I received this Hario teapot for Christmas last year (along with another fun kitchen item) and knew instantly that I would like it. But after 6 weeks of almost daily use, I know now that I love it.
Read on for my reasons why and share your favorite teapot stories with us in the comments.
While my first cup of tea in the morning is of the tea-bag-brewed-in-mug variety, I often like to treat myself to a post-lunch, properly brewed pot of loose leaf Assam. It helps me get over the slump of the afternoon and I like the extra fuss of brewing loose leaf tea. It makes me feel like I'm treating myself to something special which, of course, I am! And my new Hario pot makes this ritual even more of a treat.
Seven Reasons Why I Love This Teapot
1. It's glass
This allows me to easily see the color of the tea which helps me to judge when it's done, without having to lift the lid.
2. The basket strainer
The fine mesh really contains the tea leaves but even more importantly, this strainer is large enough that the leaves can expand fully, allowing for maximum extraction. When the tea is done brewing, the strainer is easy to lift out of the pot, thus avoiding ofter-steeped, bitter tea.
3. The ratio of strainer to teapot
The wide strainer fits the pot's squat shape, again maximizing the exposure of the tea leaves to the water.
4. Its size
This 700 ml size (approx 24 oz) is perfect for a nice large post-lunch mug of tea. Or two smaller cups if someone is joining you. It wraps up nicely in a tea towel (my alternative choice for a tea cosy.)
5. It's easy to clean
The wide mouth makes it easy to get my sponge and hand inside for washing up. As with any strainer, you may have to give a few extra taps on the side of the compost bucket to get all the leaves out. And then it's just a matter of a simple rinse.
6. It's pretty
I have a number of ceramic teapots, some of them vintage and quite attractive. But I like the simple, modern design of this pot and the way I can see the lovely amber tones of the brewed tea and the pretty patterns of condensation that form on the sides and lids.
The Hario teapot can be used in the microwave if you remove the strainer but is not suitable for direct stove top use. Coffee lovers may recognize the Japanese-made Hario brand which has been getting a lot of attention for their well-designed coffeeware.
• Hario 700 ml Teapot, from Merae, $26.00
Related: Gracious Entertaining: Eight Beautiful Glass Teapots
(Image: Merae)
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These type of tea pots are great for loose leaf tea! My husband and I love this one because you can press the leaves to the bottom of the strainer and save them for a second pot of tea.
http://tinyurl.com/4kpr3yo
I use this tea pot everyday. I just leave the tea in the strainer and use it the next morning or few mornings depending on how many brews I should get from that tea. Plus, it is so inexpensive and perfect for one big cup or 2 small cups of tea.
For christmas my mother got me a teapot but the handle gets really hot! which leads me to use a bulky oven mitt to pour. How does this handle fare?
Good point, epop86! The handle does not get hot, which is reason #7 to love this pot.
I am not a tea expert but I do use this for green tea only so you never use boiling water on green teas and maybe that is what it was designed for lower temp water. I have a ceramic tea pot for black teas that take hotter water and has a larger handle.
I'm a little confused. The Merae site says your pot holds 3 cups, and this one on Amazon says it holds 4 cups, but they're both 700 ml?
Does one have more volume than the other, or are they just different shapes?
I think the Amazon site is off, Mrs.Mack.
700 ml = approx. 24 oz.
1 cup = 8 oz
So 3 cups (2.90 to be exact!)
I loved mine too, until I tapped it against the faucet a little too hard when rinsing it out, and it shattered all over the sink. It was easy to get careless with it; the tempered glass seems fairly strong, but in the end, it's glass. I'm going to get another one and handle it more carefully!