The 8 Best Bubble Tea Kits to Shop Online Right Now
Making boba at home is so easy with these kits!
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Over the last few years, you've probably noticed bubble tea shops at your local mall or popping up in your community. Or maybe you’ve seen the drink on the menu at your favorite Asian restaurant. Either way, bubble tea, also known as boba, has become a popular drink in America, and now you can get bubble tea kits for your own at-home concoctions.
These teas have a strong, robust taste and work well with any milk and sweeteners you'll add. Pro tip: Whatever tea you're using, you'll want to brew it on the stronger side, so it retains its flavor. Whether you’re looking to try bubble tea for the first time or you’re already a boba fanatic and want to make your favorite drink at home, we have you covered.
Many bubble tea kits come stocked with flavors that suit different taste preferences, so no, you aren't sacrificing your favorite boba order. That incudes different flavors like classic tapioca, taro and other fruity options like mango, strawberry and lychee. Among the options, we’ve found that brown sugar, taro and matcha-flavored milk teas are some of the trendiest flavors of bubble tea sold online. Many options in this guide come with syrups and tapioca pearls for a modern take on the traditional classic. But, when it comes to traditional options, black or jasmine tea reign supreme.
For all that and more, read on for the best bubble tea kits that are available to shop online.
Fusion Select's bubble tea kit comes with five different tea packs as well as boba tapioca pearls (and straws) for a complete set. The flavors include lavender milk tea and rose milk tea to Thai tea and original milk tea. The tea kit also comes in a variety of flavors for all boba lovers. It boasts more than 700 five-star ratings on Amazon, too. "The flavors are all wonderful and it’s not overly sweet," one reviewer wrote. "The rose is my favorite."
Another Kind of Bubbly Bubble Tea Kit
Assembled in Georgia, this kit from Katie and Dustin Watts makes having your favorite drink quick and easy. It includes classic black and rooibos chai teas, tapioca pearls and two reusable stainless steel straws. (They recommend trying your boba tea hot for a nice twist!)
Locca is a small business specializing in vegan and gluten-free bubble tea. This kit includes organic matcha, organic earl grey lavender, jasmine, boba pearls and eight straws that allow you to make more than 20 cups of bubble tea. For novice boba makers, the tea kit includes helpful pamphlets with instructions inside. "It’s a really fulfilling kit, and the packaging is very nice," one reviewer added. "It’s a kit that is really worth the money, especially [if] you wanna throw a boba party with friends."
Those who love classic and earthy matcha boba tea can add this bubble tea kit to their kitchen. Even better, J-Basket offers an instant boba kit that's ready to slurp up in only 45 seconds. It comes with three servings of matcha tea, tapioca boba and straws.
Make boba for the whole family (this one serves six). First, use one of the six syrups (brown sugar, matcha or taro) to marble your cup. Next, microwave the boba packet for 15 seconds. Fill the cup with ice and your favorite milk, then top it off with the boba. Swirl some whipped cream for a sweet finish. As Amazon's Choice, it comes "complete with everything you’d need for bubble tea at home plus some fun extras (the sprinkles and stir stick)," one reviewer raved. "The instant marbling syrup is a new take on boba flavoring but doesn’t lack any flavor."
Buddha Bubbles Boba The Original Ultimate DIY Boba Bubble Tea Kit
Need a DIY party favor? Buddha Bubbles Boba claims that you can make 60+ drinks with this kit. If you're an avid bubble tea drinker who craves variety, then Buddha Bubbles Boba has an option for you. The kit has taro, honeydew melon, green tea latte, milk tea, Thai tea and spiced chai tea latte along with two packs of boba, a set of thick straws and a tea shaker. One reviewer says you can add or remove powder to modify the sweetness level of these, too.
Something about fruity tea with boba just works. This option from Mayde sets you up to make 30+ drinks from this one set. In addition to four teas, this kit includes fruit puree mix-ins like strawberry, peach and passionfruit. A satisfied shopper wrote, "This is notably less expensive while maintaining quality can variety. My daughter loves them and this has enough product in there to last a good two to three months of periodic use."
J Way Local Flavor Instant Boba Variety Milk Tea Kit
Complete with everything you'll need to get your bubble tea fix, the J Way boba tea kit comes with different packets of classic milk tea powder, creme brulee milk tea powder, taro milk tea powder and passionfruit pineapple green tea powder. "[It] took about five minutes to make and was really easy," an online reviewer said. "I didn't want to mess with trying to find the perfect timing for the brown sugar boba in the microwave, so I just boiled them for the suggested three minutes, and they came out perfect."
What is bubble tea?
Bubble tea (debatably) originated in the 1980s. Milk tea comes from Taiwan, and common desserts of the time were shaved ice and tapioca balls. Now, here is where the story starts to get interesting: Someone decided to put a layer of boba, a Chinese nickname for the tapioca balls, at the bottom of a cup, followed by a layer of shaved ice and then topped off with milk tea, which became the blueprint for the popular drinks now sold in American malls, brick and mortars and online.
Is it cheaper to make boba at home?
Sometimes! The best part about at-home bubble tea kits are that they make it easy to try different flavors and combinations without overspending. You'll also be able to satisfy your craving without going out to a bubble tea shop. Bubble tea kits are great for kids, too, because they are so easy to make and kids tend to like the fun beverage. And of course, you'll get a great value (our best DIY kit comes out to less than $1 per serving).
Jacorey Moon is Gear Patrol’s associate style editor, formerly at PEOPLE and Footwear News. He’s most likely gawking over someone’s outfit on Instagram or trying to find his way to the nearest record store.
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