The Best Cups for Drinking Tea

Everyone has a fave cup or mug. In fact one of my adult children has several cups and mugs and can't stop buying more. We need an entire cupboard just for their collection. But is there a specific shape, material or size of cup you should use to enjoy the ultimate cup of tea?

Asian tea cups don't usually have handles for one very good reason, It's believed if the cup is too hot to hold, the tea is too hot to drink. And in both Chinese and Japanese culture the tea cup is not just a vessel for tea but the choice of cup has cultural, social and even political ramifications.

Obviously personal choice is paramount and if you enjoy your tea from a giant chunky stoneware mug well that's just fine. However bone china or porcelain mugs are considered excellent choices for tea as they won't affect the taste of the tea and for many, the thinner rim is more pleasing on the lips.

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Lately glass mugs have become popular and these are also great for tea, plus if you have a lovely flowering tea to enjoy you will be able to see the flower bloom through the sides as well as from the top. Choose a double walled glass cup which won't get so hot on the outside.

Although your giant bucket mug might be good for that first intake of builder's tea, smaller cups are better for other teas including infusions. Look for something which will hold just a few mouthfuls of tea to ensure your tea won't get cold before you finish it. 

The shape of the cup matters too and ideally a good tea cup should be wider at the top than the bottom to allow the tea to cool efficiently. Tall cups allow you to enjoy the aroma but you might end up with hot spots in the tea.

Some connoisseurs will insist that even the colour of the cup can influence the taste of the tea- maybe that's why we gravitate towards our favourite cup or mug every time we fancy a cuppa.