I got really fed up with my tea getting cold all the time. Seriously, it was becoming a pain. I’d brew a decent-sized pot, pour myself one cup, get busy with something, and then come back to sad, lukewarm tea. It was even worse when I had friends visiting – felt like I was constantly running back to the kitchen to re-heat water or make fresh pots. That was the final straw, I figured I needed a better setup. Something bigger, and something that could actually keep the tea warm for longer than ten minutes.
So, I decided to get one of those large teapot and warmer sets I’d seen around. It looked like it might just solve my problem. When it arrived, the box was pretty substantial. First thing, obviously, was giving the teapot and the warmer base a good wash. The pot itself felt solid, definitely bigger than my usual one. The warmer part seemed straightforward – just a little stand with a space underneath for a tea light candle. No complicated bits, which was nice.
Putting it to the Test
Okay, brewing time. For the first run, I thought I’d stick with a simple loose-leaf black tea, something I drink often. I heated up a good amount of water in my kettle – had to guess a bit how much this big pot would actually need. Spooned the tea leaves into the infuser basket that came with the pot. Poured the hot water in, filling it up quite a bit. Now, the steeping time. That was a bit of a guess too. Since it was a larger volume of water, I wondered if it needed longer than my usual few minutes. I decided to just add an extra minute or so to my normal time and hoped for the best.
Once the tea looked about right, I pulled the infuser out. Then came the warmer part. I lit one of those small tea light candles, popped it into the designated spot on the base. Then, very carefully, I lifted the heavy, full teapot and placed it on top of the warmer stand. It sat there quite nicely. Honestly, I was a bit doubtful. Seemed like a tiny little flame to keep such a big pot of tea warm, but hey, worth a shot.
Did it Work?
Well, I was pleasantly surprised! It actually worked pretty well. The tea didn’t stay piping hot like it was straight from the kettle, of course, but the little candle kept it at a really pleasant, warm drinking temperature. Not lukewarm, properly warm. I poured my first cup, sat down, got chatting with my partner. Probably forgot about the pot for a good hour or so. Went back for a refill, and yep, still nicely warm. I was sold.
Here’s what I found using it regularly:
- That little candle usually keeps the tea warm for a solid 2, maybe even 3 hours. Enough time to slowly enjoy the whole pot.
- It’s absolutely brilliant when friends are over. I can just make one big pot, put it on the table with the warmer, and everyone can help themselves to warm tea whenever they want. No more constant trips to the kitchen.
- It’s great even just for myself, especially on days I work from home. Make a pot in the morning, and it stays warm through most of the morning grind.
- Cleaning isn’t too bad, though the pot is bigger. Just make sure you have a brush that can reach inside properly if the opening is a bit narrow.
So, overall, getting that large teapot and warmer set turned out to be a really good decision for me. It totally fixed my cold tea issue. It’s a simple thing, really, just a pot and a candle stand, but it does exactly what I needed it to do. If you’re a big tea drinker like me, or you often have guests, I found it’s a super practical addition to the kitchen routine.
