Harney & Sons Assorted Tea Sampler with Honey Crystals, 42 Count

Harney & Sons is a brand most people meet one bag at a time, and this 42-count box is that introduction: fourteen different teas, three individually wrapped bags of each. The range covers the house catalogue fairly, from Hot Cinnamon Spice and Paris to English Breakfast and Japanese Sencha, with caffeine-free choices like Egyptian Chamomile and organic peppermint sitting alongside the black teas.

Packed in with the tea are small packets of honey crystals, which are dehydrated honey with cane sugar. They stir into a hot cup and dissolve, which is why they tend to get used at a desk or in an office kitchen, where keeping a honey jar is more trouble than it is worth.

It suits a household where nobody agrees on one tea, and it turns up often as a hostess or co-worker gift for the same reason. It is also a sensible way to work out which Harney blend you actually want to buy by the tin.