Chawan
The bowl
Wide and shallow, so the whisk can move freely across the base. A mug is too narrow and too deep, which is why matcha made in one comes out lumpy no matter how long you stir it.
From £22.00
The Buyer's Guide
How to choose a matcha set
Bowl, whisk, scoop and the tea itself. What each piece actually does, what separates a set you will still be using in two years from one that splits in a month, and how to look after it.
The short answer
A matcha set is the three tools needed to whisk matcha properly: a wide, flat bowl called a chawan, a bamboo whisk called a chasen, and a bamboo scoop called a chashaku. Some sets include the matcha itself and some do not, which is the first thing worth checking before you buy.
The four pieces, and what each one is for
None of these are decorative. Each one solves a specific problem that a mug and a teaspoon cannot.
Chasen
The whisk
Carved from a single piece of bamboo into dozens of fine prongs. It breaks up the powder and builds the foam, and nothing else in a kitchen does the same job.
From £11.95
Chashaku
The scoop
A consistent measure, every time. This is the piece people assume is decorative, and it is the reason your cup tastes the same on a Tuesday as it did on Sunday.
From £4.95
Matcha
The tea itself
The part some sets leave out. Ours is organic Japanese matcha, stone ground and shade grown, with nothing added to it.
From £22.00
Three ways to start
There is no single best matcha set, only the right one for how you are going to drink it. Choose by the cup you actually want to make.
The complete set
For a first matcha
Bowl, whisk and scoop together, so nothing is missing on the first morning. The easiest place to start and the obvious gift.
From £42.50
Piece by piece
For a considered kit
Choose the bowl you actually want to look at every day, then add the whisk and scoop. Costs a little more, lasts a lot longer.
From £22.00
A bespoke bowl
For someone already drinking it
The upgrade nobody buys for themselves. A handmade chawan changes the daily ritual more than any other single piece.
From £69.00
What separates a good set from a photogenic one
Most sets look identical in a photograph. These are the differences that show up the first time you use one.
Look for
- A whisk with plenty of fine prongs The finer and more numerous the tines, the easier it is to break up the powder and raise a proper foam.
- A wide, flat bottomed bowl The whisk needs room to move across a flat base. A rounded or narrow bowl fights you every morning.
- Real matcha, if tea is included The ingredients list should say matcha and nothing else. No milk powder, no sugar, no flavourings.
- Replaceable parts A whisk is a consumable, not an heirloom. Buying into a set where you can replace just the chasen saves money later.
Be wary of
- Latte powder sold as matcha If sugar or milk powder appears in the ingredients, you are buying a drink mix, not tea. It will never whisk properly.
- Grading language with nothing behind it Ceremonial, AAA and A+ are marketing terms, not Japanese grades. There is no standard behind them, so they tell you nothing about origin.
- A set with no whisk holder or no way to dry it A chasen left sitting wet in a bowl loses its shape and splits. Somewhere to dry it upright matters more than it sounds.
- Nine piece sets Extra tins, cloths and stirrers pad the photograph and the price. Three tools and good tea will make a better cup.
Bamboo whisk, electric frother or a spoon
All three will get matcha into water. They do not get you to the same cup.
| Method | The cup you get | Effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo whisk | Smooth, with a fine even foam across the surface | About a minute by hand | Traditional matcha, drunk on its own |
| Electric frother | Well mixed, with a looser foam | Seconds | Lattes and iced builds, where speed matters more than ceremony |
| Spoon or fork | Lumpy, with powder settling at the bottom | Longer than you would think | Nothing, honestly. It is the reason people decide they do not like matcha |
Descriptions are based on how each method behaves in practice, not on measured figures.
How to use and store a bamboo whisk
A chasen is carved from a single piece of bamboo and it will last for years or for weeks, depending almost entirely on what happens in the two minutes after you use it.
Soak it before the first use
Stand the whisk in warm water for a couple of minutes before you first use it. The prongs soften, spread out and are far less likely to snap.
Whisk from the wrist
Fast and light in a W shape, from the wrist rather than the shoulder. Pressing down into the bowl breaks prongs and does not build foam any faster.
Rinse, never scrub
Warm water only, straight after use. No soap, no scourer and never the dishwasher, all of which strip and split the bamboo.
Dry it upright
Stand it on a whisk holder or upside down on its handle so air reaches the prongs. Left lying flat in a wet bowl is how a chasen goes mouldy.
Replace it when it thins
Prongs break with use, and that is normal. When enough have gone that the foam stops forming, replace the whisk rather than the whole set.
Buying it as a gift
A matcha set is an unusually good gift because it is a complete thing. Nobody has to work out what else they need to buy before they can use it, which is not true of most kitchen presents.
If you are buying for someone who has never made matcha, choose a set that includes the tea. If they already drink it, a better bowl is the upgrade they would not buy for themselves.
Matcha set questions, answered
What is in a matcha set?
A matcha set contains a wide flat bowl called a chawan, a bamboo whisk called a chasen and a bamboo scoop called a chashaku. Some sets also include matcha powder and some do not, so check before buying.
Do I need a matcha set, or can I use a mug and a spoon?
You can use a mug and a spoon, but the result is usually lumpy. A mug is too narrow and too deep for a whisk to move in, and a spoon cannot break up the powder, so it settles at the bottom instead of staying suspended.
What does ceremonial grade mean?
It is a marketing term rather than a Japanese grade, and there is no standard behind it. The same is true of AAA or A plus style grading. What actually 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 drunk on its own, yes. A bamboo whisk produces a finer, more even foam. For lattes and iced builds an electric frother is quicker and the difference matters far less once milk is involved.
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 put it in the dishwasher and never leave it lying in a wet bowl.
How long does a bamboo whisk last?
It depends entirely on how it is dried rather than how often it is used. Prongs break gradually with normal use, and a whisk is treated as a consumable. When the foam stops forming, replace the whisk rather than the whole set.
Is a matcha set a good gift?
It works well because it is complete. The person receiving it does not need to buy anything else before they can use it. If they have never made matcha, choose a set that includes the tea.
Bowl, whisk and scoop, ready to go
Everything you need to whisk matcha properly, from a B Corp certified tea maker in Lisburn. Shipped across the UK and Ireland.
From£42.50
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