THY COLLECTIBLES Bamboo GongFu Tea Serving Tray (21x12 Large)

This is actually a great starter tray. The slide-out collection tray is simple to empty and clean — no complicated drainage systems to wrestle with. The size accommodates a basic tea setup without making you feel like you need more gear to fill the space. And at this price point, it's an affordable way to get into GongFu tea practice without a huge investment. Reviewers who are newer to GongFu brewing appreciate that it prevents beginner mistakes from creating a mess, since the tray catches all your spills and overflow. The one caveat: a few reviewers have received trays with minor cracks or splits in the bamboo, so give it a good inspection when it arrives.

This is worth addressing honestly. About 5 reviewers mention finding cracks or splits in the bamboo right out of the box — it seems to be a quality control issue rather than a wear-and-tear problem. A couple of others note misalignment at the glue joints. That said, the majority of reviewers describe the construction as sturdy and solid, and many say it looks better in person than expected. It's a bit of a quality control lottery. To help prevent splitting over time, avoid leaving standing water on the bamboo surface and don't let it sit in direct sunlight for extended periods.

This bamboo tray has thin drainage slits cut into the top surface. When you pour water over your teaware during GongFu brewing, it flows through those slits and collects in the plastic tray underneath. When the collection tray fills up, you simply slide it out and dump it. There's also a drainage nipple on the side if you want to attach tubing for continuous drainage into a bucket — though a couple of reviewers note the included tubing is a bit small and you may need to pick up 5/16-inch inner diameter tubing for a snug fit. One thing to know: water doesn't always flow through the slits perfectly on its own. At least one reviewer mentions occasionally needing to push pooled water toward the drainage slits manually.

Mostly, but not perfectly. Water poured onto the bamboo surface is meant to flow through the drainage slits into the collection tray below. In practice, at least one reviewer notes that water can sometimes pool on the surface and needs a gentle push toward the slits. It's a minor inconvenience rather than a dealbreaker — during active brewing you're typically moving teaware around anyway. The collection tray itself holds a good amount of water (2.5 to 3 inches deep), so you won't need to empty it frequently during a session.

Yes, there's a drainage nipple on the tray designed for connecting tubing so water flows continuously into a waste bucket — a common setup for longer tea sessions. However, a couple of reviewers flag that the included drainage tubing is too small to fit the nipple properly. The fix is straightforward: pick up some tubing with a 5/16-inch inner diameter from a hardware store and it should fit snugly. Once you've got the right tubing, it works as intended and saves you from having to empty the collection tray during a session.

The floral and vine patterns carved into the legs and aprons are a highlight — 15 reviewers specifically mention the beautiful intricate carved designs. However, some of the Chinese characters on the tray appear to be inked rather than carved, and a couple of reviewers note those characters can arrive faded or blurry. The structural decorative elements (the floral patterns on the legs and side panels) are carved into the bamboo and get consistently high praise. Multiple people say the tray looks significantly better in person than it does in photos.

Absolutely. While it's designed for GongFu-style wet brewing, reviewers have found some creative uses. One owner uses it as a decorative display piece in a Wing Chun Kung Fu school. Others mention the slide-out collection tray works well for storing teabags and accessories when you're not actively brewing. It also works nicely as a general tea serving tray for any style of tea — several reviewers use it at their office desk just to keep their daily tea setup organized and contain any spills, even without doing full GongFu ceremonies.

The THY COLLECTIBLES tray makes cleanup straightforward — the plastic water collection tray slides out from underneath, so you just pull it out, dump the water, and wipe it down. Reviewers specifically praise how easy this slide-out design is to maintain. For the bamboo surface itself, a quick wipe with a damp cloth works well. Avoid soaking bamboo or using harsh chemicals, as that can cause splitting over time. Some owners also mention the collection tray is durable plastic that holds up well to regular use.

A GongFu tea tray serves as the foundation for traditional Chinese tea brewing, where water is intentionally poured over and around the teaware as part of the ceremony. This THY COLLECTIBLES tray catches all that excess water through drainage slits on the bamboo surface, funneling it into a removable plastic collection tray underneath. Reviewers confirm it works well for containing spills during brewing and pouring, keeping your counter or desk clean. It also gives you an organized space to arrange your gaiwan, cups, and accessories — several owners say it comfortably fits a gaiwan plus about 6 cups without feeling crowded.

On this tray, most owners set up their core GongFu brewing gear — a gaiwan or small teapot, a fairness pitcher, and several small cups. Reviewers confirm it fits a gaiwan plus about 6 cups comfortably at the 21 by 12 inch size. You can also keep tea tongs, a tea pick, and a tea towel on there. One creative use reviewers mention: the slide-out collection tray underneath can double as storage for teabags and accessories when you're not actively brewing. Some owners even use the tray as a decorative display piece rather than purely for brewing.

With this THY COLLECTIBLES tray, you'd set up your gaiwan or small teapot in the center, arrange your cups around it, and keep your fairness pitcher and any accessories nearby. The 21 by 12 inch surface gives you ample room without crowding, according to reviewers. During service, you brew directly on the tray — rinse the cups with hot water, warm the teapot, steep your tea, and pour for your guests. All the overflow water drains into the collection tray below. Some owners also mention it's portable enough to carry between rooms, so you can set up your tea service wherever your guests are.

A typical GongFu tea set includes a gaiwan or small teapot, several small tasting cups, a fairness pitcher (cha hai), tea tongs, and a tea tray like this one to catch the water. This THY COLLECTIBLES tray is the base piece — it's sized to hold your gaiwan plus about 6 small cups comfortably. The tray itself comes with the carved bamboo top surface and a removable plastic drainage tray underneath. You'd need to source the teapot, cups, and other accessories separately, but this gives you the platform to bring it all together.