Tea lovers are easy to please, but hard to surprise. Most already have a favourite mug and a cupboard full of teabags. The best gifts help them discover something new: rare loose leaf teas, a better way to brew, or a treat to enjoy with their cup. Here are our favourite gift ideas for tea lovers, whether it's for Christmas, a birthday or just because.
Quick picks
- Best overall: a tea gift subscription, with new loose leaf teas every month and a free infuser in the first box.
- For Secret Santa or a stocking: the Tea Selection Box, a one-off box with no subscription.
- If you're not sure what they like: a gift card, so they can choose for themselves.
- A small extra: a pair of tea ball infusers.
1. A tea gift subscription
A tea subscription is a gift they'll enjoy all year. Each month we post rare and single-origin loose leaf teas from around the world, hand-packed and sent through the letterbox. Choose the Mini (three 25g bags, 30 to 60 cups) or the Box (three 45g bags, 54 to 108 cups), then pick black tea, green tea, herbal and fruit, or Surprise me if you're not sure what they like. A free tea infuser comes in the first box, so they can start brewing straight away.
You choose 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. Gift subscriptions never auto-renew, delivery is free across the UK, and every box fits through the letterbox. You pick the posting date, add a personal message that we print on a gift card in the first box, and add gift wrap if you like.
Choose a tea gift subscription.
2. The Tea Selection Box
For a single present, the Tea Selection Box is three bags of loose leaf tea, chosen by us from this month's selection. Pick black, green, herbal and fruit, or let us surprise them, in either the Mini or the Box size. There's no subscription, so it's perfect for Secret Santa, a stocking or a thank-you gift.
3. A gift card
If you don't know whether they're an Earl Grey fan or a green tea devotee, give a Blue Coffee Box gift card for £40, £80 or £120 and let them build their own tea (or coffee) subscription. Gift cards are digital: we can email one straight to them with your message on the date you choose, or send it to you to print out and give in person.
4. Tea infusers
If they're new to loose leaf tea, a good infuser makes it easy. Our stainless steel tea ball infuser clips shut and lifts out when the tea is just right, and the pair of infusers means one to keep and one to share. For other options, from infuser mugs to teapots with built-in baskets, see our guide to choosing the best tea infuser.
5. A teapot and cups
A proper teapot turns a quick cuppa into a moment to slow down. Look for one with a removable infuser basket, so the leaves have room to unfurl and can be lifted out before the tea turns bitter. A glass teapot is lovely for watching green and flowering teas open up. Our guide to brewing the perfect cup of loose leaf tea has the times and temperatures for each type of tea.
6. Tea storage tins
Loose leaf tea keeps its flavour best away from air, light, heat, moisture and strong smells. A set of airtight, opaque tins is a practical gift that any tea lover will use, especially alongside a subscription. See our guide to storing loose leaf tea for what to look for.
7. An afternoon tea treat
Put together a homemade afternoon tea hamper: a loaf of tea loaf made with cold tea, a batch of madeleines, and a bag of loose leaf tea to go with them. Our guide to pairing food with tea will help you match the tea to the treats. For something warming on a winter evening, add the spices for a homemade chai latte.
How to choose the right tea gift
- Which type of tea? Black tea suits lovers of a classic cuppa, Earl Grey or breakfast tea. Green tea is lighter and grassier. Herbal and fruit blends are usually caffeine-free and great for the evening. If you're not sure, choose Surprise me.
- Mini or Box? The Mini (30 to 60 cups a month) suits someone who has a cup or two a day; the Box (54 to 108 cups) is better for serious tea drinkers or a household.
- How long? Three months is a lovely introduction, and 12 months gives them a year of new teas.
For the coffee drinkers on your list, see our gifts for coffee lovers.
Discover new teas every time
A Blue Coffee Box tea subscription brings rare and single-origin loose leaf teas through your letterbox, with a free infuser in the first box. From £9.99 with free UK delivery, and you can skip or cancel anytime.
