Best serverware according to redditors

Oh man. Brace yourselves, I am a total Amazon junkie. (Note: These may not all be BIFL, but I'm responding to the OP in specific.)

• $9 butter keeper. (I bought a slightly different one that's no longer available, but it's the same basic design.) Keeping butter that isn't for cooking or baking in the fridge is for chumps. Mine is always perfectly spreadable room temperature while staying fresh for weeks... sometimes months.
  
  
• $9 TV antenna. I didn't own a TV until a few years ago, and it didn't have a built-in antenna. I don't watch much broadcast TV, so I grabbed the cheapest one I could find. Case in point for why digital is better than analog, this one picks up every digital channel perfectly.
  
  
• $13 shoe rack (now $18). Over the past year of living in this flat, I'd developed a bad tendency of kicking my shoes off at the bottom of the stairs just inside the front door. This looked like a cheap piece of shit, but I figured for the price I couldn't go wrong. Now almost every single pair of shoes I own is in one spot where it's easy to grab—and, more importantly, everything's out of the way of people coming in and out of the house.
  
  
• $14 jug of earplugs (50 pair). Essential for sleeping with the window open in loud neighborhoods, sharing rooms with snoring friends on a trip, or sharing beds with snoring dudes or gals you're sleeping with. These were also my go-to earplugs for shows until I got a pair that's better for listening to music.
  
  
• $22 electric kettle. The coffeemaker in our office puts out water that isn't nearly hot enough for a proper cuppa, and I got sick of microwaving it to boiling a mug's worth at a time. No bells and whistles, but it's performed perfectly since day one, with no breaking-in period like you get with kettles that have plastic parts in contact with the water.
  
  
• $32 32'/10m HDMI cable. Ran it between the computer in my bedroom and the TV in my living room, allowing me to watch all kinds of streaming TV and downloaded videos with friends in a spot more comfortable than standing in front of my desk.
  
  
• Slightly over the $50 limit, but $53 space heater. My best friend and roommate is one of those dudes who's built like a furnace, and our place uses radiators for heat. We had a few days of him sweating his ass off even with the thermostat set to 68, before I realized that we could just turn it way the hell down, and I could heat my own bedroom separately. This sucker dumps out a ton of heat, with a slew of features to sweeten the deal (my favorite being the remote control).
  
  
• Another that's slightly over, but $55 garment steamer. Collapses small enough to fit pretty much anywhere I've ever needed to store it, puts out steam within maybe 30 seconds of turning it on, and with a full tank has enough water to steam as many items as I've ever needed to do in a row. I haven't touched my iron once since I bought this thing, and my only regret is not buying one as soon as I started college over a decade ago.
  
  And, saving the best for last:
  
  
• $43 heated footrest. Hands-down, this is one of the best things I've ever bought in my life. I was looking for an unobtrusive, unobnoxious way to help myself stay warm in the office, which tends to be chillier than my taste year-round. When I opened it up, I was skeptical, since it looked like a cheap injection-molded piece of shit. Now, I'm pretty sure I'd rescue it from a fire before my mother. I don't want to imagine ever trying to get through another winter without it.
  
  ----------
  
  EDIT: As requested by /u/Mogrix, I posted List Part II: Electric Boogaloo, with more items from my Amazon history.

Try running cheap vodka through a water filter (I've used something like this). For college students who can't tell the difference between grey goose and absolut, it would make the shitty stuff mixed with OJ taste like the expensive stuff mixed with OJ.

What you need is a microwave-safe spatter cover.

Never clean your microwave again. I just throw my cover in the dishwasher once a week.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-291-Butter-Keeper-Porcelain/dp/B000A1APL8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368284972&sr=8-2&keywords=butter+bell

they don't cost that much

just get one

I have one. Currently has peanut butter M&Ms in it. Amazon, Fred & Friends is the brand. I bought it 2.5 years ago and it's held up great. here is the link

You use a tea pot or infuser. Pre-bagged tea is, in general, lower quality than loose leaf. If you absolutely must use the disposable tea bags, you can buy empty ones and fill them yourself.

If you put it in a butter keeper, it's good up to a month.

It’s called Unzipped. You can try amazon (24.59USD, prime eligible) or Uncommon Goods (16.50USD, $4.95 economy shipping)

If you are outside the US... I am less helpful.

It was originally made by Fred & Friends, though. If that type of quirky household item is appealing to you, they should be your go-to.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCYNP2G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These are Soylent bottles.

The recipe per request,

I'll start with the hardware. I'm by no means an expert cake decorator, and beyond the class I took in HS years ago haven't decorated a cake before. Aside from the standard baking tools I consider the following essential:

 

• Cake tins - I used 8" rounds, make sure they have sides perpendicular to the bottom of the pan
  
• piping bags & tips - to make all the fancy stuff and to pipe icing for dams & around the cake
  
• old dish towel & clothes pins - wet them and wrap them around the tins while they bake, promotes level rising
  
• spackle or drywall knife or bench scrape - to get everything nice and smooth. Make sure the blade is longer than your cake is tall.
  
• Offset spatula - helps glob frosting on and smooth things around
  
• Cake rounds - round cardboard to set the cake on. 2" bigger than your cake pan worked for me.
  
• Decorating turntable - spin cake, goes roundy round
  
• Squirt bottle - these are pretty handy for everything from salad dressing to lemon juice. I picked up these puppies from amazon
  
• Stand Mixer - I guess a hand mixer would work too, but a KitchenAid is well worth the investment for this and so much more.
  
• Fondant Smoother - It's like a cement trowel for a cake.
  
• Viva Paper Towels - mechanic paper towels would work too, basically you need a paper towel without any texture, or maybe you want texture. It's your cake, texture it if you want!
  
• Treadmill - gotta work these cake calories off somehow!
  
   
  
  As for the software you will need,
  
   
  
  
• 2 boxes of your favorite cake mix - i'm sure you can make it from scratch, it might taste better but this is enough work as it is. Duncan Heinz is the bomb anyway. I used their angel food cake for this particular cake. Whatever ingredients the box o' cake calls for.
  
• 3 value size bags of confectioner's sugar - Walmart has a massive bag for about $1.
  
• Semi-sweet chocolate - ghiradelli chips or bar
  
• Whole milk - don't skimp here, fat is our friend. It's a cake, not a kale protein smoothie.
  
• Heavy Whipping cream - about a quart
  
• Unflavored gelatin
  
• Unsalted butter - I buy the value pack from costco, freeze it if you don't use it. At least 2 lbs standing by.
  
• Hi-Ratio Shortening - This is optional I think, more on this later.
  
• Vanilla - the real stuff, not the imitation. Don't worry about clear vanilla, my buttercream turned out plenty white with pure vanilla extract that was brown.
  
• AP Flour
  
• Regular Granulated Sugar
  
• Strawberry's - the big box, not the little box. What's it like 2lbs? I used about half inside the cake and another 1/4 on top.
  
   
  
  Alright, so the entire process took me two days. You could probably do it in a shorter period of time, but I was in no rush and this was my first cake attempt so I took my time. Here are roughly the steps I took,
  
  

1. Bake the cakes. Set your oven to whatever it needs to be set to and prep the cake tins. I rubbed butter all over the interior of the tins, then sifted some flour in the tin to give it a light coat getting rid of excess. This helps it rise evenly. Some people use non-sweetened cocoa powder for chocolate cakes, which I guess you could do but I covered mine in icing so who cares. You also want to wrap wet dishtowels around the circumferance of the pan to promote even baking. I used two full boxes for two cakes, with 4 cups of batter in each tin. I definitely could have gotten away with 3. With 4 the cake rose up over the edge of the 8" tin and I got some rounding on the edges. When a piece of wood (toothpick, skewer, chopstick) inserted into the center comes out clean, they are done. Took an extra 20 mins from the box directions for me. YMMV. After the cakes are done let them cool on a wire rack a bit. You can use a dish towel draped over the top of the cake to gently push it down to try and even it out if it's not level. Flip them out of the tins onto a wire rack and let them cool till you can wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them. I chilled mine overnight, made decorating them much easier. The key is getting cakes (i think it's officially called torting) that are nice and even. You can cut them or use a cake leveler. They are pretty cheap on amazon. It's like a house, if the foundation is crooked the house is going to be too. Make sure you cake rounds are nice and even and level.
   
   
   
2. Prep the strawberries and the whipped cream filling. For the strawberries mine weren't super ripe, so I sliced them up, tossed them in sugar (2 T or so), put into a strainer that I set in a bowl, covered in plastic and refrigerated overnight. This helps the berries release some of the excess juices so when you put them on your pretty white buttercream it doesn't turn your cake into a murder scene from Dexter. Next comes the whipped cream. You have to make stabilized whipped cream or else the little bubbles of air you whip into the cream are going to collapse. Here's the tutorial I used. You'll need the cream, gelatin, some vanilla, and powdered sugar for the whipped cream.
   
   
3. Next you need to make some buttercream. I used a recipe from a tutorial here. This also covers how to damn, fill, crumbcoat, and outercoat the cake. You can watch the tutorial for the deets but here's my insight. Note that for my filling I did a layer of strawberry, whipped cream, then another layer of strawberry instead of buttercream to change it up. For the buttercream the shortening does give you some pretty stiff buttercream, but it also reminds me of the icing you'd find on an Entemann's cake. It wasn't terrible tasting per se, but it definitely wasn't buttery butter cream. I'll try this again without using the shortening, and I've seen other tutorials that just use butter and their cakes look just as smooth with straight, crisp edges. I did find it was easier to use a big piping tip to pipe the icing on for the crumb coat rather than just slather it on the sides. If you are set on trying the shortening make sure you get Hi Ratio Shortening, which is basically shortening that has transfat in it. Transfat is pretty terrible for you, so don't eat this cake like all the time. Walmart supposedly carries a variety, but I picked mine up from Amazon. Was like $18 for a 3lb tub. Totally not worth it if you can just use butter and achieve the same results.
   
   
   
4. Once you've got your cake all iced, chilled and ready you can add the exterior decorations. To get the drips on the side I followed this tutorial and just used semi-sweet instead of white chocolate. Make sure you test your ganache out of the squirt bottle to see how far it runs down a tupperware lid or something. Once you've got the desired consistency (usually related to the temperature of the ganache) you just spin the cake around while you squirt chocolate on the edge. Anywhere you want a bigger drip, put more ganache. Have fun with it. There are no mistakes, only happy accidents. For the base I just did a simple swirly with a star tip around the edge. There's a million icing tips and tutorials and guides on what they produce. Practice on some papertowel and have fun! I used whipped cream for my decorations since it's stiff enough to keep a shape and tastes WAY better then buttercream. Downside is you have to refrigerate the cake or else all that food born illness stuff. Use common sense. After the ganache sets, put the strawberries on the inside of the ganache (helps keep any excess juice from running down the cake) and add whatever other decorations you'd like.
   
    
   
   That's about the long of it, sorry for the stream of consciousness, typing this from memory, but hope this helps. Good luck - now hit the treadmill :)
   
   
   
   

Condiment Squeeze Bottle for VG and PG

This is why I use a butter crock.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_ap_am_us?ie=UTF8

I got one of these bad boys about a month ago have have used it multiple times daily since then. I can't even drink tea/coffee without frothed milk now, that's how amazing it is.

New to Tea? New to loose leaf? Let me help.

Hello, new friend. So you've stumbled your way into /r/tea, you probably though this was a subreddit for the Mr. T, but no worries you're here and you're in good hands. We're all tea fiends and we're all eager to share our fifteen minutes of meditation, our hobby and our little slice of heaven. So why should you consider switching from Lipton to something crazy like leaves some Chinese person picked off a tea bush?

• Loose Leaf tea is often higher quality than your traditional tea bags.
  
  
• Less preservatives or additives.
  
  
• A greater variety of teas that are too delicate for tea bags or can't be effectively brewed that way.
  
  
• Greater access to fine teas, you can't find good premium teas in tea bags.
  
  
• It's more cost effective. You can pick up Twinning's Irish Breakfast tea (20 tea bags) for $2.99 at your local supermarket and that'll make you 20 cups of tea. With loose leaf tea you can buy 125 grams of Irish Breakfast from Upton Tea for $5.60, which will make you 100-150 cups of tea. You can re-brew the same tea leaves two or three times when it comes to loose leaf, but with a tea bag all the water penetrates the "tea dust" the first go.
  
  
• It tastes better. That's 100-150 cups of far better tea than Twinnings. Not to say you can't get good tea out of a tea bag, but you'll get better tea with more control/flexibility when it come to loose leaf.
  
  ---
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  ---
  
  So, Where To Start??
  
  ^^buy ^^theses ^^teas ^^first!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  Where | Why?
  ---|---
  GoodLife Tea's $7 for 7 Sampler | Free Shipping! (for the sampler) Robb has a fantastic variety of tasty high quality tea important for building up your tea pallet.
  Verdant's Five Teas for $5 | Free Shipping! (for the sampler) Again, Verdant sells some premium quality tea. Think of their sampler as a crash course into the rich people's side of tea. But the catch with tea is that it's a lot more affordable than wine could ever hope to be. The sampler is great for building up your tea preferences and giving you a kickstart in the right direction.
  Upton Tea | My personal favorite store, they send a nice little paperback catalog every quater. They sell a huge variety of teas, from traditional English Breakfast to Tie-Guan-Yin. Not only that but they sell their teas in different grades meaning you can dabble in what is traditionally an expensive tea by trying a lower quality (but still delicious and tasty) grade of tea. You can find the grade and variety of tea that matches your wallet and taste. They also sell cheap samplers, if you wish you can take $20 and order around 15 samples and see where your cuppa takes you.
  Adagio | A personal favorite of /r/tea if you can find a store nearby! But don't fret, most of us buy our tea online so no worries if you're in Kodiak, Alaska and can't get down to an Adagio. They sell nice quality tea, their stores people are incredibly informed and helpful (unlike a certain Starbucks owned tea store). They also have Adagio XL which sells tea in bulk.
  Harney & Sons | Amazon Prime Shipping. I love my Amazon account, that's usually by go to place online shopping and being able to two-day ship a simple tin of Harney & Sons tea without the shipping cost is fantastic. They sell lots of teas and they're all very good. Maybe not the premium tea you'll see Chinese diplomats drinking but they in my opinion sell tea that all tastes great.
  Coffee Bean Direct | Who knew a place called Coffee Bean Direct* sold tea too? Again, with Amazon Prime Shipping this seems to be the place to buy tea in bulk. They're well reviewed and their tea seems to be good. If you're like me and cold brew ice tea frequently then this might be the best place to pick up some bulkier tea to last you the season.
  Crimson Lotus | Owned by a frequenter of /r/tea, Puerh_Lover stocks a great store with lots of neat little stuff. Be warned, he caters to pu'er which is a type of fermented tea pressed into bricks or pellets. In other words this is a special variety of tea that needs special equipment and special knowledge to brew. Don't fret if you're not walking out of /r/tea after a day brewing in a gaiwan.
  White2Tea | More lovely pu'er.
  Yunnan Sourcing | Again, more pu'er, but also lots of green and white teas too. They sell teaware for good prices too so if you're looking to pick up a traditional china teacup or gaiwan this is a good place to get that.
  What-Cha | Another beloved store on /r/tea, but they're pretty pricey at times. But you can always expect good quality tea and a looser wallet from here.
  
  ----
  ---
  ----
  
  Just How Do You Make Tea?
  
  Traditional Western | Gongfu | Cold Brew
  ---|---|----
  The way you're probably familiar with when it comes to brewing tea, all it requires is a teapot like this one (I highly recommend this teapot). Western or Traditional works well with every kind of tea. It's the universal method of making tea and the best place to start. | This kind of brewing is very specific as it only works with Chinese type teas like pu'er. This method of making tea is hands down the best way to make a Chinese styled tea and does wonders to enhance and bring out the best in the leaves. But this method wont work for a cuppa English Breakfast or Japanese Sencha. To brew Gongfu style you use a gaiwan which is fancy talk for a tiny cup with a lid. The idea behind Gongfu is more leaves, less water and time. You use micro-infusions instead of waiting minutes like Western or hours like Cold Brewing. | Cold Brewing is for those of us who just love iced tea. It's simple to cold brew, a vessel like this will brew a mean pitcher of ice tea. All you have to do is leave the leaves in the filter and wait 5-12 hours for the tea to brew, perfect for leaving overnight. Fair Warning: tea can go bad, the kind of stuff you'd buy at the store has a massive amount of preservatives in it. Keep your cold brewing tea out of the sunlight and don't let it sit for more than 48 hours.
  
  ---
  ---
  ---
  
  On Kettles
  
  So you're going to need a way to keep your water hot. A stovetop kettle is probably the most accessible and the biggest no brainer out of everything here. A microwave heats water inconsistently, can leave an odd taste if your microwave isn't properly clean, and you really don't have a good way of knowing how hot the water is. Temperature is important. Brewing a cuppa green tea in boiling water will result in a pretty shitty cup of tea, and brewing some black tea in the water appropriate for green tea will result in a disappointing cuppa.
  
  You also have electric kettles like the Cuisinart CPK-17 which is going to cost as much as a decent coffee machine but if tea is your caffeine fix then it might be worth it. The Cuisinart is a variable temperature kettle meaning you just have to press a button and it makes the water the appropriate temperature for whatever kind of tea you're drinking.
  
  
  Tea | Temperature
  ---|---
  Black | 212
  Green | 175
  White | 190
  Oolong | 185
  Pu'er | 212
  Herbal | 212
  
  ** Edit: I updated this list to be a bit more organized and informative. I've been meaning to put together a simple list so expect to see this copied and pasted as newbies arrive! :)

For 100 miles you'll want at least two of these: https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=pd_bxgy_468_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XVM0Y4YPMGS0W6SG53RN

In seriousness, it depends on the trail. If you have an idea of where the water sources are and what condition they are in, you can plan to carry just as much as you'll need each time you fill up.

This has been my go-to for a few years now. Makes the best cup of tea I've ever had.

Hi! If you want to get into tea, I would reccomend starting by watching Alton Brow's episode on tea here. It's a good background on everything involving tea and tea brewing.

If you have a Peet's Coffee near you, you can go and order mugs of tea (brewed with loose leaf). They will give you free hot water refills so you can drink as much as you can handle. You can find a tea you like without having to commit to a huge container.

I prepare my tea in the morning in a tea pot (I have this one, but I don't like it because it's hard to clean) and pour it into a travel mug.

They make travel mugs that are similar to a frech press (here) where you put the leaves and hot water in and just push down a stopper to stop brewing. I'm really picky about the lids on my travel mugs, so I don't own one.

For resusable tea bags, the most popular style is a [tea ball] (http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-Stainless-Steel-Mesh-Ball/dp/B00004RIZ7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407090137&sr=8-1&keywords=tea+ball) (although the one I linked is a little too small to allow the tea to fully unfold). They are cheap and fairly easy to clean, but you have to be careful where you store them so they don't get bent up.

They also make tea bags for loose leaf tea. These would be easy to pop into your travel mug. You can also find bags made of muslin that can be washed out, but I don't know where you would do that.

Yes. Just do it on low power, for very short times (20 seconds at a time) to avoid popping. Related: a microwave shield would be an excellent investment for you.

You can get quick-cooking rice, and steam-in-bag frozen veggies.

Oatmeal (or oatmeal smoothies) is always a good go-to breakfast. Don't get the sugar-filled packets. Get rolled oats or steel-cut oats. You can add frozen or fresh fruits, peanut butter, cinnamon, etc.

Wow there's one on Amazon.ca too! It's only $126! (plus $92.40 shipping)

Oh FFS Canada...

1. An immersion blender is nice in that its detachable head is marginally easier to clean, but if your food processor is still oily, you could try using more soap when you clean it, or passing it through the dishwasher (minus the blade of course)
   
   
2. Squeeze Bottles! The nice things about the clear ones is that you can even mark out the volumes for dressings that you like to make most often. Easy to shake up, easy to dispense (and usually better control than a jar), and mostly pain-free to clean. May want to invest in a funnel to help fill it up.
   
   
3. Most homemade dressings should last up to two weeks in the fridge. If it clumps up, try giving it a good hard shake until it re-emulsifies and then a quick taste check?
   
   
4. Check out this article by serious eats!

I usually keep only unsalted in the house for cooking because I don't eat buttered bread/toast/biscuits very often, but one the occasions that I do buy salted butter (holidays, dinner parties, guests in the home) I really enjoy my buttered toast. And baked potatoes--my goodness those are tasty.

BTW, if you're a butter fan, I highly recommend investing in one of these

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot, 700ml - $15

Teaology Luna Double Wall Borosilicate Tea Cup - $3.95

I'm very much still learning, but I love this cheap little setup and it's been working especially well with my Oolongs and Greens. I picked up a sample of Pu erh Pearls from Adagio (pictured), and it works just fine for that as well if you're okay with western brewing techniques.

It sounds like he prefers sweeter flavoured drinks. You can experiment with adding Torani syrops to lattes. Making a mocha at home is not hard, you just need to make an espresso shot (aeropress, for example) and froth some milk and chocolate in "manual milk frother" (amazon). Also, look at Mr Coffee Cafe Latte (again, coffee snobs, please don't kick me)

HIC Milk Creamer Frother Cappuccino Coffee Foam Pitcher with Handle and Lid, Stainless Steel, 14-Ounce Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X7GF40/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fnZvybVW93Q2S

Mr. Coffee BVMC-EL1 Cafe Latte https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BG7MK4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_QmZvybASF2XX3

Check out /r/Homebrewing and just start saving. Even 2 dollars a day with you and a friend and you could be rolling in a couple months.

edit: also start saving glass bottles that require a bottle opener. Those are reusable.

edit2: Things you'll need. Feel free to find similar products.

cooler with spigot

valve(I'm not sure of the size on that igloo)

bazooka screen

bottles(make sure they're brown)

caps

capper

some sort of gas stove. say a propane stove, a turkey fryer, or a kitchen stove.

a large pot

starsan

I'm probably forgetting things.

• $51 Stock Pot
  
• $50 Igloo 10 Gallon Cooler
  
• $16 Ball Valve and Bulkhead
  
• $30 Brew Bag
  
  

1. Heat water in the stock pot on your kitchen stove.
   
2. Dump water into the cooler mash tun.
   
3. Drop the bag in.
   
4. Dump the grains in and stir.
   
5. Wait an hour.
   
6. Drain through the valve into your kettle.
   
7. Add more hot water as it drains.
   
8. Lift the bag and let the grains drain.
   
9. Continue your brew as normal.
   
   I'm assuming you already have a kettle, burner, brew paddle, and thermometer. Also assuming you have good water. You will have to buy crushed grain until you get your own grain mill. The ball valve can be upgraded with a cam lock quick disconnect and tube. I like to mash on my kitchen counter, so I have to move the kettle outside for the boil and a platform dolly is a big help with that.

I would go to all grain. for 100 you can get a 10 gallon cooler, false bottom, valve and bulkhead. There are tons of youtube videos on how to convert a cooler to a mash tun

http://www.amazon.com/12-Stainless-Domed-False-Bottom/dp/B004B7GIV8

http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419666384&sr=8-1&keywords=igloo+10+gallon+water+cooler

I got this as a candy jar for work. Decided against it since it actually somehow made the candy look unappetizing.
Link for anyone interested:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001XSLEN0/

Squeeze Bottles
they work great for a lot of things.

I am probably getting ripped off from Amazon but I wanted something quick and these have been holding up fine for me.

16oz condiment squeeze bottles. Small bottle of Strawberry Ripe is a 4oz bottle for scale

Amazon Link

Your last example can actually be even shorter. I usually give links like this to people:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0

(Also of note: You can change the text before that to anything you want. For example, http://www.amazon.com/Adorable-Fluffy-Kittens/dp/B0007WTBQ0#.)

This is the cooler I use for a mash tun. It works great. It's selling for a record low Amazon price and ships for free. I link to some pictures of it in that post. The seat top makes it easy to run a thermometer under the lid to monitor mash temps. The product link in that post helps support hbf. Thanks in advance if you use it. If you do not want to help support hbf here is a direct link.

What are you looking for and what does he like? You can get a standard infuser like this one that I use.

Or you could get him a "reverse french press". The reverse french press is one of the best and easiest ways to brew. It lets the leaves float in the water, but allows easy extraction of the water into a mug (it is much harder with a regular french press because pressing down the leaves can cause them to expel a lot of bitter flavor into the water).

Generally speaking, avoid anything that will smash the leaves, or will not let them float easily. If he generally uses a big teapot, make sure to get something for that. If he typically uses just a mug, the two things I listed will work great. I even use my regular infuser in my large tea pitcher/pot.

But, if you give me a price range and a general idea of what you would like him to have, what he already has or what kind of things he likes, I can definitely help you out. I love tea myself, and would hope that my wife would ask someone knowledgeable when she goes to buy something for me.

OH! And if you're looking to get the best bang for your buck, avoid teavanna. They're not bad they're just overpriced.

In case anyone is wondering, this is the best way to steep tea. Many good quality oolong, gunpowder and any other large loose leaf teas need room to bloom and tea balls and bags just can't accommodate that. It's also very easy to clean, especially if you have a sink strainer.

Source: voted best way to steep by America's Test Kitchen, also my ex manages a tea store.

What you might be looking for is a gravity tea brewer. They are super convenient and quick as well as being really easy to use.

You boil water or heat it to the temperature for your tea, put the tea leaves in the gravity tea brewer, pour the hot water over the leaves, let it sit for the amount of time for the tea, and then set the gravity tea brewer on top of your mug and the tea comes out. Cleanup is as simple as dumping the leaves in the compost, a flowerbed, or trash, and rinsing out the brewer with water.

I don't know if you use amazon or not, but here are a few options:

https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK

https://www.amazon.com/Teavana-Black-Perfectea-Maker-16oz/dp/B004X7DIHI

https://www.amazon.com/GROSCHE-Aberdeen-Removable-BPA-Free-Food-safe/dp/B00KIW0T9C

Loose leaf tea can be purchased from one of the many sites in the sidebar or at a local store. I find loose tea at my local natural store in bulk so I can measure out my own.

I recommend the Adagio ingenuiTEA, which I've used for years. It's dead simple, and brews a nice big cup. Plastic isn't usually BIFL material, but mine's withstood 5 years of regular use without failing at any point. It's dishwasher safe, so you won't have to hand wash. I wash mine in the dishwasher maybe once a month to give it a good cleaning, and just a dump and rinse in between.

You can also get it on Amazon for a decent discount.

Esta mantequillera

Grab yoself a butter bell! It keep butter fresh and room temperature!

Definitely go loose leaf.

For the tea brewing
This teapot is nice. I also like this style of in-cup infuser - both give the tea a reasonable amount of room to expand.

I would recommend starting with samples - What-Cha do two sample sets - one for a range of blacks, greens and oolongs; and the other just for Taiwan oolongs. They are in the UK and ship quickly. Linky if you're interested

I would probably recommend starting with oolong - iirc roasted have a lower caffeine content, but you'd need to check. Based on what you've said I think there are quite a few oolongs you will enjoy.

Adagio do some flavoured teas which might be worth looking into, too.

My understanding re caffeine in tea is that per-cup it has less than coffee, and one of the other compounds in it (l-theanine?) makes it less buzzy. I've also read - but am not sure how true it is - that if you re-brew with the same leaves each subsequent brew has a bit less caffeine than the previous one.

Beyond that I can't comment on the caffeine content, as caffeine doesn't much affect me (something which I'm incredibly pleased about, as I do have periods of suffering from anxiety and tea helps calm me).

Why not use markup?

[Butter Bell] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000A1APL8/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1421268338&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX200_QL40)

I think you should upgrade from tea infusers to something like the Ingenuita for yourself and a teapot with a large infuser basket for when you're making tea for a group. You get so much more flavor when the tea leaves have lots of room to unfold.

This should be higher up. Jim's creations are excellent and the plastic squeeze bottle makes this LPT much more convenient. You can get three of them for $6.

Or $15 (+ occasional filter refills) for a water filter pitcher.

You could filter the vodka several times to cut down on the 'bite' I've done this with some real cheap vodka, and after 7 or so passes through a filter, it's much better.

All you need is a Britta pitcher style water filter, a regular pitcher, and a funnel (optional).

• Pour your rot-gut into the Britta water filter.
  
• Go do something for a few minutes while it works its way though the filter.
  
• Pour the filtered vodka into the regular picture, and then back into the Britta.
  
• Repeat at least 5 times.
  
• Once you're done filtering use the funnel to pour the now primo vodka back into the bottle.
  
  You may want to set aside a little bit before starting to do a before and after comparison.
  

I agree. I thought of this version I've seen on amazon as soon as I saw the picture. Apparently real butter will keep fine at room temperature as long as you keep air out of/away from it.

I recommend everyone buy a butter dish, one that uses water to preserve it. You can keep it out instead of the fridge, and your butter is always soft. Then buy some really good butter and some good bread. You won't want anything else for breakfast. Something like this.

What's even better than a butter dish is a butter bell http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000VLURQ?pc_redir=1408591398&robot_redir=1

How large?

Hario makes a couple different 700mL glass teapots that you can get on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GYVDKO

They're very well made and durable, but I find the basket to be a bit small sometimes. I guess it depends on what kinds of tea you plan to use with it.

Another alternative to consider is the Hario Chacha. The basket is much bigger so it is more versatile, and they have a 450ml and 700ml version.

I am an unashamed Sleepytime tea addict...it's a must every night before bed. Yes, it's a mix, but chamomile is the main note. I got one of these and one of these for his recent Happ-Tea Birthday with a bunch of quality loose leaf black teas. He decided he just likes his Red Rose English Breakfast tea bags, so I get to play around with the tea steeper. I quit caffeine, so I haven't tried those, but I've tried Tranquil Dreams so far which I really liked. I think I might get a just straight up chamomile and lavender blend next go around.

Long live tea!! :-D

Amazon reviews are overwhelmingly positive. I don't have one since I'm happy with my current infuser, but if you're interested I would say go ahead.

Id say get a sample of a couple of different teas to try out. There are many websites to buy teas from, brownestrabbit having listed some of them. There is also Teavana and Republic of Tea as well.

For equipment, I would get a simple teamaker such as this one from Adagio. Other places carry this style of teamaker, but I dont know their pricing. It is a simple cup with a filter at the bottom, and acts like a gravity press when you place it on top of any cup or mug. Theres a video review of it in the comments of that page.

After that, id say get a e-kettle. A cheap 20$ one from walmart or target will suffice. Nothing too fancy, just something to boil water very quickly.

Since you are just starting out, dont buy into all the clay/yixing/cast iron/bone china/etc teapots. You can think about those later in life. Your focus should be on the taste of tea, not on what it comes in.

There are a couple of different types of teas, and ill make a quick and dirty list for ya here. And always try and go whole leaf/loose leaf if you have the option.


Actual Tea

These contain the actual tea leaves, Camelia Sinesis and Camelia Assamica

• White Tea: The lightest of the 4. Also the least amount of caffeine. Will often be very light and gentle in flavor, so if you like very gentle teas, white teas are often the go to guy.
  
• Green Tea: The superman of teas. Green teas have many health properties which have been scientifically backed and peer reviewed. It is one of the few that actually has studies done on it. Has a bit more caffeine than white, anywhere from 10-15% the content of a similar cup of coffee. The flavor range is so vast that ill let you discover what you like. There are lots of different types of green teas, so go check em out.
  
• Oolong Tea: China's favourite. Oolong is a hybrid of sorts between a green and black tea. So therefore some oolong will be very green in presence, others will be very black. Oolong is the kind of tea youll like if you enjoy a more traditional "tea" taste, rather than the fruit/herbal blends you see at the supermarket. Goes great with food, and has a very mild taste.
  
• Black Tea: Europe's baby. Try a solid english breakfast from a good company, like Twinnings or PGtips. Then try an earl grey. Now expand from there. Dont add any sugar or milk to begin with, so you can fully experience the flavor without masking it with additives.
  
  Other Teas
  
  
• Rooibos Teas: Rooibos comes from a South African bush, so it will be very prickly in appearance when loose. Has ZERO caffeine, and contains alot of flavor so its popular to drink at night. You will find it mostly blended with other flavors, so find one you like and test it out.
  
  
• Yerba maté Teas: The Redbull of the tea world. Has a buttload of caffeine, and is very dark so its similar to black teas. Some energy drink companies have started to put this stuff in their energy drinks to add that extra jolt.
  
  
• Herbal Blends: These dont contain any actual tea leaves, and are often just various flora and dried fruits. They are good to mix into one of the base teas with to add a unique flavor.
  
  
  A couple of tips:
  
  
• Dont buy into all that health PR marketing spiel. Things like "super-fruit enriched, may help lose weight, etc etc" are lots of bullshit and hype topped on a very small grain of truth. Youre drinking tea for the flavor and any benefits are a nice bonus, not the other way around. If you want something to help with cancer, go get chemo. Ive seen too many people suckered into buying teas because they think it will "do something" for them, such as make them lose weight, cut fat, get significantly healthier, etc etc. Also, if you go to an actual store like Teavana, dont trust what the salespeople tell you, because they are sales people first, and tea assistants second.
  
  
• If you have the chance to go smell lots of different teas, do so. Trust your nose, it will know what you will like more than a salesperson will. A caveat to this is sweetness. The western diet has become so laden with sugar substitutes(lookin at you high fructose corn syrup ಠ_ಠ)
  that it often cannot appreciate something that doesnt come up and punch your tongue in the face. So if you smell a very sweet tea, try to stray away from it.
  
  
• I know its a lot of info, and it can be very easy to get sucked into a tea-elitist type of mentality, similar to wine. Ultimately, tea is about one thing, and that is the taste and your personal enjoyment of it. If you love your tea over steeped and burnt to a crisp, and you know that its not supposed to be that way, then fuck anyone who says youre doing it wrong. That is the catch though, you have to know the "correct" way before going off and doing your own thing, so that youre not missing out on anything.
  
  TL:DR- Get a cheap teamaker, get some loose leaf green tea, no sugar.
  
  PS: I like to call drinking earl grey while in my chair "pulling a Jean Luc", in reference to Capt. Picard from Star Trek.
  
  
  If you want to know more, feel free to shoot me a message, will be glad to help.
  

How about something like this? They don't show it here, but you put loose leaf tea and hot water in there together, then when it's done steeping, you just put it on a mug and it drains straight into the cup.

The Hario is made of thin glass but I've poured hot coffee right onto ice with no issue many times through it. Also ran it through a dishwasher.

Only major risk is if you drop it I'd imagine.

I don't own one, but I saw one of these at Argo Tea in Chicago and it looked really cool- the picture doesn't show it off, but the small lever on the right side of the lid drops the infuser basket down- so you can flip the lever while you steep, and flip it back when you're done so the tea doesn't get too strong. This would also let you do multiple infusions on the go.

For the sweet tooth (like my dad, these are all things he likes):

• A candy jar or bowl filled with her favorite candy.
  
  
• An artisan ice cream scoop.
  
  
• An ice cream maker. You could get an ice cream recipe book as well.
  
  
• One of my dad's favorite gifts was a sugar dispenser... I think that shows his level of sugar commitment.
  
  
• Some artisan marshmallows.
  
  
• A milk frother that doubles as a hot chocolate maker.
  
  For the executive (like my mom, these are all things she likes):
  
  
• A high quality thermos for coffee on the way to work.
  
  
• A smart home setup, maybe an echo and some smart outlets or the google home. Really good for turning lights on/off, asking for the weather and news, listening to music, etc.
  
  
• A FitBit to help her keep healthy even working long hours.
  
  
• A popcorn maker that allows you to make non-microwaved popcorn in the microwave.
  
  
• A white noise machine. If she has any trouble sleeping this thing is AMAZING.
  
  
• A Roku or Chromecast that makes it easier to watch Netflix on the TV.
  
  
• Wine tasting or cooking class that you can do together. Really my mom loves doing stuff with her family.

That's awesome he wants to learn more! Hope you also get to enjoy that exploration with him.

My first idea is usually to look around what you have locally, whether specialized tea shop(s) or more commercial tea selection at coffee places. Starting where you are can connect you with the people also interested and supports businesses around you.

Next my question might be whether "black-based" means flavoured or not. The highest-end black teas I have are single-origin and I usually brew them in greater tea (g) per water (ml) ratios, keeping the leaves in the water for short periods (10-20 seconds, increasing after the 3-4th time usually), usually referred to as "gong-fu" style. If that's what your boyfriend wants to go for, a nice simple starting point may be something like this, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MA4WSU4/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_wasIDbQBJ6CBZ.

If flavoured, I would usually more go for "western" brewing (less leaf-to-water ratio and longer steeping time) and you could search for "glass teapot" in Amazon or elsewhere.

For tea itself, the vendor list on /r/tea is an amazing place to start, https://www.reddit.com/r/tea/wiki/vendors/page_01. Once you've gotten into them there is a surprising amount of variability in flavours from varying places in the world and he might narrow down what types he likes most.

I'll throw in a plug for what I believe to be the best creamy earl grey you may ever find, http://www.lucasteas.com/shop/black-tea/lucas-earl-grey-cream/ , just in case you're looking for flavoured tea suggestions.

You actually can do that if you have a big enough tea basket or a small enough cup. You do it a little different tho.

You want to put the strainer in the cup or gaiwan first, then put the leaves in the strainer. Then when you're done steeping, instead of pouring the tea out of the gaiwan into the cha hai, you can just lift the strainer out and drink from the gaiwan.

So it's basically like standard western style tea brewing, but with very short steeps and a lot of leaf for the amount of water. I use about 8 grams of tea leaves for 90ml of water and then start steeping 8 to 10 seconds. Every steep I increase by a couple of seconds. You can often get 10 steeps from a tea, which at 90ml of water per steep is almost a liter of tea! For good puerh I sometimes can get 20 steeps or more.

They also make a device that is a self contained gaiwan and cha hai. I have one but they're a little difficult to clean. https://www.amazon.com/Kamjove-Gongfu-Teapot-Infuser-TP-757/dp/B00MA4WSU4

the one that soylent sends is 15.21$ on Amazon

I've gotten the recommendation in the past of switching to glass pitchers instead to avoid the "sticks to the inside of the plastic pitcher" issue.

The Soylent pitcher is just a rebranded Takeya 2L pitcher you can get off Amazon if you want it faster, FWIW.

Step 1: Find a recipe you love

Step 2: Make 500mL of it in a 16oz squeeze bottle like this

Step 3: Shake it for like 5 minutes

Step 4: Forget about it for at least 2 weeks, ideally a month.

Step 5: Enjoy the fuck out of it.

Step 6: Make another one when it's half empty.


Once you adopt this procedure you'll never go back. Having fully steeped juice ready to go at all times is the best. I just fill up 60mLs to carry around. I usually have 2-5 of my go-to flavors ready at any time. Fresh juice sucks.

I found the exact tray on amazon

When I was in college, I ate so much cereal, the ones in the bags!

Right now I'm using Schmilk (chocolate). I do weight training so I add protein (double rich chocolate, but they have tons of flavors); really speeds up the healing process, no muscle pains the next day.

Benefit of Soylent was that you didn't need a blender, but it's recommended for Schmilk, so I got an immersion blender. Felt a bit bummed that I had to buy an appliance, but it's so much faster and better than shaking a half gallon of liquid!

I backed Soylent's Kickstarter, and it came with this pitcher. It's so awesome that I bought a second one, so I can have one in the fridge while I wash the other in the dishwasher. I fill 1/4 of the pitcher with milk, add 4 meals worth of Schmilk/protein, little more milk to cover the powders, and blend right in the pitcher. Add some more milk, blend again, and top off. It's ready to drink right then or chill overnight (my preference) -- done for two days!

The ready-to-go bottles of Soylent seems convenient, but it's a little less than what I'm drinking now (414ml vs 500ml), it won't save me any time if I want to add protein (adds a lot of flavor/variety for me), and costs a bit more.

I've posted this before, but here's my routine.

Every night, I get out a 2L pitcher and a 1L Nalgene bottle. Into the pitcher goes a full back of Soylent and a pinch of salt. I add to that 600mL of water measured in the Nalgene (they are all graduated, which is super convenient). Seal the pitcher and shake vigorously for like a minute. Open up and add the final 1L. Shake again, let set in the fridge overnight. In the morning I add the oil, shake, pour myself 400mL for breakfast, 1L in a Nalgene for use throughout my workday, and then finish off the rest of the pitcher when I get home.

I've found this pattern to be ideal because it reduces the grittiness significantly. I have also been taking a probiotic mixture every morning to help reduce gas and improve overall comfort. If you opt to not get the extra pitcher, anything that holds about 2L or more will work. If you have another pitcher that doesn't seal well enough for shaking, a whisk will get the job done.

Prepared Soylent lasts about two days. Keep it refrigerated of course.

Here is the exact model pitcher Soylent is shipping in the Starter Kit. You will want to have more than one of these so you don't have to wash it every night. Unfortunately, it's actually 5 pieces and kind of a pain to wash.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DCYNP2G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DCYNP2G&linkCode=as2&tag=jelder-20&linkId=LVAAGHCSEQ6L7HPU

If I hadn't already wound up with three of those, I'd want to get something simpler. Nalgene also makes these awesome looking 2L lab bottles:

http://www.amazon.com/Nalgene-2121-0005-Wide-Mouth-Bottle-Polypropylene/dp/B004O6NFBW/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1408564567&sr=8-20&keywords=2L+bottle&tag=jelder-20

I also have a few of these for taking my prepared Soylent to work with me. They never leak and are pretty much indestructable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048SZ5T6/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0048SZ5T6&linkCode=as2&tag=jelder-20&linkId=7KA7TOMS5RWBHRCR

So, here are some really practical things I like to do as gifts, because they're things people don't really think about, but when you don't have them... so annoying!

• Flexible Jar Openers No need for a man with one of these. Seriously, it can't get you off, but it can open any f'ing jar you will ever need to open.
  
• Fly Swatter
  
• Cast Iron Skillet Great for stove top or in the oven
  
• A few plastic condiment bottles. I like to buy the large jugs of oil (olive and sunflower) and pour them into these bottles to use. Way easier and it's cheap. Also good for storing dish soap if you buy the large, bulk size, or hand soap.
  
• Various cleaning supplies and soaps (sponges, scrubbers, gallon size bucket (to store cleaners and to use when cleaning), dust pan, broom, toothbrush)
  
• some other things you always forget about when moving (can opener, zip lock bags, aluminum foil, sharpie marker, surge protector, scissors, rubber bands)
  
  Add a bottle of wine, cuz the rest of this shit is boring af.

squeezable condiment bottles, in the fridge

Can't afford a brita...just tough it out and drink water 10 times instead of having soda and BAM, delayed gratification:

http://www.amazon.com/Brita-Slim-Water-Filter-Pitcher/dp/B0000AP7NV/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398448463&sr=8-3&keywords=brita

Norpro Glazed Stoneware Butter Keeper https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TZsJybY4T0PAC

Keep soft butter on the table for a month.

Yes to all of the above. If you nuke it, use DEFROST and check it every 3 seconds. I use something similar to this and just change the water every 2 days. It's what they did back in the Pilgrim days (snort I don't know, but I know they did it in the 30's-50's) Edit: duh! http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

My favourite western-style teapot is the Hario Maru. The Ikea Riklig mentioned earlier also looks nice. IMHO the most important thing about glass pots, if you go for one, is that they are easy to clean: No bamboo parts, and no curvy spouts.

I have this in the 700 ml and love it https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0

Damn, that's unfortunate! this teapot seems to be pretty good, I hear good things since the infuser is so big it allows a lot of room for the leaves to expand - also cheaper!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=psdc_367229011_t1_B004X7DIHI

There's several brands that do the same thing. Scroll down to "similar items".

Yess the good stuff!! This is the one in the video, but I'd actually recommend the IngenuiTea or IngenuiTea2 - they're a bit easier to clean IMO! Happy tea-making! 🍵🙏

Steeping tea is enjoyable to me. At minimum, you'll need a device for heating the water (kettle, either electric or stovetop), a container for steeping (teapot), a filter to catch the leaves (can be part of teapot or separate), and a cup for drinking.

I use these:

• Medelco kettle
  
• BIA Cordon Blue teapot and cup
  
• Steel ball strainer
  
  The process is simple.
  
  
• Place leaves into teapot.
  
• Heat water in kettle.
  
• Pour water into teapot.
  
• Place strainer at mouth of teapot while pouring tea into cup.
  
  You can alternatively place the leaves in the strainer and stick it inside the teapot to steep. That's slightly simpler, but it doesn't allow the leaves to fully expand.
  
  Some teapots are also designed to ease the steeping process further, like Adagio's Ingenuitea, which I own and yet don't use as much. You place the leaves inside, steep, and then the tea flows out from the filtered mesh bottom, directly into a cup.
  
  Once you've developed tea as a hobby and have certain regional or style preferences, such as Japanese sencha (green tea) or Chinese oolongs, you can invest in steeping equipment specific to those, such as kyusu or tetsubin and Zisha teapots or gaiwan. These are by no means required, but they can heighten the experience, especially if you decide to prepare the tea in the culturally traditional manner; see Japanese and Chinese tea ceremonies.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-XGS-60TB-Range-Server-600Ml/dp/B000P4931S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1398347128&sr=8-3&keywords=hario+decanter

Buy it in a squeezy bottle

Or pour it into your own

I have this. It's great. You heat the milk on the stove.

Like I said in another comment, I've made butter with a ~cup of buttermilk mixed with a ~quart of cream, left overnight... fantastic results! Here's the original recipe I followed and it uses your same method with the stand mixer. (I've made my mixer earn her keep by kneading pasta and bread doughs from time to time)

An as to what makes it great? not just the cows, but what the cows are fed, grass is an important element for good tasting milk and butter (gives them that yellow hue).

And btw, if you salt at the beginning, you can knead the butter in water to rinse the salt away. Salt will help keep the butter it's freshest. Also, if you want to do like the french, get yourself a butter dish that immerses the butter in water, avoiding contact with air.

Get a Hario teapot instead.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Cha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0006HINDI?th=1&psc=1

I've used this as my only teapot for several years:

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0

It's pretty minimal and maybe not what you're looking for. I've fumbled it several times and never broken it. Works great with every kind of tea.

Really not sure how you've managed to find this teapot for $100, but you can actually get it for $16.76:

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0

You don't need a special kettle either really. I use a cheap glass electric kettle (I would recommend glass personally since plastic kettles can have smell issues and metal ones use crappy stainless steel, so they can have rust problems) and it works just fine. Having a temperature control is neat, but not really necessary, you can easily figure out yourself when to turn the kettle off (after two or three tries) to get the 70-80c temperature for greens.

> The Samplers

The flower teas are mostly for aesthetic purposes, the way I understand it. Wouldn't bother with them, if I were you. I also wouldn't recommend Teavivre all that much, I bought maybe two dozen teas and samples from them, very hit and miss and not good in terms of price/quality, imo. The Joseph Wesley samples seem pretty expensive.

This is a glass pot I've seen recommended in this sub a few times: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_OM8gzb960T8DJ

I own the 450ml version myself and it's great!

I use one that I believe is the same as his. You can purchase it at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UixazbXDQPTK9

It's very nice. I've used it for maybe a year and a half and have little issue it.

This teapot is by far my favorite. I feel like Hario needs to hire me as a sales rep, I love these things so much. It is easy to clean, damn near unbreakable, and still looks brand new after years of regular use. I have all three sizes, but the 100ml is the one I reach for most often. I have clay pots, glazed, non glazed, and numerous other styles, but they all sit in a cupboard while the Hario is on the counter. I like to think that I learn a lot about a tea via color and how it changes, so I gravitate towards glass pots.

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Cha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0?th=1&psc=1

Its glass but 300 ml pot. Large basket. I have the 700 ml one and love it.

1. Get/make a tea cozy. It's basically a teapot blanket, but it keeps the pot warm for your second or third cup.
   
   
2. Cast iron/clay are best if you're going to drink the same type of tea (Green/Black) over and over again, as they're seasoned like a skillet. If you change your tea up, get a get a glass pot or a porcelain pot. If i were buying a glass teapot today I'd get this Hario http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Glass-Teapot-23oz-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=zg_bs_367229011_4
   
   
3. The real key is to warm your teacup while you steep the tea . Most tea only require 3-5 minutes so the pot shouldn't have time to cool too much, especially if the lid is on.
   
   
4. I'm a little more fond of the tea basket in a cup http://www.amazon.com/Bodum-12-Ounce-Double-Glass-Strainer/dp/B003D3NC1A and making new hot water for every cup, but I have easy access to hot water, I'm not sure how your dorm situation is.
   

I ordered one of their other products and get it today - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007WTBQ0/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza. They make good products.

I've tried a few different pots and by far, like really really far this is the best one.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007WTBQ0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've since bought 3 of them. One for work, one for the kitchen, and one in my office.

Get one.

Or just use a microwave food cover, which you should totally have anyway.

$600? Let me see what I can do here.

Brew Kettle:

• http://spikebrewing.com/collections/10-gallon-stainless-kettles/products/10-gallon-brew-kettle-2-horizontal-couplers: $200
  
• http://spikebrewing.com/collections/accessories/products/v3-pickup-tube-shorty: $25
  
• http://spikebrewing.com/collections/accessories/products/1-2-npt-stainless-steel-ball-valve-3-piece: $25
  
  Mash Tun:
  
  
• https://smile.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK: $50
  
• Various materials (http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=23008): $30
  
  Propane Burner:
  
  
• https://smile.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-Single-Burner-Patio/dp/B0009JXYQ4: $50
  
  Wort Chiller:
  
  
• http://jadedbrewing.com/products/the-hydra: $160
  
  That's $540 and would be a pretty incredible setup.

Mash tun cooler (this is probably cheaper at your local hardware store or wal mart) Also, this isn't the only cooler that works. Pretty much any plastic cooler works. But you'll need a different false bottom if you use a chest cooler, which may allow you to mash bigger batches.

Weldless Ball Valve Just take the plastic valve off the cooler and screw this one on. Will work on most any cooler you choose.

False bottom Put this at the bottom, connecting the silicon hose to the ball valve and the top of the false bottom.

3/8" barb You'll need to screw this onto the ball valve on the inside of the mash tun to connect the silicon hose to.

Honestly, if you've already got a kettle that can boil 6 gallons, you're good to go there, and just add this to the mix. Otherwise, pick up a Stainless Steel Brew Kettle.

This whole setup comes in just under $200 but you'll need some hoses and some hose clamps as well. But I'm sure that if you shop around (even on amazon) you might find better deals than I linked. But that's the gist of it. And there's no need to stick with the specific brands I linked. But just make sure to stick with stainless steel for the kettle, ball valve, and connecting accessories and food-grade plastic for the cooler. And any hoses need to be high temp hoses. Silicon is ideal.

This is by no means the "only" way to do it, but a great start down the road. You may also choose to use a pump. It has advantages and disadvantages. You can make great beer with and without one.

Don't let your dreams be dreams!

EDIT: Even better option, 10 gallon for same price

1. Electric Kettle - recommend Hamilton Beach Var. Temp Kettle
   
   
2. Infuser/Teapot, your choice
   

• Basket infuser, fits in any mug or cup - recommend Finium Brewing Basket
  
• Standard teapot with infuser - recommend Adagio PersonaliTea
  
• Gravity steeper - recommend Adagio IngenuiTea
  
• Gaiwan with decanter and tasting cups
  

1. Tea. Spend most of your budget on good tea and research on ideal steep and temperature times, and read up on different types of tea

I usually use this magical contraption that /u/rarelyserious got me. No microwave could come close to the perfection it brews.

Not exactly pretty or quirky, but DARNED useful!

Am extremely excited for my paycheck so I can get one. :D

I use a v60 and that Zojirushi, but not together.

I could not get it to work well and mainly it wasn't stable and almost tipped over a couple times.

I pour into a server and then put it in the thermos.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P4931S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7KBUCb6WD8QPF

This is not a recipe suggestion as much as a tip. Get squeezy bottles for:

• Oil, peanut or some high temp oil
  
• Broth
  
• Soy sauce
  
• Fish sauce [edit: just saw the seafood]
  
• Sesame Oil
  
• Sriracha
  
  Also the little Soy Sauce Dishes for:
  
  
• Ginger paste
  
• Garlic
  
• green onion tops
  
• green onion bottoms
  
• sugar
  
• msg (or broth powder or ignore if you hate msg)
  
• cornstarch
  
• touchi
  
• XO sauce [contains seafood]
  
  Finally, do not buy the products I mentioned through the links I supplied. Go to your local chinatown. It will have all these products and cost less.
  
  Other accessories: a gas burner, you can get a portable one at 10$. A wok ladle. and a spider.
  
  As for recipes... er... popcorn? ;)
  
  Stir fries are great, but once you start making your own fried rice you'll look forward to converting ALL leftovers into carby goodness.
  
  Enjoy and don't hesitate to ask us questions!

>What kind of cooking oil should I use? I'm leaning towards extra virgin olive oil.

EVOO has a lower "smoke point", making it bad for certain types of cooking/temp ranges. Basically, it depends on how you're using it. I have a squirt bottle of Olive Oil and one of EVOO, and I generally only use the EVOO in salads, and use the OO to do most of my cooking.

I sort of prefer the mechanical ones:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X7GF40/ref=pd_aw_sim_sbs_79_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=N0H5DQ3ERJKJ0335ZBNB&dpPl=1&dpID=61ehmMWbrNL

If you froth it a bit then put it in the microwave it gets real poofy.

This is the one I use. I've used almond milk before and it froths up great.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000X7GF40/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?qid=1453704312&sr=8-16&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=milk+frother

This might work for you: http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-10-00753-002-Tea-Infuser-Mug/dp/B001Q3L9P0

The mug is microwave safe, so all you need is it, a way to measure the tea, and the tea itself. It's worked very well for me so far.

The link for the mug on Amazon is here for the people who asked. :)

I personally love it, so give it a try.

https://www.amazon.com/Squeeze-Condiment-Open-Tip-Polyethylene-Durable/dp/B009D9Z7TS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1496678617&sr=8-4&keywords=plastic+squeeze+bottle

But honestly treat it like honey... You don't just pour honey into a drink, you make a honey syrup batch so it's easier to pour and mixes in the drink more quickly/evenly. Do the same with this. I assume this is like a honey? So make a 2:1 ratio elderflower syrup!

I got these during black Friday. Still a good deal Epica 18-Oz. Glass Beverage Bottles, Set of 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0YNYSI/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_XwfDwb89J01JB

I have heard of using one of these by sectioning the hair and applying it directly to the scalp, then massaging it in with your fingers. I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to once my current bottle of dry shampoo runs out.

Transfering back and forth is not a great idea, more chances for it to get contaminated. Put your VG and PG into working bottles, if your mixing by weight, condiment bottles work well, something like this. When you run out in your working bottles, wash them out let them dry then refil from your large bottles of VG/PG.

As for Nic, break it down into smaller bottles, 30ml Boston rounds with poly cap work well. Say if you have 120ml of nic, break it down into four bottles, put three in the freezer and use one for your working nic.

I was kind of being sarcastic about being a snob. I'll drink folgers or earl grey or w/e is available and it won't bother me, but I like making good stuff when I'm at home.

The grey jar is dried lavender I use for lavender tea sometimes. The "french press" is actually a nifty thing for brewing tea.

The pu-ehr I got was just some random one I found on amazon called "yunnan longrun". One of these days I'm going to put in a big order on yunnan sourcing or something and try out a bunch of different teas.

No worries at all, I'm more than happy to help as much as I can. I'm super passionate about tea and love seeing new people want to try it out, especially gongfu!

Because you've expressed interest in having a full gongfu set up, below I'm going to give you a couple examples of starter-packs consisting of a tea table, gaiwan, pitcher, strainer, and tea cups (and a tea pet if you're really feeling like going all out).

Nearly everything I'm going to list below is from Yunnan Sourcing's US-based website, because that way you won't have to wait for China shipping. Although, don't get used to US shipping. The deeper you get into this hobby, the more you're going to be ordering from vendors who ship directly from China, which generally takes anywhere from 10-15 business days. It's best to accept that fact up front and just get used to it--honestly, now I don't even notice. It shows up when it shows up.

Okay, without further ado, here's the full gongfu package that I'd recommend for one person just getting into gongfu.

Tea Table: ~$45.00USD (US Shipping)
https://www.amazon.com/Tasteful-Bamboo-Gongfu-Table-Serving/dp/B00M3Y8LNY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503637708&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=gongfu+tea+tray&psc=1

Gaiwan + Teacup: $10.00USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=1074&controller=product

Cha Hai (Glass Pitcher): $6.50USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=86&controller=product

Strainer: $3.20USD (US Shipping)
http://www.yunnansourcing.us/store/index.php?id_product=89&controller=product

^That will have all the brewing utensils that you'd need to get started with gongfu (though some would argue you don't need the tea table, just use a cloth or a dish or something, but since you seem interested in the full package, that's what I'd go with...that's actually the table I use now!)

Now...when it comes to tea...

I'd first highly recommend picking up a scale (this one from Amazon is only $9.00USD and works really well: https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503639369&sr=8-1&keywords=American+weigh+scale

As for strong sweet flavor that doesn't need sugar, I'd recommend starting with oolongs, which are typically very smooth, sweet, floral, and somewhat creamy.

Here are a couple of my personal favorites that are extremely budget-friendly, ship super fast, and are all from Eco-Cha.

Four Seasons Spring Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/four-seasons-spring-oolong-tea-1

Dong Ding Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea

Alishan High Mountain Oolong: https://eco-cha.com/collections/all-tea/products/alishan-high-mountain-oolong-tea

If you're feeling adventurous, then I'd definitely pick up some puerh as well. The Basics Puer Tea Sample Set from White2Tea is
one of the best introductions you can ask for. It's $39.99USD for 400g of solid tea (4x100g cakes of Spring, Autumn, Huangpian [large leaf], and 10-year-old tea), and it always comes with a free puerh pick, and ships anywhere in the world for free, which is super nice.


If you purchase everything I listed, you'd spend ~$130.00USD, which would set you up with a tea-set you would grow into, and enough tea to last you roughly 2 months, and that's assuming you drink 10g of tea every day, which is highly unlikely.

If you're on a super tight budget, then I'd recommend ditching the tea table and just getting the gaiwan+teacup, the scale, and the teas. Everything else isn't nearly as important, though if you have the money, it's certainly nice to have the full setup.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MA4WSU4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491921419&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=gongfu+teapot

My advice for a simple way to brew that is really tasty is: get one of these, learn how to use the gong fu style of tea brewing in it. Your tea will taste less biter, have stronger aromas and you'll get many infusions out of each brew.

Here's a good video that explains how it works, go to the 25 minute mark. Or watch the whole video for education on all brewing styles. It's a great YouTube channel for tea education.

https://youtu.be/puldqGnW9P0

Don't worry about the short brew time, caffeine dissolves very quickly 😉

I use these or something functionally identical: https://smile.amazon.com/Condiment-16-ounce-Dressing-Pinnacle-Mercantile/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1Q1LZ6NOG3XSW&keywords=squirt+bottle&qid=1554754083&s=gateway&sprefix=unbranded%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-5. So yeah, that's about 500ml.

I think greater concentrations of sugar should actually help fight spoilage bacteria. Higher viscosity should make it harder for bacteria to reproduce. Maple syrup can mold, but honey can't. I'm pretty sure that's at least in part because honey has a greater sugar content.

But that doesn't help much. Most recipes call for either 1:1 or 2:1 sugar:water and deviating from that will require annoying recipe changes.

I think greater concentrations of sugar means more settling/crystalization. But you ought to be able to just shake the sugar back into suspension. There's only so much sugar you can dissolve in to water. Somewhere above 3:1 or 4:1 it will require heat to maintain the suspension.

Maybe something like this?

Plastic Condiment Squeeze Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set 6 for Ketchup, Mustard, BBQ, Dressing, Sauces, Crafts and More Pinnacle Mercantile https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UIgBCbARRY6A7

We got it from Amazon.

This is a good one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BWC0E42/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got it from Amazon.

Edit: This one: https://www.amazon.com/Tasteful-Bamboo-Gongfu-Table-Serving/dp/B00M3Y8LNY

This is the one I have. I bought it a year ago and it's served me well through college so far.

This is the one I have. I've been using it for the last 8 or so months and I have no complaints.

This depends primarily on how much you want to brew and what style (batch vs continuous). The easiest first step would be to go with a glass gallon jug. If you want to go a little bigger, get a 2 gallon with a non metal spigot (plastic and stainless steel are ok). Spigots make it way easier to pour for 2F. Not sure it’s worth it for a 1 gallon jug but for sure for 2+ G.

Pakkon Wide Mouth Glass Mason Jar with PlasticLid/Ferment & Store Kombucha Tea or Kefir/Use for Canning, Storing, Pickling & Preserving Dishwasher Safe, Airtight Liner Seal, 1 gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012BAWVU8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sjiIAbZAY63RN

Anchor Hocking Heritage Hill Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spigot, 2 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWC0E42?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

You don't need much in terms of apparatus. Personally, I would begin with the following. Keep in mind I am only talking about loose leaf tea.

• Something like this to which you add loose leaf tea, water, let it steep, and then push the button down to decant
  
• A digital scale to accurately measure the quantity of dry leaf. Something simple like this will suffice
  
• If you're going to experiment with a variety of tea types (black, green, white, oolong, etc.), I would highly recommend a variable temp kettle. Or at the very least, an immersion thermometer. This will help you accurately measure the temp of water. I have this one
  
  The above combined will set you back <$60. Honestly, you can substitute the Kamjove tea maker with a simple all purpose teapot, eyeball the dry leaf instead of weighing it, and guess the temp of water and do without the variable temp kettle - I personally wouldn't do it for a variety of reasons, but if you're on a budget...
  
  The next step, and the most important one, would be to get your hands on samples of tea. A lot of vendors, incl myself, offer samples. Get small quantities from a variety of vendors so that you have enough tea to experiment with, but not so much that you're stuck with a large quantity of tea you don't like. Once you have sampled enough to determine your likes and dislikes, invest in larger quantities of tea.
  
  Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0YNYSI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_IiRhDb5MY2V43

GREAT QUESTION. So I've used those disposable fleet enemas in the past. We didn't have any, so he rummaged in the kitchen until he found one of these. Filled it with warm water and helped me, um, apply it as needed.

Here's the hardware I ended up with for a simple continuous brew setup. For me, two gallons is a lot for a batch brew mostly just handling the vessel. Good luck! You're mostly limited by your imagination here.

Beverage dispenser Target is supposed to carry it also, but I never found one in the store.

Stainless spigot

Rubber bands

Heater

Temp controller outlet

Adhesive thermometer

I just started making it myself. I got a SCOBY from Amazon and here's my general recipe:

1. 1 Gallon brewed tea (black is the easiest/cheapest to use, but I've used Roobios too)
   
2. 1 Cup sugar (I used refined white sugar - while technically not Paleo, it is the easiest for the SCOBY to digest)
   
3. 1 SCOBY
   
4. 1 Cup distilled white vinegar/previously brewed tea
   
   Boil the water. Once the water is boiling, add in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the tea bags (I usually use 12 tea bags/Gallon) and brew to desired strength. I like mine strong, so I leave the tea bags in the pot until the tea is to room temperature. You can put it in the refrigerator if you want to cool it off quicker. This is very important since hot tea will kill your SCOBY.
   
   
   
   Sterilize your brew container by swishing some vinegar around or running it through the dishwasher on the hot cycle. I bought one of these to use as my brew container since it makes bottling into these bad boys easier. This is also very important since you don't want any "bad" bacteria to get into your controlled fermentation environment. Pour the tea into your brew container, add the vinegar/starter liquid, and add the SCOBY. From this point on, do not let the kombucha touch anything metal or any non-sterilized equipment. Cover your brew vessel with a clean dish cloth/coffee filter/paper towels and let sit 7-10 days, depending on how vinegar-y you like it.
   
   
   
   That's pretty much it. Just make sure everything is clean and sterile when handling the SCOBY and you will be fine. There are a bunch of recipes and how-to's out there as well, I've just summed them up in this post. Happy Brewing!
   
   
   
   Edit: spelling

links just to the two items Im talking about: never using amazon lists again:

bottles w nozzle

VG that comes in compatible bottle

I use these for pg and VG. Nic I use disposable transfer pipets.

There should be two silicone O-rings: One around the inner cap and one in the groove on the underside of the outer cap. Are they both in place?

Edit: If necessary, you can buy a replacement lid and handle from Takeya for less than the price of a new pitcher (not including shipping).

Try making what i call 'tea water' too, which is simultaneously a lazy person's iced tea and actually surprisingly good. It's cold brew tea, so just toss some tea bags in some room temp water and throw the whole thing in the fridge for a while.

I usually take one of my pitchers (amazon link, although costco has a better price if you can find it there), fill it up to the top, put in two jasmine tea bags, and leave it for 12 hours in the fridge for a lightly jasmine'd flavored water. If the tea gets too concentrated for your taste then you can just mix in more water! Add more tea bags and/or time for a more serious iced tea.

---

If I don't do that with cheapo $3 for 100 tea bags though (Asian markets!!!!) I usually drink really high quality loose leaf tea. I'll either use a teapot/mug for one or a gaiwan and bring the water kettle over to my desk and just keep on making more infusions of the tea with a timer. Having the brewing device next to me or even straight up being the drinking device too makes it a lot easier for me not to forget about the tea, and it means I won't reach for sugary drinks too :)

I do. I have been using the Takeya pitchers that Soylent sends out to new customers, I liked them so well I bought a total of 7 during the crowd-funding, so I can just throw them in the dishwasher every day. It looks like the amazon prices have started going up, but you "should" be able to get them for about $10 ea, and I've heard Costco has them in a 2 pack for $15.

I use 24oz Thermos hydration bottles when I go out, I bought mine at Walmart for about $20 ea.

Some recipes will need a blender, but I've stop using it for my current recipe. Just shake well in the Takeya, my current recipe also emulsifies really well and tends to stay that way.

I bought these: Plastic Squeeze Condiment Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set of 6 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0

I’ve found that these work great. I’d highly suggest them.

I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Epica-18-Oz-Glass-Beverage-Bottles/dp/B00I0YNYSI/

I usually split a pitcher into five servings (roughly 450 calories each with my add-ins). I just make sure to rinse them out thoroughly after use and they pretty much stay fresh.

We've had really good luck with these ones. Beautiful booch by the way!
Epica 18-Oz. Glass Beverage Bottles, Set of 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0YNYSI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YbtzDbYTHT6FZ

I recently cut back on my soda intake and got a Brita water pitcher after getting sick of hoisting big bricks of bottled water in to the house. Get one or some other filter if your tap water tastes like shit.. It helped me make the switch for sure.

One of these,

http://www.amazon.com/Brita-42629-Slim-Pitcher/dp/B0000AP7NV/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1343830954&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=brita+filtert

Unless you've got a suite, unlikely for a freshman, you will not have a tap in your room. Stick it in your tiny fridge, and this will be the messiah for your parched mouth on many hungover mornings. Also save you from amassing huge quantities of empty bottles or cans.

Hario Mini Mill

Kettle

Scale

Brita Filter

Aeropress

Thermometer. The one I have is from a Culinary Arts class I took, but this looks to be the same. It's very useful, and to calibrate it, which you'll need to do every once in a while, fill a cup full of ice and then water and put the blue thing on so you can move it (I'm not sure how to explain it, but I'm sure you'll get it), and make sure the dimple is in the water and move it to 32 degrees.

Edit: Also, the mug was from the reddit Secret Santa exchange! It's a really fantastic mug.

I actually really need a Brita Filter. I know it's not a necessity as you suggested, so please glaze over it if someone needs food/pet stuff/hygiene products/etc. We need one because we go through a TON of bottled watter, and it drives me insane. I hate using all of that plastic when I could just filter it myself. I used to have one, but I didn't take care of it, and ended up having to throw it away.

If you feel so inclined, it is on my kitchen wishlist.

Thanks for the contest!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AP7NV/ref=aw_ls_1_7?colid=3U8TYHP04XIKC&coliid=I3JUUKV3XJP5I1&vs=1

I'm on mobile so I can only copy/paste. The water quality in my rinky dink town is less than stellar so this would be nice. I used to just drink the filtered water from the fridge but now I don't have a fancy filtered dispencer on my fridge so the amount of water I drink has gone down. It's no longer my choicr beverage and my body hates that.

Or, buy a butter keeper!

Under $10 link for the lazy

Make great housewarming gifts cause you're pretty sure they don't already have one.

You're looking for a french butter keeper!

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284A-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1415677816&sr=1-1&keywords=french+butter+dishes

Get one of these. Been using it for years.

Hmm...maybe use a Butter Bell? They keep your butter fresh at room temperature via airlock, and you could probably use the bell part as a mold.

We have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ

I love Amazon Prime. Whenever I need something for the kitchen, it's usually there.

You should try one of the many mug strainers. They sell them all over the place. You said you were in Canada so you could try DavidsTea, Teavana/Starbucks, or even Chapters has some. They allow for more room than a tea ball (which I also hate) but allow for less than a pot.

You could also try just getting a smaller pot. I use this teapot as one of my smaller ones. The Hario pots are pretty amazing plus it's nice to see your tea brew in the glass. Some people don't like glass teapots though.

Is something like [this Hario kyusu] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006HINDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_AvJgVokcDe4Tk) what you're looking for? I recently bought one and absolutely love it. The infuser is removable so I just use it as a strainer to avoid that metallic taste. Works wonderfully and at $14 it's a steal.

Hario. I own this particular size (450 ml), and it's perfect for 1 big cup or 2 smaller cups. The glass will get hot where the tea contacts it, but the handle has never gotten hot on me. It pours really well and is easy to clean too -- always a plus at work.

Yeah, the process is fun. :) I have one of these teapots, which is the perfect size for 3-4 servings, along with some simple Japanese ceramic teacups. Nothing fancy (maybe $25 all told) but Asian green teas aren't meant to be drunk in huge American mugs. If you have a decent digital thermometer then that helps to dial in your temps/timings.

Hi, welcome!

There's a lot of different approaches to brewing tea, just one of which is the familiar teapot method. A really popular glass one is https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/. One really good reason for white/glass teaware is that they allow you to easily evaluate the color of your tea, which is helpful in appreciating it better and learning how to brew your tea.

When you say Japanese style, do you mean the Kyusu teapot, or do you mean teaware with Japanese designs on them?

I have this one which I use at work:
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417840377&sr=8-1&keywords=glass+tea+pot

It's about the right size for 2-3 cups of tea and works really well. Added bonus is that if you take the mesh out you can steep a flowering tea and watch it bloom!

> hario teapot

Like these:

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_bxaHzbVRCQ14M via @amazon

Hario Fukami Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BD1O0WO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_wAaHzbACZRYP5 via @amazon

Hario Pure Glass Tea Pot (700ml) Hario https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002GYVDKO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_exaHzb99HJJDR via @amazon

At 700 mL (23.7 oz) they seem a bit small compared to the other 40 oz pots I've been looking at. Thanks for the recommendation, though!

This one is super highly rated and recommended.

This is nice since it will work with any mug.

Something like this looks really nice and works well.

I had one just like this that I loved.

I had one like this that was cherished until it broke. It worked amazingly well. And there's this if you want to make more than one cup!

You really want to find something large that gives the tea leaves room to expand. The cute novelty ones are adorable, but don't steep the tea very well. You can also reuse the leaves so don't throw them away after one use!!

Also if you have one near you, David's Teas have super cute stuff. There's also a /r/tea subreddit :)

Invest in an infuser and start drinking loose leaf tea. The dust/scraps that go into bagged tea can't hold a candle to the fresh, rich flavour you get out of the full leaf. You can find single-serve mugs, mesh strainers, and full-size kettles. The difference is noticeable and makes the whole experience more enjoyable.

I just ordered this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007WTBQ0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3TCNCNGLOHBSA. It gets great reviews--check out the review by stevek216. I can update when I get it.

Those look great!

I am a tea fiend, so I can help you out most there. :) I personally own the first cup and am personally not happy with it, despite its good looks. (FYI, tea leaves easily get stuck in the drain slits, not to mention it's incredibly fragile.)

I would instead suggest this teapot instead, which is still glass and the filter is good quality. Pro-tip: For tea that expands into much larger leaves (blossoming or oolong teas), no need for the filter so you can see the beauty of the tea expanding. :) Another suggestion would be the Teavana Perfectea Maker for a gravity brewer that lets you see the tea leaves brewing.

You need one of these Butter goes in the cone and water goes in the other half. The water keeps the butter from picking up other tastes, odors and from molding and lets you leave it on the counter.

The best boxes are Egg boxes you can find in grocery stores, they are high-quality and they will protect your stuff because they can protect the eggs.

Trust me, you will need these here!

Get a good splatter guard. This helps steam the food while it is cooking.

Use the Nordic ware tray and cover, works like a charm. I clean mine in a dishwasher to deal with the mess.

http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Sided-Round/dp/B00004W4UM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396564769&sr=8-2&keywords=microwave+bacon+cooker

http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Spatter-Cover/dp/B000BOA2D0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1396564769&sr=8-9&keywords=microwave+bacon+cooker

I either use nothing or a microwave splatter cover: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BOA2D0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nfSMDbRQ6VJTC

I'm building a new brewing system, and today I built a 10 gallon cooler mashtun using all SS fittings. Having learned from past experiences, I came up with this build, which is just about the simplest way to make a mashtun.

What you'll need:

10 gallon Igloo cooler $41

Bayou Classic 1/2" SS Bulkhead $30

1/2" MTP Bazooka Screen $9

1/2" Male hose barb $8 (you can probably find one of these cheaper at your LHBS, I had one lying around)

Tools: Teflon tape, and a crescent wrench.

Total Cost: $88

My round 10gal Igloo cooler keeps temps within 1deg-2deg for 60mins with no issue.

It's this one: http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/

I do 5-6 gal batches and the 10gal cooler is definitely worth it because it gets close to full on high ABV (8%+) mashes.

You sya you don't have the tools to make the mash tun and brew pot. I assemlbe my mash tun, HLT, and brew pot with two 10inch adjustable wrenches, a standard dewalt drill, a carbonate cutting bit, a stepped cutting bit, and some cutting oil. If you have the drill everything else would cost around 50 bucks, then you also gain tools with your equipment. The hardest part is cutting holes in the pot for a thermometer.

Either way to make the Mashtun and MTL you would only need 2 10 inch adjustable wrenches.

Up to you, but here is some all grain kits you could look at:

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/10-Gallon-Igloo-Cooler-Mash-Tun-With-False-Bottom-AND-Hot-Liquor-Tank_p_6699.html

https://www.amazon.com/Gallon-Cooler-Stainless-Steel-Screen/dp/B013KJKAC0/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1486068034&sr=8-9&keywords=10+gallon+mash+tun

You can make a 10 gallon mash tun for under 100 dollars:

10 Gallon cooler (~$50)
https://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486068151&sr=8-1&keywords=10+gallon+cooler

Ball Valve(~$15)
https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Brewing-Wl301-Stainless-Weldless/dp/B00OC8DXPA/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1486068175&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=wedless+ball+valve

Screen (~$8)
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Bazooka-Screen-Fitting/dp/B003ISY2DC/ref=pd_sim_468_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003ISY2DC&pd_rd_r=45GNPGH763R20241728C&pd_rd_w=MCZcu&pd_rd_wg=n4Wsv&psc=1&refRID=45GNPGH763R20241728C

1/2 female npt fitting(~$5)
https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Steel-Fitting-Coupling-Female/dp/B003GSKXUU/ref=pd_sim_328_6?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003GSKXUU&pd_rd_r=SMJAVJR6CYZ7P9ZBQBQQ&pd_rd_w=h6v7j&pd_rd_wg=eclPX&psc=1&refRID=SMJAVJR6CYZ7P9ZBQBQQ

Total: 78 dollars. You can buy 2 10 inches adjustable wrenches for 20 dollars (https://www.amazon.com/Stanley-90-949-10-Inch-MaxSteel-Adjustable/dp/B000NIDIXA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486068379&sr=8-1&keywords=10+inch+adjustable+wrench)

so even having to buy tools its still under 100 dollars to make the Mash tun. The hot liquor tank will be the same price minus the screen, npt fitting, and tools. I personally made mine even cheaper buy using a 5 gallon htl instead of a 10 gallon and that will drop the price 25 more dollars. There is 0 drilling involved you simply unscrew the old plastic tap and put the weld ball valve in its place, it took me less than 10 min to make my new HTL on Monday.

Also, and this is really important to why I say build yourself, any mash tun you buy is going to be put together the same way it just matters whether you put it together or someone else does, either way the quality will be identical.

If you need a sparge arm for fly sparge you can make that out of pvc pipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-jgmgbwvg4

My two cents, even though you don't believe in you. I do, if you feel like saving money you can absolutely make all this stuff yourself and it doesn't require you be good at anything more than thinking like a logical person.

Can you link to that Amazon deal? I don't see it there. A friend of mine is looking for a mash tun and that would be perfect for him.

Edit: Never mind... I found it. Was looking for Gott and it is an Igloo.

buy a cooler to be converted into a mashtun!

http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1418931908&sr=8-9&keywords=igloo+cooler

or a kettle and ballvalve!

http://www.brewinternational.com/8-5-gallon-stainless-steel-kettle-with-weldless-valve-thermometer/

or burners!

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/brewing/the-dark-star-burner.html

No problem! If it makes any difference, my opinion is to get a 10 gallon round water cooler. $47 bucks with free shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344623228&sr=8-1&keywords=10+gallon+round+cooler

Stand by:

Ball Valve

False Bottom

10 gallon cooler

False Bottom - Valve adapter

Please shop around. I have no doubt you could get some of this stuff for cheaper. I was restricted in that my only form of currency was Amazon gift cards. Especially the adapter could be built / constructed for much cheaper than I paid.

Additionally, instead of the false bottom / adapter, one could simply employ a Bazooka Screen instead of a false bottom, I have just read that false bottoms are more effective and less prone to problems.


DISCLAIMER - Always do your own research and make sure the parts that you are buying are all compatible and properly sized, etc. etc.

Having said that, the parts I listed above are exactly what I ordered and all fit together perfectly, I just needed to go out and buy a female coupler (to attach the valve to the hose from the false bottom) and a washer (per the included instructions with the valve, which had a additional washer for my configuration).

Making a mash tun out of this 10 gallon cooler. What ball valve should I buy to insure it fits?

Bring one of these and then make your own Chai. =)

I've been using this is that not good?

Thanks for the info, I'll try and give those Upton Tea Import suggestions a go!

For single cups, my mom uses this type of handy guy.

I've been wanting to get something like this one.

Both work for loose leaf, both are good for small quantities, both are fairly cheap.

I'm sure that's incorrect too but I'm not as much of a tea snob. So typically, tea snobs prefer people to use an infuser than a tea ball but it depends on the tea. Apparently you want more room for full leaf teas to grow. Honestly though, I've never had an issue with my tea filters. However, I'm cheep and I now use this infuser but my husband prefers this one or a French press.

If you get really into tea, there are teas that do need that extra room but your average Irish breakfast isn't going to need it.

My dream, it has become real. I wanted to do something similar for years, well done finding the motivation to actuate it.

​

I'd always picture using something like: https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/

It’s a tea brewer/ strainer like this:

Adagio Teas 16 oz. ingenuiTEA Bottom-Dispensing Teapot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_29l1Cb61CSYJV

They can be a PIA to clean.

electric kettle https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0086UJQN8/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

teapot by itself (do not heat the water in this.)
http://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417989643&sr=1-1&keywords=ingenuitea

I highly recommend a tea brewer like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/

It'll open the world to loose leaf and your options become vast. Otherwise check out Adagio or David's Tea for Mightly Leaf like teas.

I swear by ingenuiTEA (they also have a 64oz one). I've bought all the tea lovers in my life one. It's dishwasher-safe, the handle never gets hot to the touch, and you can steep as little or as much loose-leaf as you like. It's freaking magic to everyone who sees it for the first time, because it's gravity-fed and all the tea drains out through the bottom into the mug.

Make sure you buy at least one spare filter, though. I've accidentally thrown one away when throwing out the used tea leaves (look, I don't function well in the morning before I've had my first cuppa, okay???) and another time I accidentally popped one out in the sink and it fell down the garbage disposal, I didn't see it, turned on the disposal, and it made the most god-awful noise. Whoops.

\ They recommend the 64oz size good for "brewing a pitcher of iced tea". Well, screw that, I have a 72oz monster mug and you bet your ass I'm going to enjoy every last drop. Pitchers, hah.

Just another tip, gunpowder green tea is pretty good and it's one of the cheapest loose-leaf types I've found. Five or six bucks (USD) for a quarter pound, which should get you two cups a day for about a month if you reuse the leaves. If there's a Peet's Coffee and Tea near you, they sell it, or you can get it (along with other great teas) at Harney and Sons.

I use this to brew my loose leaf tea, it's dead simple. And of course, once you start getting obsessed you can check out /r/tea for more info.

I'll add to the anecdotal evidence: I drink tea all the time now, which both keeps me feeling full and stops me from drinking more high-calorie beverages. That's enough for me even if tea doesn't have any weight loss benefits beyond that.

yeah i can see that coming in handy. i kind of want one of these now https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK

That is particularly the Adagio IngenuiTEA: https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK

When I started with loose tea I got one of these and eventually got one of these. I mostly use the IngenuiTEA, but still use the Finum filter occasionally.

The Keuring aint mine. It's my roommates. If I were to donate it, it would end very badly. Haha.

He also bought me a tea thingy and a bunch of teas.

I love all of it.

I have this and it's awesome! I love it! You add hot water, stir and just put the cup on the bottom.

I'm looking into getting some sort of pour-over (a barista friend is set on a Kalita, but I haven't really decided which I want). Anyways, I've seen people mention things like the Hario Range Server and I'm just wondering if it's really necessary to have when getting a pour-over? Is it difficult to only do one serving and that's the reason people buy them?

Get a reliable pourer if you're spilling. Chances are your bottle sucks. For oil, you could use a squeeze bottle or an oil bottle to reduce spilling. If your container is unwieldy, you're more likely to spill.

As you know with is his videos, it seems like some squeeze bottles and a bit of food coloring can go a long way for really cool 2d pancakes. I'm definitely going to try it one day.

Some say that a squeezable plastic condiment bottle - as is commonly used for ketchup and mustard, and which is available for just a dollar or two in the grocery store - makes a viable and low-budet alternative to the rocket blower.

And it doesn't look like a bomb.

Just a few tips I've found. Don't be afraid to experiment. Ive made some juice that sounded good in my head but was disgusting and I've made some that sounded bad on paper but was delicious.

Keep up with what you mix. I use a small notebook for this but the worst thing you can do is make an amazing mixed berry cheesecake with just the right amounts of yogurt to make it Tangy and you forget. Sounds a tad specific huh?

And if throat irritating is a problem I would suggest not adding pg outside of your flavors. Most of them are pg from my understanding. Just be careful with some tanks not wicking well with high vg blends.

Finally mix. Mix... MIX. You literally cannot shake it enough. It's important to get a good mixture going for it to steep properly.

Some tools I use that aren't usually advertised in kits and things of the like include

Empty commercial sauce bottle for your vg something like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/OrangeTag-Squeeze-Bottles-pack-Clear/dp/B000QJBNII)

LOTS OF PAPER TOWELS

And labels. I use Avery 1"x3" ones. They are 250 for I think 8 bucks at my office store.

Squeeze bottles are my choice. My syrups are generally made 2:1 so it takes forever to use a regular bottle with a speed pourer, and squeeze bottles are great to cut the flow exactly when you want to.

I make this all the time with my Nespresso machine as well - except I use this to get micro-foam and it works amazingly well!

Absolutely agree on milk frothing. Bought a manual (pump) one a few months ago and have used it every. single. day. A little more expensive at $20 but no batteries and it's not just plastic for the landfil! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X7GF40/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have this one, I like it. It has a little lever thing to lift the basket out of the water so you don't over-brew.

>This might work for you: http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-10-00753-002-Tea-Infuser-Mug/dp/B001Q3L9P0

>The mug is microwave safe, so all you need is it, a way to measure the tea, and the tea itself. It's worked very well for me so far.

u/BouncingYeti made a good suggestion! It's something I'm looking into. Hope this is what you're looking for as well :)

I've had this Aladdin infuser tumbler over a year and I have put it through hell. It still looks new and keep my tea too hot to drink over an hour ands it's not cold after two and a half-ish. I know several people who have them and love them.

http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-Perfect-Inufser-12oz-Chai/dp/B001Q3L9P0

This might be what you initially described. It's a go mug where you put your tea leaves into a basket, flip a lever to lower the tea leaves into the hot water, and then can raise the basket when steeping is done.

I use the Aladdin Perfect Cup as my travel mug.

http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-Perfect-Infuser-12oz-Chai/dp/B001Q3L9P0/ref=sr_1_12?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1451776613&sr=1-12&keywords=aladdin+mug

Would you like a falafel with that? awesome tea infuser? My sister is a college student and lives in the dorms so she's pretty limited in what she can do in the way of tea. She got me hooked on tea and I'd love to get her one of these!

EDIT: Check out your college's website. Usually they include a list of stuff to bring. I highly suggest flip flops (crappy ones to wear in the shower), disposable cleaning wipes, a first aid kit, rain boots (seriously. there's nothing like a crap load of rain to keep you from going to class, a nice umbrella or poncho, and lots of tupperware (big and small) to keep things organized. Also, you may want to invest in a small safe to keep your awesome stuff locked up tight. Your roommate might be great, but you never know...

Here you go

Half Pint Creamer Glass Mini Milk Carton, $10.11 on Amazon... http://www.amazon.com/Half-Pint-Creamer-Glass-Carton/dp/B0029SXDO6

there is also a glass Ziplock bag... http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-UNZIPPED-Hand-Blown-Glass/dp/B001XSLEN0/

Great post. A good way to avoid spin offs altogether is to use a condiment bottle to apply your fuel. You can apply the perfect amount and won't need to spin off. I recommend that you do this over an empty can or something to catch any drips.

20 bones not that bad really considering you would have to be preparing enough booze for an apartment complex of Texans before you would have to replace the filter (and the filter is only like 5 bucks).

I did this once with an HEB brand knock off when it was getting close to replacement time, and it worked pretty well. Not a hangover was found in the bottle.

Hoping this will help us drink more water this summer!

10 or under

Thank you!! <3

I go to BU and MIT for biomedical engineering or course 20. I'm going into my sorta senior year. I probably need to take an extra semester so I'm in an odd situation right now. My senior project yearly class thingy needs to be delayed cause I haven't taken thermodynamics yet.

I'll be moving into a nice off campus studio and let's see...

This Brita pitcher is really nice for dorms. It's right above $10, but quite useful cause dorm water sucks.

I personally need these ice-cube trays cause it's bloody hot in Boston and I realize I haven't been making ice! XD

http://www.amazon.com/Brita-42629-Slim-Pitcher/dp/B0000AP7NV/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1331319016&sr=8-3

$13. Same price as a few day's worth of bottled water.

This is just stupid. A Brita pitcher is only $10-40 depending on size. You can get this one for less than ten bucks on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brita-42629-Slim-Pitcher/dp/B0000AP7NV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300634245&sr=8-1

found it in Amazon Canada for 14$

https://www.amazon.ca/Brita-Water-Filter-Pitcher-Replacement/dp/B0000AP7NV/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1549518097&sr=8-13&keywords=brita+filters

Water is free since it's included in my utilities, however, it tastes awful. I would love to be able to purify it up a bit with this pitcher. Rockstar!

I have a few things that I actually need, but I can't link anything right now(I'll come edit with links when I get to a computer).

Not for me, but my bird would appreciate a couple new perches. Getting his nails trimmed is expensive and it's uncomfortable for him. I'd like to make it easier for him to trim them on his own so he doesn't have to go through the stress and pain of the vet visit.

I could really use a water filter. I don't like the taste of tap water, and bottled water is too expensive. I could filter the tap and try to be a little healthier and drink it instead of sweet tea or soda.

What would make my life slightly better would be maybe a vacuum cleaner. My mom gave me her old one when she moved away, but it doesn't really work. I've tried everything I could do to fix it, but no go. Since we have a lot of animals, vacuuming is a weekly if not more often, chore. A working vacuum would be awesome!

On the more expensive side, a mattress would definitely improve my quality of life. I've never had a new one, they've all been hand me downs or bought used. The one I have now could have been super nice, but the previous owners left dents where they slept in it. So there really isn't any support for my body. Having fibromyalgia makes me have a hard time sleeping, so it would be nice to enjoy the sleep I do get. It also makes me overheat really easy, so I often wake up in the middle if the night burning up even when it's 68 degrees.

Sorry for the wall! I just wanted to put the things I actually needed and give a variety :)

This is an awesome contest and I hope everyone's lives get a little better if they need it! <3

It's not often I get to change a strangers life...

That's what I do right now. I bought this butter keeper container from amazon and keep butter on the counter in it. I probably don't need it since I go through the butter so fast I could just leave it in a glass bowl on the counter top.

Edit: Link to butter keeper.

Or get a butter bell?

You need this. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt

Huh, never had that issue with our $7.50 butter bell.

My gut says your butter fell out because it wasn't pressed into the butter bell full/completely and/or the butter bell was stored in direct sunlight (or a warm place).

Easy way to 'steam' things. Use those plastic shopping bags you bring home your groceries in. No need to waste money on the name brand 'steamer bags'.

Addintionaly food like carrots, potatos, sweet potatos, corn on the cob, and other fresh veg dont need refrigeration and all microwave well. The smaller the food the shorter the cook time. I do big potatoes for 6-8 minutes, small carrots for 4-6.

Also keep in mind real butter (not the spreads or country crock) doesnt need refrigeration just stitck it in a butter bell so you can add butter to any dish you microwave.

No, just one of these: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-284-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ

Get a butter bell and you will be all set. https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Glazed-Stoneware-Butter-Keeper/dp/B0000VLURQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1480896805&sr=1-1&keywords=butter+bell

Yes, This. If you're concerned about it going bad / getting invaded, can also use a "butter keeper" that seals it with water. For Example (not an endorsement, just the 1st result from Google)

Use a butter bell, they're awesome

Well, I've praised French Butter Keepers here before, but I am always willing to tell people about HOLY SHIT THE BUTTER IS ALWAYS SOFT IT'S FUCKING WITCHCRAFT.

On the more... practical side of things, everyone should have one of this style plunger Seriously. Especially if you have a very wussy low-flow toilet like my apartment does.

And a good pair of all-purpose scissors. It's important to have your junk scissors be distinct from your paper scissors and your fabric scissors so you don't gunk up the latter two.

Sure! There are tons of videos on YouTube if you need a visual, but basicallly use either a quart or pint of heavy cream (a quart will give you roughly a pound of butter). I have used WalMart's Great Value heavy cream, and it tastes pretty darn good, so don't feel you have to buy an expensive cream to make great homemade butter.


Next, place contents of cream into stand mixer bowl. I start on 2 for about 1 minute and then kick it up to 10 (you may need a splash guard in place to prevent splashing). Let your mixer run for about 2-3 minutes or so. It will go from liquid, to whipped cream, to curdled and separated looking. That's when it's essentially butter!


Now, turn off mixer, and strain out the "buttermilk" (the liquid that's separated from the butter solids). You'll probably need to mash on the butter in the strainer to be sure all the liquid is separated. Save that buttermilk for baking. Some tutorials I have looked at feel it's necessary to really get all that buttermilk out to prevent the butter from going rancid (I go through the butter so fast, it's never been a problem), so give further directions to place the butter back in the mixer and add some water and mix again and strain (and repeat several times), until the water is clear.

Using your hands or a wooden spoon or placing your butter in a butter bell, shape your butter how you like it and store in the fridge or however you store your regular store-bought butter.

The butter can also be placed back in your stand mixer and mixed with salt to taste, herbs, garlic, etc. There are tons of recipes, too, that can be found on how to season your butter.

I'll apologize in advance if my directions aren't that great. But, really it's a pretty simple process. If you have any questions, just let me know!

pg tips pyramid bags
yorkshire gold (not other "golds")
boiled water in a tea pot for 3 min
(milk on hand to add to each cup poured)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006HINDI
personal taste, preferably with a steel infuser
http://www.amazon.com/Brown-Betty-Cup-Tea-Staffordshire/dp/B0009LM5EE
nobody except the royals cares about authenticity in england

So I currently have 2 teapots; one is about 450ml and was a second-hand gift, but sadly it's too small to fit my infuser basket in. The other one is a fancier porcelain one, but the issue is that it's a litre. My infuser basket fits great, but unless I fill it rather full (900 or 1000ml of water), it doesn't work amazingly because it's one of those taller, thinner ones.

After browsing the sub I found http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hario-Stainless-Glass-Teapot-Infuser/dp/B0006HINDI/ (which is 450ml) and it seems to have a much bigger infuser basket than I currently have. I really want to try gongfu, too...blah, I'm going to end up with far too many teapots at this rate.

It depends what you are interested in. Loose leaf is definitely the way to go, all you need is a teapot like this and something to heat the water in. For the teas themselves, r/tea has a list of vendors that covers many different areas. r/tea can be a great resource in general, there are tons of super knowledgeable people for each kind of tea and there are multiple people in the industry there. What-Cha is very well liked and has a variety of teas from all over, they are definitely a good place to order from for the first time. They have an intro to tea collection, though I feel that a white tea like this one should be included in it.

[This] (http://www.happymugcoffee.com/darktea/213-pu-erh-bird-nest-china.html?ps_full_site=1) tea. I ordered their gyokuro, keemun Mao feng, Jasmine pearls, gf oolong, and Taiwan high mountain as well if you have any input on those.

Also ordered [this] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006HINDI/ref=ox_sc_act_image_2?smid=A3TCNCNGLOHBSA&psc=1) and [these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IM42AZ4/ref=pd_aw_fbt_79_img_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BRN3K6M22VSK4D1DXZ8E). Any good as far as you know? I mostly drink and roast coffee but wanted to branch out.

I've had a gaiwan for a while, and like everyone has said, they're versatile and inexpensive. But like you, I started out with one of Teavana's steepers and I think at first the transition to gaiwans and gongfu style brewing was a bit intimidating- so my intermediary step was a glass teapot with a large infuser basket. I got the Hario ChaCha and I still love it and use it all the time, in addition to my gaiwan =)

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.

Hario makes lovely glass pots:

• Glass with no strainer
  
• Glass with strainer comes in 450ml or 700ml.

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot glass teapot w/ large stainless steel basket, makes 2 cups of tea or other herbal drink. I love this teapot!

https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0 ?

I can technically still brew gongfu with my 300ml teapot https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0

I just put the leaf and everything in the gaiwan and then strain it out but I use the teapot for western brewing alot (which is what i mainly do is western)



I use the 350ml version, but yeah i'll find a lid soon. I've been told 1g per 100ml for western style. Does that sound correct?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_t.bYDbFZ2G82Y 😊

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_bxaHzbVRCQ14M <-----LOVE THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There's a reason they have like 1000's of reviews. It's a lot more sturdy than it looks, too.

Starting out, all I'd get is a simple pot with a removable infuser such as this. Something like that will make perfectly great tea. You can always get a fancy tea set later; it's mostly an aesthetic thing.

I ordered it from Amazon.

I am new to brewing loose leaf tea. The recommendations I've seen are to put 1 teaspoon of tea for every 8oz of water. I bought this tea pot/infuser: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1451503762&sr=1-5&keywords=tea+pot

The problem is that if I only drop 8 ounces of water into tea pot, it doesn't allow enough water in the infuser for the leaves to expand. Is there something I am missing here? Should I just be using a separate infuser in a tea cup if I decide to only make such a small amount of tea, and use the larger infuser/pot if I am making several cups?

Hario Chacha Kyusu Maru Tea Pot (700ml) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_plfZzbWC34DP8

I just ordered this to fill up my thermos

I've been using [Finum Brewing Baskets] (https://www.amazon.com/Finum-Brewing-Basket-large-black/dp/B000J3JFJU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479061928&sr=8-1&keywords=finum+basket+large) for the last decade or so for brewing one cup of tea at a time. The fine mesh is easy to clean if you rinse is out right after steeping. The large one is ideal for most mug sizes. I find the medium-sized basket to be a little too small for mugs larger than 10 oz.

EDIT: If you're looking for a decent and affordable tea pot, [Hario] (https://www.amazon.com/Hario-Chacha-Kyusu-Maru-700ml/dp/B0007WTBQ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479062141&sr=8-1&keywords=hario+tea+pot) makes some good ones. Despite the glass looking thin, it's actually quite sturdy.

I think I'll go with this teapot then, is there anything I should be aware/wary of when looking at gaiwans? some of them seem way more expensive and I don't know if going with a cheaper one is advisable. For those specifically, I might try taking a look at the asian markets near me tonight or tomorrow to compare before I commit.

I use this daily: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0007WTBQ0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1451624342&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=glass+teapot&dpPl=1&dpID=51dy1jS1%2BKL&ref=plSrch

inb4 "get yourself a butter keeper!"

Get yourself a go fuck yourself.

What you need my friend, is a butter keeper. Your life (and cholesterol level) will never be the same.

Buy one of these and regular old stick butter and never destroy a slice of bread again.

Or you could just put something over it like a paper towel. I don't get why people have such an issue doing this.

"That doesn't help the environment, Groggy! Maybe some of us don't want to use napkins/paper towels because it's wasteful!"

OK? Then buy a $10 microwave cover (or, if you want the cheaper alternative, a $3 cover) from Amazon...it's resuable, it rinses off, and you don't have to wait 10 minutes to heat up a bowl of soup. And yes, I own one.

It's faster to cook it on regular heat and let it stand for a minute than putting it on low and waiting way longer.

Edit: Downvoting it doesn't make it any less true. And if you're going to downvote, please chime in with why you think having a reusable cover is a bad thing.

Just a bunch of spiteful people on this site anymore.

Better LPT: Buy this http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BOA2D0?cache=ff0d32fe5e7eed2f7671556856acadd2#ref=mp_s_a_1_1&qid=1393659200&sr=8-1 and your microwave will stay very very clean.

Unless the directions say to keep it in the box, don't keep it in the box.

If you're concerned about splatters get one of these - http://amzn.com/B000BOA2D0

The night before I brew, I pour 10 gallons of water into my 10 gallon Igloo cooler mash tun. I then treat the water to get the profile I want. The next day, I gravity feed the water to my HLT to heat. I use the markings inside the cooler that came with the cooler to determine how much water I am putting into the HLT (it has both gallons and liters).

I would advise against getting the NB cooler kits because of the crazy markup on the coolers themselves. If you look at the products, you have to assemble everything yourself anyway. They charge $100 for the igloo coolers, but you can get them for $42 on Amazon. Actually, the fittings that NB offers are a pretty comparable price to other places. Maybe just get the fittings, but uncheck the cooler and order it separately.

Also, as others have said, you may not really need the HLT. Just try to visualize your brew day and see how you can finagle things optimally. Personally, I use my boil kettle as my HLT, and things work out well.

Do a 10 gallon round cooler. You will need that much of you ever do a mid to high alcohol beer, as the amount of grains increases. I have used this cooler for the past 10 years as a mash tun. Seriously, 10 years.

http://www.amazon.com/Igloo-Gallon-Beverage-dispenser-Dispenser/dp/B000F6SHTK

I've been shopping around for coolers so I can DIY myself a set. These were some of the deals I took advantage of.

$33 70qt chest cooler

$40 10 gal igloo cooler

As much as I love Canada, sometimes it really sucks for getting access to goods at a decent price. I see so many posts of people picking up brewing supplies off of craigslist for cheap, and there is nothing in my neck of the woods like that.

This cooler on .CA : http://www.amazon.ca/Igloo-42021-Beverage-Dispenser-10-Gallon/dp/B000F6SHTK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422645011&sr=8-3&keywords=igloo+10+gallon $106 CAD (approx $83 USD)

I use one of these. It makes it so simple. Throw some boiling water (or even just the hot water from the water cooler at the office) along with a few lemon slices and about 1/4 more than my usual dose of kratom. Let it sit, put it on a cup to let it pour/strains, add some lemon.

https://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-ingenuiTEA-Bottom-Dispensing-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485582114&sr=8-1&keywords=Adagio+Teas

A bottom-dispensing teapot like this one is a super easy way to do gongfu. You can look it up on youtube or something to see exactly how it works.

It doesn't have the same romance as traditional teaware, and you can't build up a patina like with yixing clay or other unglazed ceramics, but it is super convenient. Sticking a coffee filter in the bottom makes cleanup even easier.

For Tea I use this brewer and some loose leaf tea from wherever. I have been using tea given to me by an RAOA member.

To this I add a bit of EZ-Sweetz.

I got my wife one of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_B8k3AbCXHXN9Z

Does great at keeping leaves out.

buy this.
http://www.amazon.com/Adagio-Teas-16-Ounce-Ingenuitea-Teapot/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331854860&sr=8-1

make your own teas.

Adagio Teas 16 oz. ingenuiTEA Bottom-Dispensing Teapot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FPN8TK/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_k0GCub1FNWMQX

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.

The forlife is a good infuser, I have used it in the past. At work, I used to use an Ingenuitea because it is really straightforward to use and clean. And then any old mug is fine.

The leaf and water matter the most, but make sure your leaves have room to bloom and move around, or you'll get a weird brew.

I use an IngenuiTEA to make my kratom tea. It steeps it for as long as I like (usually at least 15 minutes), and dispenses when I put it on top of a glass. I usually fill the glass it dispenses into with sugar and stir to dissolve, before pouring into another larger cup filled with ice. Cold, sweet, perfect.

If you want something simple to make tea for one, I would suggest something like this. I don't like the in-mug infusers. I usually end up having to look around for something awkward to get it out of the cup like a fork or chopsticks otherwise I end up burning my fingers. Tea pots are nice but I find them to be more ceremonial than I feel like dealing with when I just want something quick.

As far as temp goes, usually for green tea you're good to go once small bubbles start forming in the pot/kettle. You don't need to worry about having a thermometer nearby or anything like that.

And the corn pops green tea you're describing sounds like Genmaicha.

The IngenuiTea teapot from Adagio is cheaper, does the same thing, and doesn't give any money to Teavana. You can't lose.

I've done it. I usually throw all of my tea in one of these. I'll tear open one or two green tea packets and throw them in sometimes to compliment whatever else is in there. It's not bad, actually. I've never tried with anything other than green tea, though.

edit I wouldn't suggest putting it in an infuser, though. I've tried that and it makes for gritty tea.

What do you think about ingeuinitea?

Am I getting sucked into some gimmick or is it actually convenient?

I would go for the white tea but it's kind of expensive for a beginner, so Alishan Milk Oolong it is.

The reason I'm getting into tea is because it seems like it's a healthy alternative to straight water, but the taste puts me off atm so a fruity, creamy flavor would be nice

This Alishan Milk Oolong brand seem good to you?

Random question: Do you believe drinking tea before sleeping is bad? I've heard it has caffeine but idk if it's tea-specific or what else, the green tea I have doesn't seem to bother me

Lastly, any specific method of measuring water temperature you recommend? Should I just buy a thermostat and wait for boiling water to cool?

Morthy demands:

Item which would most make you seem like an old posh Englishman:

Most "oh god, I would never be seen with this in public" looking item:

Most phallic looking item:

Akeleie demands:

Most geeky item: Read by Alex Kingston ;_;

Item which would most help you achieve a goal: This is actually for a class next semester

Best item to bring to a deserted island: So I can see? I have no idea

I put water in this and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes.

I added Davidson's Christmas tea to my WL recently. What I recommend is good gear. There are $10 digital scales accurate to 0.1g, so once you find out how much tea you like for a large mug (I like 6g), you can get it right every time. And an IngenuiTEA teapot makes it fun to brew, too.

Hint: You probably don't need to buy a 500g weight to calibrate the scale. A roll of brand-new pennies, 2.5g each, will probably give you plenty of material to work with.

Are you saying you want to set a pour over cone/dripper (like a v60) on top of something like this and brew directly into a pitcher like this?

Make sure to measure the opening of the server, and compare it to the rim and flange on the dripper. Personally I bought a Karter scientific graduated beaker as my server -- since I can use it for other things in the kitchen (I try to avoid single use items as much as possible). A lot of people I know have one like this.

I have an AeroPress for single cups and a V60 drip with a Hario glass range for multiple cups. A gooseneck kettle makes the drip easier, but it's not absolutely required if you already have a regular kettle. If you're careful enough you can make it work just fine. I have no experience with Chemex.

Have you considered switching the the pour over world? If so I would start looking at the v60 or the clever, I think they make a much better cup of coffee than french press.

http://www.amazon.com/Hario-V60-Coffee-Sever-Set/dp/B002BA2J06/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1417699309&sr=8-10&keywords=hario+v60
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-VDGN-02B-Coffee-Dripper-Edition/dp/B00JRY42H2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1417699309&sr=8-9&keywords=hario+v60
http://www.amazon.com/Hario-XGS-60TB-Range-Server-600Ml/dp/B000P4931S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1417699309&sr=8-4&keywords=hario+v60
http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Shrub-CLEVER-Clever-Dripper/dp/B0047W70GY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417699464&sr=8-1&keywords=clever+coffee+dripper

I brew my 185 into a Hario Range server without any problem. Well, until last weak when the glass cracked. I think it lasted 2 years and I am going to replace with a Kalita just because I can now find them in Canada (finally).

If you're looking for the one in the Amazon photos, it's the Hario V60 Range Server: http://www.amazon.com/Hario-XGS-60TB-Range-Server-600Ml/dp/B000P4931S

Otherwise it's generally known as a carafe.

If you have the Hario V60 Server, it's the same one I have. Remember that the coffee holds on to a certain amount of the water after brewing. I've actually brewed with as much as 750ml water (not recommended!) without overflowing the carafe.

Store-bought mayo is definitely unhealthy; companies like Hellman's use refined soybean oil, low quality eggs and everything is pasteurized. Make your own mayo with healthy, cold-pressed oils and fresh eggs, and don't be afraid of fat from good sources. Here's the mayo I always make:

• Combine 2 raw egg yolks, 1 whole egg, 1 Tbsp mustard, 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper.
  
  
• Combine 1/2 cup olive oil and 1/2 cup coconut oil. If you have a bottle like this, use it. Anything that allows you to control the stream of the oil will do.
  
  
• If you have a high speed blender, add everything but the oils to the carafe and blend on a moderate speed. Add a slow stream of oil to the blender, starting at a few drops and increasing the flow until the oil is completely combined. Be careful not to overheat it.
  
  
• If you do not have a suitable blender, you're going to be whisking with one hand and pouring oil with the other. The process is the same, albeit slower.

Happy Birthday, mang!

I too bought the Sterile Siphon Starter racking cane & hood after reading u/brulosopher's write-up (Cheers, bro). It's much simpler than a clunky auto-siphon (which I've been using for almost 2 years now).

Because I don't have a utility sink, and our kitchen sink is small (and the stainless cane is quite tall) - to rinse and clean, I just use food service squeeze bottles like these and run hot water, and/or PBW/Oxy solution, and then with Star San. Not sure if this is of any value, but otherwise - Cheers!

Here you go

There ya go.

I live in Southern California so it's definitely not as hot as AZ but I think it's doable. With no poo I think a lot of people don't really wash their hair that much (2 times a week maybe?) but for you that number just might be 3 or 4. For the hard water, what I do is boil the water, let it cool a bit, and then put the baking soda in. I have an old Thayer's witch hazel toner bottle that I pour the mixture in so I don't have to boil water ALL THE TIME and a full bottle of the mixture lasts me about a month.

EDIT: You could even try a squirt bottle like this: 12 oz squirt bottle I just checked and the Thayer's witch hazel bottles contain 12 oz! I just squirt the mixture at my roots.

We make espresso with a stainless stovetop percolator similar to this

Our aerolatte frother recently died, we liked it until we replaced it with this which makes an incredible microfoam

Electric milk frothers like the Voche aren't very good. They whip air into the milk using a dinky little magnetic whisk while heating, and they just can't operate at high enough energy to approximate the effect of a steam wand. It gets foamy, but it's more like soap foam than microfoam.

You can make decent, but not great, microfoam with the steam wand that comes with espresso machines, though it's dependent on how high the boiler pressure you can get. Some consumer machines help you with a so-called panarello wand, a gadget that I believe was invented by Saeco/Gaggia, which is a replacement for an ordinary steam wand, and which has an additional hole that sucks in air while it's steaming, which supposedly improves the foaming abilities; some people like it, some don't. Saeco/Gaggia also invented a type of accessory called a cappuccinatore, which is a spherical chamber that draws in the milk and combines it with steam to produce a finer foam. Better than the steam wand, in my opinion, but still not perfect.

My best results have been with a manual pump frother like this one from HIC. This low-tech gadget produces the best microfoam I've been able to produce at home, bar none. Add heated milk, pump for 20 seconds, and done. It doesn't sound like it should work, but it does; it produces velvety microfoam that doesn't collapse right away. Unfortunately, these frothers are not designed to be put directly on a burner, so in theory you should be warming up the milk in a pan or microwave, but in theory you could do this, as long as you have something to hold the handle with.

I haven't tried the Bellman product the other commenter recommended, but given the small boiler size I suspect it's similar to having a steam wand on a consumer machine. Still worth a try. But the HIC is cheaper.

It just takes some experimentation. At this point, I've got my system down and I still make a bitter cup every once in a while. It's usually thanks to a faulty seal. If pressure escapes out the side of the pot, your batch is ruined. Make sure the gasket is totally clean, and that you don't overfill the basket!

Here's how I make my approximation of a cappuccino/latte drink:

• Start electric kettle boiling water
  
• Stainless milk frother filled 1/4 with almond milk (I prefer not to consume too much dairy and Trader Joe's almond milk is excellent, milk works well too though) on low heat gas burner.
  
• Fill basket with coffee (I prefer a slightly finer grind than I often see recommended... 2 steps coarser than espresso or so.) I use a shot glass to balance the basket while filling.
  
• Pour boiling water into base (I fill just under the pressure valve, so the water isn't touching the valve.)
  
• Insert basket and tighten top (use a towel or paper towel to prevent burning your hand on the base. It's already hot.)
  
• Quickly apply medium high heat (I have a gas stove, and eye ball the size of the flame so it's just the size of the base.) I prefer higher heat than I often see recommended. Contrary to how it may seem, the lower heat leads to longer heat exposure, which leads to bitter coffee in my experience.
  
• Keep an eye out, if done correctly, coffee will appear very quickly (haven't timed it, but under a minute I'd say).
  
• Right when the coffee starts to lighten in color, but before it starts gurgling, remove from the stove and immediately run cold water from the tap over the base for about 10 seconds. It's ok if it's less coffee than you expect. We're going for flavor and strength, not quantity. It won't quite fill the top basin.
  
• Quickly pour into your coffee cup.
  
• Pump milk frother and pour over coffee. Enjoy!
  
  With this method (and I have been trying a variety of minute changes for almost a year) you will get sweet, strong coffee with no bitterness. At this point, I prefer my own coffee in my moka pot to most coffees I have tried "in the wild." The great $4 espresso spots of course still make an excellent latte/cortado, but mine is damned good. It also makes a great Americano if you put extra water in your electric kettle.
  
  Also, I highly recommend PT's Southpaw espresso for the moka pot. Seems to really suit its strengths, and is excellent when accompanied with milk.

I'm looking for the same thing right now. I'm torn between the Libre Tea Glass and the Aladdin Tea Infuser Mug.

When I'm at work and don't want to bother with hot water, I just use my Travel Mug with the regular amount of tea, fill it with cold water and let it sit for a while.

Do you want it portable like a to go mug?

​

My wife and I have been using these for a few years now. It allows me to pull up the lever and stop the infusion. We've only had a few issues. We separated the double wall on one of them at one point. I think we just tightened it too much. Also the lever on one is starting to drip the wet tea back into the water.

​

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001Q3L9P0/

I have this mug! I use it basically every day at work. It's awesome and you won't regret having bought it.

Edit: For those wondering which mug this was.

https://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-Perfect-Infuser-12oz-Chai/dp/B001Q3L9P0/ this one?

I rec this one, Davidstea Tea Press stops the infusion, though the tea is on the bottom. Similar to a french press, but the mesh style stops the infusion. Better leaf expansion and less moving parts. https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/teaware/teaware/travel-mugs-and-tumblers/tea-press-black/902592US01.html?cgid=teaware-travel-mugs-tumblers&dwvar_902592US01_color=101000#sz=24&start=25

There are many like this one https://www.theteaspot.com/products/urban-glass-tea-tumbler where you can flip and pull out the filter from the bottom. Or others with a basket that you can remove from the top.

My friend has the Aladdin Tea Infuser Mug. She got it recently (about a month or two ago) but uses it every day and loves it. It is especially great on the go since you make the tea in the same mug you drink it from. Its Microwaveable, dishwasher safe, made of BPA-free plastic and has pretty good reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-10-00753-002-Tea-Infuser-Mug/dp/B001Q3L9P0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367864171&sr=8-1&keywords=portable+tea+infuser
You should give gunpowder and sencha a try and see what variety you prefer. Maybe give some oolongs a shot as well

Thats why i actually like this one better. It lets you put the tea back into the lid after steeping. I bring it to work and use the same earl grey leaves all day re-steeping for a couple minutes with hot water.

Never heard of it but it has 4 (out of 5) stars from customers on Amazon! Here is a link

http://amzn.com/B00004S1CV

I have that one. It's great, and keeps liquid so warm that I usually have to let it sit open for a while to even make it drinkable. The only problem for me is that the filter is a separate piece and if you want to keep your leaves for a second resteep then that means finding a place to store it in your bag/backpack when its hot and wet. Thats why I'm considering buying the below one.

http://amzn.com/B001Q3L9P0

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Fred-UNZIPPED-Hand-Blown-Glass-Bowl/dp/B001XSLEN0

$25

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001XSLEN0/

I just bought that for my wife for Christmas! I also got her this bowl that looks like an open ziplock bag.

> glass bag jar

Yep

Man, this contest made me realize how share-able my wishlist items are!

As for one specific item... I have two candy dishes at work, one for normal candy and another for sugar-free candy (for the diet-conscious and diabetic). Everyone gives me compliments on the glass fishbowl, but no one seems to share the same affection for the (boring?) basket. I think this unique glass ziplock bag candy dish would catch more eyes and make the clear candies more attractive! These sugar-free Jolly Ranchers and Crystal Light candies are really yummy! Plus, it would go nicely with the other glass bowl.

I would not recommend washing your hair so often. Maybe once a week at most. Condition your hair in the shower every time you wash it and deep condition it once a week. If you feel like you need to wet your hair in the shower to style it I would suggest just co-washing it.

Condition your hair in the shower every time you wash it and deep condition it once a week.

Shampoo for natural hair - SheaMoisture® Raw Shea Butter

Helps retain moisture which will prevent dry, brittle hair and breakage.

In shower conditioner - Aussie 3 Moist

Curly hair holy grail. The goddess of soft, moisturized hair.

Leave in conditioner - Kinky-Curly Knot Today

Leave in conditioner #2 - Design Essentials


Scalp nutrients Jojoba Oil

Don't forget to care for your scalp too! Its the most important step in getting healthy hair as the scalp is where the hair is made. Lightly apply the oil to the scalp with a tipped applicator and massage into the skin with the pads of your fingers. Do this like once or twice a week at the least.

Clarifying Shampoo - Shea Moisture Sacha Inchi Oil

Use once a month. Helps remove the product buildup from the moisturizers. This step is important because buildup could prevent the next round of conditioning from doing a thorough job, leaving your hair dry once again, and frizzy on top of that.


Also, the way you shampoo and dry your hair is important too. Try not to rub your hair into the towel when you dry it. Instead, pat it dry. Like this and this. Not this nor that


If your hair is long enough for a banana clip it should be long enough for braids. If your're comfortable with wigs I would recommend a good lace front wig, even if its synthetic (FridayNightHair has good synthetic ones). With a wig you don't have to really do anything with your hair besides keep it clean and moisturized. And most importantly, wrap your hair with something silky at night!!!

We just use a squeeze condiment bottle (you can trim the tip if needed) and like others have mentioned we also use a faucet plug brush at closing

Squeezy bois


Plug brush

I would get a fresh new bottle. Don't want to end up with ketchup flavored vg. This is what I use. I buy vg by the gallon and easily fill these guys up to use when mixing. SET OF 2 -- 24 Oz. (Ounce) Large Clear Squeeze Bottle, Condiment Squeeze Bottle, Open-Tip, Screw-On Spout, Polyethylene Durable Plastic, Diner Style https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D9Z7TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_84RJzb0QA0Y9Q

if you grab a scale the lb-501 is probably the most popular, but people pick up the little dealer scales too. you just want to make sure it has .01 g accuracy and the ability to stay on without an auto-shutoff. people like to throw their VG and PG in condiment bottles you can get at the dollar store. transfer the nic into a brown glass bottle with an eyedropper, just use an old ejuice bottle you probably have laying around and leave it in the fridge, makes things a little easier. elr has tons of recipes and a good calculator plus lets you keep notes. defintely check out the other sub, people can even help you refine a recipe or help figure out clone recipes. here's a clip demoing by volume vs by weight, good luck man

Don't store it in the can.

Puncture the lid with a shitty old knife on either side or if you have a regular can opener, break the seal on either side then use a sturdy butter knife or a flat screwdriver (wash the screw driver) to widen one of the holes so you get a better pour. Don't use a good knife. You'll ruin in.

Or just buy a churchkey.

We buy big bottles of maple syrup and keep em in the back of the fridge. I refill one of[ these bottles] (https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Squeeze-Condiment-Bottles-16-ounce/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sr_1_3?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1468407739&sr=1-3&keywords=CONDIMENT+BOTTLE) as necessary (as my husband makes pancakes/waffles, I throw the bottle in a bowl of hot water to let the syrup get warm).

Good luck.

I think they're referring to this type of bottle - the one you see ketchup served in at hot dog stands and the like.

It depends on what your brew method is. If you're using something like this it takes 1-2 minutes to make a cup. Follow up cups are even quicker as the leaves have already been prepared.

So a quick review:

• The Force of Nature (FON) unit is surprisingly small
  
• No cap - just a pour spout
  
• Fill to the line with water, break & squeeze the capsule in, press the button, let sit for 10 minutes, done!
  
• Makes the water look fizzy while it's charging it (or whatever it's called)
  
• Pour spout makes filling the sprayer easy
  
• Turn the sprayer knob a little for mist, and more for a stream
  
  As far as the cleaner goes:
  
  
• Smells like a pool (chlorinated...like a well-maintained pool, not a horribly over-chlorinated pool
  
• Takes about 10 minutes after wiping dry for the smell to go away
  
• Does a good on multiple surfaces (including glass)
  
  As far as cleaning goes:
  
  
• To clean, spray & wipe
  
• To disinfect, you have to spray it, leave it for 10 minutes, THEN wipe it - think of it like toilet bowl cleaner, it's gotta sit for awhile
  
• There's no alcohol in the spray, so it takes forever to evaporate, so you have to wipe it dry
  
• They recommend scrubbing down gross surfaces with baking soda & water as needed (to clear the surface), THEN clean with the FON spray, then wipe dry
  
  Glass cleaning is pretty good, although you have to work a bit harder than my homemade glass cleaner...it does clean the glass & leave it streak-free, although at an angle I could see some "foggy" spots. This is the recipe for my homemade glass cleaner, which is wicked amazing:
  
  
• 1/4-cup Rubbing Alcohol
  
• 1/4-cup White Vinegar
  
• 2-teaspoons Cornstarch (this is what makes it streak-free)
  
• 2-cups Water
  
  Directions: (works great, WAY better than Windex!)
  
  

1. Combine using a blender (make sure to clean the blender out with soap or in the dishwasher after!)
   
2. Pour into a spray bottle (I get those blue glass misting bottles off Amazon)
   
3. I just use paper towels to wipe it off
   
   Anyway...I'm a bit sensitive to smells, and the FON spray definitely smelled like a pool to me. It's not a "nice, light, fresh, clean" scent like Febreze or something...it smells like a chlorinated pool. Not like a "whack you in the face" smell like Lysol with Bleach, but strong enough to be noticeable. The smell does dissipate pretty well after ten minutes or so, but if you're working extensively in a small, poorly-ventilated space like a half-bathroom, make sure to leave the door open!
   
   So far so good...it's cleaned everything I've thrown at it! One thing I was really happy with is my plastic squeeze bottles for cooking oil...I have various plastic squeeze bottles like this:
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Condiment-16-ounce-Dressing-Pinnacle-Mercantile/dp/B00OZOW6E0/
   
   I use them for various oils like olive oil, canola oil, etc. for easy squirting while cooking. The plastic tends to get VERY greasy from the oil & I've never quite been able to de-grease them, even with liquid dish soap or in the dishwasher. The FON spray did a GREAT job with them! Granted, they sucked up a little bit of the chlorine smell into the outside, but at least they're not all greasy when I touch them anymore!
   
   I have a large supply of capsules from the one-year starter kit, so I'll continue to use them & see how they fare. So far, it seems to be a pretty universal cleaner, and despite the chlorine scent (which isn't horrible, and also airs out after awhile, for the most part), isn't killing my nose, making me dizzy, or giving me headaches from the noxious smell like other cleaning chemicals do. I'll have to give it a try on carpet next, to see how it fares...

Not really, it's a personal gravity steeper. Super easy to use and works with anything. Also, my bad... I lied, they went up in price since I last looked. The one I would recommend is $16, but it would change your tea game.
https://www.amazon.com/Kamjove-Gongfu-Teapot-Infuser-TP-757/dp/B00MA4WSU4/ref=sr_1_8?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1481078936&sr=8-8&keywords=kamjove&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011

Seriously, I use this thing at work multiple times a day.

I try and keep it simple. I have a shed in my backyard which is finished and serves as my home office/man cave.

I keep everything there except my Nic which is stored in my freezer.

I take the Nic out and dilute it down to 60mg from 100 and keep that in a plastic 30ml bottle. I secure that because I have kids.

For my VG and PG I bought some cheap condiment bottles off of Amazon (link below) which makes it easier to work with.

Then I have my flavors and my scale.

I'm kind of a one flavor guy. I have one recipe that I really love so I really just stick to that. I've done it so many times I practically have it memorized. That's just me though.

So when it's time to mix up a new batch I bust out my 30ml Nic bottle, PG/VG, flavors and scale and mix it into a 100ml drip free reagent glass bottle I got from Nicotine River. Takes me like 5 minutes to whip up a batch, shake it up and let it rest.

I have two reagents that I cycle between so I have something to vape while the other steeps.

I transfer juice to a 30ml unicorn bottle for carrying it around and refilling my mod.

Easy peazy.

Plastic Squeeze Condiment Bottles with Red Tip Cap 16-ounce Set of 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZOW6E0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gy1Vzb36437WP


https://www.nicotineriver.com/collections/diy-tools/products/reagent-bottle

https://www.nicotineriver.com/collections/diy-tools/products/chubby-gorilla-unicorn

I swear by these commercial kitchen squeeze bottles for any homemade condiment that I don't want to accidentally pour too much of onto something. You might need to shake a little harder to get the dressing well-mixed as opposed to something with a whisk/blender/shakerball involved, but I've never had a problem with making a vinaigrette-style salad dressing right in the bottle.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00OZOW6E0/ref=sspa_mw_detail_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-17042/Bottles/Boston-Round-Squeezable-Bottles-8-oz?pricode=WB1056&gadtype=pla&id=S-17042&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlK7cBRCnARIsAJiE3MgY4RPEzubW7UU1-LKBPoHCOsYG2ENzXnAYMk0oNJG22_j4hV2ooo4aAqb5EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

These are 32 bottles for $54.

Amazon

Epica 18-Oz. Glass Beverage... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0YNYSI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Very cool! I’ve never built any myself but my first inclination is to use cheap kitchen sponges - the kind without the scrubbing side. How are you attaching them to the tongs? If you wanted to reduce drips even more, you could try applying the chemical with something like a plastic condiment bottle instead of dipping?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D9Z7TS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QTJ9AbN3QZ24Y

Seems like something the dollar store would have too.

Anchor Hocking Heritage Hill Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spigot, 2 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWC0E42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_f4uhAbF8X8STT

1 X Organic Kombucha Scoby - Live Culture by Scoby Kombucha https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009ZW8RP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.5uhAb83TMN5D

Unbleached Cheesecloth 9 Sq ft 100% Cotton Reusable-Great Filter or Strainer for Cheese/Kombucha scoby/Glass jar/Wine making https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M612PJU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_j7uhAbFHCHX7S

Adhesive Temperature Strip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0079JZLP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i9uhAbJBGF75D

Red Baron Bottle Capper https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D6KGTK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xbvhAbFY4CJN3

Beer Bottle Crown Caps - Oxygen Absorbing for Homebrew (Gold) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZSEH8VW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YcvhAbCE0836F

Bottles Free: Just start saving old beer bottles (not the twist on style bottle) submerge them in hot water for 5 min, labels peel right off.

Sanitizer: White Vinegar, I prefer Star san.

Prince of Peace Tea, Black, 100 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AP70BKC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_divhAbY9D73AP

With these products, you will be good to go and your volume is 2 gallons, so by the time your upgrading after your first batch. For me a 1 gallon container never cut it. With the capper you don’t have to worry about giving your friends a bottle of your Kombucha and never seeing your $4 swing cap bottle again. Just save old beer bottles or ask your friends for them.

To answer your question, the temps you listed are to low. For all brewing temperatures are very important. You want to keep your fermentation in the 70s. Here’s how you fix the problem without keeping your home heater on 24/7.

Round Kombucha Heater Kit for Continuous Brew Crocks & Dispensers. 10" Brewing & Fermentation Heat Mat, Works with any Ceramic, Glass, Stone or Porcelain Containers (10"-120VAC 7-Watts) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072S6XBQJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1tvhAb04PYXBK

Enjoy... In the long run you will spend less by starting off with the right equipment.

Anchor Hocking Heritage Hill Glass Beverage Dispenser with Spigot, 2 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWC0E42/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_siO5AbTBD97N9

I replaced the spigot with this guy:
Beverage Dispenser Replacement Spigot,Oak Leaf Stainless Steel Polished Finished, Dispenser Replacement Faucet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013FWX4HA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OjO5AbW7CJM7M

No, it had a plastic spigot I changed out for a stainless steel spigot. Got both items on Amazon.

Glass Beverage Dispenser

Spigot

Regarding the tea, maybe get big beverage containers like this (http://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-Beverage-Dispenser-Heritage/dp/B00BWC0E42/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1420985567&sr=8-2&keywords=glass+beverage+dispenser) and brew a whole bunch at once? You can probably just stick it in your fridge so it doesn't go bad and only have to brew it once every few days.

Get two of [these(https://www.amazon.com/Anchor-Hocking-Heritage-Beverage-Dispenser/dp/B00BWC0E42/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505181882&sr=8-3&keywords=2+gallon+glass+jar+with+spigot)] jars.

Get two gallon stock pot to brew your tea with sugar. Fill a jar with the sweet tea almost full leaving room for the gallon you are adding.
Wait about 7-10 days and then brew another two gallons of sweet tea. Pour half of the first ferment jar into the second empty glass jar and then split the two gallons of sweet tea between the two glass jars..
The first jar is your continuous brew jar. The second jar you may sweeten with whatever juices. I been doing Honeydew Jalapeño with great results. Bottle the second jar for a few days. I use growlers and honey jars and recycled beer bottles with a bottle capper.
In another 7-10 days you can repeat the process.

Amazon! There are plenty of options but this is the one I purchased: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BWC0E42/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awd_rIJxwbSZFN1VY



Very happy with it so far

Also, can I do the second ferment in the same container as the first? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00BWC0E42/ref=ya_aw_oh_bia_dp?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this is what I bought, per the advice of some kombucha website online.

The Amazon product page lists the dimensions as 6.1 x 4.1 x 12.2 in. My tape measure agrees.

Issue is cost and size with these.


I had seen 6 packs of glass bottles like these: https://www.amazon.com/Epica-18-Oz-Glass-Beverage-Bottles/dp/B00I0YNYSI/

Amazon

Also doesn't stop your tea from steeping until you pour it. Something like this dumps the brewed tea into another chamber.

So there's sort of two lines of thought when it comes to the juice losing nutrients right as you juice. That being one of them.

The other is that oxidation is what destroys the enzymes and nutrients that you want from the juice. So if you store it in an airtight container you don't have to worry about it as much. I have a masticating juicer (omega) and from what I hear and have read, the juice is good for up to 3 days! The ONLY juice I've heard that you should probably drink fairly rapidly after making it is carrot juice.

Also, if she's just starting out, here's some decent to go containers

https://www.amazon.com/Epica-18-Oz-Glass-Beverage-Bottles/dp/B00I0YNYSI/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00I0YNYSI&pd_rd_r=GTSTQY83Q258TVWW4Q19&pd_rd_w=1vPWL&pd_rd_wg=xVOBp&psc=1&refRID=GTSTQY83Q258TVWW4Q19

HTH

I use these. They fit perfectly in the door of my fridge. Use them for Simples, Orgeat, and Pureed Fruit

https://smile.amazon.com/Epica-18-Oz-Glass-Beverage-Bottles/dp/B00I0YNYSI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504719096&sr=8-3&keywords=glass+bottles

Epica 18-Oz. Glass Beverage... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0YNYSI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Here is my list of stuff

Jars:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W21D2B6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Stainless valve
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RPBQBQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bottles (not a great option for cost effectiveness)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I0YNYSI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Brewing cap
https://store.kombuchakamp.com/Brewer-Cap-3-pack.html


I would recommend bottles form here https://www.containerandpackaging.com/catalog/glass-containers/glass-bottles?gclid=CjwKCAjw1rnqBRAAEiwAr29II0Oe4vUh5C7rvnfqRKQaHJOFxO4fFJWvYcxibwmRDP_hJKp2GNsOBBoCiPgQAvD_BwE&capacity=12%20oz&sort=products&page=1 or HDPE bottles like naglene as the high density poly ethylene is so chemical resistant it wont leach into your booch.

Thanks guys. Ill actually be flying, but as a crewmember so security etc. isnt an issue and I have a bag thats a cooler. I have a two day trip starting tomorrow, so Ill juice tonight and bring them with and see what happens. I picked these up to use...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I0YNYSI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I picked up some 18oz/532mL glass bottles today. They're very similar to the Epica bottles /u/muxon uses.

Some thoughts so far:

• The screw-on caps seem to work well.
  
• The glass isn't perfect, but they feel solid.
  
• The bottles are each the perfect size for a 500cal serving of Soylent 1.5.
  
• /u/thapol has a good tip for an effective bottle brush.
  
  Here's a bottle I filled for tomorrow.
  
  I used a blender to prep 72oz/2.1L then split into 4 bottles. This works fairly well, but it's easy to lose a little even when using a funnel. Ten cuidado.

One of these
https://www.amazon.com/Tasteful-Bamboo-Gongfu-Table-Serving/dp/B00M3Y8LNY/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1494108554&sr=1-7&keywords=tea+tray

They have removable water trays and are pretty nice looking / build quality isn't terrible. when i was looking, ones cheaper than this didn't seem high quality/would have issues. I looked around quite a lot and that is the cheapest price for those that I found.

I got it from Amazon There are a few different sizes. I really like it and I would highly recommend it. It's the same one the guys at TeaDB use.

I have 2 tea trays from this seller and I love both of them. I recommend spending a bit more than you'd expect on a tea tray as the quality of the cheaper budget ones really shows (before I bought the second I bought a 20 dollar one from another manufacturer and it fortunately arrived damaged so I sent it back and picked up one that wasn't so awful)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M3Y8LNY/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?qid=1463497355&sr=8-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=tea+tray

Found it on amazon here

I actually got it on Amazon (here's the link... if it doesn't take you to the model I pictured, just click the little options boxes on that page.)

However, this is a really popular model and you can find it sold elsewhere, sometimes for less. For example, here it is on Dragon Tea House for a few dollars less (also free shipping).

I think I have seen this one on AliExpress before too.

butter keeper

Fill with half an inch of salt water, and it'll keep for 2 weeks easily for salted butter.

Uhm dude one question: have you really never heard about those things?

http://i.imgur.com/kzzHBzF.jpg

You just put it over your plate. If it gets dirty just wipe it out or throw it in the dishwasher

They are available at IKEA or amazon for example http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Spatter-Cover/dp/B000BOA2D0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412259675&sr=8-1&keywords=microwave+lid

(or search for microwave cover or microwave lid wherever you want)

http://www.amazon.com/Aladdin-10-00753-002-Tea-Infuser-Mug/dp/B001Q3L9P0

Worth the $20! I keep it in my jacket pockets, it falls out of my cup holder in the car, I dropped it and it came apart once but went right back together. You can drop the tea (tea bag or loose leaf) into the hot water and watch it get to the perfect color/taste then you can lift a lever and the tea infuser will go into the lid out of the water.

I bought it for my wife but I ended up stealing it from her.

i don't get why people compain about customers ordering iced cappuccinos, just get a milk frother.
http://www.amazon.com/HIC-Brands-Cook-Stainless-14-Ounce/dp/B000X7GF40/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1409114447&sr=1-6