Inexpensive tea set?

[LisaR]

I am looking for a tea pot and four cups for teenagers. My 15 y/o and a few friends have really gotten into sitting around and drinking tea when they are here. I have looked online and the ones I am finding are either for little kids or they are $75 and up. I am looking for something cheap; maybe $25. Any ideas where I might look? I am thinking of hitting up our Chinese grocer this week. Not sure if they will have anything.

 

[blackforest]

I am looking for a tea pot and four cups for teenagers. My 15 y/o and a few friends have really gotten into sitting around and drinking tea when they are here. I have looked online and the ones I am finding are either for little kids or they are $75 and up. I am looking for something cheap; maybe $25. Any ideas where I might look? I am thinking of hitting up our Chinese grocer this week. Not sure if they will have anything.

What about picking out a teapot and four different cup/saucer combos? Wrap each one seperate for her friends. Local thrift store/Goodwill would be a place to start. Or a store that sells them, but may have discontiued pieces or broken sets.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

We love tea and I also love fien china. I have gotten some beautiful tea sets at garage sales and estate sales for amazing prices. I also have a set I've slowly been adding to. Whenever we are traveling and stop in an antique shop I often get a pink teacup and saucer. I have a growing set of pink floral pieces that are all different, but look great on the table together. Because the pieces are sold one off and are never part of a complete set they are pretty cheap.

 

[stsomewhere]

TJ MAXx for teapot. mix and match cups. Also, try Ikea

 

[uk_wildcat]

How about a Fiesta teapot and 4 Fiesta teacups with saucers? They are durable and you can get them all in different colors!

 

[Fyrefly]

Teapots come in a variety of prices, you can go to a tea shop and find one or go online. If she's doing loose tea be sure to get a strainer that fits the pot. Woot and sellout.woot have had teapots on occasion as well.

I think some funky mismatched china would be cool. Our local upscale tea house has all mismatched china so each person gets a different cup and saucer. Looking at everyone's cups is a fun way to pass the time until your food arrives. Go to the thrift store or hit up some yard sales.

I'd suggest trying to get them all in a similar theme, like a floral pot with floral cups and saucers, or go all blue designs or all pink, etc. So it's like a set, but it has more of a fun 15-year-old vibe than great-grandma's good china vibe.

 

[blackforest]

I like the mixed theme idea!

 

[Diabolicdesire]

Around Xmas time Walgreen had some. My mother has gotten DD 2 different sets from there. They are really cute.

Also, I got DD one from Halmark.com and it was not too expensive.

 

[spacemountainmom]

Cute ideas. I wish my dd15 wanted to drink tea.

The company For Life makes some kinda funky tea stuff. I don't think it's terribly expensive.

 

[LisaR]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I will have to start looking around while I am out and about. I think she would really go for the mismatched look or something with an Asian feel. Hopefully, I will be able to come up with something in the next few weeks. Thanks!

 

[scrapquitler]

I've got some great teapots and teacup/saucers that I bought at Goodwill. If you don't care about them all being a matching set, that is a great way to buy some nice ones (and you might get lucky and find a set). Otherwise, check out CHristmas Tree Shop if you have one near you.

 

[ConnieB]

Goodwill often has a wonderful selection....and the mixing and matching is actually very "in" right now.

We collect Disney teapots....and have found fantastic deals on ebay. Like in the $20 and under range. If the kids are into Disney, look for one with their favorite characters. Tea cups are available with favorite characters as well.

If they're not into Disney, there are teapots of nearly every shape and size, maybe you can find one that might have some meaning to them.

Disneyshopping has an adorable Mickey tea kettle that you put on the stove top to boil water. $35 is a bit pricey, but it's adorable and perfect for a tea loving family. I said I wasn't going to get it when I saw it earlier this week shopping their 20% off sale (which means it's technically only $28)....but now that this thread reminded me of it, I'm wanting it again!

If you do Goodwill, maybe take the girls with you and let them pick out their own cup. Makes it all the more special to them each time they come over that "their" cup is waiting for them.

Also, consider getting them some special teas as well....loose tea can be found at a lot of different stores now....we love the teas at Sprouts (over in their bulk spice section). Mango something or other is a favorite. Anything to make this time together special is worth the extra dollar or two. I have a friend that lives in another state but we did tea together as teens and now when we call each other we'll brew a pot and sip it and talk long distance. These memories will last a lifetime. And I've been instilling tea memories in my teens since they were too young to like real tea, when it was just milk for them in fancy china cups.

If by chance those girls ever make it to WDW together....be sure they do the Grand Floridian Garden Lounge Tea. It's one of our favorite things to do at WDW....whether we get all fancied up (first time we did it was after the girls did BBB) or just in jeans and T's, you'll find yourself holding your pinky finger slightly extended and drolling out "dahhhling".

 

[KathyTX]

Pier1 and World Market would be great places to look for tea sets!

This teapot is $18 at Pier1.com:

This set is $25:

This one ($18) would be adorable with various bright solid color cups:

These fun mugs are $5 each, and would be great with a simple white teapot:

Are they into Chinese style tea or English style?

 

[LisaR]

Pier1 and World Market would be great places to look for tea sets!

I was just at World Market this afternoon and it didn't even dawn on me to look for tea sets. Ugh! I will be up that way on Wednesday so I will have to look. DD loves World Market so I am betting I will be able to find something there.

 

[SoonerSarah]

Not sure how big of a tea pot you are looking for, but Stash Tea has a ton of lovely sets in all price ranges. I hate the way their website is set up, you have to click on things to get the price, and I can't find my catalog.

Here is one tea pot (not for stove) that holds 20 ounces and is $13. The mug holds 8 oz. and is $5.60.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Chantal+Berry+Red+Personal+Teapot.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Chantal+Indigo+Blue+Tea+Mug.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE

The Curve set you can buy individually in several colors, orange, green, red, sage, turquoise and white. The tea cup doesn't have a handle, holds 6 ounces, but it is $5. The pot holds 40 ounces and is $28.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Curve+Mandarin+Tea+Cup.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Curve+Red+Teapot+with+Infuser.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE

Also, look through Stash's clearance.

Here is a beautiful tea pot (18 oz) and set of 4 tea cups (3 oz. -meant for sipping) that is $26.99.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Geisha+Tea+Set+for+Four.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS

And here is a Yellow set, mug holds 12 oz. and is $3. Pot holds 22 oz. and is $18.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Tokyo+Stout+Mug+by+Chantal+Yellow.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Tokyo+Teapot+by+Chantal+Yellow.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS

I think that you are going to be hard pressed to find a new tea set for $25. Essentially, that is $5 a cup and $5 for the pot.

What about you buying a pot and asking each of the girls to contribute $5 for a cup?

I love tea. Now I need to go turn on my water pot.

 

[LisaR]

Not sure how big of a tea pot you are looking for, but Stash Tea has a ton of lovely sets in all price ranges. I hate the way their website is set up, you have to click on things to get the price, and I can't find my catalog.

Here is one tea pot (not for stove) that holds 20 ounces and is $13. The mug holds 8 oz. and is $5.60.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Chantal+Berry+Red+Personal+Teapot.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Chantal+Indigo+Blue+Tea+Mug.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE

The Curve set you can buy individually in several colors, orange, green, red, sage, turquoise and white. The tea cup doesn't have a handle, holds 6 ounces, but it is $5. The pot holds 40 ounces and is $28.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Curve+Mandarin+Tea+Cup.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Curve+Red+Teapot+with+Infuser.aspx?category=TEAPOTSCUPSMORE

Also, look through Stash's clearance.

Here is a beautiful tea pot (18 oz) and set of 4 tea cups (3 oz. -meant for sipping) that is $26.99.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Geisha+Tea+Set+for+Four.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS

And here is a Yellow set, mug holds 12 oz. and is $3. Pot holds 22 oz. and is $18.
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Tokyo+Stout+Mug+by+Chantal+Yellow.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS
http://www.stashtea.com/products/Tokyo+Teapot+by+Chantal+Yellow.aspx?category=CLOSEOUTS

I think that you are going to be hard pressed to find a new tea set for $25. Essentially, that is $5 a cup and $5 for the pot.

What about you buying a pot and asking each of the girls to contribute $5 for a cup?

I love tea. Now I need to go turn on my water pot.

Thanks! These are great. My plan is to buy a set to have at our house when the teens are over. They are quite content with our regular coffee cups but I thought they would think it was kind of special to have an actual tea set. My plan is to give it to DD for Christmas. Since I have already finished shopping for her, this is an after thought. If I run into a bargain between now and Christmas, I will pick it up. If not, no biggie.

 

[Teacup53]

Craigslist is also a good place too look.

 

[LisaR]

Thanks everyone. I just got back from Old Time Pottery where I picked up a cute pot with four cups for $20. I think she will really like it. Thanks for all the suggestions.