We haven’t done a product review in a long while and that’s because nothing has really wowed us for a long time. Perhaps that’s why I’m getting a little giddy about sharing this great teapot/tea strainer that my parents first introduced to us. They had brought the contraption back from Taiwan.
While we were staying at my parents (remember that long kitchen renovation that isn’t 100% done yet?), Lon used this thing nearly every night so my parents gave it to him. Having tried many different strainers (all different mesh balls, dip sticks, and pots with central tea leaf holders), I have to say that this is our all time favorite one because of ease of use and how easy it is to clean. I have found that many are hard to clean and the tea leaves get stuck. Some of the metal ones get rusty over time. Not this one!
You simply put tea in it, add hot water, and allow it to steep. When it’s ready, you place it on top of a regular mug (many different sizes work) and the tea strains down into your cup within seconds, free of any tea leaf debris. There is a release that is activated by sitting it on a mug and you stop the flow just by lifting it.
The good news for you is that you don’t have to go to Taiwan to get one. IngenuiTea is selling them in the US and you can easily purchase one on-line
The one from Taiwan looks exactly the same without the words “IngenuiTEA” on it and came with a coaster, which I like. The one we purchased here doesn’t have a coaster but works equally well.
*We love this product so I feel like this post sounds a little like a commercial but I am not being paid anything to endorse this product, though if you buy it through the Amazon link, we may get a few cents for being an Amazon partner of some sort.
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very cool! I love my little glass tea pot with infuser but this one really is neat-o 🙂
Awesome! What a great product. Can you share with us what kinds of tea you stock? What’s your favorite?
Hi Jessica, I’ve recently found you blog and am enjoying it very much. So pleased to find solid representation in the “Taiwanese American Girls Who Cook and Write” category!
(psst… I think the link attached to “easily purchase one on-line” is supposed to go to Amazon, right? It doesn’t.)
Thanks Ellen, we fixed the link. Also, a few more details from my experience with this product. It does a wonderful job steeping the tea, because unlike loose tea in hot water that simply floats; the closed lid collects steam which begins to cook the floating leaves faster. It also keeps your water hotter during the steeping process.
The release mechanism is a removable fine-mesh that during cleaning, generally holds 85% of the tea leaves. That’s one reason it’s so easy to clean.
I also want to point out the one downside to this product. When you set it atop a mug to release the tea into the mug; you can not see the inside of the mug. Because of this, several times I have overfilled a mug. It’s a worthwhile risk though for perfectly filtered tea.
Asianmommy, we collect tea from everywhere. My mom goes to Asia about twice a year and brings back lots of different teas every time. One of my favorites is Gow San, means high mountain, tea. I also love the new Pu-er she just brought back and I love the pearl ones that unravel. I don’t always know the names of all of them because they are in Chinese. I also brought back some English Breakfast and Roibos from my London trip. I always have Jasmine Green Tea, Assam Black, and Earl Grey in stock as my basics. I have a bunch of Japanese teas, a roasted green tea from Kajitsu, genmaicha, sencha, and matcha (which I use more for baking). Lon likes mint and fruit flavored teas which I don’t care for but we have at least 10 different flavors of that.
This is where my husband and I buy all of my loose tea. We found this shop in Chicago while vacationing.
They also have a miracle tea maker too. The best thing ever invented for tea drinkers. A french press works okay, but the tea maker is extra special.
Our favorite tea is the bossa nova! It is black tea with a hint of hazelnut smell and flavor.
http://www.teagschwendner.com/US/en/Homepage.TG
not a fan of boiling water and plastics. concept is good tho.
This looks like a cool gadget. We’re heavy green tea drinkers at home, so I’m sure it’d be put to good use. Quick question before purchasing it: Is the container made out of plastic or glass? If it’s plastic, doesn’t it get stained easily?
Bill, I would prefer another material but if you drink a lot of green tea, you want to bring the water temp back down to about 150/160 F before steeping it.
Jackie, it is plastic. We haven’t had a problem with staining yet but maybe over a longer period of time it will? Not sure.
I just use a simple french press, simple, easy and glass
Bill, I don’t like cleaning the French press, more annoying. I haven’t tried it for tea, but with coffee, it doesn’t keep all the grinds out. Does it keep all the tea leaves out?
Cleaning with tea is actually easier than with coffee. If you have a garbage disposal, equally easy. Also, if you get the right grind for french press then there will be no grinds in your coffee (just get an extra course grind). It totally keeps the leaves out.
Bill, I grind my own coffee only when I’m about to brew it. I would like to get a burr grinder but until then I’m using a spice grinder it doesn’t have many options on grinds.