Art of Tea Review: Loose-Leaf Tea Prices, Cups per Pouch, Shipping and Store-Credit Returns
Art of Tea is a Los Angeles tea company that sells loose-leaf tea, pyramid teabag sachets, matcha, teaware and a Tea of the Month subscription online. The site says it hand-crafts organic teas in Los Angeles under master tea blender Steve Schwartz and blends orders by hand. Most 4 oz pouches of loose-leaf tea cost $18 to $57, 1 lb pouches $51 to $214, and teabag boxes $13 to $51. Shipping is free on US orders of $60 or more, but returns are almost always store credit rather than refunds.
This review covers what Art of Tea sells, how to compare its pack sizes and teas, prices, shipping times, the returns and store-credit rules, and who it suits.
At a glance Checked October 2026
Art of Tea suits tea drinkers who want a wide range of organic loose-leaf blends and single-origin teas in bulk sizes, with cup counts listed for each pouch. The main drawbacks are a 3–5 business day production time before shipping and a return policy that gives store credit, not money back.
- Best for: Everyday black tea, chai and herbal blends by the pound, matcha, and tea gifts and subscriptions.
- Typical price: $20–$29 for a 4 oz pouch of most blends; $41–$57 for premium teas such as jasmine pearls or silver needle; $61–$81 for 1 lb of an everyday blend.
- Shipping: Free to the continental US on orders of $60+ before tax; otherwise rates by weight. US and Canada only.
- Returns: Requests within 30 days of delivery; usually store credit, with a one-time credit for an opened 4 oz pouch you did not enjoy.
- Watch out for: Processing can take up to 10 business days from November 1 to December 31, and cancellations are not refunded.
What Art of Tea sells
The store lists about 190 products, in these main groups:
- Loose-leaf tea. About 65 blends and single-origin teas: black teas (English Breakfast, Earl Grey Crème, Assam Gold), chai (Tali's Masala Chai, White Winter Chai, Pumpkin Spice Chai), green and white teas (Sencha, Dragonwell, Silver Needle, Jasmine Pearls), oolongs, pu-erh and caffeine-free herbals such as Egyptian Chamomile and Bright Eyed.
- Teabag sachets. Pyramid sachets of popular blends, in boxes or larger cases, plus iced-tea pouches.
- Matcha. Grade A matcha, ceremonial-grade matcha in a tin and pouch, and single-serve Matchasticks.
- Teaware. Glass teapots, cups, tumblers, muslin bags and a Stagg EKG Pro electric kettle made with Fellow.
- Gifts and subscriptions. Sampler packs, seasonal bundles, candles, honey, gift cards and the Tea of the Month club in 3-, 6- and 12-month plans.
Pack sizes, cup counts and organic claims
Art of Tea's product pages make comparison easier than most because each size lists an average number of cups. What to look at:
- Three formats. Most loose-leaf teas come in a 4 oz zip pouch, a 1 lb zip pouch and a smaller artisan tin. The tin often costs about the same as the 4 oz pouch for less tea, so it is mainly a gift or storage option.
- Cups per pack. Cup counts vary with the leaf. English Breakfast lists about 82 cups per 4 oz, Earl Grey Crème about 97, while fluffy herbals and rolled teas give fewer: Egyptian Chamomile lists about 59 and Jasmine Pearls 55–65.
- Price per cup. Using those counts, a 1 lb pouch of English Breakfast ($61, about 330 cups) works out under 20 cents a cup, against roughly 24 cents from the 4 oz pouch.
- Caffeine. Pages and filters mark teas as caffeine free, low, medium or high caffeine, which is useful for evening tea.
- Organic. Many teas are tagged as organic and list organic ingredients, such as the organic Assam in Tali's Masala Chai and organic Silver Needle. Not every blend is labeled organic, and we did not see a certifying body named in the product text, so check each page if certification matters to you.
A note on some pages says packaging may vary because of supply issues, so a pouch may not match the photo exactly.
Prices
Prices are in US dollars. Examples at the time of writing (4 oz pouch / 1 lb pouch / tin):
- English Breakfast: $20 / $61 / $23
- Tali's Masala Chai: $23 / $70 / $24
- Earl Grey Crème: $24 / $81 / $23
- Egyptian Chamomile: $25 / $75 / $24 (1 oz tin)
- Bright Eyed (caffeine free): $29 / $72 / $37
- White Winter Chai: $41 / $141 / $39
- Jasmine Pearls: $50 / $176 / $50
- Silver Needle: $57 / $214 (no tin)
- Matcha Grade A: $51 for 4 oz, $292 for 1 kg; Halo Ceremonial Grade: $41 for 30 g
- Award Winning Tea Sampler Pack: $43; 3-month Tea of the Month: $81
- Stagg EKG Pro electric kettle: $209
Shipping
The shipping policy and cart notes set out these terms:
- Where: the US and Canada only. Tea of the Month is for US residents only.
- Cost: free shipping to the continental US on retail orders of $60 or more before tax, applied automatically. Below that, rates depend on weight and are shown at checkout.
- Production time: orders usually take 3–5 business days to produce before shipping, because tea is blended to order. From November 1 to December 31 this can stretch to 10 business days. Orders placed after 11am PT on Friday ship the following week (noon PT in the holiday season).
- Carriers: UPS Ground or USPS from the Los Angeles area; UPS Ground takes 1–5 days. Next Day Air, 2-Day Air and 3-Day Select are available, but the production time still applies.
- Restrictions: UPS cannot deliver to PO boxes, and the policy says USPS shipments do not go to PO boxes or military addresses. Canadian orders ship UPS Worldwide, with duties and taxes paid on arrival.
Art of Tea says it is not liable for carrier delays, losses or damage once a package is handed over, and undeliverable orders come back as store credit minus shipping. Checkout offers an optional coverage and carbon-offset add-on for a small fee.
Returns and store credit
Return requests must be made within 30 days of delivery. The returns and credit policy is built around store credit:
- Opened tea: if you do not enjoy a 4 oz loose-leaf pouch, you can ask for a one-time store credit for its price, excluding shipping. This does not apply to 1 lb pouches, iced-tea pouches, artisan tins or pyramid sachets.
- Teabags: unopened 50-count sachet cases can be returned for store credit; 12-count boxes cannot.
- Refunds: the policy says refunds for loose-leaf returns are not issued. A refund to the original payment method is mentioned only for failed deliveries.
- Damaged items: contact customer service right away with photos for a replacement.
- Changes and cancellations: not refunded; you can get store credit less the cost of shipping.
- Sale price adjustments: only for orders placed within 48 hours before a sale, paid as an e-gift card.
Orders bought through Amazon or Walmart are handled by those retailers. The site header advertises "30-Day Returns", so it is worth knowing that this generally means credit, not cash.
Who should buy from Art of Tea
- Daily tea drinkers who go through a lot of black tea, chai or herbal tea and want to buy by the pound.
- Gift buyers looking for samplers, tins or a subscription for a tea lover.
- Matcha and specialty tea fans who want single-origin teas such as silver needle or oolongs alongside everyday blends.
It is a weaker fit if you need tea in a hurry (production time comes before shipping), live outside the US or Canada, or want the option of a cash refund if a blend is not to your taste. Start with a 4 oz pouch, since that is the only opened size covered by the one-time credit.
Art of Tea coupon codes
We did not find a public code we could verify, and we do not publish codes we cannot check. The site itself showed free shipping on orders of $60 or more, a newsletter sign-up offering 10% off a first purchase, Tea of the Month subscriptions advertised as saving up to 15%, and a LoyalTEA rewards program. Any working offers we find are listed on our Art of Tea coupons page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Art of Tea organic?
Many of its teas are tagged and described as organic, and the site says it hand-crafts organic teas. Not every product is labeled organic, so check the individual product page.
How many cups does a 4 oz pouch of Art of Tea make?
It depends on the tea. Pages list roughly 55 to 97 cups per 4 oz for common teas, from Jasmine Pearls at the low end to Earl Grey Crème at the high end.
How long does Art of Tea take to ship?
Orders take 3–5 business days to produce, up to 10 in November and December, plus 1–5 days by UPS Ground.
Can I return tea to Art of Tea?
Within 30 days of delivery, mostly for store credit. An opened 4 oz pouch you did not enjoy qualifies for a one-time credit; 1 lb pouches, tins and sachets do not.
Does Art of Tea ship internationally?
Only to Canada, by UPS Worldwide, with duties paid on arrival. Other countries are not served from the website.
The bottom line
Art of Tea is a strong option for buying good loose-leaf tea in bulk, with clear cup counts that make price per cup easy to work out and free shipping from $60. Order ahead, especially for holiday gifts, and treat returns as store credit rather than a refund.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Prices and policies were checked on the Art of Tea website at the time of writing and may change.