#HTE

This Minimalist Tea Maker Serves Efficiency And Tradition

Drinks in the era of pod coffee makers and Soylent coffee-meals are modern and efficiency-minded, but oldschool beverages and methods don’t have to be difficult. The new Manual Tea Maker No. 1 by Manual, designed by longtime Core77 friend and contributor Craighton Berman, wants to refresh appreciation for the minimalism of tea. Much like their take on pour over coffee has reinvigorated appreciation for process and quality, this impeccably simple system encourages taking just a little more time for your liquid payoff. 

The set’s three part design takes its cues directly from traditional Chinese gaiwan and tea ceremonies. With quality ingredients at the center, the design aims to maximize the beauty of tea itself and highlight the quality of its flavors with minimal fuss. The set fits in your hand and only uses two materials—borosilicate glass and porcelain—with a satisfying visual impact.

And far from being messy or time intensive, the Manual Tea Maker is quick to use and easy to clean. Double walled glass shows off the color of your steep while insulating the liquid and protecting your hands. The ceramic cap stores heat and then neatly doubles as a straining lid, and triples as saucer if you want to get sculptural. 

And that’s it. No tea ball to get lost in drawers or mesh sieve to get wet leaves stuck in. Dump out your tired when they’re done and start over, or stack attractively for storage… or display. [Bonus: Join Berman for a live-streamed demo and chat about the design of the Manual Tea Maker No 1 tomorrow at 9PM EST]

Tea is a simple beverage and the best teaware leans into its single-ingredient subtlety with the reverence that the drink has commanded for thousands of years. These little sets are inviting to the touch and eye, and I’d be satisfied if other drinkware designers took a single hint from their eco-friendly blend of form and function. 

The Manual Tea Maker No. 1 is Kickstarting through August 19, starting at $45 with a set of teas to boot. Manual (and Berman himself) has already successfully produced several satisfying minimalist goods for the home, including the beloved Sharpener Jar, and if all goes well this will be the most recent in the line… and maybe the simplest yet.