I swear I have this instinctive reaction to browse my image folders and attach one to every new thread I create. How odd. Anyways, today I come to ask a few questions in regards to the methods of steeping and whether or not I should invest in alternative steeping/infusion devices rather than what I am planning. At the moment I am using a French Press for sampling purposes, the little device adequate for all but rooibos or finer teas and their re-brewing (oh the lovely irony of it), as well as a teapot with a larger ceramic gradient at the spout for more common teas and larger leaves- aside from those Adagio 'teapots' which I shall replace in short order. Overall this leaves me with the desire to get a better teapot than what I have for preparing finer teas like rooibos and chamomile's fine powdery after effects thus aiming me at a teapot with a glass or metal infuser cylinder or bulb to replace my current non-sampling methods. Likewise this makes me wonder if I need a new idea entirely like a Gaiwan or some other press or unknown teapot. But before that, maybe I'd best explain what I do and what functions this new 'pot will need.
At the moment I prefer Black teas as my general tea of the day with Greens mixed every other day or so. I usually drink half a liter to a liter of tea whenever I'm drinking Blacks and half that range when I am drinking Greens or other samples/blends. My current roster of teas includes an Earl Grey, a flavored Green (that Quince Green heard here and about), a common Darjeeling, two Gunpowders, Peppermint, and as many Jasmines I can afford or find that month. I've been sampling other blends such as the many Oolongs through Vulture yet I've still sat atop my basics as I only feel like adding those few Oolongs I have tried into a rotation as the 'other' taste- a tea I'll drink maybe once a month to offset my standard tastes. Due to this I do not see the need for a smaller steeping vessel, such as a Gaiwan, necessary as I drink far too much tea by volume to be brewing every cup of a Black or Greens over again as well as risk the effects of multiple steeps with some of the infused teas such as the Earl Grey.
Realistically I'm looking more for a larger volume teapot that can strain the leaves either while pouring or have a catch that can be removed along with all the leaves. This brings me to my next question: should I invest in a teapot with an infuser dropped in from the lid or should I likely look to gather a spout-straining pot? I've been trying to avoid using a third container to hold my tea (except when chilling it in the refrigerator) as that increases the chance of spills and I have no desire to rely upon a tea table to conduct my brewing- I live in a galley kitchen and the less space I take up the better. I further ask if the Adagio Glass Teapot is an adequate buy as it appears to have the functionality I have noted above as well as being just a touch more available than the like teapots I've seen at local shops that are designed in a similiar method. If anyone has experience with it beyond the reviews I'd be glad to hear it.
I'm still open to ideas on what to get, regardless of allusions that I've made up my mind as to the next buy, and would just as much like to hear cases from those with teaware that I am currently not looking to invest in. Overall I'm still new-er to teaware while entrenched with mixed experiences with teas hence why I'd love to hear about everyone's favorite or preferred teapots and like teaware before I decide to make my after-holiday investments for the next year. Thank you for your responses and for reading my bulky text block.
For the sort of all-purpose tea brewing you are talking about, I really like Bodum's line of press pots:
http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?M ... XS8JWJ5N7D
The stainless steel chamber has holes small enough to contain even very fine teas (rooibos etc.), and its easy to resteep the leaves by pulling up the plunger and adding more hot water.
A spout straing pot will likely not catch smaller bits of leaf, and you also then are stuck pouring out the entire pot of tea at one time to avoid oversteeping.
http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/line.asp?M ... XS8JWJ5N7D
The stainless steel chamber has holes small enough to contain even very fine teas (rooibos etc.), and its easy to resteep the leaves by pulling up the plunger and adding more hot water.
A spout straing pot will likely not catch smaller bits of leaf, and you also then are stuck pouring out the entire pot of tea at one time to avoid oversteeping.