I was only recently introduced to Adagio teas, and now I am hooked! I have tea balls at home, and they are a pain to clean, disinfect, and sometimes messy to use. But I would continue to use them because I feel loose leaf tea is FAR superior to the grass clippings that come in tea bags. I came across this teapot and was interested so I got it for myself. Let me just say, this will encourage anyone to drink more tea. Coupled with Adagio'svast selection of teas/flavors, there is surely a blend for ANYONE's taste. This teapot makes it so easy and less messy to enjoy a loose leaf tea. It also opens up your eyes to how tea is brewed. You get to watch the tea leaves expand and unfurl. You can watch the subtle color of your brew. And when the tea is steeped to the proper color and time, you simply place it over your teacup and release the lever. The tea comes out the bottom into your cup without having to worry about drinking tea leaves or scraping the spent leaves from a tiny tea ball. Performance It really does let you brew a perfect cup of loose leaf tea! Safety You pour your hot water in, and there is no more fumbling for a metal tea ball in your scalding hot water. You simply pull a lever and the tea comes out the bottom. Ease of Cleaning The tea leaves are easily removed from the teapot, it is a LOT easier to clean than your classic tea ball. Durability I have only had this teapot for a few weeks as of this review, so I cannot really state on how durable it is. Design It is so beautiful to watch your tea brew, the clear pot was really a great idea!

MelissaManjoney

USA

I always loved tea but loose tea was rather intimidating. I'd tried using those little silver tea balls but what resulted was always lackluster and never quite as good as bagged tea. I was introduced to this teapot when I visited a tea loving friend. I watched as she went through the whole process of making the tea. It's so easy. As you are heating water, measure out the amount of tea leaves you need. Drop them into the teapot. Once the water is ready, transfer it into the teapot and close the lid. Set a timer. Watch the tea leaves swirl and swell, they actually dance when given enough room to really unfurl. Some will float and some will stay near the bottom. Once your timer indicates that the tea is ready, simply set the teapot on top of the cup you are going to use. The rim of the cup pushes the bottom lever which releases the tea into the cup but leaves the tea leaves behind in the pot. Rinse the tea leaves into a strainer or just knock them out into the trash or compost to get rid of them. It really is just that easy to use. Tea is so much more amazing than I ever thought when I was just using tea bags. Don't be afraid to try this. You'll love it. As a plus, the site is easy to navigate and they use a point system that rewards you for reviews and purchases.

msfinch

USA

This teapot has made it so much easier to make a perfect cup of tea. I can use it with loose leaf tea as well as a tea bag. It is easy to clean, and very easy to use. The tea that comes through the mesh into the mug is always clear and perfect and it steeps quickly enough that the tea is still hot enough.

KerryGreenough

USA

I love this little teapot! I own the 16 oz. pot and have seriously been considering purchasing the 32 oz. pot for social gatherings as I use this one so frequently for my own personal use. Basically, you put the desired amount of tea leaves/bags inside the pot, add water at the right temperature and let it seep for the proper amount of time. When it is done, you just place it on top of the cup you are drinking from, and the tea comes out leave-free! Performance It does exactly what I want it to do--brew tea, especially loose leaf tea. Safety I would not keep this around young children while hot water is inside, as it is fairly easy to accidentally release some water, especially on an uneven surface. (I made the mistake of setting it on a plate that had some ridges and didn't notice until the whole table was soaked that the ridges had pushed up the mechanism that allows the water to flow through the bottom.) Ease of Cleaning Lid comes off for easier cleaning. Design I love how you just place it on top of a mug and the tea comes out, Three things I wish I could change, though: 1. Some tea always drips out after you have released the tea into your cup. Therefore, don't place this on an unprotected surface. 2. When you are pouring the tea, the teapot covers the whole top of the cup, so you have to lift it up to make sure you are not going to overfill the cup. 3. There is no way to put a "lock" on the pouring mechanism, which can result in accidental spills, like the one I mentioned above. Neither of these are a big deal, as long as you are aware of them, but they are the reason I rated this a 9 instead of a 10. Overall, I say if you drink tea, this contraption is a must for your tea-ware collection!

katevan

USA

I bought a bunch of loose leaf teas from Teavana but did not have a teapot. Initially, I used a mesh tea ball but it was cumbersome to load it and clean it. Then I found out about this teapot. It's very easy and convenient to use. It's "dummy-proof." You open the lid, put in some loose leaf tea, then fill it with water. When it's ready, you place the whole thing on top of your cup and push down. The tea will come out and you simply stop pushing down, when your cup is filled. Since it's clear, you can get a grasp for how light or strong the brew is. One down side is that since it's made of plastic, odors tend to stick around longer. This may be problematic for people who brews lots of different kinds of teas. Also, in terms of cleaning, the "messier" kinds of tea may be harder to get all of it out on the bottom. Overall, I'd recommend the Adagio teapot. It's easy to use, good for more than one cup of tea, and will turn anyone into a tea drinker.

normietrice

Downers Grove, IL

I love my adiago teapot! I have had my teapot for about five years and I use it quite a bit, just yesterday actually. It works so great that I have purchased one for my tea loving mother in law and my tea obsessed best friend and they love it as well. I find loose teas taste much better than teas in bags so I love using this easy microwavable pot. It is so simple to use fill with water and then microwave and then put in tea and let steep. The really cool part is you don't pour out the tea you set the tea above the cup you are going to drink from and it empties into it. The only think is that the strainer can stain but I set my in vinegar and hot water to remove the strain. I have had my teapot for five plus years and the strainer is still going strong. When every the teapot I have stops working I plan on buying a new one. I use it with lots of loose teas not just the adiago brand and it always makes great tea.

lalarsy

Galveston, TX

We got an Ingenuitea last Christmas after reading reviews and we love it! There's no better way to brew loose leaf tea. Simply scoop in your tea leaves, add hot water from the kettle and wait a couple minutes. Then, set your Ingenuitea on your mug and pour in the perfect amount. When I'm done, I just rinse out the tea leaves really well and put it away. If you know anyone who likes loose leaf tea or is thinking about getting into loose leaf tea but doesn't want the hassle, this is a great gift.

AmberHanneken

Oklahoma City, OK

I have tried every tea ball I could put my hands on. They always end up smashed in a drawer, or let tea leaves through into my cup. This is by far the best tool I have found for loose tea. Ease of Cleaning Let's face it, anything made for tea isn't going to be the easiest thing to clean. The cup portion is very easy to clean, but the plastic seals are a bit difficult, but still worth it.

kevswifebeth

Omaha, NE

**Adagio Teas Ingenuitea Teapot **is a loose teamaker that will become indispensable. Loose tea used to annoying for me to make-tea strainers often leaked tea and it was messy**-not anymore.** How it works: Place loose tea in the teapot. Add water and microwave as usual. When tea is ready, simply place it atop your cup. This will cause a valve at the bottom to release: crystal-clear tea flows down, while the mesh filter retains all the leaves with one of the best infusers on the market. The tea leaves stay in the teapot-you just get the tea in your mug. This teapot doesn't leak either. What it's made from: food-grade polycarbonate that is certified by SGS to be BPA-free. I was worried since it it plastic and I do microwave it but since it is BPA-free, I'm now worry-free. The teapot is also super easy to clean and dishwasher safe. That's right-stick it in the dishwasher.  Overall, this is a great product. If you drink alot of tea, you'll wonder how you lived without it.  Even if you drink every once in awhile, this will make drinking loose tea much more convenient!

ladydanaj

Marlton, NJ

I used to stay away from loose leaf teas because I don't enjoy the little bits that seep out from muslin bags or traditional tea strainers. I recently happened upon this teapot at a coffee/tea shop I frequent and was instantly sold! It's completely genius and the only thing I'm bummed about is that I didn't know about it sooner. You simply pop the top open, pour in your tea and water and let it steep. When you're ready to drink it, simply place the teapot on top of your mug/cup and the tea strains out sans little tea bits! The strainer is SO efficient. To clean, just rinse out. It's also dishwasher safe, though I prefer to just rinse with warm soapy water by hand. I find myself seeking out loose leaf teas now specifically because I really enjoy using the Ingenuitea. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Juliestrating

Hudsonville, MI