Tea making kit: Our top 5!

As herb growing enthusiasts we know that the most important aspect of making the best cup of herbal tea is the herbs themselves. However, the experience can only be improved with the right choice of equipment. To beat off the January blues we treated ourselves to a range of new tea making paraphernalia and have spent the last month testing out our new pieces. Here are our top five. So put the kettle on and get brewing!

1. STUMP TEAPOT by Forlife

A great teapot for brewing up a loose leaf blend as it comes with its own infuser. A good size for two people sharing or for those times when you need a whole pot to yourself! It comes in lots of nice colours and the design is cleverly stackable if you are buying a few. £28, available in-store and online at Whittard. 

2. INFUSER by Ipow

A handy infuser for brewing a loose blend straight in your mug. It has a handle that sits on your mug rim. Really easy to use and keep clean with a lid that doubles up as a stand to avoid drips and spills. We love using these for testing out new tea blends and also in our Herbal Tea Blending Workshops (hint! *next class 16th March*). £7.50, available at Tea Geeks. 

3. NAGIIRA TEA STRAINER from Tea in the City

Designed and made in Japan, this beautiful tea strainer is one of a kind. Its double layer mesh works perfectly to strain your tea blend and the design allows it to rest happily on your mug without toppling. The Japanese factory only made a small batch of these so get one quick before they all go. £15, available at Tea in the City. 

4. RE-FILLABLE TEABAGS by Spice.boutique

We've tried out a few re-fillable teabags and these are by far our favourites. Made from unbleached filter paper they are easy to fill and tie and are fully compostable after use. A good piece of kit if you want to have some teabags made up for grabbing on the go or to make gifts for friends. They come in two sizes - cup and teapot. £4.20 for 100 available online.  

5. FACETED CLIP TOP JARS by Kilner

We recently bought a set of these clip top jars for displaying our herbal blends when we do pop-up events. They are a good way to store either your loose leaf blends or teabags as their airtight seal keeps everything nice and fresh. You can find them in most kitchenware stores or online at Sainsbury's.