There's no better feeling in the world when you're out shopping with a mate, and they say "you fancy getting a bubble tea?" Well, we've got news for you. Bubble tea kits exist, and they can be delivered straight to your front door, meaning you can still get your bubble tea kick even when snuggled up on the sofa in your favourite loungewear.
What is bubble tea?
Bubble tea, or boba tea, was invented in Taiwan in the '80s. It was created from a mixture of milk tea (which was already super popular at the time) and tapioca balls/pearls (a common dessert). The inventor of the drink generally accepted as being true is Liu Han-Chieh of the Chun Shui Tang teahouse in Taichung, Taiwan.
He wanted to change the way people drank tea, so he experimented with putting tea over ice, and bubble tea was born. The tapioca pearls actually came later, and it became known as boba tea (which is what the tapioca balls are also referred to as) because it's a Chinese slang term for breasts. Yep... wasn't expecting that.
Now known as bubble tea in the western world, the modern cup is usually made up of a scoop of flavoured tapioca, milk or fruit tea, ice and syrup. You can also get different toppings in your bubble tea, like grass jelly or egg pudding. Normally, you heat your bubble tea up to stew the flavour and then let it cool with ice. However, you can also drink it hot - you do you.
What's the difference between tapioca and boba?
Basically, tapioca turns into boba balls. Tapioca balls, or pearls, come sealed dry in a packet. They must be boiled and then cooled for 30 minutes. From that, you get your classic boba ball and its texture. You have to get the consistency just right, not too chewy, not too squish; a Chinese expression calls this perfect texture "QQ". However, most bubble tea kits come with their tapioca already pre-cooked, so don't worry about it too much.
Thankfully for you bubble tea lovers, we've put together a list of the best bubble tea kits you can buy for your home, from stores like Amazon and Etsy. All kits come with bubble tea supplies, which means you get the full bubble tea experience from boba ball to jumbo straw. Go on, treat yourself.
Where to buy a bubble tea kit online right now
SHOP: The best bubble tea kits 2023
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1 of 5Bubble Tea Home DIY Kit By Bubble Box (Fruit Tea Set)
Any combination of flavours you could ever choose from is in Bubble Box's Bubble Tea Home DIY kit. Boba flavours? There's nine of 'em. Syrup flavours? There's TEN of 'em. After you've spent half your lifetime looking through the options, you can choose two tapioca and three syrup flavours for your box. What's more, all the ingredients used in this box are imported directly from Taiwan, supporting the birthplace of bubble tea.
Review: "Really enjoyed my bubble tea kit. I ordered because I wanted to make sure I got a set that was dairy free and found it very easy and quick to make. I actually ordered because the company I work for had a free bubble tea-making virtual session which did not provide a dairy-free option, and as it turned out, the tapioca provided with this Etsy kit was waaaaay quicker to make than what the folks using the provided kit were using. So all in all a big success!"
2 of 5Tempo Strawberry & Passionfruit Syrup Bubble Fruit Tea Home Kit
Bubble tea tends to not fit into the "health drink" category, but Tempo Tea Bar has flipped the script. It claims to have a one-of-a-kind, first-in-the-world bubble tea blend that has reduced sugar and is boosted with vitamin C. This kit contains strawberry and passionfruit syrup, and strawberry and green apple boba, so you can mix and match with ease.
Review: "I have purchased from tempo before and I love that I can now get my favourite drinks on Amazon. The bubble tea from tempo is always so tasty and refreshing. I love trying out new flavour combinations and passion fruit and strawberry have to be one of my favourites so far. It's so simple and fast to make and the instructions are easy to follow. I love the metal bottles and I loved the extra touch of the fortune cookie. I will definitely be purchasing again."
3 of 5Bubble Tea Kit Gift Set
If you want to save your money but still want that bubble tea goodness, this option from Amazon may be for you. This kit mixes peach boba with mango tea, so the tropical vibes are immaculate. It also comes with a classic bubble tea cup, which is useful if you want to go all out with your aesthetics. The only problem is, it's not clear whether this kit is safe for veggies or vegans.
Review: "Bought as a gift, came a day later than expected so was really a waste of time buying it as a "gift" with the wrapping...The peach was yummy! We mixed it with a tiny splash of boiled water and mixed it into a paste, then added the cold water and shook!"
4 of 5Wild Monk Boba Tea Kit
When you think of bubble tea, you'll often think of fruit teas, with their bright colours and flavours. But milk bubble tea, or boba tea, is just as popular, and here's the best you can buy on Amazon. With instant tapioca that heats in the microwave, it's a new drink you can try in the morning instead of English tea or coffee. Milky goodness.
Review: "Tastes pretty good for milk bubble tea. Comes in a handy pack with 5 servings, and tapioca is very easy to heat in the microwave. Keeps all together in the main bag in the cupboard when finished with. The housemate was very impressed. Looks pretty baller in a gin glass too!"
5 of 5Build Your Own Bubble Tea Kit
Still want even more choices on what to put in your bubble tea kit? More power to you - Manhua Cha will be right up your alley. Not only can you decide your kit size (from four servings up to 24) but you can choose each bubble tea flavour and topping individually. The more servings, the higher the price (it can get quite steep) but for this level of customisation, we reckon it's worth it. Manhua Cha also uses all premium ingredients originating from Taiwan.
Review: "I bought a set of 4 boba drinks for my daughter, she loved them so much they were gone in 2 days. I did try them myself and must say I'm hooked. Great service, packaged well and taste delicious. And so much variety. We also bought two surprise Asian snack packs which were fun to do and delicious to try. My children loved them. So thank you, Manhua Cha, we will be putting in our next order soon."