3 Questions: 1: How sturdy and durable does it feel, and does it feel worth the money? 2: How many fl. oz. does the kettle hold? and 3: Can you put a tea candle under the trivet to keep the tea hot?
1618535
It's worth the money, I bought it for my wife and she loves it. Very sturdy, the bamboo try that comes with the set has a very nice feel / look to it. As for the ounces, it's listed as 20 oz under the description. I would recommend a instant water boiler. I'm sure you are aware; however I'll just go and say it anyways.... the little candles do not brew the tea.... it merely keeps it warm. Good luck.
1618536
Unfortunately I'm in the process of moving and this item is packed away for about two more weeks and I don't remember the fl. oz, It made 1 mug of tea. However, I can tell you that it is, in fact, cast iron and very durable. It is a terrific slightly muted red color and is both functional and attractive. I felt it was worth the money. I do not believe the trivet is high enough for a tea candle. Hope this helps.
1618537
1. It is pretty sturdy since its made out of cast iron. You can tell since it's got more weight to it. I have it and I really enjoy using it. I'd wait since the price fluctuates, I was able to get mine in May for $28. It's a nice set and I really like the bamboo tray to sit it on.2. 20 oz3. I do not think there is enough space to put a tea candle under the pot but I have not tried it.
1618538
Sorry, I gave it as a gift, and as it was mailed directly to the recipient, I can't answer your questions. However, my friend seemed really pleased with it. Not sure that she'd complain to me if she didn't like it.
1618539
I dropped one of the cups yesterday and it put a dent in my linoleum floor. I haven't felt the handle of the kettle become any less secure than it was the day I pulled it out of the box.I use 16oz in this just to keep my infusions simple to weigh out, but I feel like you could probably get another half cup in there.The trivet does indeed have a hole in it for candling, but it sits a little low for that. At least all the tealight candles I had were too large. I'm new to this, so maybe I was just using the wrong kind of candle. I suppose you could cut a candle to fit. But anyways, yes, there's a whole to facilitate this. I dropped one of the cups yesterday and it put a dent in my linoleum floor. I haven't felt the handle of the kettle become any less secure than it was the day I pulled it out of the box.I use 16oz in this just to keep my infusions simple to weigh out, but I feel like you could probably get another half cup in there.The trivet does indeed have a hole in it for candling, but it sits a little low for that. At least all the tealight candles I had were too large. I'm new to this, so maybe I was just using the wrong kind of candle. I suppose you could cut a candle to fit.... » Read More I dropped one of the cups yesterday and it put a dent in my linoleum floor. I haven't felt the handle of the kettle become any less secure than it was the day I pulled it out of the box.I use 16oz in this just to keep my infusions simple to weigh out, but I feel like you could probably get another half cup in there.The trivet does indeed have a hole in it for candling, but it sits a little low for that. At least all the tealight candles I had were too large. I'm new to this, so maybe I was just using the wrong kind of candle. I suppose you could cut a candle to fit. But anyways, yes, there's a whole to facilitate this. « Show Less
1019870
Never! I have had the kettle for years and apart from a slight cosmetic blemish on the outside from when I forgot to put water in before I turned on the flame, it is just like new. It doesn't wobble, its whistle is Met Opera quality, and it still shines. I love it.
1164878
Not a problem. I reheat water in the teapot routinely. The interior of the kettle is also enameled and not just raw metal so rust isn't a problem....as long as the enamel is intact and not chipped off via denting or other damage. I don't know how long the enameled interior lasts but I'm a seasoned citizen and therefore consider it to have a lifetime guarantee.
1102817
I've been using my kettle for over a year now (1-2 times a week). It is one of the best presents I have ever received. As long as I clean the tea basket out shortly after use, it has stayed looking almost brand new minus the light tea colored stains forming on the basket. Even those stains are light in color and would be expected from the tea sitting the basket. The glass pot itself looks brand new even after leaving tea sit in it for a few days.
1634099
We use ours for sweet tea so usually don't shake it...but I just tried it for you and when I didnt hold the lid it dripped 4 to 5 drops so not too bad and 2 when I held the lid it dripped a couple drops so either way it seems to be sturdy. One thing I do know is that the pour spout does come detached from the lid to clean so I could see the potential for disaster as the pitcher gets older and spout becomes a little less secure
1670630
I use mine to keep my tea hot, and it was still hot many hours later. No idea on this one. I did make a discovery this morning that this cup can't be shaken, or else the liquid comes out of it. How is it for you? I have tried dumping a little liquid out to no avail. I tried it dry with no avail. I am drying it out right now, and I am going to try it again. With both of our problems, maybe this ISN'T a good mug. I might have given my review too early. Don't know.
2244126
We use it with a tea cozy. The teapot is quite small so after a cup or two we refill it. Tea stays fairly warm that way.
1145237
I use it to steep the tea so I pour boiling water in to it. I know there is a candle warmer for it to stay hot. I wouldn;t put it on the stove myself.
120367
No the tea kettle is not very heavy. I also have arthritis and although I bought this for my daughter I find it easy to use.
2070618
It does get pretty warm, but not so hot that you can't touch it - if you need to hold the kettle with your other hand to support/pour, however, I would indeed use a hot pad to be protected. I love this tea kettle!!
1078305
Not even close to what a tea kettle puts out. You can barely see a wisp and that only last a short period of time as once it reaches it temp it very seldom needs to boil again as it maintains its temp better than the old Thermos bottles (if you remember them) maintained hot liquids.
1513134
Hmm.....if I had your regular email address I could take photos and send to you. The temperature probe is quite long and it is a nice thickness and it isn't flimsy. I used a larger florist test tube which has a rubber lid/ stopper. I put water into test tube, immersed tip of probe into that, then immersed test tube into Kombucha tea. The cord of the probe I then bent over edge of my stainless steel container. I have a woven cover that is held on by elastic. All these things together holds the test tube with probe at exactly the height I need it to be, suspended through Scoby into tea.
2135855
I have not been using it long enough to see stains. I use lighter teas so it hasn't been an issue. I imagine, like any container that holds tea, staining is inevitable. I rinse it after each use so it looks great. The only way to remove the leaves would be to pour the contents into another cup. I became interested in this type of mug after traveling in China several times. People there carry similar cups around. After they finish the tea they add more water to make more. This cup is a much better quality than what I saw there and allows you to enjoy loose teas. I guess the idea is to make and drink it then change the leaves if you want. Obviously if you leave the tea leaves in the water too long it gets bitter. I would say that this cup is not for long term storage but is a good size that you can easily enjoy and finish before that happens. For the reasons I bought it, using loose teas and wanting to refill, it works great.
1465102
I've used my tea kettle daily for almost 4 months and haven't had any problems. It has a high polished laquer finish that is easy to care for and seems to be excellent quality.
1343050
I don't have the kettle any longer so I cannot answer your question. (Family member left it on stove.) :-( However, I did like the kettle and felt it the price was good.
2104371
I broke the lid on my first kettle after putting it on a tea towel, forgetting it was there and then moving the towel. I had had it less than two weeks. It was not much of a bump that it took but it broke quite badly. I feel that a regular glass would have survived if that offers some perspective. There are no replacements to be bought. I bought a new kettle as i really liked it and I am now very careful about where I set the lid down (it is clear so on a towel it is not easy to see).
662305
I agree with Jennifer. It's a sturdy and solid warmer. I did use it with the tea pot I had on hand (stainless steel) but was not happy until I purchased a cast iron Dragonfly design tea pot which fits perfectly. Although the tea warmer base worked fine with the larger stainless steel, the cast iron stays warmer longer, and I'll concur, the prices of the cast iron pots on Amazon are quite reasonable. But you should have no problem keeping your tea warm in your existing tea pot even if the pot is somewhat larger than the diameter of the base of the warmer. It's still hard to beat cast iron! I agree with Jennifer. It's a sturdy and solid warmer. I did use it with the tea pot I had on hand (stainless steel) but was not happy until I purchased a cast iron Dragonfly design tea pot which fits perfectly. Although the tea warmer base worked fine with the larger stainless steel, the cast iron stays warmer longer, and I'll concur, the prices of the cast iron pots on Amazon are quite reasonable. But you should have no problem keeping your tea warm in your existing tea pot even if the pot is somewhat larger than the diameter of the base of the warmer. It's still hard to beat cast iron!