---
title: "Tea Shop Equipment: What You Need to Open a Tea Shop (2026)"
description: What equipment do you need to open a tea shop? The 9 essentials I'd buy first, from hot water boilers and display jars to an iced tea brewer.
image: https://res.cloudinary.com/cekiuehr/image/upload/c_fill,ar_16:9,g_auto,w_1200/f_auto,q_auto/blog/tea-shop-essentials/tea-shop-shelves-and-tea-sets.jpg
---
[Josh Caliguire](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/?hsLang=en)
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Tea
# What Equipment Do You Need to Open a Tea Shop? The 9 Essentials
Josh Caliguire · Oct 15, 2026
*I research and test everything I recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission on purchases through my links. Your price stays the same, and I get to buy good tea. Win-win.*
If you run a café, coffee shop or small tea shop and want your tea to be as good as your coffee, this is the tea shop equipment list I'd hand you. Nine essentials, most of them inexpensive, that let you **serve great tea, teach people about it, and charge what it's worth**.
I've made a lot of tea for a lot of people in a lot of different settings, from big batches to one perfect pot. I also had an amazing time working at Ku Cha House of Tea in Boulder, Colorado, a shop with more than 200 loose leaf teas where we made iced tea out of every single one.
Since then, I have traveled the world a lot and seen a lot of ways cafes and coffee shops serve tea. There are ways to upgrade your service to really crush it at making incredible tea at scale.
Why upgrade your tea at all? I made the full case here: [Blog: How to Upgrade the Way You Sell Tea (And Why It's Worth It)](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/how-to-upgrade-the-way-you-sell-tea-and-why-its-worth-it?hsLang=en).
## The Tea Shop Equipment List at a Glance
1. Glass display jars with clamp lids
2. Zojirushi water boilers, one per temperature
3. Glass French presses
4. Simple teapots for the tables
5. Tea timers
6. FORLIFE extra-fine infusers for hot drinks
7. A gravity tea maker for flash iced tea
8. A commercial iced tea brewer
9. Bonus: small gong fu sets
## 1. Glass Display Jars Guests Can Open and Smell
[](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV3W2CG8?tag=joshcaliguire-20)
Tea sells through the nose. The moment someone pops a lid and smells a jasmine pearl or a roasted oolong, **the sale is mostly made**. Ku Cha keeps every tea on the floor in a jar you can open and smell, and it's the best sales tool I know. The smell sells.
Use small, clear jars to showcase tea and seal airtight again. [These glass jars come in a pack.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV3W2CG8?tag=joshcaliguire-20)Keep the display jars small and refill them from your real storage, since tea that's opened all day loses its aroma. If you want to see more ideas: [Blog: Best Tea Storage](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/tea-storage?hsLang=en).
## 2. Zojirushi Water Boilers (One for Each Temperature)
This is the backbone of a tea bar. A [Zojirushi water boiler](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166OD5M8?tag=joshcaliguire-20) holds water at 160, 175, 195 or 208°F all day, so every cup gets the right temperature without anyone guessing. I've used Zojirushis a lot, and **auto temperature plus custom volume** is a game changer when you're making drink after drink: a splash for a gaiwan, 12 ounces for a mug, a liter for a pot.
If you can, run two or three: one at 175°F for green and white tea, one at 195°F for oolong, and one at 208°F for black, pu'er and herbal. No waiting, no cooling, no bitter greens. My full breakdown: [Blog: Best Water Boiler for Tea](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/best-water-boiler-for-tea?hsLang=en).
## 3. Glass French Presses to Show Off the Brew
A glass French press turns tea into something guests watch. The leaves unfurl, the color deepens, and the guest presses it when it's ready. It's **beautiful on a table and easy for your team**.
The [Bodum Chambord 34 oz](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008XEWG?tag=joshcaliguire-20) is the classic for sharing. For tea flights, the way bars do whiskey or beer, add a few of the [12 oz Chambord](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005LM0R?tag=joshcaliguire-20).
## 4. Simple Teapots for the Tables
Give guests a teapot and they stay. They pour, refill, and settle in, which is exactly the experience that brings people back. Keep it simple: white porcelain, a removable infuser, dishwasher friendly.
The [Sweese 27 oz porcelain teapot](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757LCCD1?tag=joshcaliguire-20) is a good table pot for two. For a single guest, the [Tealyra Pluto 18 oz](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FTQX67Z?tag=joshcaliguire-20) has a fine stainless infuser and looks sharp in matte black.
## 5. Tea Timers
Most bad tea is over-steeped tea. A timer fixes that for a few dollars. Set a [3-in-1 sand timer](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RDKD2YG?tag=joshcaliguire-20) (3, 4 and 5 minutes) on the table with every pot or press, and **guests time their own steep**. It's part of the fun.
Behind the bar, simple [digital timers](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CPM4L1JS?tag=joshcaliguire-20) keep your team consistent. Pair them with a temperature and time chart: [Blog: Why is My Tea Bitter? It's Time and Temperature.](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/time-and-temperature?hsLang=en)
## 6. FORLIFE Infusers for Hot Drinks
For to-go cups and mugs, the [FORLIFE Brew-in-Mug infuser](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TYF8SI?tag=joshcaliguire-20) is the one. The extra-fine mesh holds back even tiny leaves, the basket is **big enough for leaves to open fully**, and the lid doubles as a drip tray. They're dishwasher safe too.
## 7. A Gravity Tea Maker for Flash Iced Tea
For made-to-order iced tea, flash chilling is the move: brew hot and strong, then release it straight over ice. A [GROSCHE Aberdeen gravity tea maker](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016MZ2OIW?tag=joshcaliguire-20) makes it easy. You steep, set it on the cup, and the tea drains through the filter while the leaves stay behind.
We used these at the tea house, and I still reach for mine. They're **cheap, fast to clean, and fun to watch**, which matters at a counter. The full method: [Blog: How to Make Iced Tea with Loose Leaf Tea](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/how-to-make-iced-tea-with-loose-leaf-tea?hsLang=en).
## 8. A Commercial Iced Tea Brewer
Once iced tea starts selling, you need volume. The [BUNN TB3Q](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00345WZVU?tag=joshcaliguire-20) brews 3 gallons at a time from real leaves, up to about 26 gallons an hour, with a Quick Brew setting for shorter cycles. It's the industry standard for a reason.
It's plumbed in and needs a separate dispenser, so check the specs on [BUNN's commercial site](https://commercial.bunn.com/) before you order. I compared the main models, plus the dispensers that fit them, here: [Blog: Best Commercial Iced Tea Brewer for Cafes](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/best-commercial-iced-tea-brewer?hsLang=en).
## 9. Bonus: Small Gong Fu Sets
This one is extra. Not many people know about *Gong Fu Cha*, the Chinese tea ceremony of many short steeps from the same leaves. But if you want to introduce a **deeper level of tea** to your guests, a few small gong fu sets do it beautifully.
They're cheap enough that you can hand them to customers without worrying about something breaking. [This kit is my go to](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D49DGWYS?tag=joshcaliguire-20), and normally goes for only $50 or less on Amazon. Teaching people Gong Fu ignites a passion for tea!
The ceremony itself: [Blog: Gong Fu Cha: The Chinese Tea Ceremony That Will Slow You Down](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/gong-fu-cha-the-chinese-tea-ceremony-that-will-slow-you-down?hsLang=en). And a nicer six-cup set if you want one for the shop: [Blog: The Best Gong Fu Cha Tea Ceremony Set for Beginners](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/gong-fu-cha-tea-ceremony-set-for-beginners?hsLang=en).
## Where to Start
If you can only do three things this month: **put the tea in jars, get a water boiler, and serve it in glass**. That alone puts your tea ahead of most cafés. Add timers and infusers next, then build the iced tea program as summer comes.
Choosing which teas to carry? Test a range with your team first: [Blog: Best Loose Leaf Tea Samplers](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/best-loose-leaf-tea-samplers?hsLang=en). And if you want to see what a great tea shop feels like, here's the one that taught me: [Blog: Ku Cha House of Tea Boulder](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/ku-cha-house-of-tea-boulder-the-best-loose-leaf-tea-shop-in-colorado?hsLang=en).
**Homework:** walk up to your own counter like a guest. Can you smell the tea? Can you see it brew? If not, start with item one.
About Josh Caliguire
Writer, friend, and community builder splitting time between Mazatlán, Boulder, and Alberta. I write about tea, friendship, and the deliberate small choices that make life richer.
[Subscribe to the newsletter →](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/contact#newsletter)
Keep Reading
## More from the blog
[](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/commercial-tea-brewer?hsLang=en)
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### [Commercial Tea Brewers: How to Choose One for Making Tea at Scale (2026 Guide)](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/commercial-tea-brewer?hsLang=en)
How to choose a commercial tea brewer for a cafe or restaurant: iced vs hot tea, gallons per hour, plumbing, and the BUNN and Zojirushi picks I'd buy.
[](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/best-water-boiler-for-tea?hsLang=en)
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### [Best Water Boiler for Tea in 2026: Hot Water on Tap for Gong Fu Cha, Green Tea and Hosting](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/best-water-boiler-for-tea?hsLang=en)
The best water boiler for tea holds the right temperature all day. My 5 picks, led by the Zojirushi I've used for years, for gong fu cha, work and hosting.
[](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/how-much-caffeine-is-in-yerba-mate-vs-coffee?hsLang=en)
Yerba Mate
### [How Much Caffeine Is in Yerba Mate Compared to Coffee?](https://www.joshcaliguire.com/blog/how-much-caffeine-is-in-yerba-mate-vs-coffee?hsLang=en)
How much caffeine is in yerba mate? About 70 to 85 mg per cup vs 96 mg for coffee, but a full gourd session can beat a mug. Here's the math.
## Pull Up a Chair
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