One of the BIG perks of writing for this blog is getting to sample not only the tea (thus far my desert-island pick is Earl Grey Crème) but also the equipment used for making loose leaf tea.

Art of tea carries these awesome Finum teapots that use a patented tea control. Because a good cup of tea is dependent upon the correct brewing time and water temperature (check out our chart for the right temp and brew time for your favorite tea), the folks at Finium created this tea pot that allows you to separate the tea leaves from the water. All you have to do is turn the lid, which condenses the tea into a separate chamber. Confused? Don’t be…it’s so easy. I even made a little video to show how easy brewing a cup of Black Tea with this teapot is. Check it out:

HOW TO BREW BLACK TEAMaybe the best thing about this is how clean it keeps things. All the pieces can be thrown in the dishwasher (if you have one, which I don’t, but that’s another story) and it’s perfect for taking to your desk because you don’t ever have to deal with dripping bags and filters. Everything stays contained within the glass pot until you’re ready to brew your next batch. I found that the glass does a nice job of keeping the tea really warm as well.

I sometimes consider myself a convenience freak – especially when it comes to tea. If I’m going to switch from coffee, then it has to be as easy and mess-free as brewing a pot of joe. I have to say, this teapot, coupled with the divine tea from Art of Tea, has made me a convert.