Zerodis Traditional Chinese Tea Tray with Drainage

Yes, and this is actually something reviewers have done successfully. Some users sanded the top surface with sandpaper to improve water flow into the drainage channels — since the surface sits nearly flush with the edges, water doesn't always drain smoothly out of the box. Others sealed leaking spots with waterproof glue (E3600 was specifically mentioned). The fact that it's customizable is something tea enthusiasts appreciate, though ideally you shouldn't have to modify a product to get basic functionality working.

At about 15 x 5.3 inches, this tray is designed for small tea sets and gaiwans rather than large teapots. You'll comfortably fit a small Yixing pot or gaiwan (100-150ml) along with a few cups. Reviewers specifically note that large or wide teapots don't work well — the tray's narrow width limits what you can arrange on it. If you mainly use a gaiwan for individual sessions, the size is actually a plus since it keeps everything within easy reach.

This is honestly one of its strongest use cases. The compact 15 x 5.3 inch footprint fits easily on a desk without dominating your workspace, and the built-in drainage means you can do proper gongfu brewing right at your workstation without worrying about water damage. Several reviewers specifically praise the size for small spaces. Just keep a cloth handy since the surface is nearly flush with the edges and can occasionally spill with vigorous pouring.

For a tea tray, consider your brewing style, available space, and how often you'll use it. This Zerodis tray works well if you have limited desk or counter space and brew individually. Key things to watch for: material quality (this one has an attractive wood finish, though the bottom is actually composite rather than solid bamboo), drainage capacity, and size relative to your teaware. If you're brewing daily with heavy water pours, reviewers suggest spending more on a higher-quality tray — this one is better suited for occasional or light use.

It's actually a solid beginner option for a few reasons. The compact size is less intimidating than a full-sized tea table, it's an affordable entry point to explore gongfu brewing, and the simple drainage concept helps you learn the ceremony basics without overthinking. Multiple reviewers praise the craftsmanship and attractive wood appearance, so it looks nice on a desk. Just know that as you get more serious about gongfu cha, you may eventually want to upgrade to something larger and more durable.

This tray is best for beginners exploring gongfu cha, people with limited desk or counter space, and anyone who brews tea individually rather than for groups. It's an affordable way to start practicing the Chinese tea ceremony with proper drainage. It's not ideal if you're a daily heavy-use brewer, if you use large teapots, or if you want space to display snacks and accessories alongside your tea set. Think of it as a great starter tray that you might eventually outgrow as your practice deepens.

That depends on your brewing style, but given the tray's compact size, you'll want to check and empty it after every session or two. If you're doing a full gongfu session with multiple rinses and infusions, the reservoir could fill up during a single sitting. The good news is reviewers say it holds adequate water volume for its size — just don't forget about it, since standing water in the reservoir over time isn't great for the composite bottom material.

For gongfu-style brewing on this Zerodis tray, you'd typically place a gaiwan or small teapot, a fairness pitcher, and two to four small tea cups. You might also fit tea tongs or a tea pick. Because this tray is on the compact side (about 15 x 5.3 inches), reviewers note there's limited space for extras like snacks, rock sugar, or larger accessories — it's really designed for a focused, individual tea session rather than a full spread.

A tea tray like this Zerodis model serves two practical purposes: it catches all the water overflow from gongfu-style brewing (where you rinse and warm teaware with hot water), and it keeps your table or desk completely dry and organized. Think of it as both a drainage system and a display platform for your tea set. This particular tray holds a decent amount of water despite its compact size, making it especially handy for desk brewing or small counter spaces where you want to practice gongfu cha without making a mess.

With a gongfu tea tray like this one, you'd place your gaiwan or small teapot in the center, arrange your tea cups around it, and keep your tea tools nearby. During the ceremony, pour hot water over the teaware to warm it — the tray catches everything. Then brew your tea, pour into a fairness pitcher, and serve into the small cups right on the tray. Given this Zerodis tray's compact 15 x 5.3 inch size, it works best with small tea sets and gaiwans rather than large teapots, so keep your setup minimal for the best experience.

There are three main types: drainage trays (like this Zerodis model) that store water in a built-in reservoir underneath, pipe-drain trays that channel water through a hose into a separate bucket, and dry trays that are purely decorative with no drainage system. Drainage-type trays are the most popular for home use because they're self-contained and portable — no bucket to deal with. This Zerodis tray is a compact drainage type, which makes it a good starter option, though the trade-off is you need to empty the reservoir periodically during longer sessions.

A Gongfu tea tray is traditionally called a 'cha pan' (茶盘) in Chinese. It's a specialized serving tray with a built-in drainage system designed specifically for gongfu-style tea brewing, where you intentionally pour hot water over the teaware as part of the ceremony. This Zerodis tray is a compact cha pan with a drainage-type design that catches excess water beneath the serving surface.

A Chinese tea tray is a flat serving platform with a hidden reservoir or drainage channel underneath. During a traditional Chinese tea ceremony (gongfu cha), you pour hot water over teapots, cups, and gaiwans to warm them and rinse the tea — all that water needs somewhere to go. This Zerodis tray has an attractive wood-finish surface at about 15 x 5.3 inches with drainage underneath, though some users note the surface sits nearly flush with the edges, so controlled pouring is important to avoid spillage.

In the Chinese tea tradition, a tea tray is called a 'cha pan' (茶盘). You might also hear it called a tea boat, tea table, or gongfu tea tray. Drainage-type trays like this Zerodis model — where water flows through slots into a reservoir below — are sometimes called 'water storage tea trays' to distinguish them from trays that drain into a separate bucket via a hose.