Like many many loose leaf tea lovers, I’m perpetually on the quest for teaware that lets me brew my tea quickly and easily. My latest purchase is the Tea Forté Kati Loose Tea System, and I’ve been putting it to the test.
What is the Tea Forté Kati Loose Tea System?
The system consists of a tall, double-walled, handle-less cup with a lid and fine mesh strainer. The tea making process is simple enough:
- Fit the strainer inside the mug, add tea leaf, then pour hot water over the leaves.
- Put lid on and allow to steep.
- Remove lid and strainer.
- Place lid on desk, counter or other surface and rest the strainer on it.
- Drink tea.
Clean up is easy as well: Dump the leaves out of the strainer and rinse/wash as you see fit. The system is dishwasher safe.
My Experience
I found the Kati to be intuitive and easy to use. I tried it with two broken leaf black teas (one flavored, one plain) as well as two oolongs of differing leaf sizes.
Both black teas infused within a reasonable amount of time and produced tasty cups. The main problem that the near boiling water overheated the mug, making it too hot to hold comfortably. I kept the lid off for a few minutes, allowing tea and mug to cool down.
The smaller leaf oolong was able to unfurl in the relatively small infuser. The larger leaf oolong crowded the basket and I suspect that this, along with the relative shallowness of the basket, made it difficult for the leaves to infuse fully.
(The oolongs’ cooler steeping temperatures allowed me to handle the cup right after brewing.)
Incidentally, the design of the Kati makes it easy to rinse oolongs and puerhs. Just pour water over an infuser full of leaf, lift infuser out of the mug, and dump the water.
Pros and Cons
Here are my pros and cons for the Tea Forté Kati Loose Tea System.
Pros
- Double wall design and tall, straight sides keeps tea hot.
- Mesh strainer has curved handle and can be used with other cups.
- Ceramic and metal parts are easy to clean and don’t become impregnated with the taste and scent of flavored teas.
- No moving parts that will break down over time.
- The lid lets you keep your tea hot if you have to tend to business elsewhere.
Cons
- Boiling water can make the Kati mug too hot to hold, prepare to wait a few minutes for your tea.
- Basket may be too small and shallow to allow for the proper infusion of large leaf teas.
Final Recommendation
For $15, this is a nice-looking bit of teaware that is easy to use and clean. While it may present some challenges for large-leaf oolong lovers, it’s a good option for those who need a quick brewing method for home or at work.
Disclosures
I bought the Kati Loose Tea System myself, it was not provided to me. This post may have affiliate links inserted by VigLink.
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