Tea Boxes and Tea Chests -
are a great way to display your tea, but...

....if using your tea boxes for tea storage as well, then make sure your tea chest shuts tightly to keep the leaves fresh. Oxidation will continue if air is allowed in.

The tea needs to be kept dry, as humidity is the first enemy of tea leaves, as well as heat and light. Using tea tins or tea canisters with tight lids is the best way to store your tea. Glass jars that are light-proof with tight seals are also acceptable.

 Tea leaves pick up odors easily, so store teas away from odors and fragrances, and keep your "scented" and flavored teas separate from the unflavored teas.

A Tea Box or Tea Chest with compartments does make a nice display for teas, especially for individually wrapped tea bags. Many times you will see tea chests at fine restaurants or during afternoon tea at hotels. You can always return your tea to a tea tin or tea canister after your tea party or event.

Adagio's Gourmet Teas has a very nice T- box for a very reasonable price. You can get it filled with or without your choice of teas.

When researching to find what people are saying about choosing a tea box or tea chest, most concerns seemed to be mostly about 3 things: the quality of the wood, good hinges, and the ability to close the lid once the tea bags were in. The two boxes on this page received the best reviews I could find. One thing to keep in mind is that the tea bags are usually meant to either lay flat in the box or with a tilt backwards. This way your lid will shut, you just won't get as many in as if you stood them straight up.

This  Bigelow Tea Chests got good reviews and comes with 64 tea bags in eight assorted flavors.

 

Tea Tins are the best for storing and keeping your tea fresh. Most loose leaf tea will last up to 1 year. However, it is best to buy tea in small quantities and buy more often.

 

A tea caddy is simply a container for tea. First imported from China to England, these jars were made of porcelain and filled with tea. Latter materials for tea caddies were wood, silver, brass, copper and pewter - some with elaborate ornamentation.

 

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