These 10 Tea Accessories Help Make Tea a Daily Habit

In collaboration with Fellow, Great Jones has designed this stunning custom Stagg EKG Kettle in emerald green with yellow accents (dubbed broccoli and mustard). The dial lets you choose any temperature between 135 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing you to properly brew any kind of tea. This 0.9-liter kettle reached boiling (212 degrees F) in 4 minutes, and can be set to maintain temperature.

“This kettle is adorable,” says editor Katie Tuttle. “It's like a little piece of pop art for your countertop!” After a year of use, Tuttle remains “quite happy” with the kettle. “It's been a staple in my kitchen, and I use it religiously during the colder months, when my hot tea habit is in full swing.” The only thing we disliked was the associated app, which we found rather pointless.

Elle Liu, founder of New York-based fine tea company THEORÓ, called the Fellow Stagg EKG Kettle, “Our go-to kettle. Its precision temperature control (to the degree) allows you to dial in the perfect temp for each tea type. The gooseneck spout provides a controlled, gentle pour. Bonus: it heats quickly, holds temp beautifully, and the minimalist design is a countertop statement.”

An equally gorgeous Pro version is also available in blue and fuchsia (blueberry and raspberry). The regular Pro version won over our testers. “I've had a lot of electric kettles over the years, but this really is one of the prettiest I've ever seen,” said editorial director Simone Scully. The Pro has a slightly wider temperature range, from 104 to 212 degrees F.

Le Creuset has an impeccable reputation when it comes to kitchenware. Our tester, editor Nicole Bonaccorso, was eager to try out the brand’s Cloche Kettle, as she had been eyeing it for quite some time: “It's so cute!” She wasn’t disappointed, as this kettle really delivered on both form and function. “It boils effectively. It pours smoothly with no dripping. The handle doesn't get hot. What more can you ask?” said Bonaccorso. “I love Le Creuset.” In fact, it was one of the few stovetop kettles we tested whose handle didn’t get hot.

This kettle holds 2.1 liters, works on all types of cooktops, and whistles when it’s ready. It’s made of carbon steel with a colorful enamel coating that resists stains, rust, and scratches. It’s available in over a dozen colors, with lid knobs in stainless steel or gold. Just be advised that this is a popular product, so some colors occasionally sell out. Also, it only whistles when it reaches boiling, so you’ll have to wait for it to cool a bit to make more delicate teas like greens or whites.

For taking tea on the go — or just keeping it hot or cold longer around the house — this Carter Move Mug is ideal. Thanks to its double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel construction, the tumbler keeps drinks warm for 12 hours or cold for 24. That means it’s great for both hot and iced teas. It features a leak-proof seal and snap-in splash guard. The ceramic-coated interior protects your beverage from lingering flavors or a metallic aftertaste.

One of our favorite things is the mug’s unique, modern style: “I love the design. It is very sleek and doesn't look like a mug or a thermos,” writer Raki Swanson noted. It easily fits in a purse or backpack, or into a variety of cupholders. Swanson also said the thin inner ‘lip’ makes it easy to drink from, but she didn’t really see the point of the splash guard.

We love the 15 color options and three capacity choices: 8 ounce, 12 ounce, or 16 ounce. You can purchase a matching cold lid with a straw and a carry-handle lid, making it even more versatile. Amazon also sells a bundle with the mug and all three lids. 

These stunning Rifle Paper Co. Porcelain Mugs will elevate any teatime experience. From books and vintage prints to delicate florals, fruits, insects, and cities, there are 17 designs to choose from, including a regular rotation of seasonal ones. You’ll have trouble choosing just one and may even want to collect them all. The 16-ounce capacity is perfect for tea or coffee.

“Each mug has a cute illustration or pattern, and the handles are gold to give it a very classic, elevated look,” said editorial director Simone Scully, who tested them. “I liked the book one a lot because I love to read, but there are cat ones, dog ones, and more — I could easily buy several and replace all my other mugs.” She found the mugs to be very high quality and comfortable to hold. Just note that these mugs are hand-wash only and not microwave-safe. 

If you want a gorgeous tea towel to go with your Rifle Paper Co. mug collection or your pretty tea kettle, look no further. This Rifle Paper Co. Tea Towel adds a vibrant pop of color to your kitchen with fun florals, fruits, changing seasonal motifs, or Granny-core vintage-inspired designs. Display them on your oven handle, line baskets with them, or use them to dry dishes or hands.

They’re charming, unique, and of exceptional quality, Scully noted. The cotton is soft, and the colors are bright, even after laundering. Scully found them “almost too pretty to use.” Many of the designs coordinate with the company’s mugs and other kitchen accessories, such as oven mitts, placemats, spoon rests, and even dining chair slipcovers.

All our experts agreed that loose-leaf tea is superior to bagged tea. “Loose leaf is the best, the leaves have room to unfurl and release their full flavour and aroma,” says Joe Howard, co-founder of YAWN Brew tea and coffee company in the UK. An infuser teapot like this pretty pick from Tea Forte is a great way to steep loose-leaf tea. The large infuser basket provides tea leaves with the space to expand and release their full flavor.

“When steeped properly, loose leaf can give you a much deeper, more complex cup, richer body, layered notes, and a clean finish,” said Banskota.

I appreciated the 24-ounce Fiore teapot’s classic design and neutral stone blue color. It fits into any kitchen style and doesn’t take up too much space. I found its stainless steel infuser easy to use thanks to the handle, and the holes are small enough to prevent tea pieces from coming out. The ceramic stoneware parts are microwave and dishwasher-safe, while the infuser is dishwasher-safe. The only thing I disliked was that the lid is rather loose and slides around if you don’t hold it down while pouring.

To prepare a matcha latte at home that’s on par with what the pros make, you need the right tools. We love this starter set from Jade Leaf. Mental health writer and California-based clinical social worker Julia Childs Heyl tested this, and she found the set to be “really affordable for what you get.” It’s a beginner-friendly option for those just getting started with matcha.

The set includes a sifter and whisk to help you make the smoothest cup, since matcha tends to clump, as well as a measuring scoop and a full-color matcha handbook with tips and recipe ideas. And while it’s not included in the set, you can also purchase some matcha powder from Jade Leaf.

If you want to break free of bags and start experimenting with loose-leaf tea without the commitment of a large infuser teapot or electric tea maker, this OTOTO single-cup infuser is a budget-friendly solution. It’s also great for loose-leaf tea on the go or for making just one cup at a time. We tested this cute tulip design and loved how it made it seem like a flower was sprouting out of our cup.

“These are cuter and more fun than your average tea infusers,” said Scully. This silicone infuser works with powdered tea, fine-ground tea, and herbal infusions. The wide base is sturdy and relatively roomy for a cup’s worth of leaves to have enough space to move. The tulip’s long stem makes it easy to remove from your mug once steeping is complete. If a tulip isn’t your cup of tea, there’s also a Loch Ness monster, a submarine, a crab, and more cute designs. The infusers are dishwasher-safe and made of 100 percent BPA-free silicone.

Making super-fresh matcha at home just got super simple. If you’re a diehard matcha drinker and want to take out all the guesswork, the Cuzen Matcha Maker Starter Kit will be your new favorite appliance. Using it couldn’t be simpler: just put leaves in the hopper, fill the whisking cup with water, select the strength you want, and press start. Instead of using pre-ground matcha, it grinds leaves into a fine powder for you, resulting in a fresher flavor. It then whisks the matcha and brews a shot.

“I like the aesthetic (one of my friends noted that it looks like a giant perfume bottle, very sculptural),” said Tuttle, who tested it out for us. “It's well-made and fairly quiet.” Best of all, matcha is only about $1 per shot with this machine, so it may help you save money if you have an expensive coffee-shop matcha habit. 

This stunning tea set is a real statement piece that will enhance the ambiance of any tea time, with its elegant hand-glazed 20-ounce infuser teapot and two matching teacups. But the real star of the show here is the portable warming stand that keeps your teapot at around 130 degrees. I tend to nurse a pot of tea over a morning, so this warming pad proved quite useful. It saved me from having to keep reheating my mug repeatedly after the initial warmth wears off.

I appreciated the elevated, simple design of the tea set and the convenience of the warmer. The stand can also double as a charging station for your phone or as a warmer for other ceramics. When it debuted, there were several color options, though it seems these have mostly sold out and not been restocked.