cup of tea vs. Coffee cup - The important differences

Traditionally, and even in some modern homes, tea time is a sacred affair. There are rules of etiquette and proper decorum must be established.

Coffee, although many revere it the same, does not usually have the same rules or regulations. The cups you choose to serve each drink reflect your education on the subject, as well as your understanding of the team involved.

So what is the difference between tea cups and coffee cups? Surprisingly, there are a number of differences between teacups and coffeecups in terms of shape, size, and handle design. Teacups are designed to be elegant, hold lightly, and cool liquid quickly, but coffee cups are designed to cup in your hand and stay hot.

In this article we will talk about how and why both tea and coffee cups are designed the way they are. Once you understand the design, you’ll be able to choose the right mug for every occasion.

What is a cup of tea?

A teacup is designed for drinking hot tea, just as the name suggests.

Many people pour their tea into whatever cup is comfortable for them, but teacups were designed to maximize the flavor, temperature, and ease of brewing so that polite drinking habits can be adopted.

Everything in a traditional teacup serves a purpose , from the material it’s made of, to the size of the spout, and even the style of the handles.

Teacups are rarely bought or served on their own, but instead come in a set. A traditional tea set will include at a minimum a cup and saucer, or multiple cups and saucers, but often includes a tea plate or sandwich plate as well.

A complete set will also include a matching teapot, as well as a small creamer jug, a sugar bowl, and possibly a bowl to empty any cold tea grounds before refilling the cup.

What are teacups made of?

Teacups are usually made of a high-quality ceramic material, which is called earthenware or porcelain, which is the same thing.

Higher-quality teacups are even made from bone china, to which bone ash is added to make it more durable and have a beautiful translucent finish.

Teacups and tea sets are usually decorated with specific designs and their production is usually very limited. Some tea sets become very valuable if the stamping is rare and goes out of production.

tea cup measurements

Teacups can be of different sizes, depending on where they are made. In China, cups are designed to hold no more than 30 ml of liquid.

Teacups are specifically shaped, designed to cool quickly from boiling to a conveniently drinkable temperature. For this reason, they are shallow, with a wide, open mouth.

In some recipes, you will see that the cup of tea is listed as a unit of measure, just like the teaspoon or, simply, the cup. This is especially common in Indian recipes or cookbooks.

If you come across this measurement, it equals 190mL or about 4/5 of a cup in US standard volume.

tea cup handles

Not all teacups have handles, but those that do are designed to be held delicately, between the thumb and one or two fingers.

This does not allow for a great grip, so the teacups are small in size. So they can’t be too heavy or too unwieldy to hold properly.

The single-finger handles, stepping away from the slope of the teacup, keep your fingers away from the cup itself, which can be quite hot from the boiling water. So they are designed to be safe and gentle.

Traditional teacups made in Asian countries have fewer handles. In fact, they are sometimes called tea bowls. But most European designs have handles, as described.

What is a cup of coffee?

Again, as the name suggests, a coffee mug is a mug designed for drinking coffee.

However, there are as many different types of coffee as there are coffee cups, which makes them quite different from tea cups.

Instead, the similarity is that they are designed specifically for the drink to which they give their name.

What are coffee cups made of?

Coffee cups, like tea cups, are usually made of ceramic. There are haute cuisine collections that include coffee cups that resemble, in their design, tea cups with their drawings.

Coffee has become a more casual affair, and they are more likely to be included in a standard everyday dinnerware set or as unique, stand-alone designs.

Also, many people take their coffee with them on their daily adventures, which has fueled the rise in popularity of travel mugs, which are often made of stainless steel, another heat-protective material.

Of course, there are also disposable coffee cups. Many restaurants and coffee shops also serve tea in these cups, although they were primarily designed for coffee.

Disposable cups are primarily paper, although some also have a very thin, almost waxy lining to add durability, which is made of polyethylene plastic.

coffee cup sizes

As already mentioned, there are many different ways to prepare coffee, which influences the size of the cup in which it is served.

Lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and Americanos are often served in very large, rounded cups that allow for plenty of milk, foam, or boiling water.

Lattes and mochas can also be served in wide, short, and flat cups to showcase the art of lattes. Traditional cappuccino cups may be slightly smaller and rounder, to cup in the hand.

On the other hand, an espresso is just 1 ounce of pure, unadulterated coffee, and is therefore served in a much smaller cup, just like traditional macchiatos of roughly the same size.

The American measure of 1 cup is 237mL or 8 fluid ounces, which is also the traditional size of a coffee mug purchased for daily home use in the United States.

However, Americans really like their coffee, so the typical coffee cup for home use is increasingly holding 12 or even 16 ounces.

It’s also important to note that these measurements differ when you’re outside of North America. You may find that the sizes of coffee cups are different if you are traveling in Europe or Asia.

If you go to a coffee shop or buy coffee to go, standard coffee cup sizes are 8 ounces for small, 12 ounces for regular, 16 ounces for large, and if available, 20-24 ounces for extra great.

Of course, depending on the coffee shop, these sizes may also have their own unique names, like Large instead of large. Again, Americans really like their coffee, so it’s also not uncommon to see a 12-ounce cup labeled “small.”

coffee cup shapes

Unlike tea, coffee is not usually brewed with boiling water, at least not directly, as that can burn the beans.

It doesn’t need to cool down as quickly. In fact, many people like their coffee to stay hot for as long as possible. For this reason, the shape of a standard coffee cup is quite different from the shape of a tea cup.

A basic coffee mug will be tall and narrow, with less exposed surface area for heat to escape.

Coffee cup handles

Coffee mug handles are very prominent in their design, especially when compared to tea mugs.

Since the cups do not usually get as hot, but contain considerably more liquid, depending on the type of coffee you drink, the handles must offer more stability and durability.

Coffee cup handles are usually large enough to fit 2-4 fingers. Although, depending on the mug and the size of your hands, it’s not uncommon for you to be able to grasp the handle with a full fist.

Coffee isn’t considered as fancy a drink as tea, so you’re not expected to hold it with as much etiquette.

Questions related to tea and coffee

Porcelain vs. fine china?

Standard china and china are the same product, but they go by different names depending on where they are found.

In America, you’re more likely to refer to your fine-dining dinnerware as china, though if you’re in Europe you’ll probably prefer the term porcelain, which means seashell in Latin.

Fine china is different because it is made with an additional ingredient: bone ash. This gives the tableware a unique, almost translucent colour.

It’s also less brittle, and despite being thinner than porcelain, it’s less likely to break. Durability increases with the percentage of bone ash.

Bone china is the most exclusive option and therefore the most expensive. This tableware has animal products in its composition, so it is not considered totally vegan.

Can you pour boiling water on bone china?

You should never expose bone china or fine china to extreme temperature variations, as they could crack or even shatter.

You can pour boiled water into bone china, but it should not be a cold cup, but at least at room temperature, if not warmed up a little earlier.

A good method would be to run the fine china under warm or hot tap water before adding the boiling water for tea or coffee. Ideally, you should also let the boiled water stand for a minute or two before serving.

How to make tea taste better?

The flavor of the tea is a personal preference, although depending on the type of tea, there are many ways to adjust the flavor to make it more palatable.

Many people just add cream or sugar, or similar additives, just as they would with coffee.

You can also try brewing the tea with pre-boiled water that has cooled to no higher than 170 F. This can help take the bitterness out of some teas.

You can also season your tea with spices, like you might have in a Chai latte (or chai), or with aromas like vanilla or honey.