5 Matcha Tools You Need to Have

With so many different matcha tools, it's difficult to know where to start. In this video, we're going to show you the matcha accessories that you definitely want, and which ones you can do without. We'll also show you how to build the perfect matcha tool set based on your unique style and needs. Let's get started. So there are five different matcha tools you'll definitely want to have, and they're broken down by different purpose. First, we have to talk about the matcha tools used for storing. Before you even prepare a bowl of matcha tea, you will need to store the matcha properly. Matcha is incredibly sensitive to light, heat, and humidity, and it can quickly degrade in quality if stored improperly. The tea caddy, also called the natsume, can be one of the more important matcha tools to have if you're conducting a formal tea ceremony. Luckily, a lot of matcha tins function almost like a tea caddy, giving you a comfortable seal that keeps the air and moisture out of your matcha tea. Our ceremonial matcha comes in tins that allow for longer-term storage. If you buy matcha that comes in a pack, on the other hand, you may want to invest in a tea caddy to keep it fresh. Otherwise, you may not need it. Once you're ready to use your matcha, there are two more matcha accessories that come into play when it comes to the sifting of the matcha powder. Once the matcha is opened up, it will begin to naturally form clumps as it's exposed to the humidity in the air. This is why we recommend sifting the matcha powder, so you can break up these clumps and allow the matcha to mix more evenly into the water. There are two matcha tools that you can use to help with that. The first one is the matcha sifter. This is an important piece of matcha tea equipment, as it allows you to easily break up the clumps before you make the matcha tea. Just position the sifter on top of the matcha bowl, put 2 grams of matcha powder into it, and push the powder through. Once you have a finely sifted layer of matcha powder on the bottom of the tea bowl, you are ready to continue to the next step. Another helpful tool to have when it comes to sifting the matcha powder is the chashaku, or matcha spoon. This is one of the matcha tools that you will find in a lot of our matcha sets. It's essentially a wooden spoon that is carved out of a single piece of bamboo. It's designed to be the perfect tool for scooping matcha powder. It has a more vertical design, making it easier to scoop out a cylindrical tin or tea caddy, and it is the perfect measurement tool. Just use the chashaku to measure out 2 scoops of matcha powder, and then you can use it to push the powder through the sifter, making it a versatile part of your matcha tool set. Next, we come to the most interesting part of the matcha preparation, and that is the whisking. For this, you will need two more matcha tools, which are definitely the most important. The first is the chawan, or matcha bowl. This handmade clay tea bowl is the largest of the matcha accessories, and it's where the magic happens. On first glance, it may just look like an ordinary bowl, but it has some key advantages that make it a versatile piece of matcha tea equipment. First, it has a more cylindrical design with a wide base that gives you more room to whisk the matcha. It's made out of a thick clay that retains heat, so as long as you heat it beforehand, it will keep your matcha nice and warm. Next, we have the chasen, or matcha whisk. When it comes to matcha tools, without a doubt the most famous one is the chasen, or bamboo tea whisk. This clever little whisk is carved out of a single piece of bamboo, and it's the perfect tool for whisking matcha. As long as you follow the right whisking technique, using rapid wrist movements and a zigzag formation, you should be able to create a nice foam on top of your matcha, giving it a lighter, airier consistency, and a smoother taste. What about some other matcha accessories? If you invest in only two matcha tools, it should be the whisk and the bowl, but there are a few other matcha accessories that you may want to have. The first one is the water heater. While you can use a stove to heat up water, it's much easier to heat water up with an electric kettle. This can heat up water much faster, and some of the more modern ones can even be set to certain temperatures, so you can prepare matcha at the perfect 60-70 degree temperature. In the tea ceremony, the tea master will use the kama, or iron pot, to heat up the tea water. This is one of the least practical matcha tools for home use, because it is quite large, expensive, and difficult to use. Another thing you may actually want to have around is the chakin and fukusa. Things can sometimes get messy when it comes to preparing matcha, and that's why you may want to keep a towel handy. There are two different matcha tools that serve similar purposes in this case. The first is a hem cloth called the chakin, and this is meant to clean off the matcha bowl. The fukusa is a silk cloth, and it's used to clean off dry objects like the chashaku. Both of these matcha tools can be useful if you want to keep your tea ceremony clean and tidy. What's an example of some matcha tea equipment that you don't need? In total, there can be as many as 19 different matcha tools used during the Japanese tea ceremony, but most of them are not necessary for home use. These matcha tools include some obscure ones, like the sensu, or fan, the kensui, or waste water bowl, and the futaoki, which is the bamboo rest for the bamboo ladle. These matcha accessories are nice to look at, but your money is better spent elsewhere. What about building the perfect matcha tool set? As we mentioned before, the two most important matcha tools are the chawan and the chasen, and those can be easily found on our website, bots.com. You can also build the perfect matcha tool set to fit your needs. We have a few different types of clay tea bowls that differ in color, glazing style, and shape. You can mix and match to build the perfect matcha tool set that you like the most. Don't worry about spending too much money on the additional matcha accessories. It's best to make an investment in a quality whisk, bowl, and of course a good matcha powder. Although there are 19 different matcha accessories out there, there are only a small handful of matcha tools you'll need for everyday use. We recommend you just start with the basics like a matcha bowl, matcha whisk, and matcha spoon, and then you can upgrade your matcha tool set from there. While these accessories will make a big difference in the taste of your matcha, they won't make nearly as much of a difference as switching to higher quality matcha, so make sure you invest accordingly. Thank you all so much for taking the time to watch this video. I hope you have found it helpful when it comes to building your matcha tool set. If you enjoyed this video, we would really appreciate it if you could give it a like and subscribe to our to see more tea videos in the future. Another way to support this channel is by going to neoteas.com and trying some of the best matcha we've found during our travels around Japan. It is here that we can share premium matcha tea from small family farms with tea lovers all around the world with free shipping worldwide. We also have a great selection of teaware so you can make the perfect bowl of matcha in your very own home. If you have a question about matcha or green tea in general, please feel free to leave it in the comments below. Until then, we'll see you next time.