How to Steep Every Type of Tea

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Tea sommelier Kelly Miller reveals how long to steep popular tea types

Co-authored by Kelly Miller and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: March 5, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Steeping Tea
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• Do steeping times matter?
|
• Adjusting the Flavor
|
• Video
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• Q&A

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It's easy to boil water and pour it over a teabag, but if you want a perfect cup of tea, there's an art to getting it right! In exclusive interviews, wikiHow spoke with tea experts to find out the proper way to steep tea, including the best temperatures and steeping times for different tea types. Later on, we explain how to adjust the flavor of your tea to your taste preferences. Let's go!

How long does tea need to steep for?

Tea sommelier Kelly Miller says to steep green and white teas for 2-3 minutes, oolong and black teas for 3-5 minutes, and herbal teas for 5-7 minutes. Here's a simple breakdown of common tea types with their steep times and ideal water temperatures:

• Green tea: 2-3 min at 165–175 °F (74–79 °C).
• White tea: 2-3 min 180–185 °F (82–85 °C).
• Oolong: 3-5 min at 180–190 °F (82–88 °C).
• Black tea: 3-5 min at 200–205 °F (93–96 °C).
• Herbal tea: 5-7 min at 200–212 °F (93–100 °C).
• Pu-erh tea: 3-5 min at 200–212 °F (93–100 °C).

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

How to Steep Tea

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1. 1
   Heat filtered or purified water to the best temperature for your tea. Tea expert Sashee Chandran recommends using filtered or purified water when steeping tea, and avoiding tap water, "which can distort the taste of the tea, depending on what minerals are in the water." It’s also important to heat the water to the temperature that works best for your tea type, adds certified tea master Melissa Salazar. For example, continues Salazar, black teas require a higher temperature 200–205 °F (93–96 °C) to unlock their flavors. Here's a list of common teas and their ideal water temperatures:

   • Green tea: 165–175 °F (74–79 °C)
   • White tea: 180–185 °F (82–85 °C)
   • Oolong: 180–190 °F (82–88 °C)
   • Black tea: 200–205 °F (93–96 °C)
   • Herbal tea: 200–212 °F (93–100 °C)
   • Pu-erh tea: 200–212 °F (93–100 °C)
   • Purple tea: 175–180 °F (79–82 °C)
   • Rooibos tea: 212 °F (100 °C)
   • Tip: Heat the water in an electric kettle with temperature settings to easily reach your desired temperature. Alternatively, boil the water in a pot on the stove and use a water thermometer to check the temperature periodically.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Kelly Miller is a tea sommelier and the Manager of Product Development and Innovation at DAVIDsTea. She's been a certified sommelier for 10 years.

   Sashee Chandran is a tea expert and the founder of Tea Drops, an innovative company that produces bagless, single-serve tea condensed into drops.

   Melissa Salazar is a certified tea master and blend specialist with over 12 years of experience. She specializes in artisan tea blends, workshops, and mindful tea tasting experiences.

   Steve Schwartz is a master tea blender with over 20 years of experience. He teaches classes and offers educational programs on tea and tea blending.
2. 2
   Scoop 1 tsp (2 g) of tea leaves into a tea infuser (or use a tea bag). Master tea blender Steve Schwartz says the teaspoon you use in cooking and baking "was actually created for how much tea you should put inside your cup." For small loose tea leaves, Schwartz says to use a regular-size teaspoon (2 grams) per serving of tea. For large loose tea leaves, Schwartz says to use "a heaping teaspoon per cup." After measuring them out, transfer the tea leaves to a fine-mesh tea infuser.

   • You can also use a tea bag if that's all you have, or what you prefer. A tea bag should already be pre-filled with the appropriate amount of tea leaves for a cup.
   • Some people put the leaves directly into the cup instead of using an infuser! When the tea is steeped, they filter the leaves through a strainer or a lid, or they use their lips to catch the leaves while sipping the tea.
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3. 3
   Set the infuser or tea bag into a cup and pour 6–8  fl oz (180–240 mL) of hot water over it. Use only about 6–8  fl oz (180–240 mL) of water per 1 tsp (2 g) of loose leaf tea or tea bag. If you want to make a bigger cup of tea, use 2 tsp (4 g) or 2 tea bags to ensure the flavor doesn't get diluted. When you pour the water in the cup, make sure the tea leaves are completely submerged.

   • Glass, porcelain, or ceramic cups work best for steeping tea!
4. 4
   Cover and steep the tea for 2-5 minutes, depending on the tea type. If your cup doesn't have a lid, place the saucer it came with or a small plate over the rim. Covering it will trap the heat and make your steeping more successful. Below is a chart showing how long Miller recommends steeping different types of tea to unlock their flavor potential:

   • Green tea: 2-3 minutes
   • White tea: 2-3 minutes
   • Oolong: 3-5 minutes
   • Black tea: 3-5 minutes
   • Herbal tea: 5-7 minutes
   • Pu-erh tea: 3-5 minutes
   • Purple tea: 2-4 minutes
   • Rooibos tea: 5-7 minutes
5. 5
   Remove the infuser or tea bag and sip. After waiting the appropriate time for your tea to steep, use a spoon or a small pair of tongs to lift the infuser or tea bag out of your cup. This will stop the steeping process and prevent your tea from turning bitter. Sip it to enjoy the flavor and avoid burning your tongue!

   • To make iced tea, pour the freshly steeped tea into a glass filled with ice.
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Section 2 of 3:

Does it matter how long you steep your tea for?

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1. Yes, the amount of time you steep tea for is extremely important. Miller says if you oversteep your tea, it will taste bitter. But if you don't steep it long enough, it will taste more like plain water than tea. Follow the guidelines above for steeping different types of tea carefully. You can also adjust the flavor of your tea by adding extra tea leaves or changing the temperature of the water.

Section 3 of 3:

How to Adjust the Tea Flavor

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1. 1
   Steep for less time at a lower temperature to avoid bitter tea. Tea leaves contain a bitter compound called tannin. According to Miller, the longer you brew some teas, the more tannins you extract, "which results in a more bitter or astringent cup of tea." If your tea comes out too bitter, Miller recommends steeping your next cup at a lower temperature or for less time. You may even need to do a combination of both to steep the tea to your liking.
2. 2
   Steep for a longer time and at a higher temperature for a more flavorful tea. If your tea just tastes like water, Miller says there are 3 things you can do: increase the amount of tea leaves by 1 tsp (2 g), steep it for 1-2 more minutes, or heat your water to a higher temperature. You can also try all three if your tea still doesn't taste as flavorful as you prefer.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  Is it unhealthy to leave tea in water all day?

  

  Community Answer

  No. In fact, that's how many iced teas are made. However, leaving it at room temperature for more than 3 days isn't a good idea if it's made with unfiltered water. For iced tea, just make sure to keep it refrigerated after fully steeping.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
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• Question

  When is the proper time to add milk when steeping tea?

  

  Community Answer

  Once it is done steeping and you have it in the cup. Add as much milk as you'd like then.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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• Question

  While you are steeping, do you need to put a lid or cover over the tea?

  

  Community Answer

  You don't necessarily "need" to but it keeps the temperature at a more consistent level. Improperly steeped tea (not high enough temperature or insufficient duration) can result in bacterial contamination. (CDC, 1996)

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 2 Helpful 13

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