Buying for someone who is into matcha or coffee is harder than it looks, because the obvious gift is usually the one thing they already own. This guide is sorted by budget, and each entry says who it is right for and who it is wrong for. We would rather you buy the $16 thing that fits than the $99 thing that does not.
Under $20
The Rosette Spoon, $16
A teaspoon with a rose or cherry blossom struck into the bowl and a glazed ceramic handle, in eight finishes. It is the stocking-filler that gets photographed.
Right for: anyone. It needs no explanation and fits any kitchen.
Wrong for: someone who wants a tool rather than a nice object.
Note: this one is made in small batches and takes 7 to 12 days, so order it earlier than the rest.
Under $50
The Rose Garden Mug, $42
15oz hand-painted ceramic, roses inside and out. Big enough for a latte rather than a polite espresso.
Right for: someone who drinks big morning cups and keeps a favourite mug.
Wrong for: a minimalist. This mug has opinions.
The Replacement Chasen, $39
A long-handle bamboo matcha whisk.
Right for: someone who already makes matcha daily. A chasen wears out in six to twelve months and almost nobody replaces theirs on time, so this is the rare gift that gets used the day it arrives.
Wrong for: a beginner. On its own it does not get them to a bowl of matcha.
Under $100
The Matcha Ritual Kit, $59
Bamboo whisk, whisk holder, scoop and sifter. Four tools, no bowl.
Right for: someone curious about matcha who owns a wide cereal bowl, which is everyone. Leaving the ceramic bowl out is why it is $59 instead of $99, and a cereal bowl genuinely works.
Wrong for: a gift where the box has to look like a complete ceremony set.
The Pour-Over Starter Set, $79
Hario V60 dripper, glass server and filters.
Right for: someone drinking drip or instant who has said they want to get into coffee properly. This is the standard entry point and it is standard for good reason.
Wrong for: someone without a burr grinder, honestly. Pour-over with pre-ground supermarket coffee is a modest upgrade at best. If they have no grinder, the $59 matcha kit is a better gift.
The Complete Ceremony Kit, $99
Ceramic chawan bowl, bamboo whisk, whisk holder and scoop.
Right for: a true beginner, or any gift that has to feel like a whole thing when the box opens. This is our most-given item and the one that needs the least explaining.
Wrong for: someone who already has a whisk. Buy them the chasen and the spoon instead and save $44.
Over $100
The Temperature Kettle, $139
Gooseneck, 0.8 litres, holds anything from 100 to 212°F.
Right for: someone who drinks both matcha and coffee, or who has been making pour-over for a while with a normal kettle. Matcha wants 175°F, pour-over wants 200°F, and a standard kettle only does 212°F, which is wrong for both.
Wrong for: someone who only drinks matcha. They need a thermometer, not a kettle. We explain why here.
If you are still stuck
They have never made matcha: the $99 Ceremony Kit. Nothing else to buy, nothing to explain.
They already make matcha: the $39 chasen. Theirs is worn out and they have not noticed.
They are a coffee person: the $139 kettle if they grind their own, the $79 pour-over set if they do not.
You have no idea: the $16 spoon and the $42 mug together. Under $60, useful to anyone, and nothing about it can be wrong.
Practical notes
Everything except the Rosette Spoon ships from a US warehouse and lands in 2 to 5 business days. Shipping is free on every order with no minimum. If something arrives damaged, send a photo within seven days and we replace it without asking for the broken one back.
For December delivery, order the spoon by the first week of December and everything else by the middle of the month.