Drink Tea in Stylish Tea Cups

Whether you drink a cup of English breakfast in the morning or are hosting an afternoon tea party, Williams Sonoma has tea cups for every occasion. You can find one tea cup or a whole set in a wide array of colors and patterns. Pair it with a new teapot or kettle and brew loose leaf or bag tea.

What's the Difference Between Tea Cup and Coffee Mugs?

While you can drink tea or coffee in either, tea cups and coffee mugs differ in shape, size and handle design. Read on to learn more about how these two receptacles differ.

• Coffee mugs tend to be narrow and straight up, while tea cups are lower and wider with a shallow bottom. This provides a bigger surface area, so your scalding tea can cool down faster to a more reasonable temperature.
• Tea cups are generally smaller than your standard coffee mug. Conventional cups hold 150 ml when filled just below the rim.
• The single finger handles on tea cups are sloped away from the cup to keep your fingers a safe distance away. The cup itself can be extremely hot, so the handle is meant as a safety precaution.

Is Tea Better in a Tea Cup?

There is no wrong or right way to drink tea, but there may be some added benefits to consuming it in a traditional tea cup over a coffee mug.

• A smaller cup can help you slow down and take smaller sips. When served in a small cup, the tea appears precious as there's less of it so you take your time and savor it more.
• Using smaller cups lets you share more of it with others. A standard teapot can comfortably fill four tea cups.
• Small tea cups are easy to store. They are usually stackable and take up less space than large mugs.
• The tea cools faster in smaller cups. If poured into a larger mug, you will have to wait much longer to cool before you can drink it.

Discover New Flavors of Tea

You'll need a good assortment of tea to go with your new tea cups. Tea tins make a great gift and are an easy way to try new teas. If you want to get into loose leaf tea, be sure and pick up a tea ball or infuser. Explore Williams Sonoma's tea selection today.