Tea Accessories

Tea Cozy -- Tea cozy is a protective cover that slips over a tea pot to keep it warm. Especially if you are living in a cold climate, a tea cozy is a must to enjoy a pot of warm tea over a lengthy period of time. Make sure the cozy is washable as it gets musty and dirty quickly if you brew tea on a daily basis. Check out this gorgeous collection of colorful tea cozies.

Tea Infuser – is a metal mesh or filter that allows tea leaves to steep inside hot water. It is used interchangeably with a Tea Ball or Tea Strainer. Sometimes the pot, carafe or the tea cup that comes with a built-in infuser is called a "tea infuser" as well. Tea infusers come in all shapes and sizes.

Tea Ball -- A tea ball is a mesh sphere to hold loose tea leaves inside a pot of hot water for steeping. Tea balls usually have a hinge on one side, a chain and a hook to attach them to the edge of the pot. Make sure your tea ball has enough room in it to allow for the expansion of the moist tea leaves. Tea balls need to be made of stainless steel to prevent any rusting.Here is a good collection of tea balls.

Tea Strainer – A strainer is a filter that filters out the tea leaves and allows only the brewed liquid into the cup. There are cup-sized strainers that you place on top of your cup as you pour tea over it. Some pots have built-in strainers that automatically filter the tea leaves. Here are a few varieties of tea strainers.

Tea Storage Tins – You need to keep your tea leaves away from heat, light, air and moisture to preserve their freshness. But did you know that, contrary to coffee, you do not need to keep your tea leaves in a refrigerator? Tea can be kept at room temperature for up to a year without loosing its flavor if you have the right storage device. A well-made tea storage tin will do the job. Tins come in all sizes and they're made of bamboo, bark, wood, metal, glass, or porcelain. Here is a classy way to store your precious tea leaves and bags.

Teapot Trivets – A trivet is a must to protect your table or desk from the hot tea pots or kettles. The best are made from cast iron, wood, or porcelain. A cast iron Japanese Trivet, for example, will last a lifetime with proper care. These beautiful tea trivets will save both your teapots and your kitchen and table surfaces.

Tea Cups – What good is it to have a pot of hot tea if you do not have a set of attractive cups to enjoy it with? There are many different kinds of tea cups used in different countries around the world. Some look similar to coffee mugs. Yet others have no handles at all and require a special skill to drink from without burning your lips (like the Turkish tea cup). Others are exquisite sculpted pieces made from the finest porcelain and are sought after by collectors. Your good tea deserves an exquisite tea cup.