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Gadget makers are forever pitching "better" or more convenient ways to brew tea, and pretty much every single one fails to improve on either a teapot or a regular mug. The plastic Magisso Teacup is no different, but it does at least manage to not be worse than these basic methods.
Anyone with a brain and the will to improve themselves can make a proper cup of tea. With very little instruction, the Lady now brews a pot indistinguishable from one made by an Englishwoman. At the risk of turning into a preacher, here are the rules. Again.
You need boiling, freshly drawn water – none of this reheating what's already in the kettle business. Boiled water has had oxygen knocked out of it and will give you a flat-tasting cuppa. Always use fresh.
The water needs to be poured onto the tea whilst still boiling, and then steeped for 2-5 minutes. If you want your tea weaker, steep it properly and then add more hot water before drinking.
Lastly, everything, including the cup or teapot you brew in, should be hot. As you can see, the standard practice in restaurants outside of England (and probably Australia) of bringing you all the components separately, is deeply flawed.
Which brings us to the Magisso Teacup. It's a rocking cup with a separate chamber separated by a wire mesh. The tealeaves go in here, and then hot water is added to the cup. The leaves can move enough to spread their goodness, and are separated from the water when the cup is tipped onto its second flat base.
The problem is in the how-to video. Take a look:
See the mistake? The boiling water should be poured directly onto the leaves, not into the cup to the side. And the cup should be pre-heated. Still, it's easy to fix this yourself, and better still you don't need a separate place to dump your used teabag.
The Magisso Teacup is also reasonably priced, at $20. Or you could just use a chipped promotional mug and a teabag. If you do it right, you'll still get a great cup of tea.
Tipping Teacup [Uncommon Goods via LifeHacker]
