Selecting the perfect tea cup is essential for enhancing the aroma, flavor, and overall experience of your tea. Different shapes and designs serve specific purposes—from preserving heat to releasing fragrance. Here’s a detailed guide to help you choose the ideal cup for various tea types:
Zen Tea Bowl
Recommend for: Pu'er (cooked tea), aged white tea, black tea, Liubao tea.
Why: With its thick walls and open shape, this bowl excels at heat retention. It helps soften and mellow the tea soup, making it smoother and more full-bodied—perfect for fermented and robust teas.
Gaiwan
Recommend for: Suitable for brewing almost all types of tea.
Why: The adjustable lid allows for easy control of water flow rate and temperature, allowing for precise control of the strength and aroma of the tea. The spacious bowl allows the tea leaves to fully develop and release their essence.
Sunflower Cup / Floral Cup
Recommend for: Green tea, yellow tea, fragrant oolong, white silver needle, white peony, herbal tea.
Why: The wide, open mouth allows heat to dissipate quickly, protecting delicate tea leaves from overheating while preserving freshness and aroma. Its petal-like shape also complements light and elegant teas.
Straight-Walled Cup
Recommend for: Almost all types of tea.
Why: A classic and versatile design. It offers moderate to fast heat dissipation and a clean, simple aesthetic that suits any tea session.
Dragon Egg Cup
Recommend for: Oolong tea, high-fragrance black tea.
Why: The “bundled mouth” design concentrates aroma at the rim, enhancing the olfactory experience. It also offers good heat preservation, making it ideal for fragrant teas that benefit from warmer temperatures.
Dou Li Cup (Bamboo Hat Cup)
Recommend for: Green tea, yellow tea, white silver needle, young white tea.
Why: Shaped like an inverted bamboo hat, this cup dissipates heat very quickly. Its thin walls allow you to sense the temperature change with your fingertips—ideal for teas that should be enjoyed cooler.
Hand-Pressing Cup
Recommend for: Oolong tea, black tea, white tea.
Why: Designed with a low center of gravity, this cup feels steady and comfortable in hand. When filled 70–80%, the rim fits snugly into the “tiger’s mouth” of your hand, offering a balanced weight and preventing burns. A versatile and ergonomic choice.