Kettle & Water Preferences

[nickE]

I was wondering what other TCers use as their tea kettle and what kind of water you guys use.

Personally I use an electric kettle from Upton, which boils water nice and fast. It also has a variable temp. feature but I don't use it much.

For water I just use tap filtered with a Brita. Tastes like "nothing" to me, which I guess is a good thing.

I'm curious as to how many of you use tetsubins, ceramic kettles, etc. I've heard of tetsubins adding a "creaminess" to the water which sounds interesting.

Also does anyone shell out the extra money for bottled spring water? If so, do you notice enough of a difference to make it worth it?

[debunix]

Check these teaDay topics

...what TeaPot are you using to brew your tea?

and

Water your source?

[JD]

Kamjove v60 Water Kettle.

As for water, I have a simple plastic water dispenser that holds 3 or 4 gallons. I fill it with tap water since we have pretty good city water, good taste and all straight out of the tap, and I toss a couple boiled pieces of bamboo charcoal in for extra purification and mineral purposes.

[nickE]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Actually Debunix I was referring to a Kettle in which to boil water, not brew tea, so the "TeaPot" TD thread isn't relevant.

I've really just been thinking about what the kettle does to the taste of the water, i.e. a tetsubin or ceramic kettle (lin's maybe) adding taste. Very interesting, I think! Especially as there are only 2 ingredients to tea, and people don't usually pay much attention to the water and how they can change/improve it.

[TIM]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f= ... ging+water

clean your kettle with baking soda first is my suggestion. Then taste different bottled water until you find one you like. After that, compare it with your tap water once boiled. Good Luck.

[debunix]

Sorry, wrong thread link.

Bet there is a kettle TD thread someplace too.

[nickE]

Thanks for all the replies!

TIM- the "aging water" is a very intriguing idea. Thanks! I will check it out.

[Rainy-Day]

For kettle I use a glass one from adagio. It's easier to see and clean build-up than an inside-enameled metal kettle. For water I use Poland Spring delivery. We have terrible water in NJ and Brita just doesn't cut it. Brooklyn has much better water but I still preferred Poland Spring. I think tap water has slight metallic taste and it affects the tea, making the taste harsher. It depends on what teas you drink, I mostly drink lightly brewed greens and whites, if water is a bit off, it's very noticeable.

[tingjunkie]

Glass kettle and Poland Spring water for me.

[entropyembrace]

At my house I just use unfiltered tap and a plasticy electric kettle...far from ideal the local tap water is okay but the kettle sucks.

My gfs house we use bonafont bottled water and a glazed ceramic kettle (stovetop)...I think her setup ish better than mine

[debunix]

Tap water (have never noticed a difference in the tea when made with spring water from the water cooler at work vs the tap water)

Simplex tea kettle, Pino digital kettle pro, and a cheap proctor silex electric kettle all share water heating duties depending on location. Because I like the hold temp feature on the Pino so much, a 2nd one is on its way to take over most home tea-making duties.