Don’t you hate it when you carefully prepare a pot of tea, and then ruin it by over-steeping? Whether caused by simple forgetfulness or misjudging the amount of time that has passed, “losing” a pot or cup of tea is incredibly frustrating.

Careful timing is also essential to the experimentation necessary to get a really good cup of tea. In fact, you can create two very different teas with the same leaves by adjusting infusion times and temperatures. Plus, if you enjoy teas or tisanes that include spices, herbs, or other botanicals, you will find that playing with steep times can draw out some flavors, while minimizing others.

Be sure your tea timer meets the following criteria:

1. It is Digital: Mechanical “dial” kitchen timers work great for cooking and baking, but they don’t work well for tea. Why? Because timing for tea demands precision. Ten seconds can mean the difference between a good cup of tea and a great cup of tea.
2. It is Noisy: Those sand-hour-glass timers are picturesque, but they only work if they are watched.
3. It is Where You Are:A timer doesn’t do you any good if it can’t be heard. Some kitchen timers can be clipped onto a waistband or belt so that you can wander from the cup but still be alerted to when the tea is done. There are also tea timers for your computer and iPhone; some are even programmable with your favorite types/brands of tea and their optimal steep times!
   • For Mac Users – Cuppa is a free timer that allows you to program your favorite teas and alerts you both visually and audibly to your tea being done:
     http://www.nathanatos.com/software/
   • For Windows Users – Tea Timer is a similar application:
     http://www.softpedia.com/get/Windows-Widgets/Alarms-Clocks/Wagner-Tea-Timer.shtml
   • iPhone Users – Use the Tea Timer application to set your iPhone to sound an alarm or vibrate when your tea is ready:
     http://www.decane.net/content/view/34/43/

[Editor’s note: Our blog is chock full of great articles on this topic. Use our search feature to find them!]

© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog, 2009-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this article’s author and/or the blog’s owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.