Green tea turns bitter mostly because the water is too hot. Catechins and caffeine, the bitter and puckering parts of the leaf, dissolve much faster near boiling, while the savoury, sweet theanine comes out happily at 70 to 80 °C.
Use the tea dial to drag temperature and steeping time for green, white, oolong and black tea, see where a cup goes thin, balanced or bitter, and learn the order in which to fix a harsh cup.
Affiliate links, marked sponsored. Kit for this drink at three prices. Prices checked 5 Oct; every shop is on each product page.
A low-cost kettle that can hold a set temperature, so you can aim for the 70 to 80 °C range green and white tea like instead of waiting for water to cool.
Constant temperature · LED display · Adjustable steps
An adjustable-temperature kettle with a glass body, which makes it easy to see the water and set a lower temperature for green tea, then a hotter one for black.
Adjustable temperature · Glass body
A larger kettle with a temperature selector, suited to making a full pot or several cups at the right temperature for each tea.
Temperature selector · 1.7 litre · Retro design
