Brewista Tea Kettle Review
The Liquid Lab Team gave the Brewista Tea Kettle an overall average rating of 8.5 out of 9 planets. The bottom line is that although the manual isn’t nearly as good as the product itself, it’s a must have if you enjoy a perfectly brewed cup of tea EVERY time.
Read each individual review below:
Mike (aka drip-all-day):
I must say, of the products we have tested recently I was most excited to take the Smart Brew Tea Kettle by Brewista for a weekend test drive. I have started really delving into the tea world recently and the concept of controlling temperature AND steep time was intriguing to me. I was not disappointed!
My biggest initial concern was about the unit’s overall size, however pulling the Smart Brew Kettle out of the box I was pleasantly surprised. It is not “compact” by any means but it is not nearly as large as the pictures make it appear with the kettle standing about 10 inches tall, taking up slightly less counter space than my drip coffee maker. I did find that there was a steep learning curve in programming the kettle. The instructions were only slightly less confusing than some of the IKEA furniture I ordered last month. Luckily, there are some decent instructional videos online.
Once I could get the primary brewing functions figured out I fell in love! The Brewista Smart Brew Tea Kettle makes one amazing cup of tea. I found the ability to control the temperature and steep time such a crucial tool. These features give you the ability to brew a perfect cup of tea EVERY time. Over the course of the weekend I had the opportunity to brew two different types of teas. The first tea I tried a pot of Liquid Planet Breakfast in Bejing China Black Tea. I was able to heat the water to an exact 210°F and then steeped for 4 minutes. The tea came out great, however as an experiment decided to brew a second pot. This time steeping for 8 minutes and WOW! An absolutely perfect cup of Black Tea.
Next up was the Liquid Planet Citrus Oolong. I have always found that Oolong that steeps for too long can start to get bitter tasting, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to really put the steep feature to the test. I set the temp to 175°F with a steep time of 4 minutes and bingo! Nailed it again. And I know that I would be able to make it just as perfect the next time.
In the end the Brewista Tea Smart Brew Tea Kettle is the ultimate tea brewing experience. Whether you are a “cup every once in a while” or a “cup every hour” kind of tea drinker, nothing beats the control and consistency that can be achieved with the Smart Brew. And at $139 it wont break the bank either.
9 out of 9 Planets
Stella (aka the Sipper):
Thank You Brewista - I am now a tea goddess!
This sweet machine just made me a tea snob. The technology of continually cycling the perfectly hot water “showered” over the loose leaf tea for the perfect amount of time is Jetson-esque. After all, the traditional method of pouring boiling water over tea leaves IS pretty 18th century. The result of this brewing method is nothing short of stellar. Too bad the handle isn’t clear so you can see the water being cycled through. Either way – fantastic cup of tea.
My only complaint is though they did an incredible job of holding your hand through the brew temperature and brew time, they did little to aid in the portioning of tea. Through some trial and error, however, I persevered - a small price to pay for a great brew.
I love the idea of the “Keep Warm” feature, but think an hour isn’t quite long enough. Finally, the programmability, though I haven’t taken advantage of this yet – sounds as sweet as the idea of waking up to a fresh brewed cup of Breakfast in Beijing!
Journey on tea drinkers – but don’t do it without the Brewista. 8.5/9 Planets for me!
Scott (aka Chief Beverage Maven):
This marvelous contrivance brews coffee or tea in just the right way at just the right temperature. The water is first heated to the temperature of your choosing, and then circulates up through the handle and into the infuser basket for a specified length of time – also of your choosing! This allows you to dial in exactly how you prefer your coffee or tea to be brewed. It is quite amazing the difference it makes brewing coffee or tea at different temperatures and for different lengths of time. For example, brewing an oolong at 180 degrees instead of pouring ‘just off the boil’ nearly scalding water on that same oolong could create a remarkably different taste profile. Same goes for coffee. Brewing coffee over the course of 5 minutes instead of 3 minutes, could also yield a remarkably different flavor profile.
8 of 9 Planets
TR (aka Sud Bud):
What set me in orbit: The Brewista is a conversation piece. The process the device goes though while brewing your tea will most defiantly be something any friend or guest that watches the brewing process will be struck by. I tried this device with my mother-in-law who is a tea fanatic. She was impressed with both the temperature control and the ability to adjust the steeping time. As much as she loves tea, she did not have the different temperatures memorized for the different types of teas she enjoys. Having that information on the base plate of the kettle. Once it was programmed to her tea drinking standards, it worked flawlessly At $139.99, considering how well this device performs, is more than worth it. For the tea enthusiast this is an essential addition to their tea accessory arsenal.
Drawbacks: The Brewista, while coming with a good instruction manuel, did not include recommendations for how much tea to put in the basket to get a good brew. It took us two tries, but once we dialed it in, it was a fantastic experience.
8 out of 9 planets!
Download the Brewista Quickstart Guide
- Liquid Planet
