The Cup

“When it comes to cups, tea is like wine: You need a special shape for the best flavor,” says Xavier de Leon, owner of Athélier Tea Workshop, a tea bar in New York City. “With wide, flat cups, from the moment you pour the tea, it starts to get cold and the flavor goes away.” And to appreciate the lovely color (and stop the brewing when it’s just how you like it), you’ll want glass.

RS Pick: The Bodum 12-ounce De Chine Tea Glasses (shown, top left) are the right narrow shape, and they’re made of borosilicate glass, which is more heat retentive and durable than regular glass.
To Buy: $30 for six, www.bodumusa.com.

The Strainer

If your teapot doesn’t have an infuser, you’ll need a strainer that sits atop your cup to avoid a mouthful of leaves. Be sure it’s stainless steel, which won’t rust or alter your brew’s flavor.

RS Pick: The RSVP Tea Strainer With Cup (shown, center left) (to keep things tidy) has mesh to stop small leaves and “dust” from making it into your cup.
To Buy: $4, www.artofcookingnyc.com.

The Infuser

When a pot is too much, loose-tea aficionados can brew right in the cup.

RS Pick: The RSVP two-inch Mesh Teaball (shown, center right) is simple, made of stainless steel, and the perfect size for one cup of tea. (Spoon-shaped infusers typically don’t leave enough room for leaves to unfurl and properly flavor the water.)
To Buy: $3, Broadway Panhandler, 866-266-5927.

The Teapot

Borosilicate glass pots let you eyeball your brew’s color as it progresses and are second only to ceramic at retaining heat. A pot with a removable infuser works for both loose tea and bags.

RS Pick: The six- to seven-cup Bonjour Harmony Glass Teapot (shown, top right) comes with a stainless-steel infuser plus a scoop and a trivet (not shown). The tightly fitting metal lid didn’t fall off as testers poured out the last drops (other lids wobbled when the pot reached a 45-degree angle).
To Buy: $40, www.bonjourproducts.com.