(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best teapots & coffee servers

Sorry, generic tea copypasta coming though here.

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New to Tea? New to loose leaf? Let me help.

Hello, new friend. So you've stumbled your way into /r/tea, you probably though this was a subreddit for the Mr. T, but no worries you're here and you're in good hands. We're all tea fiends and we're all eager to share our fifteen minutes of meditation, our hobby and our little slice of heaven. So why should you consider switching from Lipton to something crazy like leaves some Chinese person picked off a tea bush?

• Loose Leaf tea is often higher quality than your traditional tea bags.
  
  
• Less preservatives or additives.
  
  
• A greater variety of teas that are too delicate for tea bags or can't be effectively brewed that way.
  
  
• Greater access to fine teas, you can't find good premium teas in tea bags.
  
  
• It's more cost effective. You can pick up Twinning's Irish Breakfast tea (20 tea bags) for $2.99 at your local supermarket and that'll make you 20 cups of tea. With loose leaf tea you can buy 125 grams of Irish Breakfast from Upton Tea for $5.60, which will make you 100-150 cups of tea. You can re-brew the same tea leaves two or three times when it comes to loose leaf, but with a tea bag all the water penetrates the "tea dust" the first go.
  
  
• It tastes better. That's 100-150 cups of far better tea than Twinnings. Not to say you can't get good tea out of a tea bag, but you'll get better tea with more control/flexibility when it come to loose leaf.
  
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  So, Where To Start??
  
  ^^buy ^^theses ^^teas ^^first!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  Where | Why?
  ---|---
  GoodLife Tea's $7 for 7 Sampler | Free Shipping! Robb has a fantastic variety of tasty high quality tea important for building up your tea pallet.
  Verdant's Five Teas for $5 | Free Shipping! Again, Verdant sells some premium quality tea. Think of their sampler as a crash course into the rich people's side of tea. But the catch with tea is that it's a lot more affordable than wine could ever hope to be. The sampler is great for building up your tea preferences and giving you a kickstart in the right direction.
  Upton Tea | My personal favorite store, they send a nice little paperback catalog every quater. They sell a huge variety of teas, from traditional English Breakfast to Tie-Guan-Yin. Not only that but they sell their teas in different grades meaning you can dabble in what is traditionally an expensive tea by trying a lower quality (but still delicious and tasty) grade of tea. You can find the grade and variety of tea that matches your wallet and taste. They also sell cheap samplers, if you wish you can take $20 and order around 15 samples and see where your cuppa takes you.
  Adagio | A personal favorite of /r/tea if you can find a store nearby! But don't fret, most of us buy our tea online so no worries if you're in Kodiak, Alaska and can't get down to an Adagio. They sell nice quality tea, their stores people are incredibly informed and helpful (unlike a certain Starbucks owned tea store). They also have Adagio XL which sells tea in bulk.
  Harney & Sons | Amazon Prime Shipping. I love my Amazon account, that's usually by go to place online shopping and being able to two-day ship a simple tin of Harney & Sons tea without the shipping cost is fantastic. They sell lots of teas and they're all very good. Maybe not the premium tea you'll see Chinese diplomats drinking but they in my opinion sell tea that all tastes great.
  Coffee Bean Direct | Who knew a place called Coffee Bean Direct* sold tea too? Again, with Amazon Prime Shipping this seems to be the place to buy tea in bulk. They're well reviewed and their tea seems to be good. If you're like me and cold brew ice tea frequently then this might be the best place to pick up some bulkier tea to last you the season.
  Crimson Lotus | Owned by a frequenter of /r/tea, Puerh_Lover stocks a great store with lots of neat little stuff. Be warned, he caters to pu'er which is a type of fermented tea pressed into bricks or pellets. In other words this is a special variety of tea that needs special equipment and special knowledge to brew. Don't fret if you're not walking out of /r/tea after a day brewing in a gaiwan.
  White2Tea | More lovely pu'er.
  Yunnan Sourcing | Again, more pu'er, but also lots of green and white teas too. They sell teaware for good prices too so if you're looking to pick up a traditional china teacup or gaiwan this is a good place to get that.
  What-Cha | Another beloved store on /r/tea, but they're pretty pricey at times. But you can always expect good quality tea and a looser wallet from here.
  
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  Just How Do You Make Tea?
  
  Traditional Western | Gongfu | Cold Brew
  ---|---|----
  The way you're probably familiar with when it comes to brewing tea, all it requires is a teapot like this one (I highly recommend this teapot). Western or Traditional works well with every kind of tea. It's the universal method of making tea and the best place to start. | This kind of brewing is very specific as it only works with Chinese type teas like pu'er. This method of making tea is hands down the best way to make a Chinese styled tea and does wonders to enhance and bring out the best in the leaves. But this method wont work for a cuppa English Breakfast or Japanese Sencha. To brew Gongfu style you use a gaiwan which is fancy talk for a tiny cup with a lid. The idea behind Gongfu is more leaves, less water and time. You use micro-infusions instead of waiting minutes like Western or hours like Cold Brewing. | Cold Brewing is for those of us who just love iced tea. It's simple to cold brew, a vessel like this will brew a mean pitcher of ice tea. All you have to do is leave the leaves in the filter and wait 5-12 hours for the tea to brew, perfect for leaving overnight. Fair Warning: tea can go bad, the kind of stuff you'd buy at the store has a massive amount of preservatives in it. Keep your cold brewing tea out of the sunlight and don't let it sit for more than 48 hours.
  
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  On Kettles
  
  So you're going to need a way to keep your water hot. A stovetop kettle is probably the most accessible and the biggest no brainer out of everything here. A microwave heats water inconsistently, can leave an odd taste if your microwave isn't properly clean, and you really don't have a good way of knowing how hot the water is. Temperature is important. Brewing a cuppa green tea in boiling water will result in a pretty shitty cup of tea, and brewing some black tea in the water appropriate for green tea will result in a disappointing cuppa.
  
  You also have electric kettles like the Cuisinart CPK-17 which is going to cost as much as a decent coffee machine but if tea is your caffeine fix then it might be worth it. The Cuisinart is a variable temperature kettle meaning you just have to press a button and it makes the water the appropriate temperature for whatever kind of tea you're drinking.
  
  
  Tea | Temperature
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  Black | 212
  Green | 175
  White | 190
  Oolong | 185
  Pu'er | 212
  Herbal | 212
  
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  Where To Buy Tea Equipment? What Equipment Might You Want To Buy?
  
  Umi Tea Sets sells lots of cute tea sets. They also sell pretty much any kind of vessel you can brew tea in, from Yixing to Japanese tea sets.
  
  Mr. Coffee Tea Kettle A simple, $10 stovetop kettle to boil some water. It seems to have a little hole in it for a thermometer to go in if you need to measure your water temperature.
  
  Glass Whistling Kettle I have one of these, you can tell water temperature from the bubbles if you learn to read them well. It’s pretty handy but if I could I would exchange it for the Mr. Coffee.
  
  CPK-17 Electronic Kettle probably the device that makes most of /r/tea’s mouths water (that might just be the tea). This is pretty much the best electronic kettle you can buy, cheaper than a K-Cup Coffee machine. It has temperatures for making all kinds of tea labeled nicely. I have one and I love it.
  
  OTHER
  
  Want to find the right kind of tea for you? Here’s a tea discovery wheel! Try it out here.

• 1.) Something that is grey. (sort of)
  
  
• 2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
  
  
• 3.) Something food related that is unusual.
  
  
• 4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!) (Technically this isn't on any of my public wish lists, but rather on a wish list that I keep specifically for collecting gift ideas for my husband. So this is for him.)
  
  
• 5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it! - Sort of a dystopian future book, but the author's ability to describe things and the characterisations are IMO, simply amazing. I downloaded this as a freebie or cheapie, and I could not put it down. Be warned, it's a first parter of more than one, so when you get to the end you will expect more and be enraged that you can't read the rest yet.
  
  
• 6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
  ----Umm.... I don't actually have anything less than a dollar. embarassed
  
  
• 7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...) It's a stretch, I know, but it has Tigress in the title, and a Tigress is technically a cat, even if it's metaphorical in this sense. :)
  
  
• 8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. I guess it could be considered useful in a way, but really it's not at all necessary, but it's just so incredibly beautiful and lovely and I want it so bad!!
  
  
• 9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? Cairo Time. Because AMAZING cinemetography. Lovely music. Alexander Siddig (DROOL) and Patricia Clarkson.
  
  
• 10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain. Because they're Batman throwing knives which means they'd be good for killing zombies from a distance and also, hello, they're Batman which makes them awesome and inherently gives the thrower secret Batman like abilities. :D
  
  
• 11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. - I really want to explore photography more, and learn to be a better photographer, and also I want to develop my artistic side more. I think this would help with that.
  
  
• 12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. - UGH, I don't have one! :(
  
  
• 13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why? Because it's portable, and I've been eyeing one for ages, and I'm getting ready to do some extended travel, so this would be a great thing to have in that respect.
  
  
• 14.) Something bigger than a bread box.
  
  
• 15.) Something smaller than a golf ball. eBooks are technically smaller than a golf ball because they don't actually take up physical space. :D
  
  
• 16.) [Something that smells wonderful.]
  (http://www.amazon.com/Orleans-Saints-Jimmy-Graham-jersey/dp/B00D3CJENG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=FQHQWOTK4LH8&coliid=I2XIVU4BE0S37P&psc=1) - Technically this has no smell, but if I could get Jimmy Graham to rub it up against his body, even briefly, then it would smell like him and that would be wonderful! :D
  
  
• 17.) A (SFW) toy.
  
  
• 18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
  
  
• 19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
  
  
• 20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. - It's a Zombie Head cookie jar. What else is there to say??
  
  Bonus Item 1: Because it looks kind of fun
  
  Bonus Item 2: Something made in Oregon: Do my brother's kids count? He made all three in Oregon! :D No? OK, then University of Oregon lanyard because I actually do want something U of O related to support my nephew who will be a freshman there in the fall.
  
  
  Final edit because I always forget the raffle phrase: Fear cuts deeper than swords.

Step 1: Acquire an ibrik / cezve / džezva

If you can, I recommend going somewhere local. If you have a local international market, or market that sells Arabic or Turkish foods, that would be best. You'll get a decent price there. It really shouldn't cost more than $10 (and I think that's pushing it).

If you can't find a place to purchase it locally, buy online. You might be tempted to get a fancy one, but those are expensive and not easy to clean because of the shape. Something simple and cheap like this works just as well.

Step 2: Acquire coffee cups

If you already have espresso cups, you can use those. However Turkish coffee is traditionally drank out of special cups, about this size/style here. If you've found a local place to get the ibrik, you can likely find cups there too.

Step 3: Acquire Turkish coffee

There are two options here. #1 which I think is easier and better, is to buy ground Turkish coffee. Once again, if you're at a local store that sells it, buy it there. It will likely be freshest and cheapest. Sometimes they also sell small packages of it, which might be good if you're trying to see if you like it.

Your second option, is to go to a grocery store or market that sells ground coffee - pick the coffee you want, and when you use the grinder machine, select "Turkish". It is the most fine setting. The problem with this method, is that the machine will never grind it as well as "real Turkish coffee". If you're planning to host a dinner party to show off your new Turkish coffee skills, do NOT do it this way.

Technically there is a third option. You can buy a Turkish coffee grinder. This way you can choose the beans, and get the finely ground consistency of real Turkish coffee. But be warned, these make for better ornamental displays in your home rather than grinding coffee. Also, I've never figured out how to clean the inside...

Step 4: Cook the coffee!

Fill an empty cup (the Turkish or espresso style) with water, and dump it into your ibrik. Place it on the stovetop on high heat. Once the water has just begun to boil, take 1 teaspoon of coffee grounds and place it into the water and stir. Watch carefully, because within 10 seconds the coffee will begin to rise. Keep stirring to prevent the coffee from pouring over the edge. Once the coffee begins to rise, remove it from the heat and wait for it to drop, then return it to the stovetop and let it rise one more time. When it starts to rise again, turn off the heat and you're done! Pour the coffee into the cup. Wait for it to cool, and enjoy

If you like your coffee with sugar, you can add that while it's cooking or after you've poured it into the cup. Also, Turkish coffee is NOT typically drank with milk or cream.

Step 5: When you're done drinking, turn the cup upside down (optional)

I actually don't know how prevalent this is in Turkey, but in former Yugoslavia where people drink a lot of Turkish coffee, this is what they often do.

And sometimes for fun people will do fortune telling by looking at the grounds inside the upside down cup. I don't know much about it, but it's fun to watch people do it.

Teapots are often different from kettles, so figure out which one (or both) you want.

If you're thinking about a kettle, the electric ones are fantastic and the most efficient way to heat water. If you get one with tea temp settings or digital temperatures, you'll be perfectly set up.

Teapots come in many shapes and sizes and are good for different proposes. A 100 mL Chinese-style teapot is great for gongfu for one person, while a 500 mL is great for a party.

It's really a matter of what aesthetic you prefer. There are many styles of teapots and ways of using them. Here are some tips:

1. You want a spout that pours nicely, so avoid overly rounded ones. This matters less if you choose a tiny teapot meant for pouring into a sharing pitcher, as you're gonna totally invert the thing while pouring.
   
   
2. Use a fine filter. This could be fine mesh or a stainless steel basket with tiny holes.
   
   
3. Ensure there's room for tea leaves to expand - don't use a tea ball or similarly-sized filter.
   
   
4. Pay attention to the size of the teapot. I think 150-300 mLs is perfect, but that's just me.
   
   
5. Have a plan for timed steeps. If you're using a sharing pitcher, you just pour the liquor out at the right time. If you're keeping the liquor in the teapot, you'll need a place to put the strainer.
   
   Here are some example styles of teapots that are very nice for loose leaf:
   
   

• Japanese cast iron https://www.amazon.com/Workshop-Japanese-Tetsubin-Stainless-Infuser/dp/B01NBP0OMU. You can heat it up with hot water first and it'll keep your tea warm. Edit: I don't really recommend these unless you know the enamel inside is really good.
  
  
• Tiny Chinese teapots https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32805509797.html. This is meant to go with a sharing or fairness pitcher and fine mesh strainer that goes on top.
  
  
• Glass teapots https://www.amazon.com/Teapot-Kettle-Warmer-Infusers-Flowering/dp/B01BRVAZU0/. This one comes with a nice strainer that can also be used in a mug. These are nice for blooming teas as well.
  
  
• All stainless https://www.amazon.com/Venoly-Stainless-Removable-Dishwasher-Resistant/dp/B01M0AXSH1/. For that aesthetic. Also comes with multipurpose strainer.
  
  
• A general-purpose starter teapot https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Stump-Teapot-Infuser-18-Ounce/dp/B00345U3C8/. I've heard they drip a little but everyone likes them.

Can't speak of any great tea experiences in Utah but here's my method of making a good cup of tea.

You'll need:

• loose leaf tea. I prefer Earl Gray but any high quality loose leaf tea will do. I know that Whole Foods used to have a loose leaf tea section, not sure after renaming to Whole Foods but their Earl Gray was good. SanFran Bay Coffee is where I get my tea now.
  
• Get a tea pot that has a built in strainer, ceramic I find is best. Something like this.
  
  Steps:
  
  
• Boil the water. I've switched to an electric kettle but stove-top kettles are fine and even if you don't have a kettle you can still boil the water in any old sauce pan.
  
• Prepare the leaves by loosely putting them in the strainer/pot (some pots have a built in strainer the one above has a separate strainer). If it's a builtin strainer then you put the leaves directly into the pot.
  
• For extra points get the pot warm. If you have a heating plate great, if not get an electric heating pad and put the pot on it.
  
• When the water is full on at a rolling boil immediately pour into the pot directly on the leaves until the pot is filled up.
  
• Wait about 2-5 minutes depending on the strength you're looking for.
  
• Pour and enjoy. For Earl Gray some people like sugar (blah), but I find that a bit of unsweetened soy milk helps with any acid taste and enhances the richness of Earl Gray. Sometimes a dash of lemon. In general now is the time to add in whatever you'll be adding.
  
  Happy tea-ing.

Starting out places: TeaSource.com Harney.com and Adagio are great. Use CatShip19 til the end of May to reduce Teasource's free shipping to $30. Harney is always free shipping. Adagio, I'd have to look up.

I can't really recommend a tea cup without knowing your brewing preferences. Are you brewing for one or more? Do you like to have frequent small cups (consider gaiwan or gungfu style), like to brew at your desk (just get an in-mug infuser) or if you want a simple tea-pot: I love the style of ones that have a metal basket and lid that pop out for easy cleaning (link for ref, but I don't know the brand). Big glass tea-pots are nice for show. Clay supposedly can improve taste (?).

Personally - I make milk based Chai in a pot on the weekends, otherwise most of my tea is brewed with the linked in-mug infuser basket in a beautiful hand thrown clay mug from a local pottery shop. I suggest going this route until you know what types of tea you like - then you can buy the gear best suited to brew that style.

Yummy mango & sticky rice!!
 


I know personally, I learn better by watching so if you find it easier to make this while following along with a video, just click: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZLs1ZIRZAs&t=12s
 


Check out my blog for tasty pictures and details on the recipe!: https://lyndygates.com/
 


Ingredients:
 


1 cup of sweet rice soaked in water overnight
 


1 mango
 


1 cup of coconut milk
 


3 tbsp of sugar
 


A big pinch of salt
 


Sticky rice steamer basket & pot (linked down below)


Directions:
 


    ⁃    Soak your sweet rice in water overnight!
 


    ⁃    The next day, drain your rice and place in steamer basket
 


    ⁃    Fill a pot with water a little less than half way and place over the stove to bring to a boil
 


    ⁃    Once the water is completely boiled, place the steamer basket with the rice in it over the pot and cover with a bowl or damp towel
 


    ⁃    Let the rice steam for about 20 minutes, checking at 10 minutes to stir the rice to give an even steam
 


    ⁃    Once the texture reaches sticky rice, remove from the pot and place in a bowl or on a plate
 


    ⁃    To make the sauce, place your coconut milk, sugar and salt in a pot and over the stove on a medium heat. You only need to HEAT UP the mixture so DO NOT bring to a BOIL. The coconut milk cooks very fast and will turn into an oil if you over cook it. Just mix everything together and wait till the sugar dissolves and your mixture is heated. Once you see a little steam come out and the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and place in a bowl.
 


    ⁃    Add a little of the sauce to your rice and stir, just to coat the sticky rice and bring out a little more flavor. Don’t pour too much because it will make the rice soggy. Plate your rice however you want and slice your mangos. Place the mangos next to the rice and drizzle a little more sauce over the top. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds if you would like and serve!
 


So simple! This recipe is PERFECT for any occasion, fancy or casual. It is a huge hit for everyone and it’ll having you crawling back for more! I know it might be hard to find the steamer basket and pot so here’s one I found on amazon that’s very similar to what I have (NOT SPONSORED): https://www.amazon.com/Sticky-Rice-Steamer-Pot-Basket/dp/B00019MRRE
 


Enjoy! :)

Turkish coffee is awesome! I haven't even fired up my Silvia since I started doing Turkish coffee.

You should definitely post your cezve link as there are some very low quality cezves on Amazon. I bought one via Amazon that looks really pretty, but it's super thin and the coating on the inside looks... off; I'll never use it for anything more than a decoration.

This one is actually pretty good:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LRIR66A/

I've ordered two of those and one gets used an average of twice a day at the office:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/705abeubj7h2762/IMG_0144.JPG?raw=1

STC also has some really good cezves that are silver-lined. They're pricey, but worth it, imo:

https://www.specialtyturkishcoffee.com/product-category/turkish-coffee-pots/

I had one of these and it’s OK but I don’t use it anymore. Eventually the seal will leak from the bottom, it’s not as easy to clean as they make it look (lots of tea leaf flecks get stuck in the mesh filter) and the plastic carafe/mesh filter soak up the color/flavor of your teas over time so you might find your earl grey tasting like chai down the road.

Also there’s no way to remove the tea leaves once it’s finished steeping, so if you’ve made more than a single cup you’ll have to transfer it to a new container or have a really strong second cup. It’s a neat invention, but I went back to a more traditional ceramic that works better for me, I can remove the leaves once the steep is done, and is easier to clean.

Edit: This isn’t exactly the same one I have, but it’s very similar and I’ve been really happy with it - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078ZKPY25/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ibN4AbWNDSARA

I have a Breville one-touch, which is similar to the Hamilton Beach 40865 Glass Kettle except it has the basket. You definitely will need something that allows you to monitor water temperature or else you run the risk of scorching your tea, which makes it very bitter.

I'm personally more of a mug person, because I like to drink my tea 16oz at a time so things like Travel Tea Set by Music City Tea don't appeal to me because size. When I was new to loose leaf and before I got my Breville I used this because it's a low-cost, low commitment apparatus that's super easy to use. That way, you're not spending a lot of money on something you don't know if you'll even be into. It's not as cute, or as fancy, but it's a cost-effective introduction to loose leaf.

That being said, you definitely want an infuser that allows the tea leaves to expand, like a basket or teapot-basket combo because tea leaves love to expand. I also think expanded tea leaves produce better flavor, but that might be just me.

I just recently got the V60 for myself and I love it. I'm not by any means a perfectionist when it comes to my techniques, but I can most definitely notice the difference between this and my old brew methods (French Press / Drip).

I got the all glass setup with an all stainless steel electric kettle. It doesn't have variable temp, but I can guess well enough. I was going to go with a metal filter but decided against it. Natural filter papers are fine IMO.

Cleanup requires you to simply ditch the filter with grounds and then follow that up by rinsing out the containers. Not bad at all. In regards to your worry about knocking your current setup over, this setup (dripper and pot), are just set one on top of another. Just be weary of that as well.

Links if you're interested:

• Dripper
  
• Kettle
  
• Filters
  
• Pot
  
  Hope this helps!

I have the 45 oz. big brother to this one, and my only complaint is that the infuser is way too small. I'm pretty sure the 24 ounce has the same infuser, and it would probably be ok for that size pot. Aside from that, it's a nice solid pot that holds on to heat quite well, and the lid fits great with or without the infuser.

I have a few other things from them that I've been really happy with though, and overall I think they're a great company with well-designed products.

I have a FORLIFE Crurve teapot, makes three cups of tea and is great.

An electric kettle would be a fantastic part of a gift set. This one appears to be one of the best. Good luck.

Yess the good stuff!! This is the one in the video, but I'd actually recommend the IngenuiTea or IngenuiTea2 - they're a bit easier to clean IMO! Happy tea-making! 🍵🙏

Lol, as you can tell electric kettles are super popular. And something you guys may want to keep in mind for if your mom gets more forgetful later in life as they're safer. Or at least a whistling kettle, again for safety reasons.

If you want a stove top tea kettle that doesn't whistle, if it where me I'd probably go with something like this:

Gooseneck Kettle - Coffee Gator Pour Over Kettle - Precision-Flow Spout and Thermometer - Barista-Standard Hand Drip Tea and Coffee Kettle for Induction and all Stovetops - 40oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E2O21NS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.xu1DbQZWE8VF

Be aware I don't own this it's just something I would consider. Also I be aware I think the lid gets hot if you need to open it for some reason while it's on the stove.

I've never used the Perfectea or similar products, but it looks like a completely unnecessary device to me. You can never go wrong with a mug-sized basket infuser. Otherwise, something like a Hario glass teapot will do the same thing just as well, but in an easier to clean and in my opinion more refined way.

That setup looks mighty fine to me except i would like the gaiwan and coups to be dark though, like yours... But that's alot of stuff for 99.

Aaaand the puer might be good starter puer together with one of crimson lotus teapots :> If only I had 1000 dollors to spend on tea...

I found this tea set on ebay, seems alright to me and I do like the color of it. I think I like the more earthy feeling from the darker colors then the white one you linked me. But all this is fairly new to me so maybe i shouldn't be focusing on the aesthetics this much and just get a decent gaiwan, like you said, and take it from there.

I haven't, but I think that would work; a future experiment.

just put like a bunch of AVB in the tank and cover with everclear. I bet the ultrasonic will potentially produce a similar result as just letting it sit to make a tincture

edit like I was looking at these carafes to set in the tank without getting it dirty and making it easy to get the stuff out. and you could even strain it directly with this

update so it's talked about in a few places, like here, so it's something I'm going to try with vegetable glycerin.

I bought this bottle that has a built-in filter. the idea is that I can put AVB in and cover it with vegetable glycerin, put the bottle into the ultrasonic cleaner, and simply pour the tincture into dropper bottles.

Start with a gaiwan and some cups.

That gives you a lot of flexibility and a feel for the "ceremony" of it.

Additionally (or instead of), I highly recommend something with this sort of design. Its the most streamlined way to brew gong fu I know of, and will happily sit next to you on your desk without giving much danger of spills. Great for studying. I have this one, but the shipping might be an issue if you aren't in the UK.

I've been in the same boat as you and would say to steer clear of expensive clay pots for now. They're great, but you really get the most out of those sort of pots when you dedicate them to specific kinds of tea so they can season nicely. Whereas glass and glazed teaware can be used for everything with no issues. Meaning you don't need a plethora of gear.

Notes on french press (caffetiere) from a coffee geek:

• "Keeps your coffee warm for longer" is shit. When you brew coffee (or whatever, tea, tisane, etc.) with a french press, once it's ready, you decant it ASAP, or it continues to brew, and will over-extract, i.e. become bitter.
  
  
• "Outside stays cool" Well you're meant to hold it by the handle anyway.
  
  
• Don't brew coffee with the caffetiere if you don't like that flavour in particular, get a Woodneck or an Aeropress for a similar price. The Aeropress brews superb coffee in no time. Woodneck is a cloth filter brewing method and produces nice coffee + no paper filter needed. Pourover brewers like the V60 or the Melitta Cone are available in the price range of $2-$30 (plastics cost the lowest, metals the most, glass in between). If you can afford it a Syphon brewer produces the best filter coffee IMO. Any of these produce better coffee than a caffetiere, whose product is usually too bitter and too strong in body.
  
  
• If you break a caffetiere in any other way than dropping it on the ground, you're using it wrong. Plunge gently, take your time.
  
  
• For tea and tisane I like these kind-a guys better. The plunge extracts bitters from all sorts of stuff, it's no good IMO.
  
  

Sorry this is a bit late!

Honestly that bottle seems like a pain to clean and not worth the effort (it looks to be like a vinegar bottle?). Even with a decent brush, the neck of that bottle is so small that it seems unlikely that the brush can be fully utilized.

If I may, I would suggest this instead. I actually have it and have found it to be AMAZING for cold brew. There's plenty of space for the leaves to expand and the spout is sharp enough that there's almost never any drippage. It's not too large either and can be tucked away into the side shelf of a refrigerator.

Under $10:
This is so adorable!


Between $10-$20:
This stuff. You will want a lot of it once you try it.

No Limits:
This is pretty and seems to appeal to two of your interests!


Thanks for the contest and I hope your week is going better!

[edit: Also this because it is too cute!]


[Edit edit: Okay, no, you need this

Have you considered a glass teapot? Hario has some nice ones and there are cheaper options available from other brands as well. Their Jumping Leaf Tea Pot doesn't use a basket filter and has a 16.9oz capacity.

Don't discount their basket filter version either. It works well for fluffly leafed teas too because of the generously sized basket. The basket makes this teapot easier to clean.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Who-Tardis-Tea-Pot/dp/B0083AR8LI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2I041LAM33CUW&coliid=I1N7XD889I129L

This, well, I'd like to say saving up but with every spare pound or so I find spare I buy gifts for the redditgifts exchange >.<

But yes, this. Where I live I share a kitchen with others who tend to not fill the kettle up after they empty it, so a nice teapot would let me enjoy the tea in my room :D

And let's get Saving Private Ryan!

Can someone point me in the right direction of a website that I can get affordable fresh loose leaf tea? I am an avid coffee drinker and I'm looking into tea when I want a hot drink to enjoy and relax with. I am a college student so budget is an issue. Also, what kind of gear should I start off with to brew my own loose leaf tea? I have a gooseneck kettle for coffee so boiling water is not an issue. I found this teapot on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZOLU1VI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A288LJKUH48CHC&psc=1), is it good quality?

I got this tea set and I enjoy it.

The tea pot is the best tea pot I have out of all my others, however, the cups aren't perfect. They kinda retain a lot of heat, so make sure you only fill them up about half way so you don't hurt your hands. They are Japanese style tea cups, so they are very large, about half way is pretty much the same amount you'd get from your usual Chinese restaurant style cups anyways.

Morthy Demands:

1. old posh Englishman
   
   2.[oh god, I would never be seen with this in public](oh god, I would never be seen with this in public)
   
   3.phallic
   
   Akeleie Demands:
   
   1.Games are for geeks right?
   
   2.would help me do more baking
   
   3.best item I would bring to a deserted island
   
   Awesome contest
   

My mother always asks me for a Christmas list and I put this guy on it this year.

I use a large mason jar to brew into with my V60 generally, and it's fine (wrapped in the thermal sleeve from our French Press it usually works out decently), but something dedicated / with a handle will be really nice to have.

It's sold out on the Hario link above, but you can get it on Amazon too.

Hahaha! Luckily I have a gas stove and do a Japanese paper drip for my coffee, so coffee is available even in a power outage! If you have a gas stove, it may be worth considering:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Glass-Coffee-Server-700ml/dp/B001V7DBMA/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1499865398&sr=8-21&keywords=hario+coffee+maker

Amazon. Hiware Good Glass Teapot with... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZOLU1VI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I like it. It's stovetop safe, so I've used it to brew Chai in milk, but mostly I like being able to see the different colors of teas I drink.

OK, that's it. I'm going to order one, as well. Perhaps a smaller 450ml size, though.

Just the other day I got a Hario cold brew pitcher and I'm well pleased with it. This one here.

An Aeropress and some of her favorite coffee maybe? Or a Yama teapot or a water bottle infuser. Or a stylish teapot. People swear that the aeropress makes the best cup of coffee they've ever had, if you go that route then picking up extra filters and coffee should bring you around that $50 mark.

Go for one of these big basket stainless steel infusers. https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Mug-Extra-Fine-Infuser/dp/B001JPA3Y8/ (though the mug with infuser is close in price https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Brew-Infuser-16-Ounce-Purple/dp/B00FONTSZG)

​

If you want to attempt to save your gravity infuser, maybe try a denture cleaner, PBW, or oxyclean soak.
There are also glass models which last longer like this https://www.amazon.com/PRESS-TP-200-1000ML-CAPACITY-Yeme/dp/B00654M0AI/

I like the notNeutral Gino Server. It’s double-walled, so it retains heat better:

https://prima-coffee.com/equipment/notneutral/gino-server

However, that’s probably more than you want to spend.

There’s the other 600ml range server model for $12 on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Glass-Range-Server-600ml/dp/B001O0LCPW

I have a small teapot with the strainer built into the top. Some other redditor recommended it and it's awesome. Here it is.

I just got these 2 sets to get into tea, and they work great!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G1MZD4O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IA8R3RC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> hario teapot

Like these:

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_bxaHzbVRCQ14M via @amazon

Hario Fukami Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD1O0WO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_wAaHzbACZRYP5 via @amazon

Hario Pure Glass Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GYVDKO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_exaHzb99HJJDR via @amazon

At 700 mL (23.7 oz) they seem a bit small compared to the other 40 oz pots I've been looking at. Thanks for the recommendation, though!

Yep! Actually got it on Amazon :)

You might like Music City Tea. They have some good tea sets and tea trays.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G1MZD4O/ref=psdcmw_367228011_t1_B00Q5DTJQM

I got this one, very happy with it so far. Though going back in time, I might have gotten this one instead.

I have two of these in my fridge most of the time they're great.

This has helped me make perfect rice since my wife bought it. Every time. We have only tried sticky and sushi rice though...

Please simplify that Amazon link; the spam filter doesn't like it.

(everything after /dp/B01E2O21NS/ can be removed).

Edit: Thanks!

I had one of these but it was a bit too fragile for cleaning out daily in the office, so I got a cheap version at a local market for like $5 with a plastic handle and covering.

This one works better based on my experience with both. https://www.amazon.com/Teaze-Tea-Infuser-Pot-Cup/dp/B0053YPXAA
My local tea shop starting using teaze instead because it pours more consistently.

I've had this guy for years and I really love how it looks. You can also use this directly on the stove if you really wanted to (I don't but I've read reviews that said they do)

I find this to be excellent for straining Kratom when making tea!

Put boiling water and kratom in the top of one of these https://www.amazon.com/Teaze-Tea-Infuser-Pot-Cup/dp/B0053YPXAA

Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Place the infuser on top of mug, add sweetener, done.

I like this version of the hario range server. It's $10, comes with a cap, and I hear it's sturdier than the beehive variant.

Have you tried checking amazon? I've found a few that aren't too expensive: this one and this one.

I kinda like this one: http://www.poshbananasdirect.co.uk/mr-t-lisenced-product-tea-for-one-teapot-and-cup-set---quirky-gift-idea-for-men---mr-t-merchandise-2108-p.asp

oh and this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Doctor-Who-Tardis-Tea-DR182/dp/B0083AR8LI/ref=sr_1_42?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1523432960&sr=1-42&keywords=teapot

How large?

Hario makes a couple different 700mL glass teapots that you can get on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GYVDKO

I believe it's this set. I have that set my self.

Here is what I would do based off of this film:

1. 1000ml Press Art Pitcher
   
2. A couple sets of 60ml white tasting cups
   
3. Some Raw Puer from this guy

Is that similar to this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QFKXHZO/ref=mp_s_a_1_7_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1487175397&sr=8-7&keywords=moyishi+gaiwan

link!

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Glass-Coffee-Server-700ml/dp/B001V7DBMA is 13 bucks
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Ceramic-Coffee-Dripper-White/dp/B001RBTSMM is 8 bucks
https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Paper-Coffee-Filters-Count/dp/B001U7EOYA is 6 bucks

​

you can always buy it separately.

this one is a little cheaper http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O0LCPW