(Part 3) Top products from r/tea

No worries at all, I'm more than happy to help as much as I can. I'm super passionate about tea and love seeing new people want to try it out, especially gongfu!

Because you've expressed interest in having a full gongfu set up, below I'm going to give you a couple examples of starter-packs consisting of a tea table, gaiwan, pitcher, strainer, and tea cups (and a tea pet if you're really feeling like going all out).

Nearly everything I'm going to list below is from Yunnan Sourcing's US-based website, because that way you won't have to wait for China shipping. Although, don't get used to US shipping. The deeper you get into this hobby, the more you're going to be ordering from vendors who ship directly from China, which generally takes anywhere from 10-15 business days. It's best to accept that fact up front and just get used to it--honestly, now I don't even notice. It shows up when it shows up.

Okay, without further ado, here's the full gongfu package that I'd recommend for one person just getting into gongfu.

Tea Table: ~$45.00USD (US Shipping)
https://www.amazon.com/Tasteful-Bamboo-Gongfu-Table-Serving/dp/B00M3Y8LNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503637708&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=gongfu+tea+tray&psc=1

Gaiwan + Teacup: $10.00USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=1074&controller=product

Cha Hai (Glass Pitcher): $6.50USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=86&controller=product

Strainer: $3.20USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=89&controller=product

^That will have all the brewing utensils that you'd need to get started with gongfu (though some would argue you don't need the tea table, just use a cloth or a dish or something, but since you seem interested in the full package, that's what I'd go with...that's actually the table I use now!)

Now...when it comes to tea...

I'd first highly recommend picking up a scale (this one from Amazon is only $9.00USD and works really well: https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503639369&sr=8-1&keywords=American+weigh+scale

As for strong sweet flavor that doesn't need sugar, I'd recommend starting with oolongs, which are typically very smooth, sweet, floral, and somewhat creamy.

Here are a couple of my personal favorites that are extremely budget-friendly, ship super fast, and are all from Eco-Cha.

Four Seasons Spring Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/four-seasons-spring-oolong-tea-1

Dong Ding Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea

Alishan High Mountain Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/alishan-high-mountain-oolong-tea

If you're feeling adventurous, then I'd definitely pick up some puerh as well. The Basics Puer Tea Sample Set from White2Tea is
one of the best introductions you can ask for. It's $39.99USD for 400g of solid tea (4x100g cakes of Spring, Autumn, Huangpian [large leaf], and 10-year-old tea), and it always comes with a free puerh pick, and ships anywhere in the world for free, which is super nice.


If you purchase everything I listed, you'd spend ~$130.00USD, which would set you up with a tea-set you would grow into, and enough tea to last you roughly 2 months, and that's assuming you drink 10g of tea every day, which is highly unlikely.

If you're on a super tight budget, then I'd recommend ditching the tea table and just getting the gaiwan+teacup, the scale, and the teas. Everything else isn't nearly as important, though if you have the money, it's certainly nice to have the full setup.

Going to a tea shop with a helpful and patient representative is the best answer - tea is not something to rush into so if you could locate a shop that sells tea nearby, that would be your best bet. Avoid Teavanna, they're dicks. Use Yelp, steepster.com, or teachat.com to find a local tea shop. Make sure you don't end up going into a shop that sells boba drinks - totally different thing.

If you're like me and there are no local shops nearby, then do a lot of research on tea. I bought this book and it helped me appreciate and brew tea. Otherwise you can read the Tea faq included here or any of the previous websites I mentioned. There is also an Alton Brown's Good Eats episode where he discusses tea. I don't agree with some of the things he says(the teapot strainer in the pot being one) but it still has useful information.

There is a correct way to brew tea(temperature, steep time, measuring) so it's a lot like cooking - you don't just crack an egg on the frying pan and expect it to be delicious, there are things you can do to improve the taste and quality of it.

Also, as a totally subjective viewpoint : Blended tea & anything that requires the addition of sugar(like the ones you have) sucks(and are for sissy girls). Most of them. They may taste good but being able to enjoy tea in its pure essence is a more enjoyable experience. Also, they last a lot longer since you can brew the same leaves 2-3 times.

The tea you bought probably NEEDS rock sugar to taste good - I don't think that should be true with good tea. Think of tea as a steak. You want to taste the steak itself and not any sauce that has been slathered over the meat. Blended tea is like a steak with sauce on it. Tea like this is a quality steak without any sauces.

I recommend purchasing non-blended tea in the green, oolong, or black section. http://www.adagio.com is a good start.

Great idea!

ElectroThermo Pot: no personal experience with this model. However, over the past several years, I've used Zojirushi's (basically the ETPot) Adagio's UtiliTEA and the Breville Variable Temp Water Kettle.

I actually prefer the two smaller options. The Breville is best for long sessions, since it's enough water to get you through 45 minutes to an hour or so of gongfu.. it's basically at the upper limits of size that is still safe to lift and pour. The Zojirushi (similar to what you're thinking of) is great in that it can keep your water at the temp you need all day, but if you're not really going through that much water? I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. Seems best suited to teahouse or places where tea is being served constantly. That way, the water doesn't sit all day (becoming more "flat" over time and reacting with the inner-casing). Also- for gongfu, it's not easy to "pour" from these. You must first dispense into a vessel, then pour from that vessel into your pot or gaiwan (or risk dispensing directly into your small brew vessel and over filling and burning yourself). The UtiliTEA is easy to use and pour from, but it is the smallest option. It basically makes one big pot of tea before it needs to be refilled.


Verdant Tea of the Month Club: Go for it! The pairings are always really cool, and the tea is the best you can get. They would be in good hands. It's also a great deal, since the TotM Club isn't limited to just the less expensive teas (as you might expect). When David says he's using his best teas, he's not kidding around (then again, they are all his best teas.. he wouldn't sell them otherwise). For example, last January we got Jingshan Green (fresh sparkling to bring in the new year) and also the Xingyang '98 (normally almost $30 an ounce!) to help reflect on the year past. Usually the teas are a grouping of two or three teas, plus sometimes an extra alchemy blend.. just depends on the month and the theme. They also come with tasting note cards and a write-up about the month's theme, tasting tips, suggested tasting orders, etc.

I'd suggest Harney & Sons because they have samples and free shipping in the US. Check out their flavored black teas for a start- I'd recommend Paris, Earl Grey supreme, New England Breakfast, and if you want an intensely flavored tea that tastes sweetened but isn't, try their Hot Cinnamon Spice (amazing with a bit of milk!).
I also love their flavored Oolongs- pomegranate oolong and milky oolong. They are distinctly different than the black teas (do not add milk!), but very delicious.
Lastly, I'll suggest a couple green teas that are great for beginners. Genmaicha is green tea with puffed toasted rice (which sounds weird but is so good!), and Hojicha (roasted green tea-- very low caffeine but reminiscent of coffee)

If you haven't brewed loose-leaf tea before, I'd suggest a mug basket infuser (like this) It's the simplest way to brew tea for one person. Just measure a heaping teaspoon of tea per 8 oz of water (for Hojicha a full 2 tsp since it's light). Good luck and hopefully you enjoy whatever you end up trying!

>I likely won't bother with Gog-Fu brewing or a Kamjove though. I just wanted something that is still relatively hassle free (which is why I started with teabags) but still delivers the benefits (or even more).

Yeah you can just get a basket infuser for super cheap and brew in the mugs that you already drink in.

I can personally however suggest getting a kitchen scale for around $10 because it will be easier to use the amount of tea that you actually want to use with one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LQ7NQTW/ is the infuser that I use and it is great while being cheap. I have two of them.

If you are drinking green tea it also would be a good idea to get a kettle that has some sort of temperature control as well. It can be pretty easy to put water in that is too hot for green without one.

That's awesome he wants to learn more! Hope you also get to enjoy that exploration with him.

My first idea is usually to look around what you have locally, whether specialized tea shop(s) or more commercial tea selection at coffee places. Starting where you are can connect you with the people also interested and supports businesses around you.

Next my question might be whether "black-based" means flavoured or not. The highest-end black teas I have are single-origin and I usually brew them in greater tea (g) per water (ml) ratios, keeping the leaves in the water for short periods (10-20 seconds, increasing after the 3-4th time usually), usually referred to as "gong-fu" style. If that's what your boyfriend wants to go for, a nice simple starting point may be something like this, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MA4WSU4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_wasIDbQBJ6CBZ.

If flavoured, I would usually more go for "western" brewing (less leaf-to-water ratio and longer steeping time) and you could search for "glass teapot" in Amazon or elsewhere.

For tea itself, the vendor list on /r/tea is an amazing place to start, https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/wiki/vendors/page_01. Once you've gotten into them there is a surprising amount of variability in flavours from varying places in the world and he might narrow down what types he likes most.

I'll throw in a plug for what I believe to be the best creamy earl grey you may ever find, http://www.lucasteas.com/shop/black-tea/lucas-earl-grey-cream/ , just in case you're looking for flavoured tea suggestions.

I'd caution against getting a 60ml unless you're sure you want one - a 60ml nominal gaiwan is gonna produce 30-40ml of tea per steep, basically one tiny (eggcup-sized) cup. The can also lose heat faster than is desirable for teas that work well with boiling water. 90-120ml would be my recommendation, and you can stack 3-4 steeps to get your 8oz.

If you decide you want a scale, this is the one that basically everyone has. You can go the 100g if you want more resolution, but the 600g allows you to weigh directly into heavier brewing vessels, and measure the amount of water you pour in if desired (which can be useful in some circumstances). The 1kg isn't as accurate as is desirable, imho.

Oh, one other thing I forgot; water matters. That's not to say you have to use bottled water for tea, but if you have a filter or dispenser in addition to tap water, it's good to try each with whatever kind of teas you like and see which works best. It's crazy how much the mineral profile of the water can affect the way the tea extracts, tastes and feels.

Good luck!

I'll list some of my own favorite teaware, but I'm not sure how it would match up with your expectations or her preferences.

ceramic teapot, grandma style: I had one of these I really liked, which was lost in a move (stolen by customs, probably). If you are ok with the idea of looking at local thrift shops for that might be the way to go. There's no reason something like this couldn't be sold new but a really classic look and feel works even better, and ceramic cleans up as well as anything you might buy.

glass teapot: I have one just because I picked it up in Chinatown on a whim, a Kamjove version. Since I don't brew tea Western style much and usually use a different device I hardly ever use it, but it is functional, and cool looking.

basket infuser: my parents bought me one of these (not a teapot, but it seems as well to move off that theme). It's a "For Life" brand version, and it works a lot better than I expected, so I actually do use it. Those cost more than I'd ever pay for a Western style brewing device (around $30, as I recall), but other versions online cover the same function, one just mentioned here in a post not long ago: https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=basket+infuser&qid=1574063246&sr=8-1

gaiwan: way off the subject; this is a much better way to brew tea. It's just a different approach, "Gong Fu" instead of Western style, kind of a long story. For as inexpensive as these types of items tend to be you could probably pick her up an inexpensive gaiwan, that basket infuser, and a glass teapot for not very much at all, and kick her tea habit into a next gear.

We might talk about the tea part; a token effort at upgrading her exposure to that too would be great. What kinds does she like?

I'm not in the UK, but these are kettles that I've used and have been awesome without having any problems. Both of these kettles are great for any types of tea you might want to brew. I really like the precision pour that you get with the gooseneck kettle, and also it is a favorite kettle if you like to brew coffee too.

BonaVita Variable Temperature Gooseneck

And

Breville Variable Temperature Kettle

I might recommend this kettle, mostly just cause it's cheaper than the one you chose. The one you linked to will work well, I'm sure. If you're looking to splurge, this is the kettle I'd like the most, but I'm gonna get this kettle soon.

The pour is actually very important in making good tea, and most people don't realize that. Gooseneck kettles have a great, easily controllable pour. You might not notice it for a while, so that's why the first kettle is good for beginners.

The way of Tea -which is more going into Taoist philosophy of tea but it does have some history.

Steeped in history, The art of tea -That book has the history of tea in every area plus great images.

The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook -Quick guide to tea from every region and how to steep. Plus some great pictures on the color of a hand full of teas.

Tea, A global History

The book of tea -A lot of people seem to like this book but I personally find it a bit preachy in the sense of West vs. East and those evil Westerners.

A Cup of Tea -I personally just like this book. It's not tea information but instead tea quotes and some recipes. Each page has a cute little tea cup with a quote.

These are just the ones I have read but there are many more out there. Check your library to see if they have any books on tea.

Milk oolong are lovely, a nice dark earthy oolong I love is Wu Yi Shui Xian Oolong (https://aromateashop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=41_44&product_id=482), good for several steepings, and Supreme Golden Needle Black Tea (https://aromateashop.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=9_48&product_id=360), a very high quality black tea.

If I'm at work or don't want to think too hard about multiple steepings, I have KAMJOVE Glass Gongfu Teapot (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S602A18). It's a neat little thing that let's me time (ish) multiple steeps at work without worrying about mess, drips, etc.

I think it retains heat pretty well if you keep the lid on. It pours very nicely, you'll never miss or spill. And the mesh infuser is huge, it's really easy to pick up and let the tea drain so you don't over seep the tea.

Edit: You can also use this tea light warmer to keep the tea hot if you're going to take a few hours to drink the tea. It's only $10, and the teapot is $15 so you'd be spending a lot less than what you'd originally planned even with this add-on.

Tea cups like this teaology one ($3.95), or this series of Turkish cups--(or this alternative set) all would match the "all glass" look nicely.

This electric kettle was $22 when i got it, but it's served me very well for over 2 years now. And it even survived my coworkers using it as a fucking teapot

=^ ]

multiple times.

https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Balanced-1750-Watt-Electric-Temperature/dp/B0086UJQN8/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1467010643&sr=1-7&keywords=electric+kettle+adjustable

$27


And this is my suggestion for a teapot for 2 reasons

https://www.amazon.com/FORLIFE-Ceramic-Teapot-Infuser-16-Ounce/dp/B00HFGSPWM/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1467010804&sr=8-18&keywords=forlife+teapot

It's cheap and safe. For borosilicate glass i dont have time to temper shit .-.

And the second being you can Take out the strainer to use in cups and it is very good quality. Or you can do that WITH the black part and lid to keep the cup sealed and warm while you steep it in a cup. I like to have the option to do both and honestly, yea all teapots are pricy. But you'll pay $13 for a single cup brewer set anyway and this is one of the cheaper teapots available that isn't going to break.

Same thing, 2 years, still perfect.

More details please! (Also I assume you meant infuser - but if you do want a tea scented oil diffuser then let us know!)


What's your budget? Is this person Really Into Tea or just Kinda Into Tea?

​

This one is my favorite https://www.adagio.com/teaware/ingenuiTEA_teapot.html

​

This style of strainer is another favorite. https://www.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW *They make a lot of versions of these so you may want to find others and read reviews.


There are plenty of cute and silly ones out there but I find them to be more of a pain to clean and care for.

All the people I know who've owned glass tumblers have had them break. I'm usually very careful with my stuff, so I bought one too, but it broke within 6 months. It looked nice while it lasted, but what a waste of $25.

This one from Zojirushi is the best one on the market and a great example of Japanese engineering. They ripped off the design from Nissan, which at the time had the most well-designed tumbler on the market, but they made several modifications that made it even better. The older model maxes out at 16 oz, but the newer model comes in 20 oz. The newer model also has a high quality non-stick lining that should prevent any odors. Also, it's small enough to fit in a BMW cup holder.

They're a little expensive (around $32), but they last forever. My parents have used the older model daily for 3 years, and the mugs still look brand new.

I've been meaning to buy [this book, "Cooking with Tea" by Lise Stern] (http://www.amazon.com/Culinary-Tea-Recipes-Steeped-Tradition/dp/0762437731) - the recipes look amazing, and I want to start using tea infused flavored foods in my afternoon teas.

But I can tell you that I have ad a lot of luck using teas in cookies, and pastry, such as flavored teas (lemon, bergomot), or strong blacks. I have also used steeped black teas when making fruit cakes, or walnut rum cams. You steep the dried fruits and nuts in a black tea so it acquires the flavor. DELICIOUS! :D

This AWS 1kg x 0.1g scale would be the perfect addition.

If you travel and don't already have one, a nice thermos could also be valuable. Zojirushi makes my favorite.

Personally, I haven't had too much success buying teas from Amazon.

What kinds of foods are you interested in cooking? There are a ton of great recipes for cooking with tea. It's most commonly used in desserts like ice cream and cookies, but there are lot of savory things you can do with it as well. A couple of good cook books for getting started are Culinary Tea and Cooking with Tea. I also have a few recipes if I know what you want. :-)

• If you're an engineer and have a little disposable income, one very popular choice is the Bonavita 1l variable temp kettle. Sometimes the lids on these do rust for no apparent reason. Cheap thermometers are cheap, and you might want to have one.
  
  
• A 10-12oz ceramic mug is good for starting out with. There is a Chinese style with a lid that has a lot to recommend it.
  
  
• Tea from good vendors comes in packaging that will keep it adequately fresh for months. You should just drink it up soon enough that you don't need storage.
  
  
• You are missing a basket-style infuser.
  
  
• Not absolutely necessary, if you are sticking with small broken-leaf tea that can easily be measured with a spoon, a small digital scale is inexpensive and useful for measuring tea with large, fancy leaf or tea that has been compressed.
  
  This is basic gear for so-called "Western-style" brewing for one person. If you decide you want to scale up with this method, there are pots that work with the same principle.
  

People use all sorts of tea to make pearl milk tea. I believe the canonical tea is cheap Ceylon, but a lot of places use even cheaper Assam instead. Some people add a second tea, like high-mountain oolong, to add complexity. In HK, they often add ripe pu'er. I've also seen many people recommend Golden Sail lychee black tea and Sunflower jasmine green tea, which are cheap Chinese supermarket brands.

Thai tea is usually Ceylon with condensed milk, food coloring, and often star anise (and sometimes clove, cardamom, vanilla). The leading brand is Number One. That's what your favorite restaurant probably uses. Black sugar PMT was made famous by the Tiger Sugar chain. I've tried it, and tbh I prefer the cleaner flavor of sucrose- or fructose-sweetened PMT.

I don't know how to make cheese foam, but here's my recipe for Taiwanese milk tea:

In 1 c of boiled water, steep 2 teabags of Ceylon for 15 min. Add 1/8 c each sugar and creamer. Chill completely. Shake before serving to improve the texture. Serve with pearls, either the instant ones or homemade ones with tapioca starch and black/red/brown sugar.

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot, 700ml - $15

Teaology Luna Double Wall Borosilicate Tea Cup - $3.95

I'm very much still learning, but I love this cheap little setup and it's been working especially well with my Oolongs and Greens. I picked up a sample of Pu erh Pearls from Adagio (pictured), and it works just fine for that as well if you're okay with western brewing techniques.

This is the one I use. Originally ordered one and then ended up ordering a second one for work. I've been using them multiple times a day almost every day for half a year now and there aren't any signs of rust so far.

I know some people aren't fans of metal infusers, but it's working out pretty well for me. Would definitely recommend it.

It seems you will not be making tea for people other than yourself on a regular basis so you don't need a tea set.

I personally have never needed variable temperature kettles. Others love them. I personally don't own but have used this Bonavita. It's a tad pricey but I love the goose neck. One friend runs a teashop and uses those there. Cheaper electric kettles exist.

I would get a cheap porcelain pot, with a shallow brew basket. What happens is the tea brews and as soon as you pour out the first cup, the water level goes below the brew basket and can sit without overbrewing. The shallow brew baskets are 5 bucks and can be found at most large Chinese grocery stores.

You don't need much in terms of apparatus. Personally, I would begin with the following. Keep in mind I am only talking about loose leaf tea.

• Something like this to which you add loose leaf tea, water, let it steep, and then push the button down to decant
  
• A digital scale to accurately measure the quantity of dry leaf. Something simple like this will suffice
  
• If you're going to experiment with a variety of tea types (black, green, white, oolong, etc.), I would highly recommend a variable temp kettle. Or at the very least, an immersion thermometer. This will help you accurately measure the temp of water. I have this one
  
  The above combined will set you back <$60. Honestly, you can substitute the Kamjove tea maker with a simple all purpose teapot, eyeball the dry leaf instead of weighing it, and guess the temp of water and do without the variable temp kettle - I personally wouldn't do it for a variety of reasons, but if you're on a budget...
  
  The next step, and the most important one, would be to get your hands on samples of tea. A lot of vendors, incl myself, offer samples. Get small quantities from a variety of vendors so that you have enough tea to experiment with, but not so much that you're stuck with a large quantity of tea you don't like. Once you have sampled enough to determine your likes and dislikes, invest in larger quantities of tea.
  
  Good luck!

I like this one. It doesn't have an adjustable temperature but it works well, holds a lot, and boils quickly. The price is also pretty good, especially if you shop around.

http://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-K2070YA-Electric-1-Liter/dp/B00IWOJS9A

I use this and it works great for me. I only drink black and green, but there are three settings, the middle being for oloong or white. Works great so far. Bonus it is quite small for a non-traditional brewing spot like an office or a personal room.

I got a fancy and expensive Breville variable temperature kettle and you guys, I absolutely LOVE it! I am drinking more tea now because of it and it's just the best. I am looking forward to drinking so much more tea this year!

For reference, the kettle!

I would recommend either this Zojirushi or Thermos.
I've done a fair amount of research into this matter. I generally enjoy drinking tea out of glass. But when I'm out in the world and need to be able to have a vessel that will slip into my backpack on cold days without fear that it will break? One of these two treats me just fine.
As someone else has stated, the maintenance and upkeep of such a vessel, due to the tea stains, will be something that you will have to deal with. I have to plan appropriately enough to be able to allow it to breath, as it is generally fairly hot. Overcooking the tea is a concern sometimes. But again, proper planning...

A book that I found extremely helpful when starting out in the tea business was The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook. It'll cover all the bases regarding the different classes of teas, manufacture, terroir, how to store and age them, the history of tea, and a bunch of other useful information. Everyone at the tea shop I work at owns a copy, haha. It's like our tea bible.

The Bonavita's are by far the best. Having that kind of control when pouring is awesome. They have a model for 90USD with temperature control. as well as a model for 60USD without.

I got these on amazon and really liked them.

Teaology Luna Double Wall Borosilicate Tea/Espresso Cup https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AOA1T56/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_2q1QwbQJGA4FF

I haven't seen any small double wall glass cups with handles. The smallest I saw on Amazon after a quick look was 8oz. Good luck!

I've been drinking this jasmine tea with about a teaspoon of honey recently. I've found it's usually better on the second or third brew.

Could anyone recommend some others i might like? That, harvey and son's winter white earl grey, and art of tea's green pomegranate are the ones i like most.

Sloth steeper?

Edit: For steepers, it's usually good to have one where the tea leaves can open up fully. One like this is good (and comes with a little saucer to put it on afterwards). Is it this sloth one? It's pretty cute, but it's hard for the leaves to spread out in it.

Double edit: If heating up water is not an option at all, then I'd probably bring water/tea in a travel mug. They have ones that will keep it hot the whole day. I like Zojirushi ones and DavidsTea mugs. The one I have from DavidsTea keeps it hot for around 6-7 hours.

David's is the best for rooibos. Not very expensive, high-quality, always available (prime, too!)... I order a bag once a month and absolutely love it.

So I went over to a neighbor's for tea and she had the Breville One-Touch Tea Maker...and the teas she brewed came out exceptional.

I was wondering if people feel that I should invest in this particular piece, or instead go for the slightly cheaper Breville BKE820XL, which also has tea-specific temperature controls.

Either would be a massive upgrade from what I'm currently using and wonder if I need the timing and flavor profile-specific settings if I use an old-fashioned timer since I'd be baby-sitting the tea.

Thoughts? Thanks everyone! ♥ May your day be filled with the perfect-temperature cup!

We have a few that are great but aren't made anymore. I think this is sort of the successor:

http://www.amazon.com/Finum-Brewing-Basket-medium-black/dp/B000I68NCS

I wish they made it with a metal rather than plastic frame, though.

I'm curious about this one--if you try it let me know how well it works:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CO5KQ4O

You can always get cheap steepers from amazon. :) I have this and this. They are both a little small, so the teas can't fully expand, though. My personal favorite is something like this because it has tiny holes that stop anything from escaping, and still plenty of room for larger tea leaves to fully expand.

Steeping tea is enjoyable to me. At minimum, you'll need a device for heating the water (kettle, either electric or stovetop), a container for steeping (teapot), a filter to catch the leaves (can be part of teapot or separate), and a cup for drinking.

I use these:

• Medelco kettle
  
• BIA Cordon Blue teapot and cup
  
• Steel ball strainer
  
  The process is simple.
  
  
• Place leaves into teapot.
  
• Heat water in kettle.
  
• Pour water into teapot.
  
• Place strainer at mouth of teapot while pouring tea into cup.
  
  You can alternatively place the leaves in the strainer and stick it inside the teapot to steep. That's slightly simpler, but it doesn't allow the leaves to fully expand.
  
  Some teapots are also designed to ease the steeping process further, like Adagio's Ingenuitea, which I own and yet don't use as much. You place the leaves inside, steep, and then the tea flows out from the filtered mesh bottom, directly into a cup.
  
  Once you've developed tea as a hobby and have certain regional or style preferences, such as Japanese sencha (green tea) or Chinese oolongs, you can invest in steeping equipment specific to those, such as kyusu or tetsubin and Zisha teapots or gaiwan. These are by no means required, but they can heighten the experience, especially if you decide to prepare the tea in the culturally traditional manner; see Japanese and Chinese tea ceremonies.

Rooibos has very fine needles, it's very easy to have bits slip past if you don't use a fine mesh screen.

I don't have an IngenuiTEA, but they probably have a very fine mesh filter. Many tea infusers have a mesh that's less fine, and could easily let some odd bits slip through. (Stuff like this for example.)

This is just about what I was going to suggest as well. I have a 120ml gaiwan that I use mostly for brewing oolongs, and I do about 6-8 grams. My goal is for the expanded tea to just about fill the gaiwan.

I would highly recommend a scale, as 1 teaspoon can vary wildly as to the actual amount of tea in it. I've been using this scale lately, and it works great. If you're a coffee drinker too, it has a wide enough range that you can use it for that too.

Your post got blocked by a privacy filter. For privacy reasons, when sharing Amazon links in a public forum you should delete all the extra parts of the URL that come after the Amazon item number. That "?coliid=" stuff is related to your wishlist and could be used to track back to your Amazon account.

The first link should look like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/

And the second like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1OTXHW/


Let me know when you have edited your post and I can unblock it, or for a faster turn around time you could delete it and post again and it should go through on its own.

You can buy large fillable tea bags. Smth like this
https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK

The money saved on eggs can be used to buy better tea.

You actually can do that if you have a big enough tea basket or a small enough cup. You do it a little different tho.

You want to put the strainer in the cup or gaiwan first, then put the leaves in the strainer. Then when you're done steeping, instead of pouring the tea out of the gaiwan into the cha hai, you can just lift the strainer out and drink from the gaiwan.

So it's basically like standard western style tea brewing, but with very short steeps and a lot of leaf for the amount of water. I use about 8 grams of tea leaves for 90ml of water and then start steeping 8 to 10 seconds. Every steep I increase by a couple of seconds. You can often get 10 steeps from a tea, which at 90ml of water per steep is almost a liter of tea! For good puerh I sometimes can get 20 steeps or more.

They also make a device that is a self contained gaiwan and cha hai. I have one but they're a little difficult to clean. https://www.amazon.com/Kamjove-Gongfu-Teapot-Infuser-TP-757/dp/B00MA4WSU4

I second this comment. I am pretty sure they use this one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000NIHZMU/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?pc_redir=T1. It's like 5$ in chinese grocery stores.

This is a real decent stovetop kettle with a great pour: https://www.amazon.com/Hario-VKB-120HSV-Stainless-Stovetop-Original/dp/B000IGOXLS

Electric kettles aren't that expensive if you don't get one with temperature control. I use a simple electric bonavita kettle without temperature control : https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Electric-Featuring-Gooseneck-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1543086763&sr=1-3&keywords=bonavita+kettle which looks like it's cheaper than the Hario above. They also have a stovetop model: https://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-Stovetop-Gooseneck-Kettle-BV3825ST/dp/B005YR0IBU/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1543086763&sr=1-4&keywords=bonavita+kettle

Looks like you're shopping a bit higher end but I wanted to list this one for budget shoppers: amazon link

I got one as a "spare" kettle at work and it heats like a champ. Fast and does have variable temperature, though you need to do some experimentation to figure out exactly what "low" and "high" mean for your particular unit. I tend to leave mine in the middle for my black teas and low for green.

Here’s the electric kettle

Secura The Original Stainless... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M65WXXA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The French press (for coffee I know, but can also be used for tea, just use in reverse)

Large French Press Coffee Maker –... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072QYB79W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The Canister

Coffee Gator Stainless Steel... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721MY22R?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My favorite part, the Turkish Tea Glasses

Eparé Insulated Glass Tea Cup Set... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG0RNX0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I got the car at Costco

I've had this model for years: https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Balanced-1750-Watt-Electric-Temperature/dp/B0086UJQN8/ It is made largely of plastic, but we like it in our house so much that when my roommate broke it (knocked it off the counter, it landed weird and the side cracked) she bought the same one as a replacement. If the current one breaks and it's still for sale, I'd buy it again in a heartbeat. It's currently $31 and has 3 temp settings - white, green and black. I haven't tested how accurate the different temps are since green tea brewed at the green setting tastes good and black tea brewed at the black tea setting tastes good!

Oh totally. There are plenty of tea cookbooks out there
https://www.amazon.com/Culinary-Tea-Recipes-Steeped-Tradition/dp/0762437731/ here is a cheffy one.

Most of it is usually with Lapsang Souchong due to strong flavor. But you can do anything really if you infuse a fat (butter/oil) or liquid with tea and cook with it. Matcha is very easy to cook with too.

One of the Kamjove gongfu tea pots would be perfect. They're like other gravity steepers, but have volumes that are more appropriate for gongfu style tea. Kamjove isn't the only brand, but it's one of the more prominent ones.

https://www.amazon.com/KAMJOVE-Gongfu-Teapot-filter-heat-resistant/dp/B00S602A18/ref=pd_sim_79_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Y4FDZJHPER4K4HT2ZPYG

I used a 1L T-Fal electric kettle. It's very cheap, pretty small, and it's made of food grade plastic. It was still working after about a year of use, when I upgraded to a better kettle. https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Balanced-1750-Watt-Electric-Temperature/dp/B0086UJQN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468020408&sr=8-1&keywords=tfal+kettle

I'd actually forgo the tumbler and go full on thermos. Zojirushi is a fantastic brand out of Japan and their 12/16/20oz lineup is pretty awesome (especially the pouring nozzle and locking mechanism).

I've just ordered one myself. Sure you can't steep tea in it, but you can just do that at home before you leave. At least this way your tea will stay hot or cold, depending on your preference.

This was my starter kettle, the variable temp is not the best, nor is it accurate, but it works great to boil.

you even have money left over for an in-mug infuser.

This Zojirushi 20oz black thermos

I heard that it was amazing for retaining heat and also keeping drinks cool. Theres an identical 16oz version so I’m kinda on the fence as I’ve never used a thermos before.

I have the Bonavita and I love it. the gooseneck is fantastic if your looking to perform the gong fu cha ceremony as it is easy to aim the stream of water. It heats a liter of water in 4 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005YR0GDA/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?keywords=bonavita%20kettle&qid=1366633447&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

32 oz. glass with ice and water and a 12 oz. insulated Nissan Thermos with a nice strong Assam broken leaf tea. I usually go through two waters for each mug.

In the afternoons I sometimes swap the Assam for a Rooibos, a little Constant Comment or a nice Gunpowder Green tea.

The evenings are almost always either a fine singlemalt or cup of Constant Comment.

I really like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Davidsons-Tea-Organic-African-16-Ounce/dp/B000SATIE6

I've had good experiences with Davidson's tea.

Thank you for this! I just purchase a lot of loos leaf samples for the first time (Agiago, verdant, yezi). I guess I should hold off on most of the types until I get a programmable kettle? I have an electric one now. I have a steeper like one http://amzn.com/B000I1ZZ24

Anything you'd suggest as a first timer?

You're right, not sure why you're getting downvoted. AmantisAsoko literally just copied what Wikipedia says which it clearly says may include (which most of the time it doesn't).

I drink Thai Tea all the time. It's extremely easy. I usually get Police Dog brand (what's available at my local asian grocery stores) and add in condensed milk and ice. This is what every Thai restaurant I've ever been to does and what most Thai recipes will tell you.

http://www.amazon.com/Thai-Iced-Traditional-Restaurant-Style/dp/B00NJS4S6C/
http://www.amazon.com/Original-Thailand-Restaurants-Authentic-Quality/dp/B00712N6II/
Ingredients: Tea, food coloring.

I've had this one for a few months and I absolutely love it.
http://www.amazon.com/Breville-BKE820XL-Variable-Temperature-1-8-Liter-Kettle/dp/B001DYERBK

I'd recommend staying away from those little tea ball infusers. Loose leaf needs room to expand and they can't do that in a little tea ball. Either get a teapot with a builtin infuser or if you want to start out smaller and slower, get a cup infuser like this one:

https://smile.amazon.com/Yoassi-Extra-Fine-Approved-Stainless/dp/B01LQ7NQTW/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cup+tea+infuser&qid=1550600315&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MA4WSU4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491921419&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gongfu+teapot

My advice for a simple way to brew that is really tasty is: get one of these, learn how to use the gong fu style of tea brewing in it. Your tea will taste less biter, have stronger aromas and you'll get many infusions out of each brew.

Here's a good video that explains how it works, go to the 25 minute mark. Or watch the whole video for education on all brewing styles. It's a great YouTube channel for tea education.

https://youtu.be/puldqGnW9P0

Don't worry about the short brew time, caffeine dissolves very quickly 😉

Not all basket style infusers are great at this. I have the infuser/mug combo from Teavana and ultra fine particles still make it into the mug. At work, though, I have the below infuser and it's nothing short of awesome.

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Tea-Infuser-Strainer-Stainless/dp/B00CO5KQ4O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451323428&sr=8-2

Thank you /u/moosetron_5000! I found these at Amazon and will be getting them for upcoming travel.
Link for others interested: https://www.amazon.com/100pcs-Disposable-Filter-Bags-Loose/dp/B00HW1C7VK

Ignore that link--not the same product. Just a regular teabag.

It often comes with a mix, to which condensed milk is added. I prefer this brand. You can find this in most Asian food markets as well. You'll have to run the tea through a cloth filter (tea sock), but I find that clean cut up pantyhose, or a large silk tea bag works just fine.

The scale I got

There is a version that measures in .01g increments as well. As for measuring tea by weight, it makes more sense than doing it by volume (teaspoon/tablespoon) because of leaf size or if it's compressed/rolled.

TeaDB did a great video that demonstrated this (granted, it is about puerh, but can be applied to non-compressed teas)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9A3aWUvODgo

I could have sworn that their was an image demonstrating this as well, but can't seem to find it right now.

I enjoyed The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook, which helped me to understand a bit more about the differences between all the different classes of tea.

I use this AWS scale from Amazon

Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done at a fair price

I have the same one and I bought it a little over a year ago and I still use it every day. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SC3LLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 think its the exact same one but well that's the one I got.

I chose this guy.

Proctor Silex K2070YA Electric Kettle, 1-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IWOJS9A/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_FUUOub05DAEA1

I like it so far, but I want to upgrade to something that holds more water and allows me to change temps.

I have a lot of books with a few tea recipes, and a couple with a lot. The best of the bunch is "Culinary Tea" by Cynthia Gold and Lise Stern. I know you meant more recipes of tea blends rather than cooking recipes with tea, but Culinary Tea has a bunch of tea beverage recipes too.

Hrm... If you are putting black tea in a tea ball with mesh on it and the tea is going through that, it's very dusty. If you want to continue to use that tea, you should look at some disposable tea bags for that tea. Then, when you go to re-stock, try a different black tea. You may have some low quality leaf.

Hope this helps!

Not really, it's a personal gravity steeper. Super easy to use and works with anything. Also, my bad... I lied, they went up in price since I last looked. The one I would recommend is $16, but it would change your tea game.
https://www.amazon.com/Kamjove-Gongfu-Teapot-Infuser-TP-757/dp/B00MA4WSU4/ref=sr_1_8?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1481078936&sr=8-8&keywords=kamjove&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Seriously, I use this thing at work multiple times a day.

I see! Well, in that case, try out Gunpowder green tea. It's really inexpensive and if you can find an international or asian grocery store near you, you can get a box for a couple of bucks! Just make sure your steeping temperature is right. Usually 175-180 or you will get a bitter brew.
This brand Is usually the one I see in stores. That's a half-pound, but they come smaller than that. You can also find some Jasmine greens there too. Such as this one. Again, they come in smaller tins than that.

Green teas are very fragile and need to be brewed at a specific temperature. If your water is too hot, your tea will become bitter. I highly recommend investing in a variable temperature kettle so that you can brew at the right temperature. Quality of tea is also important. You want nice, whole leaves, not dust & fannings. The latter indicates poor quality and in addition to broken up tea leaves, you may also get twigs, stems, pebbles, etc.

If you are planning on brewing loose, get a stainless steel infuser basket that are large enough to allow tea leaves to expand. Don't get one of those mini-size tea balls - there isn't enough room. They also have these silicone animal-shaped tea infusers, and although they are adorable, I don't think they're big enough for loose leaf tea.

Alternatively, you can also buy paper tea bags instead of a mesh infuser.

This is the one I have. I bought it a year ago and it's served me well through college so far.

At my college we could still have an electric kettle because the heating element is completely enclosed. Our school's regulations specifically say "the following types of electrical appliances are not permitted: any appliance with an open heating element […] unenclosed instant water heating elements" and other appliances that right now have nothing to do with tea. Therefore enclosed is allowed.

The one I have (it's also lasted all through college and still going) is pretty cheap by Proctor Silex.

Also make sure you plug your kettle (and everything else, really) into a power strip with a built-in fuse since most of the reason they don't want these appliances is so that they don't short out (which actually happened to me when I plugged my alarm clock into the power strip with a fuse, but I digress).

[The type of tea often served in a Chinese restaurant is similar to the kind served in a Sushi restaurant, good for the place, but you can find better.] (http://www.amazon.com/Sunflower-Jasmine-Tea-LB-454/dp/B000NIHZMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421519792&sr=8-1&keywords=jasmine+green+sunflower)

When I was new to tea I bought this and it still works. Probably not the best or what people here would suggest, but for someone getting started, it works just fine.

Amazon carries it. For example: https://www.amzn.com/B00712N6II/

If you want easy, you can buy a mug strainer or empty tea bags to pack yourself:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JPA3Y8

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JIRDSCC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J3JFJU

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HW1C7VK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00027CM5C

What about something like this??

HIC Mesh Snap Ball Loose Leaf Tea Infuser, 18/8 Stainless Steel, 6-Inches x 1.5-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000I1ZZ24/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Py0eAbQFYKGRJ

Amazon has some alright loose leaf tea for cheap.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NIHZMU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

In an effort to switch myself off coffee (and caffine) I recently picked up a stainless steel tea strainer and a bag of Davidson's Rooibos and I'm quite happy with the results. I used to drink a lot of bagged tea too, which is by no means bad, but I definitely prefer the process of brewing some loose leaf.

http://www.amazon.com/Sunflower-Jasmine-Tea-LB-454/dp/B000NIHZMU

the orange tea tin that most (cheaper) chinese and vietnamese restaurants serve. check asian markets to see if the price is cheaper.

Ive been using this Breville as my kettle and has lasted for 3 years! Works wonders

http://www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=sr_1_20?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1381476090&sr=1-20&keywords=electric+kettle+no+plastic

or

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-KUA-17-Cordless-Automatic-Electric/dp/B00004S9CZ/ref=sr_1_12?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1381476090&sr=1-12&keywords=electric+kettle+no+plastic

Some Thai tea mixes contain spices. At least this one does.

cheaper alternative http://www.amazon.com/Teaology-Luna-Double-Borosilicate-Espresso/dp/B00AOA1T56/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1391736244&sr=8-9&keywords=tea+cup

Like this?

EDIT: This would also work

Are you looking for that glass specifically? If you're just looking for the same style it would a double walled glass tea cup/tumbler.

I think I found it.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG0RNX0?psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG0RNX0

You can get the double walled kind that don't get hot at all
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG0RNX0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

KAMJOVE Glass Gongfu Teapot Press Art Tea Cup Teapot with filter TP-140 300ml heat-resistant glass https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S602A18

I cant recommend this series of scales enough http://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_11?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1419711376&sr=1-11&keywords=american+weigh+scale

According to my sources (this book and this book - great reads BTW, i suggest OP check them out) it's made like green tea but there's an additional process after firing the leaves, called Smothering, men huang, or "sealing yellow" that involves multiple iterations of lightly heating/steaming the leaves -> wrapping them in paper/cloth -> letting them rest to "reabsorb their aromatics and breathe at the same time".

The descriptions in the two books differ, but only slightly:

Pettigrew specifies that the process is a "non-enzymatic fermentation" and the leaves are wrapped in something called "cow skin paper" (Heiss just notes it's "a cloth").

Heiss brings up the names smothering/men huang/sealing yellow, and notes that the heating method for this step is steaming (as opposed to Pettigrew's "gently firing")

The other tea book I have (Harney&Son's guide to tea) just confesses his ignorance on the process and makes a wild guess on how yellow tea is made. But since it's just speculation it's safe to ignore it.

If price is the most important factor for you, and you don't really care about temperature control then this one works great.

I have it and it heats to boiling super quickly. It's nothing special, but it gets the job done and the price is unbeatable. If you are looking for something with temperature control then you probably can't find anything below $35 unfortunately.

The kettle is the biggest thing - hot water dispensers will never be the right temperature. I use a basic one and a thermometer.
I have a really cheap tea pot for western style brewing (just some glass one I picked up somewhere) and one of these https://www.amazon.com/KAMJOVE-Gongfu-Teapot-filter-heat-resistant/dp/B00S602A18/ref=lp_8538722011_1_1?srs=8538722011&ie=UTF8&qid=1480970053&sr=8-1 for gongfu style (which is actually most of my tea drinking since I discovered it).

I'd avoid teabags and infusers (they don't give the leaves enough room) unless you can't avoid it.

if you must use bags, affordable PG Tips uses cloth'like Pyramid Tea Bags to increase the area the tea can be aerated and agitated. while most tea apparatus itself may not move, the area the tea leaf can agitate before resting against the filter is larger in the better steepers. japanese tea makers do in fact agitate and aerate their tea while using traditional http://www.ebay.com/itm/171148642927 http://www.ebay.com/itm/170954167881 where you hold that long handle and swirl the tea around a few times before serving (the metal mesh steeper basket is deep and under the center cover, or the spout is internally screened off). if you must tea by 8oz cup, try going loose; match your volume measuring spoons for 1.5-2.0 grams tea weight, and try your own roomy reusable tea bag; http://www.amazon.com/Premium-Strainer-stainless-expansion-Guarantee/dp/B00CO5KQ4O there are lots of metal strainer type steepers around, but few are fine enough to keep fannings and tea dust out of your cup.

My favorite A pound of Rooibos for $14. I drink it daily. Hot and cold. Rooibos is a low tannin red bush tea so it's pretty much impossible to make bitter. You can boil it and you dont have to be precise with your temps. And zero caffeine. Boil it with some fresh ginger to kick it up a notch.