Teapot with infuser basket--how to prevent over-steeping?

[fern]

I've been quite happy using my ~11oz Bee House teapot for a while now. It works well when I pour out all of the tea into a large mug when it's done steeping. However, lately I've switched to a smaller teacup because I like how the tea cools faster. The Bee House teapot is not ideal for this because I need to remove the filter basket to stop the tea from over-steeping, but it gets too hot to comfortably handle. So I'm looking for a solution that will make it easier to remove the leaves when they're done steeping. I can think of a few options:

1) Get a small pair of tongs to remove the basket--might be clumsy
2) Get a new infuser that's easier to remove--would have to fit the teapot's 1.75" opening
3) Decant into another small teapot after steeping, then fill my teacup with that--could definitely work, but I'd rather keep things simpler

So, any suggestions?

[ole]

I would suggest your third alternative.
If you're removing the strainer you'll end up with "an extra object" anyway - why not make it a nice vessel. Also, if you're doing multiple infusions its probably easier that way.

[arcticfox]

I would also opt for 3, but instead of a smaller teapot, use a fair pitcher (sharing pitcher) that's roughly the same capacity as your teapot. If you can find a strainer that sits nicely on the opening of it, you can ditch the infuser basket altogether and put your leaf directly in the pot, as this will give you maximum water flow and room for leaf expansion. Any regular creamer could be used as a fair pitcher as long as it has a decent pour.

[IzzieBot]

I like the idea of a decant, personally, especially one that can be set up to stay warm with a tea candle.

but I hear you on the superfluous object issue. I live in an apartment with 3 guys (only woman) and needless to say, delicate glassware is the last thing I need in that chaos.

Instead, I have a pair of tongs from a bamboo tea set (teavana, i think) and I use that to pick up the infuser and set it aside on a saucer. It doesn't take up as much room and generally works well.

[fern]

Thank you all for the suggestions. For now I'm avoiding the issue, just using my big mug. I have my eye on a few different types of tea ware but I'm going to wait a while and consider what I want to try first before acquiring any new equipment.

[wyardley]

Toughen up your fingers a little!

Or see if filling the pot a little less makes it easier to take out the infuser without burning your fingers.

[Evan Draper]

Toughen up your fingers a little!

http://plucktea.wordpress.com/2011/07/1 ... -calluses/

[genushumanusalice]

I have one of these teapots, though I think one size larger, and find that the infuser basket sits quite high and will sit above the water depending on how much tea you use in the first pour, for my pot it is just over 50%, assuming that the pot is completely full (but I rarely fill it that much). You can manipulate the basket a bit to make it squatter and help it sit higher too.

Sometimes I misjudge the water level and the tea will slightly be in contact with the water and continue to brew but even then I find it doesn't become undrinkable, I guess because only a small amount of tea is touching the water.

I haven't played with a smaller one, is the basket is bigger relative to the teapot? If so I apologise for the useless information.

[wyardley]

One other option is to add more water after you pour some of the tea out. This will also keep your tea warmer. Search for Marshaln's article on 'Grandpa Style'.

[jayinhk]

Alternatively, just use the perfect amount of leaf to give you the strength you want. I'd personally go with the fair cup option ArcticFox suggested. I don't use infuser teapots, but I do use porcelain infuser mugs, and removing the basket and standing it on the inverted lid is what they're designed for. Maybe you should look into getting one if you're only making tea for yourself.

I just noticed the Bee House has a stainless basket...while better than silicone, I wouldn't buy a teapot or mug that involved stainless.

If I lived in the US, this is one of the few things I'd even consider buying from Teavana...but I like my thin-walled Jingde roaring tiger mug and my new Bodhidharma one better.

http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/tea ... nfuser-mug

This one is more my style:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blue-and-White- ... 35c962ad6e

[fern]

I haven't played with a smaller one, is the basket is bigger relative to the teapot? If so I apologise for the useless information.

It's similar, after pouring out about half the contents, the water level is below the bottom of the basket. I prefer to pour smaller cups, though.

I don't use infuser teapots, but I do use porcelain infuser mugs, and removing the basket and standing it on the inverted lid is what they're designed for. Maybe you should look into getting one if you're only making tea for yourself.

Oh, don't get me started! I had my heart set on Rishi's Koryo teacup but it was discontinued before I ordered it. It's no longer on their website but you can see it on Google Images. Similar functionality to the porcelain infuser mugs, though smaller and without a handle. I'm not even sure if I would have liked the size, or found the cup comfortable to hold when hot, but it was just so cute. I can find similar styles online but they are all of a more traditional, ornate design than the Rishi version, which I don't care for; or else they're from international dealers that require me to buy wholesale quantities or otherwise jump through hoops to order from them.

If I wasn't hung up on looks, I'd buy this: http://theteaspot.com/tea-steeping-cup- ... ?catid=251

On the subject of stainless parts, is the objection that they absorb flavors? Or otherwise interfere with flavor? Because I honestly can't tell the difference, although I do find all-ceramic tea ware a bit more aesthetically pleasing. Then again, maybe if I did something about my hard San Diego tap water, I'd be more discriminating.

[genushumanusalice]

That Rishi's Koryo teacup looks like a Korean style cup which I see around a lot. I don't think I've seen any quite so simple (and beautiful!) in their aesthetics as the only you missed out on but there are a lot of attractive options around. I have one with a simple design and crackled glazing which I love. Mine isn't really small though, about the same capacity as a western style tea cup (not mug).

[jayinhk]

That Rishi cup is not my style, but to each their own of course.

My issue with stainless is something has to be used to weld the stainless screen to the body of the infuser...that's where the issues lie. Stainless by itself is pretty much inert at the temperatures we'd expose it to when boiling water.

A crackled finish sounds much sexier to me as far as teaware goes, but I like hand painted stuff best of all because I never grow tired of looking at it.

[fern]

That Rishi's Koryo teacup looks like a Korean style cup which I see around a lot.

Do you know what this style is called? Googling variations on "Korean infuser cup" gets me several results, but I haven't found my perfect cup yet. But this double-walled one is intriguing! http://zentealife.com/teaware/region/ko ... eoxszlRzzJ