Bare minimum to brew well: - 100ml gaiwan (~$5-15) - Small drinking cups - Temperature-controlled kettle ($20-35) - A timer That's it. You can make excellent tea with this setup.
Nice to have eventually but not urgent: - Fairness cup (cha hai) — helps when serving multiple people - Tray — keeps your workspace clean - Tea picks and tweezers — useful for pu-erh cakes - Yixing teapot — only after you know you love a specific tea type Don't let the gear obsession delay you from actually brewing and drinking. A $8 gaiwan from a local Chinese shop works perfectly.
One thing people miss: a small kitchen scale. Weighing your tea (not scooping) eliminates one huge variable. 5g vs 3g is a massive difference in gongfu style. Cheap postal scale works fine.
The gaiwan is the most versatile piece — you can brew any tea type in it. If you're going to spend money on one thing, get a porcelain or glass gaiwan that feels comfortable to hold. The pour should feel natural.
