Finding the perfect gift while also supporting Australian owned businesses can be hard, but if you're shopping for a tea lover, there's plenty of unique tea themed gifts that do just that.
Of course not all tea lovers are the same. We all adore a good "cuppa", but it's our tea routines and rituals that vary, and this creates a perfect excuse to just keep adding to our tea collections.
Sometimes we crave bone china teapots, table cloths and dainty teacups that make us feel like dressing up and being a little bit fancy. But sometimes there is nothing more comforting than a teabag in a favourite mug and a brief moment of rest.
The perfect gift for a tea lovers builds upon their 'tea toolkit' and adds even more joy to their tea moments.
Here's our Top Ten tea gift ideas, all sourced from Australian owned businesses.
- Tea Mugs
- Tea Gift Hampers
- Loose Leaf Tea Canisters
- Teabag gifts
- Electric Kettle
- Tea for One Teapot
- Tea Sets
- Loose Leaf Tea Infusers
- "Tea" Shirts
- Books about Tea
1. A favourite tea drinking mug
Let's face it, we see this little champ every day, and it becomes a reliable friend. A good tea drinking mug must be the right size, be pleasant to drink from, not too porous, and have something about it that makes us smile.
Inspirational Tea Co. | Hug Mug
Price: $20
Not only is this hug mug likely to make you smile every time you use it, but it is also the perfect tea drinking vessel, with a large capacity and a delicate lip. Complete with the cheeky quote "I look like a teabag but I feel like a hug", it is fast achieving cult status.
Robert Gordon | Organic Mug
Price: $34.95
Australian made and decorated by hand, the Robert Gordon Swatch mug is a beautiful addition to any tea lover's collection. The unique hand glaze makes each one slightly different and strikingly beautiful. Available in a range of colours.
Ashdene | Lisbon Wide Flared Mug
Price: $17.95
For friends who love fine and dainty teaware, the Ashdene Lisbon Wide Flared Mug makes a beautiful gift. Its eye-catching Moroccan-style print design and gold detailing will bring an elegance and refinement to every teatime moment.
SHOP TEA MUG GIFTS
2. Tea Gift Hamper
Tea lovers have long known that a cup of tea is like a hug in a mug. So if you can't be there in person to share a cuppa and a hug, why not send them one?
Inspirational Tea Co. | Hug in a Mug Tea Gift Box
Price: from $59.95
These Hug in a Mug Tea Gift Boxes have been lovingly curated by fellow tea drinkers who know what matters when it comes to the world of tea lovers.
Each hamper contains a fine selection of tea and tea accessories beautifully packaged in a ‘Sending you a Hug in a Mug’ gift box. It’s the ultimate teatime gift that is sure to delight any tea enthusiast.
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3. Loose leaf tea
So. Many. Options. The only way to go wrong is to scrimp on quality. Loose leaf tea requires a little more effort, and deserves to be treated with reverence. It does pay to know your audience here, at least broadly. Do they mostly drink black tea, or is it only herbal tisanes in their tea world? Earl Grey is like the black jelly beans - it's polarising.
Organic Merchant | Australian Breakfast Tea Glass Jar 70g
Price: $34.95
This Organic tea business was founded by Sydney Naturopath, Nutritionist and Herbalist Chalimah, and specialises in hand blended Australian native botanicals. Their Australian Breakfast Tea recently won Bronze at the Golden Leaf Awards in the category of natural black tea blend.
The Rabbit Hole | Breakfast Blend 75g
Price: $24.95
A true blend of black teas from every corner of the world (5 to be exact) blended meticulously by this Australian tea company into just the right amount of bold, smooth and robust.
4. Go-to teabags on subscription
This is where tea lovers are a little less inclined to be adventurous. We find something we love and we just keep buying it. It is not okay to run out. Be the best friend ever and buy a subscription.
Inspirational Tea Co. | Teabags with Inspirational quotes | Subscription
Price: 6 months $81.60
These pyramid teabags combine a robust & delicious English Breakfast tea with specially chosen inspirational quotes on the tags. The quotes are encouraging and motivational, and the perfect way to guarantee your tea loving friend thinks of you every time they have a cuppa.
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5. An electric kettle with adjustable temperature
A well known fact amongst dedicated tea drinkers is that different teas require different temperatures to brew properly. Adding water that's too hot to a delicate tisane will blow it up, and not in a good way. The best option is a kettle with different temperature options. Just don't over complicate it.
Breville | The Smart Kettle Luxe
Price: $299
Any kettle with the word 'smart' in the title has to be pretty switched on. This Luxe version from Breville holds 1.7L and has 5 varietal settings. The brushed stainless steel look makes it a welcome addition to any kitchen benchtop.
6. A tea-for-one loose teapot with infuser
Unlike a martini, where one is not enough and two is too many, a good loose leaf teapot offers the possibility of more than one cup. If you have to share then earn yourself some domestic credits by offering to clean up, because the removable infuser makes clean up a breeze.
Robert Gordon | Black Earth Teapot
Price: $39.95
Perfect for filling up a large teacup for one, or sharing a cuppa with a friend, this 2 cup teapot from Robert Gordon comes with a removable stainless steel tea infuser and lid. It's made from high fired porcelain with a reactive glaze - so both strong and beautiful.
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7. A beautiful tea set
If you have to ask if a tea lover has room in their house for another tea set then you don't know them well enough. They always have room for one more, especially if it is a thing of beauty. Taste will vary here, but there a few things that feature often: bone china, flowers, pastels, gold trim and anything Alice in Wonderland.
Christina Re | Luxury Louis Leopard Teaset
Price $220
Christina Re is a globally recognised brand with pieces that are original, timeless and hand-made to the highest quality standards. If you can get past the vast array of striking tea sets you will definitely want to venture down the rabbit hole to the High Tea accessories. Good luck getting out.
Ashdene | Chinoiserie Teaset
Price $79.95 + $35.00
There is a certain joy in delicate china teacups and favourite, robust mugs. The range of Ashdene Tea Sets gives you the opportunity to create an intimate tea set for one (or two) or splash out with plenty of tea cups and saucers on hand for the merriest of tea parties. Take your tea with an air of elegance, or settle down with a mug of something hot and delicious for a moment of peace.
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8. A fun & functional loose leaf tea infuser
Banish boring with a loose tea tea infuser that does more than minimise the mess of brewing. Pick up something fun that reflects the unique personality of your tea lovin' loved one.
MugsbyAnnie | Alice in Wonderland rabbit tea infuser
Price: $10.00
These tea infuser mesh balls are hand made in Sydney and feature a range of attached silver charms. They come in small or large so can be used for steeping tea in a mug/tea cup or a teapot. Every tea infuser comes with a beautiful gift bag.
Avanti | Empress Tea Strainer with Drip Tray
Price: $11.95
The Avanti Empress Tea Strainer with Drip Tray is the perfect addition to any polished tea service ritual. Complete with a handy drip bowl, this tea strainer sits atop tea cups and mugs to filter out the smallest particles. Just pour your favourite brew and enjoy!
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9. A 'tea' shirt
It's not hard to spot a tea lover, we give off an air of calm mostly, though this can depend on how desperate we are to get home to put the kettle on. But if you want to make a tea lover stand out even more, how about a 'tea' shirt? It's such a great word to have fun with after all.
Inspirational Tea Co. | Teapot Tealover T-shirt
Price: $35.00
The unisex heavy cotton tee is just perfect for tea lovers. Features stunning teapot & butterflies on the front, and Inspirational Tea Co. logo on the back.
10. A delightful tea novel
For reasons undocumented but probably obvious there is a strong correlation between lovers of tea and lovers of books. They do tend to go so well together, especially when the stories are set in magical locations that provide a little escape into tea heaven.
The Tea Chest, by Josephine Moon
Price: $22.40
Sunshine Coast author Josephine Moon describes her stories as 'books like brownies': indulgent, comforting, a treat for the senses, but filling and with chunky nuts to chew on. Her first novel The Tea Chest, is a delightful story set in a London boutique tea shop. Buy it from Booktopia and support an Australian owned bookseller.