Reddit reviews PRESS ART TEA CUP, TP-160, 500ML CAPACITY

I don't know what taste your dad likes, but this is kind of how I would put it together without knowing:

$15 https://www.amazon.com/PRESS-ART-TP-160-500ML-CAPACITY/dp/B00AIVMID8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1465673803&sr=8-3&keywords=kamjove

$12 Sencha from Harney, https://www.amazon.com/Harney-Sons-Loose-Japanese-Sencha/dp/B008H7DO3S/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465673892&sr=8-3&keywords=sencha+harney

$7 black Yunnan from Rishi, https://www.amazon.com/Rishi-Tea-Organic-Golden-Yunnan/dp/B00AR6M3Q6/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465673914&sr=8-3&keywords=yunnan+black

$8 phoenix oolong from Tao of Tea, https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Phoenix-Oolong-Loose-Ounce/dp/B00E5F9WV4/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1465674135&sr=8-1&keywords=phoenix+oolong

$15 Darjeeling sampler, https://www.amazon.com/Darjeeling-Premium-Tea-Sampler-Spring/dp/B014WCN60M/ref=sr_1_42_a_it?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1465674254&sr=8-42&keywords=tea+sampler&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

$13 basic gaiwan setup, https://www.amazon.com/Travel-Tea-Set-Pure-White/dp/B00FNA9W0G/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1465674325&sr=8-11&keywords=travel+gongfu

Two really simple ways to brew loose-leaf tea at work:

Finum's Hot Glass System, which is a double-walled glass cup with a really excellent basket strainer and drip tray. The pictures don't do it justice. I bought one for each member of my family and take mine when I need to do formal office visits.

Kamjove's press-button infusion pot. Very convenient since it's all in one, and it allows great control since you decant the infusion when it's done with the press of a button. Some people don't like that it is infusing in a plastic chamber at the top, but it's BPA-free and does not leave any plastic taste at all. Very hard to get tea stains out of the infusion filter though.

Tight on cash + new to tea = samplers.

Low cost investment to get a variety of tea in limited quantity for you to experiment. It is easy to recommend teas that I like, but ultimately they need to please your palate. One way to find out what suits your taste profile is to sample.

No need to spend a fortune on equipment. A finum basket or a Kamjove tea maker (like this one) is all you need to steep tea. Next figure out how you want to measure the temperature of water. I would recommend variable temp kettles, but you can get away with a cheap immersion thermometer. A pocket digital scale to weigh out dry leaf is also nice to have. Basically you can get all the equipment you need for $50 or less, unless you opt for a kettle.

So save your money to buy tea in sample sizes. Soon you will figure out what profiles appeal to you. Then judiciously spend your money on larger quantities of tea.