A total of 50 reviews of this product on Reddit.
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Not sure if you need a tea pot or a kettle, but Amazon had a pretty good sale on a Hamilton Beach programmable electric kettle. $23 and it’s served me well for years.
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Quick Google search returns this one. It also has some preset temperatures and a hold function. I haven’t tried it but it was the first thing that came up.
Google “programmable kettle” and you’ll get some options.
You could also go with a smart plug and put a timer on that, just plug into the outlet (outlet turned off), turn on the kettle and set the plug to turn on at a certain time. If you get a smart plug with power monitoring it can also notify you when it’s done.
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I was also debating between buying a couple of the more expensive kettles on amazon, but I ended up getting a cheaper one and I’m glad that I did.
The kettle I bought is this Hamilton Beach one. It’s $37 right now and I’ve been using daily for over a month with no issues or rust.
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I went with the “Hamilton Beach” sold at the grocery store method.
Even though it is programmable, I only ever use it to boil my water, and then get to the desired temperature by moving the water between my pot and cups (plus side: it warms the teaware).
*edit
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I have this one and it’s served me well for the past few years. $30 variable temp.
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Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_A8MfCbWFVTGYQ
I found a reccomendation for this kettle on this subreddit a few months back, and I cannot speak of it highly enough. I’ve never had a problem with it getting up to temp, it’s not very expensive and offers nice precision of 5 degree F increments. It also displays in C and has a keep warm feature. It will occasionally go a few degrees beyond the setting you put it on, but this is only a monor complaint; you can just set the kettle a bit lower.
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This kettle is an absolute soldier. Been using it >3 times a day for 3 months now and is still working flawlessly. Pours great, heats water fast, and can be programmed to any 5 degree increment between 150 F and 212 F.
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I bought a Hamilton Beach variable water temperature electric kettle. It’s completely quiet (doesn’t make any whistle sound) and just goes into standby mode once it’s done boiling the water. It was only $30 on Amazon: Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_j.QRAbC72GCA9
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I have this one and love it: https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483851397&sr=8-2&keywords=programmable+temperature+kettle
Programmable temperature (Has presets, but you’re not limited to them), keep warm, programmable clock: has everything I want for like half the price of some of the more expensive versions out there.
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Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_KkVJxbSKNXT8Q
Affordable and functional. Although I think the the temp control is slightly inaccurate, as in the actual temperature is about 5 degrees higher than the reading. I’m happy with it though
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I picked up one of these
Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_XJTFxbH8BKS0Q
Cheap, easy to use, and reliable. Programmable in 5 degree increments from 160 to boiling. I have read reviews that it’s thermometer isn’t entirely accurate, but it works more than well enough for me for the price.
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I’ve been using a Hamilton Beach 40996 since my first cup of tea. Amazon is often not the best deal on that kettle, so shop around, I think I paid $25 for mine about 4 years ago.
Kettle heats fast, holds plenty of water, it’s programmable, and fairly accurate, it usually coasts about 5°-10° past the set point.
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This is what I use. There are increments of 5 degrees and it works fantastic. Simple to use as well. 😀 $40
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The cheapest electronic kettle with temperature settings I could find is this one. I bought it a couple of months ago and it has worked great so far. Just be wary that many reviewers complain of it dying too quickly, so keep the warranty info handy.
If you want cheaper than that, you’ll probably want to go with something like /u/humpi81 suggested and use a very basic kettle along with a thermometer.
For tea shops, I’ve had some very good teas from Upton Tea, and that’s one of the cheapest online vendors I’ve seen. They’ve also got some nice sampler kits for getting a better understanding of certain types of tea. Somewhat more expensive places like What-cha and Yunnan Sourcing have better tea but you’ll be paying more for it too. Of course you haven’t listed your budget, and even those places can be fairly cheap on a per cup basis.
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Got it at Kroger for about $45 and has lasted for well over a year.
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Get a kettle that can adjust temperatures first. This is what I use. Get one with a goose neck if you have a coffee fan in the house.
Look up yixing pots. Don’t forget eBay.
As for teas themselves, I wouldn’t. Try a dedicated puerh shop like Crimson Teas, Mandala, or Verdant.
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This Hamilton beach model looks similar to the kettle on Woot, and is cheaper ($43): http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1424728338&sr=8-5&keywords=hamilton+beach+electric+kettle
I have one (was recommended on this sub). It’s nice. Not a gooseneck, sadly, but I have yet to see a gooseneck electric kettle with a digital timer.
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I’m fairly new to tea and I just invested in an electric kettle. Nothing too fancy, I was able to find this one on Amazon for 20 bucks. It lets you program a temperature and it has made brewing a lot easier.
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This isn’t exactly a boiler / warmer like you linked, but it will do the job just fine: http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1420036315&sr=8-4&keywords=hamilton+beach+kettle
It’s a kettle, but it has a temperature control, so you can set the kettle to whatever temperature you want and it will bring it there and hold it around +/- 5ºF for an hour. When it shuts off after an hour, you can just hit the button to turn it on again.
The downside is it can be a little noisy. If that’s going to be a problem in your office, that might not work for you. I do use it in my office, though, and I’ve been very happy with it.
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> neck allows me to pour precisely without a mess
This is the big issue. If you need “precise”, the gooseneck is a big plus and you cannot really find another product with variable temp and the gooseneck (this is why the bonavita is super popular for coffee).
This is what I was thinking about getting instead of the Bonavita (I found it for $45 on Amazon warehouse so I did get it – I am also interested in coffee): http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1407171264&sr=8-2&keywords=Hamilton-Beach+kettle
Edit: It looks like there is some plastic in contact with the water when you pour but I am not sure about that.
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I like to look up the recommended temperatures based on the specific type of tea, but here are my averages:
Green – 170-175° F, though I would go lower (maybe around 160-165° F) for more delicate greens.
White – White tea tends to be more expensive, so I haven’t had it for a long time. However, I would probably use a temperature of about 180° F.
Oolong – Since the recommended range is 180-205° F or so, I tend to use a temperature of about 190° F.
Black – 205° F.
Pu-erh – 212° F.
I use this Hamilton Beach electric kettle to heat my water to the desired temperature.
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Yes, water temperature can sometimes make or break a tea! Recently, I used 212°F water for Adagio’s Grapefruit Oolong. That was the temperature they recommended, but it tasted awful. When I brewed it again at 195°F, it tasted much better.
I highly suggest getting an electric kettle that allows you to set the temperature. It greatly increased my tea-drinking experience. Before, I was using the “bubble method,” but then I bought this electric kettle. It’s only $40 and can keep the water at the temperature you need for up to an hour. Although it has a handful of negative reviews about it breaking, I’ve personally never encountered this issue during my 5+ months of use. Also, I think it comes with a one-year warranty, should anything happen. Other complaints are about the unintuitive user interface, but it’s mostly because of the confusing directions that are included. I learned how to use mine by simply testing it out on my own. Oh, and make sure to put a minimum of two cups of water in it during the initial heating phase! I’m wondering if that’s the reason why other people’s broke…
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If anyone wants a digitally-programmable kettle for cheaper than this, this is the one I have. I love it. I got it at the recommendation of someone else here on /r/tea and it’s fantastic.
It’s pretty accurate (not as accurate as some $100ish programmable kettles I’ve seen, but hey, it’s a $40 digital kettle), and the time-programming feature might be very confusing, but it’s overall a great buy. I love this thing. Very small parts of the inside (such as the silicone gasket for the temp sensor and for the fill bar) are plastic, but overall the inside is almost all metal and doesn’t impart a taste to the water. And besides that, silicone is food-safe even at high temperatures.
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I recently purchased this electric kettle and love it! Variable temperature, nice display, very fast. Also not super expensive, although it was only $39 when I got it and it appears to have gone up a bit.
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I just bought this kettle off Amazon two weeks ago and love it so far. Being able to control the temperature of the water is a huge step up from a stovetop kettle and a thermometer.
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This is what I have and it’s fantastic! Water at any temp I want:) Mine was ~30 dollars because I got it through Amazon Warehouse deals since the box was slightly damaged. For a squished box, ten dollars was saved. It was 42 when I was looking at it before.
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For a while, I used the “bubble size” method, but then I decided to get a variable-temperature electric kettle. The one I have isn’t that fancy, but it’s only $40. This is the one I have.
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Hey there–if this lucky individual is really into tea and interested in learning more/expanding his/her palate, then I’d highly recommend starting with something like this "Discovery Collection" or the "Green & White Collection" from Red Blossom Tea Company, based out of California. Pair it with a cheap tea basket from Amazon (~$10.00USD) and call it a day! If you’re really feeling generous, then I’d also pick up this "Hamilton Beach Programmable Kettle" from Amazon if he/she doesn’t already have a kettle. Hope this helps!
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This is the kettle I have
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/
I’ve been enjoying it very much!
Edit: forgot to say it’s ~40 USD and by Hamilton Beach
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K32 is not coming up
Or this
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I have this one, the variable temp and timer are nice features. Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i-uXBbG9FPTXH
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Nope. I have this one and you can pour very slowly if you want to. Cheap. 5 temps too.
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Do not get. I got one as a gift and its just annoying to use…
Try a Hamilton Beach 40996 Programmable Kettle, 1.7-Liter instead.
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I’d recommend something like this as a secondary “office” kettle since it’s a lot cheaper than the goosenecks.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083I7THI/ref=psdc_289753_t3_B008YE3RNG
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Moving on from bagged tea and onto loose leaf tea and looking for help on my first setup. So far I have this in consideration for getting the tea to a boil:http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-40996-Programmable-1-7-Liter/dp/B0083I7THI
And this as my teapot / infuser: http://www.adagio.com/teaware/glass_teapot.html
Are those both good buys? Thanks
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This kettle might help. 🙂
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I might recommend this kettle, mostly just cause it’s cheaper than the one you chose. The one you linked to will work well, I’m sure. If you’re looking to splurge, this is the kettle I’d like the most, but I’m gonna get [this](www.amazon.com/Bonavita-1-0L-Electric-Kettle-BV3825B/dp/B005YR0GDA/ref=sr_1_9?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1426453115&sr=1-9&keywords=electric+kettle+variable+temperature) kettle soon.
The pour is actually very important in making good tea, and most people don’t realize that. Gooseneck kettles have a great, easily controllable pour. You might not notice it for a while, so that’s why the first kettle is good for beginners.
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Oh, good. I own this kettle from Hamilton Beach and am pretty happy with it. The temperature setting is a little funky, as it will usually go about 10 degrees over what you set it at, but that’s easy enough to work around if you just set the temperature to a little bit lower than what you want. Aside from that, I’ve heard a lot of good things about this kettle from Bonavita. Hope this helps!
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Brewing really isn’t complicated at all if you invest in the right equipment. You can get a functional variable temperature kettle for ~$40 on amazon and an easy to use tea pot for ~20.
Honestly I would recommend decent equipment first over a wide variety of teas to begin with.
I would also point you to upton tea which has really cheap samples and offers pretty much the best price for any tea I have found on multiple vendors.
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An electric programmable kettle with different temperature settings will cost you about $30-$40 I just picked up this one, pretty decent, probably a bit too much water for one sitting to be honest. It’s pretty important to get the right temperature for tea since too hot scalds certain types, and too warm doesn’t get the full benefit of others.
At work, I’d go with those infuser cups, since it’s really convenient. I don’t have this one but I’ve got something similar to it.
With about $60ish left, you can get quite an assortment of teas.
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> Also about 80 C for green tea, how do you guys find the right temperature consistently?
I use an electric kettle
I just got this one and I’ve fallen in love with it (other than the stupid display never turning off unless I unplug it). I have a white peony that needs 190 degrees and most electric kettles don’t do this exactly
I’d wait until this was on sale more, but I’ve had mine for a couple years no problem
http://www.adagio.com/teaware/utiliTEA_kettle.html
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They aren’t all hundreds of dollars. I have this one and it has worked very well for the last month.
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Got http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0083I7THI/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 a week ago. So far so good! It does get a bit noisy, though.
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I use an electric kettle with temperature control settings. This is the one I have. It’s much easier to get the right temperature when a machine does it for you.
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I just ordered this kettle. Gives more temperature control and costs less money.
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Have this and love it.. for $40 it’s a crazy deal.
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