The 9 Best Gifts to Buy for Tea Lovers in 2018

If you buy one of those plain mesh tea infusers, then you’re seriously missing out. These days, infusers have personality. You can find them in tons of different shapes that add a story to your cup. There are floating shark fins, hanging animals and even a guy that looks like he’s soaking in a hot tub.

This Baby Nessie infuser brings a playful vibe to tea time by transforming the tea into Scotland’s Loch Ness. Little Nessie dives to the bottom of the cup to release the tea’s flavor but keeps her head above the water to give you a smile as it steeps.

What if tea could be more than just a drink? It can. These blooming teas make it a performance and a piece of art. Each bloom has organic green tea leaves that were hand sewn together with organic Calendula flowers. Once you drop the tea ball into some hot water in the included glass teapot, it will slowly unfold into something that looks like it’s straight out of nature. The gift set includes seven flavors of blooming tea — peach, strawberry, black currant, cherry, sugar melon, raspberry and cactus melon — and a handy glass pot that won’t crack even if it’s heated directly on the stove.

Brew tea by the cupful (12 ounces, to be exact) with this unique loose tea brewing system. The compact set comes with a beautiful, cherry blossom-themed tumbler, a matching lid and a stainless-steel infuser basket. The ceramic mug is double walled to keep your fresh cup hot and your hands protected. It can also go safely into the microwave or the dishwasher. Once you’re done steeping your leaves, you can use the lid as a dish for the infuser to keep stray drips off your table.

It’s satisfying when everything seems to have its perfect place. This tea for two set fulfills that fantasy by neatly stacking two teacups on top of the teapot itself. Tea lovers that live in smaller apartments — or anyone allergic to clutter — will especially appreciate the compact design of this snug set. And they won’t mind keeping it permanently on display because of its small footprint and colorful floral decal. A couple can quickly disassemble it to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea whenever they want.

The only thing standing between you and a hot cup of tea the instant the mood strikes you is how long it takes the water to heat up. Fortunately, there are quality electric kettles out there that significantly cut the waiting time down to mere minutes. This Kitchen Aid kettle is one of them. It can heat up a full 1.25-liter pot in less than five minutes. That’s four hearty cups of tea, if you’re counting. The sleek kettle has a removable base for easy pouring and the spout includes a detachable limescale filter if you live in a hard water area.

When you are sitting with your morning cup of tea, the last thing you want to do is get up to dispose of your tea bag, so that is when a tea bag holder comes in handy. This pick from the favorite Le Creuset comes in four different hues and has a teapot shape just to drive home the tea theme even harder. 

Your tea drinking friend will love the gesture, and if they didn't already have one they'll soon wonder how they've gotten along without it! 

Tea is similar to wine: All the different varieties essentially start from the same ingredient, but where it’s grown and how it’s processed ultimately affect the final taste. And since there are so many teas available — even before you include options with added herbs or flavorings — it makes sense to try a bunch before settling on a favorite.

This sampler kit comes with 14 different flavors of tea. Standouts include Japanese Sencha, Egyptian Chamomile, Organic Green with Citrus and Ginkgo, Raspberry Herbal and Organic Peppermint. There are three bags of each type (42 in total) to give you enough choices to last over a month.

To avoid a bitter cup of tea, you should remove the tea bag around the four-minute mark. But where do you put it? You can drag out a small plate or use a special tea rest, but that means you’ll create another dish that you don’t want to wash. This elephant-shaped mug offers a much more elegant solution. The elephant’s head is actually hollow — you drink out of the body — so you can store the tea bag quickly before taking your sweet time to enjoy your tea. Plus, the mug is large (it holds 15 ounces) and has an easy-grip handle to keep your hand comfortable. 

Tea lovers aren't limited to just the hot tea variety — they're many out there who can't get by without a nice refreshing glass (or two) of iced tea a day. This iced tea maker lets them make the cooling beverage in the comfort of their home all with ease. Typically, when you make iced tea it can take hours or overnight to get the brew just right. With this gadget they can be sipping their favorite brew in minutes, so they'll never have to wait for a refreshment. For those who also like iced coffee — this can also be used as a cold brew coffee maker — two for the price of one!