The Gongfu Starter Kit

You do not need much. A gaiwan, something to pour into, something to drink from, and a kettle that holds temperature. Everything else is optional.

The internet will tell you otherwise. There are $300 yixing teapots, hand-carved tea trays, and bamboo scoops that cost more than most people's monthly tea budget. All beautiful. None necessary. The tea doesn't care about your tray.

We have brewed thousands of gongfu sessions across every price range. This guide is what we wish someone had given us on day one: the essentials at three budgets, and what each item actually does.

The essentials

Four items. That is the entire list.

A gaiwan(盖碗, “lidded bowl”). The most versatile brewing vessel in tea. 100-150ml capacity. White porcelain for your first one, because it hides nothing: you see the leaf, the liquor colour, and the aroma clearly. It works with every tea type, from delicate greens to heavy puer. A yixing pot is for later, when you know which tea you want to commit to.

A fairness pitcher(公道杯, gongdao bei, literally “fair cup”). Pour from the gaiwan into this, then from this into cups. It ensures every cup gets the same strength of liquor. Glass is best because you can see the colour.

Tasting cups. Small, 30-50ml. Two is enough for solo sessions. Porcelain or celadon. The thin rim matters more than the material: it directs the tea to different parts of your tongue.

A kettle with temperature control. Variable-temperature electric kettles let you dial in precise water temperature, which matters more than most beginners realise. 95C for oolongs and puer. 80C for greens. 70C for gyokuro.

Three price points

Under $30: The minimum viable setup

A white porcelain gaiwan ($5-8), a glass fairness pitcher ($4-6), two porcelain cups ($3-5 for a pair), and your existing kettle. Total: around $15-20. If you already boil water, you are essentially done.

This is not a compromise setup. Professional tea buyers in China use plain white porcelain gaiwans at trade shows for evaluation, precisely because they are neutral. Your $6 gaiwan is the same tool.

$30-80: The considered setup

Same gaiwan and pitcher, but add a variable-temperature kettle ($30-50). Better cups, perhaps a set of four in celadon or ru ware style. A small bamboo tea tray or a ceramic plate to catch drips.

$80-200: The deliberate setup

Everything above, plus a jianshui or nixing clay gaiwan alongside your porcelain one (for when you want a rounder, softer brew). A proper bamboo or stone tea tray with a drain. A second fairness pitcher in clay. This is not about spending more; it is about having options for different teas and different moods.

The tea does not know how much your gaiwan cost. It responds to water temperature, leaf ratio, and steep time. Everything else is atmosphere.

Teas to start with

If this is your first session, all teas below have step-by-step brewing guides with a tailored timer on TEAKI.

Each of these responds well to gongfu parameters, forgives slight errors in temperature or timing, and reveals enough complexity across steeps to make the method feel worthwhile.

Start here. Adjust as you go. The leaf will tell you what it wants.