Chawan
The bowl
Wide and shallow, so your whisk can move freely across the bottom. A mug is too narrow and too deep, which is why matcha made in one always ends up lumpy, however long you stir.
From £22.00
The Suki matcha guide
How to choose a matcha set
Thinking of starting your matcha journey, or treating someone who is? Here's everything you need to know: the bowl, the whisk, the scoop and the tea, what each one does, and how to look after them so your set lasts for years.
The short answer
A matcha set is the three tools you need to whisk matcha properly: a wide, flat bowl (a chawan), a bamboo whisk (a chasen) and a bamboo scoop (a chashaku). Some sets include the matcha itself and some don't, so that's the first thing we'd check before you buy!
What's in a set, and what each piece is for
None of these are just for show! Each one does a job that a mug and a teaspoon simply can't.
Chasen
The whisk
Carved from a single piece of bamboo into lots of fine prongs. It breaks up the powder and whips up that lovely foam, and honestly, nothing else in your kitchen does the same job.
From £11.95
Chashaku
The scoop
The same measure, every time. People often think this one is just decorative, but it's the reason your cup tastes as good on a Tuesday as it did on Sunday.
From £4.95
Matcha
The tea itself
The bit some sets leave out! Ours is organic Japanese matcha, shade grown and stone ground, with nothing added.
From £22.00
Three ways to get started
There's no single best matcha set, just the right one for how you like to drink it. Pick the cup you actually want to make.
The complete set
For your first matcha
Bowl, whisk and scoop together, so nothing's missing on your first morning. The easiest way to start, and our go-to gift.
From £42.50
Piece by piece
For a considered kit
Choose the bowl you'll love looking at every day, then add the whisk and scoop. It costs a little more, but it lasts a lot longer.
From £22.00
A bespoke bowl
For someone already hooked
The upgrade nobody buys for themselves! A handmade chawan changes the daily ritual more than any other single piece.
From £69.00
What makes a good set (not just a pretty one)
Most sets look the same in a photo. These are the differences you notice the first time you use one.
Look for
- A whisk with plenty of fine prongs The finer the prongs, and the more of them there are, the easier it is to break up the powder and get a proper foam going.
- A wide, flat-bottomed bowl Your whisk needs room to move across a flat base. A rounded or narrow bowl will fight you every morning.
- Real matcha, if the tea's included The ingredients should say matcha and nothing else. No milk powder, no sugar, no flavourings.
- Replaceable parts A whisk wears out over time (that's normal!). A set where you can replace just the chasen saves you money later.
Be wary of
- Latte powder sold as matcha If you spot sugar or milk powder in the ingredients, it's a drink mix, not tea, and it will never whisk properly.
- Grades with nothing behind them Ceremonial, AAA and A+ are marketing words, not Japanese grades. There's no standard behind them, so they tell you nothing about where your matcha comes from.
- Nowhere to dry the whisk A chasen left sitting wet in a bowl loses its shape and splits. Somewhere to dry it upright matters more than you'd think.
- Nine-piece sets Extra tins, cloths and stirrers make the photo look fuller and push the price up. Three tools and good tea make a better cup.
Bamboo whisk, electric frother or a spoon?
All three will get matcha into water. They won't all get you the same cup!
| Method | The cup you get | Effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo whisk | Smooth, with a fine, even foam across the top | About a minute by hand | Traditional matcha, on its own |
| Electric frother | Well mixed, with a looser foam | Seconds | Lattes and iced drinks, when speed matters more than ceremony |
| Spoon or fork | Lumpy, with powder settling at the bottom | Longer than you'd think | Nothing, honestly! It's the reason some people decide they don't like matcha |
Based on how each method behaves in practice, not on lab measurements.
How to use and look after your bamboo whisk
A chasen is carved from a single piece of bamboo, and whether it lasts for years or for weeks comes down to the two minutes after you use it.
Soak it before its first go
Stand your whisk in warm water for a couple of minutes before you first use it. The prongs soften and spread out, so they're far less likely to snap.
Whisk from the wrist
Quick and light, in a W shape, from your wrist rather than your shoulder. Pressing down into the bowl breaks prongs and won't make the foam any faster.
Rinse, never scrub
Warm water only, straight after use. No soap, no scourer and never the dishwasher: they all strip and split the bamboo.
Dry it upright
Pop it on a whisk holder, or stand it on its handle, so air can reach the prongs. Leaving it lying in a wet bowl is how a chasen goes mouldy.
Replace it when it thins
Prongs break with use, and that's completely normal. When enough have gone that the foam stops forming, replace the whisk, not the whole set.
Giving it as a gift
A matcha set makes a brilliant gift because it's complete. Nobody has to work out what else to buy before they can use it (which isn't true of most kitchen presents!).
Buying for someone new to matcha? Choose a set that includes the tea. If they already drink it, a beautiful bowl is the treat they'd never buy for themselves.
Your matcha set questions, answered
What is in a matcha set?
A matcha set has a wide, flat bowl (a chawan), a bamboo whisk (a chasen) and a bamboo scoop (a chashaku). Some sets include matcha powder too and some don't, so it's worth checking before you buy.
Do I need a matcha set, or can I use a mug and a spoon?
You can, but it usually ends up lumpy! A mug is too narrow and deep for a whisk to move in, and a spoon can't break up the powder, so it sinks to the bottom instead of staying mixed through.
What does ceremonial grade mean?
It's a marketing term rather than a Japanese grade, and there's no standard behind it (the same goes for AAA or A+). What really matters is that the tin contains matcha and nothing else, and that you know where it was grown.
Is a bamboo whisk better than an electric frother?
For matcha on its own, yes. A bamboo whisk gives a finer, more even foam. For lattes and iced drinks a frother is quicker, and once milk is involved the difference matters much less.
How do you store a matcha whisk?
Rinse it in warm water straight after use, with no soap, then stand it upright on a whisk holder or on its handle so air can reach the prongs. Never pop it in the dishwasher or leave it lying in a wet bowl.
How long does a bamboo whisk last?
It depends far more on how you dry it than how often you use it. Prongs break gradually with normal use, so think of a whisk as something you'll replace now and then. When the foam stops forming, replace the whisk, not the whole set.
Is a matcha set a good gift?
We think it's one of the best! It's complete, so the person receiving it doesn't need to buy anything else before they can start. If they've never made matcha before, choose a set that includes the tea.
Ready to start whisking?
Everything you need to whisk matcha properly, from our B Corp certified team in Lisburn. We ship across the UK, Ireland and beyond.
From£42.50
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