Shop loose-leaf tea & gear
A small, beginner-friendly range hand-picked to match our guides, so you can go straight from Start Here to your first proper cup.
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Minimum starter setup
Everything you need to brew good loose-leaf tea in a mug. Start here.
Harney & Sons Japanese Sencha Loose Leaf Tea, 8 oz
Grassy and sweet when brewed at 175°F for one minute. The easiest green tea to get right.
- Best for:
- A first green tea
- Drawback:
- Turns bitter with boiling water; needs cooler water
Twinings English Breakfast Loose Tea, 7.05 oz tin
A forgiving everyday black tea that takes milk well and is forgiving if you steep it a little long.
- Best for:
- An everyday black tea that takes milk
- Drawback:
- Robust flavor; less nuance than single-origin teas
Rishi Tea Loose Leaf Sampler Gift Box, 12 Count
The cheapest way to find out which tea families you actually like before buying a big pouch.
- Best for:
- Finding which tea styles you enjoy
- Drawback:
- Small amounts, so it runs out quickly
OXO Brew Tea Infuser Basket
Room for the leaves to unfurl, which matters more for flavor than the tea's price tag.
- Best for:
- Brewing one mug at a time
- Drawback:
- Very fine leaf can slip through the mesh
Useful upgrades
Worth adding once you brew regularly — none are required.
COSORI Electric Gooseneck Kettle, 0.8L
Preset temperatures for green, oolong and black tea, plus a slow pour you can actually aim.
- Best for:
- Green, white and oolong drinkers who want exact temperatures
- Drawback:
- Small 0.8 L capacity
SUSTEAS Glass Teapot with Removable Infuser, 40 oz
Neutral, dishwasher-friendly, and you can judge strength by color instead of guessing.
- Best for:
- Brewing for two or more people
- Drawback:
- Glass needs careful handling
Fuzion Digital Pocket Scale, 1000 g / 0.1 g
Weighing leaf once or twice teaches your eye what a proper spoonful looks like.
- Best for:
- Repeatable strength once you brew daily
- Drawback:
- One more gadget; a teaspoon works fine to start
Vahdam Airtight Tea Tins, Set of 4
Light and air stale leaf fastest. Tins fix both for the price of a couple of lattes.
- Best for:
- Keeping several teas fresh
- Drawback:
- Check tin size against how much tea you buy
Optional extras
Nice for exploring new styles or gifting. Skip these until you know what you like.
Harney & Sons Loose Leaf Oolong Sampler
Rolled leaves that open over several steeps, so one spoonful makes three or four cups.
- Best for:
- Exploring multiple steeps from one serving
- Drawback:
- Takes a little practice to brew well
MIRA Insulated Tea Infuser Bottle, 18 oz
Insulated, with a basket that lifts out so you can stop the steep when the tea is ready.
- Best for:
- Tea on the commute or at a desk
- Drawback:
- Leaves keep steeping unless you remove the basket
White porcelain gaiwan, 150 ml
Small and neutral, made for short repeated steeps when you're ready to try gongfu style.
- Best for:
- Trying gongfu-style short steeps
- Drawback:
- Can get hot to hold until you learn the grip
Hiware Glass Teapot Set, 32 oz with 4 Cups
Teapot, infuser and cups in one box — a tidy starting point or an easy gift.
- Best for:
- Gifting or a matching setup
- Drawback:
- More pieces than a beginner strictly needs