. Traditional iron kettles and ceramic kettles have good heat preservation, but they are heavy and expensive. Modern electric kettles are easy to use, can heat quickly, and are suitable for daily use. When purchasing, pay attention to the safety of the material to avoid the precipitation of inferior metals affecting the quality of tea.

9. Tea cup—feel the fragrance of tea in one sip

The tea cup is a utensil used to taste tea soup. The material is mainly white porcelain, purple sand or glass. It is generally a small single cup design, which is convenient for single use. You can taste the fragrance and taste of tea in one sip.

10. Scented cup—Capture the aroma of tea

The scented cup has a higher body and narrower mouth, which can concentrate the aroma of tea, allowing tea lovers to smell the aroma before tasting tea, enhancing the sensory experience. The common tea set combination is "one smell and one taste", that is, scented cup and tasting cup are used together, so that the aroma and taste of tea can be fully displayed.

Use good tea sets to enjoy a better tea time!

Tea brewing is not only a daily habit, but also a sophisticated art. Using the right tea sets can not only make the tea brewing process smoother, but also enhance the taste and layering of the tea. Lykkers, next time you make tea, you might as well try these practical tea sets to make every cup of tea more fragrant, mellow and more ceremonial!