You really don’t need an electric tea kettle to make tea, but they are a handy gadget that can sure can make the process more convenient. The Wall Street Journal’s test kitchen (who knew?) recently took a look at several models from manufacturers like Breville, Cuisinart, Chef’s Choice, Bodum and more. The prices range from about $40 to upwards of $300 for the spiffier ones. More on their findings here.

Of course, once you’ve made your tea using the water from your fancy electric tea kettle you might be looking for a way to take it on the road with you. If you’re in the market for an eco-friendly stainless steel water bottle that’s suitable for both tea and coffee drinking, check out what the makers of the Eco Vessel have to offer.

Speaking of eco-friendly, check out this article about what’s being billed as an eco-friendly alternative to tea bags. They are hand pressed tea “coins” that are made up of a blend of Oolong and green tea. It’s a nifty invention that was first devised by a researcher in the tea-growing region of Assam, in India.

If you’re still using those old-fashioned, not so eco-friendly tea bags, however, rest assured that they can be put to good use after you’re finished with them. Here’s an article about an Australian artist who’s found a good use for the impressive 30-35 tea bags she goes through in the course of an average day.

Speaking of unusually large quantities of tea, if you can’t get enough of the stuff you should have been in the tea-producing nation of Sri Lanka not so long ago when they smashed the Guinness World Record for the largest cup of tea ever brewed. Check out the article and photo here for an idea of how big a tea cup has to be hold 4,000 liters of Ceylon tea.