Can't make good tea at work

[ai4891]

I have the ingenuiTEA and try to make tea at work but I'm really disappointed with the results. I have a chai that is to be steeped for 5-6 minutes at 208*, but everytime I make it and drink it without sugar (in my case, truvia), it takes really watered down.

Here's my most-recent process, and maybe I'm doing something wrong:
- Put 12 oz cold water from the water cooler in my ingenuiTEA
- Put in the microwave for 5 minutes (I read somewhere 5 minutes is about how long it takes to get over 200*) with the lid cracked open (I don't want the water exploding on me)
- When the timer went off, the water had a few air bubbles but pretty much stopped as soon as I removed it from the microwave
- Put in tea immediately, a little bit more than was called for 12 oz
- Strained into mug after 5 minutes
- Wait a few minutes to cool

And it just doesn't taste as good as, say, the samples in Teavana stores. What can I try differently? I'm at work and can only really use the microwave- no tea kettle. Any ideas?

[ndw76]

I can't make tea at work either. Some one stole my kettle.

[Chip]

Microwaved tea is never as good as tea made with water heated properly in a kettle.

[Geekgirl]

Don't microwave your water in plastic. It leaches far more of the chemicals than pouring already hot water into your plastic to steep.

As far as chai goes, I find it is better to boil the chai in the water, rather than just steep it, and I use a LOT more tea than is called for: like twice as much.

[DJ3riple]

I agree, use lots more leaf would be my recommendation as well...and if you can, try to buy an electric kettle to boil your water in.

[debunix]

It may not be the most desirable way to make tea, but I was able to make adequate tea in a plastic mug at work. I am not sure if I could do it now to my current standards, but for then, with my basic deep roasted Ti Kuan Yin, it was at least ok.

[Alucard]

I agree with the others that using plastic and microwaves will alter the taste. If you are comparing to the teavana samples then you should know that they put a little sugar in the brew.

[ABx]

I agree; take a kettle in. If you still don't get good results then you might try bringing in some water from home. The stuff in the cooler may be reverse osmosis water with virtually no minerals, which can make a pretty flat tea.

[teaisme]

yeah an electric kettle and some spring water if your allowed , maybe sneak one into your office/cubicle so you can have tea without getting up

if you really must boil in microwave I would use a pyrex pitcher with a wooden spoon in it while its in the microwave so you can actually see when the water hits boiling

caution with the pyrex pitchers (at least the new ones made with tempered soda lime glass), I wouldn't expose it to great temp fluctuations

[ai4891]

I think the issue is water temperature. I just ordered a utiliTEA and we'll see how it does!

[DJ3riple]

nice choice, hope it works out

[laura99]

I bought the utiliTEA for use at work and it is perfect. Helps with the temperature control, and saved trips to he breakroom for water! Prior to that I was using the hot water tap on the coffee maker, and I think it was too hot for greens, and not hot enough for blacks.