I confess, I'm the type who uses my favorite mug for everything – coffee, tea, juice, water, you name it, and in a pinch, I've also drunk wine out of it (don't judge, desperate times call for desperate measures!). But for those tea connoisseurs who are passionate about tea and know how to bring out its best attributes, the cup used to drink tea out of can be just as important as the tea itself.
You might ask, what's wrong with drinking tea out of a mug? Well, not only are mugs typically much larger, their thicker walls allow them to keep their contents warmer for longer periods of time. While that's great for enjoying coffee at a leisurely pace, tea is intended to be drunk quickly. So that tea is slightly cooled before drinking, the teacup is generally shorter and wider than a coffee cup to give that extra bit of surface area.
A fun bit of trivia – after plain water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world! Given its popularity, it's inevitable that different types of teacups have been invented over the years to accommodate a variety of preferences. Let's have a look at a few!
1. Teacup with saucer and spoon
Credit: Vero Manrique
In North America, this is probably the type of teacup that most people immediately think of when they think of tea. During the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the English. Later, handles were added to the cups, which were originally handleless, to make them easier to hold, while saucers also became an ubiquitous part of drinking tea in the West. In fact, during the 18th century, it was common for tea drinkers to pour their tea into the saucer to make it cool faster, and to drink from that instead.
The spoon is handy for stirring the tea and milk and/or sugar together. Now, whether it's tea first or milk first in the cup – I'm staying away from that great debate!
2. Handleless teacup
Credit: Content Pixie
If you love Chinese dim sum like I do, then you've definitely been served a steaming hot cup of tea at a restaurant and wondered how the heck can you hold onto it without burning your fingers! (tip, hold the top part as close to the rim as you can with the index finger and thumb of one hand and use the tip of your other index finger to perch it on).
Handleless teacups tend to be small, holding only about 1 to 4 fl oz. As a result, handles aren't necessary because the tea tends to cool quickly. I guess patience really is a virtue when it comes to using these types of teacups!
3. Double wall glass teacup
Credit: petr sidorov
This is probably my favorite cup to use on those occasions when I get around to using a proper teacup. I love its minimalism and simplicity, giving off an almost zen-like vibe. The double-walled design is also super convenient if you like the comfort of having a full-hand grip on your cup (which I find oddly satisfying), but is otherwise too hot to handle.
The clear glass also makes this the perfect cup to use if you enjoy seeing the various shades of black, brown, green, red, and yellow that different types of tea produce. Very pretty autumn shades!
4. Teacup with diffuser
Credit: Damian Gawlas
A super convenient all-in-one option! Unless you use tea bags, you'll have to use some sort of strainer or tea pot for loose leaf teas. I love the variety of loose leaf teas, so I don't mind putting up with the minor inconvenience of having to deal with tea leaves.
A teacup with a built-in strainer is a great option if you don't want to fuss around with a teapot or separate strainer. Just pop in some of your favorite tea leaves, fill it up with hot water, and done! And super easy to just top it up when you need a refill.
5. Gaiwan
Credit: Jia Ye
Now this is an unusual one! A gaiwan is a Chinese tea vessel, invented during the Ming Dynasty that ruled China from A.D. 1368 to 1644. It consists of a handleless bowl, a lid, and a saucer. Intended for loose tea leaves, there's 2 ways of using it. One way is to use it like a teapot, to brew tea with it, and then slide the lid open slightly to create an opening to pour the tea into cups while holding back the tea leaves. Another way, which I tried once before and was super fun to do, is to drink directly from it. You need both hands to use it – one hand holds the saucer with the cup on it, while the other hand holds the lid by its knob, which is used to brush away the tea leaves before drinking.
6. Ince Belli
Credit: Takenori Okada
Do you know that the Turks drink the most tea per person each year? I didn't, and glad that I learn something new every day! Traditional Turkish tea is drunk from small, tulip-shaped glasses called ince belli (literally "slim-waisted"). Because there are no handles, these glasses are usually held by the rim.
I love the shapely silhouette. Looks so delicate and refined at the same time!
Do you know of any other unique teacup shapes? Let me know in the comments below!
