<p>So I’m a tea drinker. Have been for 27+ years. I drink 2-3 cups a day on average. About a year ago, I was given some Teavana loose leaf teas. I was immediately spoiled and have since graduated to using primarily loose leaf teas and otherwise expensive brands - teavana, rishi, tazo, etc. One of the strange things I’ve noticed, which I don’t really know if it’s true or not, is that the tea doesn’t seem to stain like previous teas whose names shall remain unmentionable. Not the cups, pots, or more critically the teeth. Is it my imagination or has anyone else observed this?</p>
<p>Oh my gosh I think you are right.</p>
<p>This is very interesting to me, because I’m trying to drink more tea. Not staining is a good thing. Can you recommend specific varieties, both caffeinated and herbal?</p>
<p>I like the English Breakfast (black tea) and the Morning Mate. I also occasionally drink Chai, which is very spicy. If there is a Teavana store near you, they usually have free samples of a couple of varieties, and you can buy in whatever quantity you want (they weight it out like meat at the butcher), so you can buy small amounts to try. My grocery also sells loose leaf that you can measure out yourself. All so much better than the standard red rose, tetley, etc.</p>
<p>I’m really convinced that the staining is far less. :)</p>
<p>Also, although some of the teas are pricy, a little makes a lot, so the per/cup cost is not all that bad.</p>
<p>I guess you must use a tea ball? I hate to admit it, but I’ve only used teabags until now.</p>
<p>H bought me a cast iron tea pot from Teavana. It has a “basket” for the tea and makes the best tea ever. It was expensive but wish we got one years ago.</p>
<p>Actually, my husband bought me a cast iron teapot a couple of Christmases ago, too! I think it might have been from Teavana. It is lovely, and we have a few other iron teapots that were his mother’s, so I’ve been displaying them and haven’t used it. It is on the small side, in any case.</p>
<p>Just looked on the site. I don’t think the one I have came from there. They have a lovely green cast iron teapot on sale:</p>
<p>[Cherry</a> Blossoms Japanese Cast Iron Teapot at Teavana | Teavana](<a href=“http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/teapots-teapot-sets/cast-iron-teapots/p/cherry-blossoms-cast-iron-teapot]Cherry”>http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/teapots-teapot-sets/cast-iron-teapots/p/cherry-blossoms-cast-iron-teapot)</p>
<p>I really like the black hobnail teapot.</p>
<p>I just examined my teapot, and it has an enameled inside and a strainer, like the Teavana pots, and it sits on a matching trivet. It also has a sticker on the bottom, and I found it online:</p>
<p>[Hailstone</a> Cast Iron Teapot](<a href=“http://www.americantearoom.com/hailstone-cast-iron-teapot.html]Hailstone”>http://www.americantearoom.com/hailstone-cast-iron-teapot.html)</p>
<p>I hope my husband didn’t pay that much for it!</p>
<p>Actually, mine must be smaller. I know it doesn’t hold 40 oz. But the shape and appearance are the same.</p>
<p>Mine is the gold/black Cherry blossom:)
WoW NY–he might have</p>
<p>It’s very beautiful, lamom!</p>
<p>Regarding the staining: are you filtering your water or using bottled water? Tea is known to react with calcium in water (and silicates): [ScienceDirect.com</a> - Food Chemistry - Black tea stain formed on the surface of teacups and pots. Part 1 ? Study on the chemical composition and structure](<a href=“http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814606006030]ScienceDirect.com”>Black tea stain formed on the surface of teacups and pots. Part 1 – Study on the chemical composition and structure - ScienceDirect)</p>
<p>So it could be the water, and not the tea. </p>
<p>That said, I notice that cheaper brands of black teas (like PG Tips) cause way more staining that some other brands. I think it may be a result of how the teas are processed.</p>
<p>Away for Easter break…</p>
<p>dmd, have only started using filtered water recently. Noticed the change in staining before that. But I brought back some regular tea bags from my vacation and am working up an experiment for this week with those vs. the loose leaf. Will report back.</p>
<p>NYmom, that’s a gorgeous pot. I have a tea ball, and also use a couple of pots and a teavana Tea Maker. If it’s one of the pots which doesn’t strain the leaves, I have several small strainers which fit handily over a mug and strain out the leaves just fine. You really won’t believe the difference once you start using more quality stuff. I was spoiled in a hurry.</p>
<p>Well, I finally made it to a Teavana store last weekend, and I tried the samples, and came home with an assortment of small amounts of 6 varieties. I’ve been making them in my beautiful teapot. Like some of you, I am now completely spoiled and will not be able to go back to my old teabags, which have been sitting around for months or years. </p>
<p>At the store, I was told that the teas had to be kept in airtight tins or they would go bad quickly. I bought two of their tins and keep 3 small packages in each. I am making the tea according to directions, measuring and using water of the right temperature and steeping for the recommended time.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this is true just for my local Teavana store, but I was put off by the “hard sell” that went on. The salespeople repeatedly tried to get me to buy more/ more expensive items.</p>
<p>My kids like Teavana tea, but I dread going there and the sales assault that inevitably happens. I find their sales people (at 2 different stores) to be very aggressive. I’ve learned not to listen to them and just get what I need…and no Teavana folks, I do not need another tin for my tea. If I could find another local tea store, I would probably go there instead.</p>
<p>I found the saleswoman quite helpful, but then I went in looking for help and suggestions. </p>
<p>I’d love to find a small tea store, but as far as I know there are none in my area. Even an online source would be great.</p>
<p>We don’t have Teavana here, but we do have a nice local tea shop. This reminds me to go there.</p>
<p>My guess is that cheaper bagged teas are powdery, and that is what causes the stains.
The high-end tea is made of intact parts of the plant.</p>