The Complete Bubble Tea Equipment List for UK Cafes
Opening a bubble tea station — whether it's a dedicated boba shop, a cafe add-on, or a food market stall — requires the right kit from day one. Get it wrong and you'll be hand-sealing cups with cling film (we've seen it) or shaking drinks in a cocktail shaker that spills everywhere.
This bubble tea equipment checklist covers everything a UK cafe needs to serve consistently good boba. We've split it into must-haves and nice-to-haves, with rough UK price ranges so you can budget accurately before you open.
Browse our full range of bubble tea equipment — including sealers, shakers and tea brewers — available for wholesale delivery across the UK.
Must-Have Equipment
1. Cup Sealing Machine
The sealing machine is the heart of any bubble tea operation. It heat-seals a plastic film lid onto the cup, keeping drinks spill-proof and giving that signature boba look customers recognise instantly.
What to look for:
- Compatible with your cup diameter — most UK cafes use 90mm or 95mm cups
- Manual or semi-automatic (semi-auto is faster for busy periods)
- Consistent seal temperature (look for digital temperature control)
- Easy to replace sealing film rolls
UK price range: £200–£600 for a reliable semi-automatic machine.
Don't forget: you'll also need sealing film in the right size and material. We stock a range of sealing film and lids compatible with standard UK bubble tea cups.
2. Commercial Cocktail Shaker or Shaking Machine
Bubble tea isn't stirred — it's shaken. A proper shake emulsifies the drink, creates the right texture, and activates the tapioca pearls properly. For high-volume service, a pneumatic shaking machine (also called an electric shaker) is far superior to manual shakers.
Manual shaker: Fine for 20–30 drinks per day. Budget £15–£40 each. Buy several so staff aren't waiting.
Pneumatic/electric shaker: Essential for 50+ drinks per day. Shakes each cup in 5–8 seconds. UK price range: £300–£800.
If you're starting small, begin with manual shakers and upgrade once you hit volume. Most cafes underestimate how quickly the shaking becomes a bottleneck.
3. Tea Brewer or Urn
Bubble tea bases — black tea, green tea, oolong — need to be brewed fresh and kept at serving temperature. A commercial tea brewer or large-capacity hot water urn lets you batch-brew and hold large volumes without constant monitoring.
What you need:
- Minimum 5-litre capacity for a small cafe; 10–20 litres for a busy site
- Temperature hold function (not just boil-and-stop)
- Easy-clean interior
UK price range: £80–£250 for a commercial-grade urn.
Many cafes also use a standard commercial coffee hot water tap if they already serve hot drinks — this works fine for small volumes.
4. Tapioca Pearl Cooker (Boba Cooker)
Tapioca pearls need to be cooked, soaked in sugar syrup, and kept warm. A dedicated boba cooker maintains the right temperature and prevents pearls going hard. You can use a standard stockpot on a gas burner, but a boba cooker with a warming function is far more reliable during service.
UK price range: £150–£400 for a purpose-built boba cooker with warming pot.
Note: cooked pearls have a shelf life of 4–6 hours before they harden. Build this into your prep schedule.
5. Commercial Fridge or Chiller
You'll need cold storage for milk, fruit purées, flavoured syrups, cooked pearls (short term), and pre-made drink bases. A standard under-counter fridge works for small operations; a tall upright chiller is better for busy sites.
What to refrigerate:
- Milks (dairy and plant-based)
- Fruit purées and fresh fruit
- Flavoured syrups once opened
- Pre-brewed tea bases
- Whipping cream (if serving cheese foam)
UK price range: £200–£800+ depending on size. Many cafes repurpose existing fridge space when starting out.
6. Measuring Tools
Consistency is what turns a one-off customer into a regular. Every drink needs to be made the same way, every time. You'll need:
- Measuring cups or jugs — for liquid ingredients (100ml, 200ml, 250ml marks)
- Portion scoops — for tapioca pearls, jelly cubes, and toppings
- Digital scales — for powder mixes and batch recipe work
- Syrup pumps — fitted to your flavour syrup bottles, calibrated to 10ml or 15ml per pump
Don't eyeball quantities — inconsistency is one of the top customer complaints in cafe reviews.
7. Bubble Tea Cups and Lids
You have two sealing options: sealing film (the classic boba look, requires a sealing machine) or dome lids (no machine required, but less presentable and prone to spills).
Most UK cafes use 500ml or 700ml cups in 90mm or 95mm diameter. Make sure your cup size matches your sealing machine diameter.
Browse our cups, seals and lids — available in bulk for UK wholesale, with fast delivery.
Big straws: Bubble tea straws are wider than standard straws — wide enough to suck up a tapioca pearl. Always order boba-specific straws.
8. Blender (for Smoothie-Style Drinks)
If your menu includes slush drinks, smoothie-based bubble teas, or blended matcha, a commercial blender is non-negotiable. A consumer blender will burn out within weeks under cafe volume.
UK price range: £150–£600 for a commercial-grade blender (Vitamix, Blendtec, or equivalent).
Some cafes run two blenders — one for fruit-based drinks and one for dairy/matcha to avoid flavour crossover.
Nice-to-Have Equipment
Ice Machine
Almost every bubble tea drink is served over ice. Buying bags of ice from a cash-and-carry works for very low volume, but it's expensive and unreliable at scale. A countertop commercial ice maker pays for itself quickly.
UK price range: £400–£1,200 for a machine producing 20–50kg of ice per day.
Powder Mixer or Frother
Milk tea powders (taro, matcha, brown sugar, etc.) need to dissolve fully before shaking. A small handheld frother or a countertop powder mixer speeds this up significantly and prevents lumps.
Syrup Dispensers and Organiser Rack
A tidy workstation makes a faster workstation. A rack that holds your syrup bottles upright — with pumps fitted — means staff can move quickly during a rush without hunting for the right bottle.
Label Printer
If you offer customised drinks or takeaway orders, a label printer lets you label cups with the drink name, customisations (oat milk, less sweet, no ice) and order number. This eliminates mix-ups at the counter.
Total Startup Budget Guide
Here's a rough guide to what UK cafes typically spend on bubble tea equipment when setting up from scratch:
| Equipment | Budget Range |
|---|---|
| Sealing machine | £200–£600 |
| Shaker (manual set) | £50–£120 |
| Tea urn | £80–£250 |
| Boba cooker + warmer | £150–£400 |
| Commercial blender | £150–£600 |
| Measuring tools + syrups | £50–£150 |
| Cups + sealing film (initial stock) | £100–£300 |
| Total (essentials) | ~£780–£2,420 |
This does not include fridges, ice machines, or fit-out costs — which depend heavily on your existing cafe setup.
Ready to stock up? View our full bubble tea equipment range for UK wholesale pricing and fast delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a sealing machine to serve bubble tea in the UK?
Technically no — you can use dome lids. But a sealing machine gives your drinks the authentic boba look customers expect, reduces spills, and is far faster during a busy service. For any cafe doing more than 30 drinks a day, a sealing machine is worth the investment.
What size cups should I use for bubble tea?
Most UK bubble tea shops use 500ml or 700ml cups, typically with a 90mm or 95mm diameter to match sealing machines. Always confirm cup diameter matches your sealing machine before ordering in bulk.
Can I use a domestic blender for bubble tea?
A domestic blender will work initially, but most burn out within weeks under cafe volume. A commercial blender handles the continuous use, ice, and frozen ingredients without overheating. Brands like Vitamix or Blendtec are popular in UK cafes.
How long do cooked tapioca pearls last?
Cooked tapioca pearls typically stay fresh for 4–6 hours when kept warm in a boba warmer. After that, they harden and the texture suffers. Build this into your prep schedule — cook in batches timed to your peak service periods.
Where can I buy bubble tea equipment in the UK?
Boba Tea Company supplies wholesale bubble tea equipment, ingredients and packaging to cafes and restaurants across the UK. Browse our equipment collection and cups and seals for trade pricing and fast UK delivery.