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IKEA rules

IKEA finally got these back in stock in Tempe, and I happened to be killing time and looking for a tray/box-like thing when I spotted them:

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Four bucks!

I was using a titanium 1-qt vacuum flask that I got at Circle-K for 8 bucks. It's a version of a style that is currently very popular in the thermal carafe industry, with a nifty pushbutton top that does a great job of preventing drips. In fact, IKEA sells a 1-pint version that differs only in that it's steel and has an enamel exterior:

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(comes in sky blue, primary red or yellow, and black)

The drawback with these designs is that the inner metal sleeve radiates heat to the outer metal casing, right through the vacuum between. So it only provides about half the R-factor it should. After 3 hours or so, with occasional pourings, the remaining tea was tepid at best, and cold after 4.

I knew that a mirrored interior would be an improvement, and I was stoked when I found the ultra-cheap thermal carafe in the IKEA catalog online, but bummed when the website said the local store was out of them. So today was serendipitious.

And it's working great. An hour and a half into the first potful, and the tea is still steaming when I pour.

If someone could make a glass-lined thermos with the button-top pouring system, maybe in a nice color, I'd pay a premium.

--Blair "4 bucks!"

Reply to
Blair P. Houghton
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Man, this thing TOTALLY rocks.

I made that tea 5 hours ago, finished it an hour ago, and the last dribble was still just plain hot. And now, an hour later, the empty pot emanates hot air when it's opened.

Best 4 bucks I've spent in a LONG time.

--Blair

Reply to
Blair P. Houghton

Tonight's observation:

The last shot of tea I got out of it tonight, 6 hours after I made the tea, was at least as hot as the tea I was getting out of the all-metal version an hour after filling it, and still "hot", not merely warm.

I'm going to leave the steam inside and see if it's still warm in the morning. I don't doubt it a bit.

--Blair

Reply to
Blair P. Houghton

Isn't tea losing some of its flavour after some time? I found some good Oolongs stay clean for about 6 hours whereas other teas (mainly greens), don't last that long before they go cloudy and bitter.

JB

Reply to
danube

I haven't tried any green in it (don't have any green in the house, actually...thought i'd ordered one in this last batch, but "emperor's red" is actually a chinese black). Blacks seem to get a little bit better over that time, though. I think it has to do with the very slight decline in temperature, and the change in the way I taste them as my palate habituates. They end up very sweet.

When I get more into greens and whites I'll probably go looking for a gaiwan, and keep plain, hot water in the thermal carafe.

--Blair

Reply to
Blair P. Houghton

Final determination:

24 hours after a quart of tea was placed in the decanter (and most of it drunk during that evening), the remaining 3 ounces of tea were drinkably warm. Not hot, but not lukewarm.

Amazing.

--Blair

Reply to
Blair P. Houghton

haven't tried any green in it (don't have any green in the house, actually...thought i'd ordered one in this last batch, but "emperor's red" is actually a chinese black). Blacks seem to get a little bit better over that time, though. I think it has to do with the very slight decline in temperature, and the change in the way I taste them as my palate habituates. They end up very sweet.

When I get more into greens and whites I'll probably go looking for a gaiwan, and keep plain, hot water in the thermal carafe.

--Blair

Is that Emperor's Red from specialteas.com? Love that stuff. Keeps a very rich flavor a long time.

Reply to
SolomonLaw

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