Home & Style

Design Scout: Caffeine Fix

Break up boring tea and coffee routines with five cool accessories.

Tea Sub
This loose-leaf-tea steeper is completely ingenious and totally adorable—who wouldn’t want to wake up to it every morning? If submarines don’t tickle your fancy, try these silicon strawberry infusers or the Tovolo rattle-shaped option.
$14.99 at animicausa.com

Circle Carafe
This clay pitcher was inspired by ceremonial Greek vessels. Washington is no Santorini, but just imagine enjoying a beautiful day while serving friends citrus tea from this carafe. Who says you can’t pretend for a bit?
$60 at aplusrstore.com

Neapolitan Coffee Maker
International-java fiends bored with Turkish and Cuban coffee trends will love the Neapolitan system. Though originally conceived in France, this stovetop coffee maker was eventually adopted by coffee lovers in Naples; it brews one of the strongest drips out there. While heating, the kettle is placed upside down atop the water chamber, and the entire three-part system is flipped again after boiling to create the drink. Need further instruction? This video might help.
$45 at emmohome.com

Tonfisk Serving Set
Stuffy Brits, beware—the Finns have drained all notions of propriety from traditional tea and coffee trays. This sublimely modern set adds a heavy dose of casual to the afternoon ceremony, and the cylindrical pot (steeper included) ensures a much easier pour than more squat styles—perfect for those of us not practiced in the art of afternoon tea. All ceramic parts are dishwasher safe.
$220 at huset-shop.com

Calf and Half Creamer
Here’s a cheeky little milk pitcher for coffee drinkers with a sense of humor. Handcrafted, double-walled glass keeps everything sealed in, making this pitcher utterly (udderly?) impossible not to appreciate.
$20 at charlesandmarie.com

Dunk Mug
We’ve all been there. Thirty seconds to go before your favorite TV show, and you’re stuck in the kitchen with cookies, coffee, and the remote you absent-mindedly carried in. One thing too many to bring back to the sofa means a second trip is unavoidable—there go the opening credits, right? Not if you’ve got the dunk mug. Dessert gets slipped right into the bottom shelf of the cup, meaning you’ll make it with time to spare. Why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?
$21 at mocha.uk.com

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Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.