You’ve finally settled down with a nice, big cup of tea and you’re ready for an evening of sipping and reading. Or maybe this mug is going to get you through the next phase of that project you’re working on. Either way, it’s almost guaranteed that -- unless you guzzle it without consideration for burning your tongue -- the temperature of your tea is going to drop to less than palatable levels before you’re halfway through. What’s a tea drinker to do?
Instead of resigning yourself to the inevitable disappointment of a lukewarm brew, here are a few practical solutions for keeping your tea piping hot.
Turn Up the Heat
The first -- and easiest -- thing you can do is heat up your cup (or teapot) before ever pouring your tea. The reasoning is this: If you pour hot liquid into a cool vessel, that vessel will absorb the heat, pulling it away from the liquid. That’s great if you want your beverage to cool down, but not so awesome if you want it to stay hot. To circumvent this everyday phenomenon, just pour very hot water into your cup, swish it around or let it sit for a few moments, pour it out, and then add the tea (and more water if you’re steeping directly into that vessel). I mean, you’re already boiling water, so why not?
Another classic method for keeping tea hot involves a small metal apparatus with a tea light or other heating element underneath. You light the candle, then you place your mug or teapot on top to keep things nice and toasty. These days, you can also get electric warmers that sit on your desktop like a coaster. Super convenient!
Get Cozy
Of course, there’s always the traditional tea cozy. You know how sweaters keep you warm during the winter? Well, cozies are like sweaters for your tea. They come in a variety of styles, from cute knitted numbers to sleek and modern neoprene sleeves. You can also get them for just one cup or a whole pot, and they’re perfect for on-the-go sipping; I keep a one-cup insulated sleeve in my purse at all times. If you’re a crafty type, you can even make your own cozy with any number of the clever patterns currently circulating the internet.
Speaking of insulation, travel mugs aren’t just for travel! A good double-walled thermos can keep your tea hot for up to nine hours as long as you don’t open it too frequently. Drink directly from it or use it in lieu of a teapot. I have one from Contigo that I absolutely adore, and my tea stays hot all day. For the science-minded, a new mug has recently entered the scene. Called the Temperfect, it uses phase-change materials and vacuum insulation to keep beverages at the perfect drinking temperature for hours.
Make It Last
If you like to drink large amounts of tea throughout the day -- or work in an office with other tea lovers -- you may want to pick up an air pot. You’ll typically see air pots at coffee shops and gas stations, doing their duty and keeping liquids hot until you’re ready to press the button and release their goodness into your mug. It wasn’t until recently that I realized you can buy an air pot of your own online or at just about any kitchen shop for a very reasonable amount of money. Seriously, this is my ideal version of a water cooler.
Last but not least, put a lid on it! By capping your mug, travel cup, or teapot, you’ll keep steam -- and, therefore, heat -- from escaping and cooling off your tea too quickly. There are some really cute mugs out there that have lids, like the Tea Forté KATI series, but if you don’t have a lid all you really need do is place a saucer on top of your teacup to seal in the heat.
Now that you have the know-how, you can get back to your cozy reading spot with tea that stays the perfect temperature, all evening long.
All photos courtesy of author.
Ciaran Keast
Ciaran Keast loves art, semicolons, books, cats -- and all the tea, ever. When they're not posting tea photos on social media, you'll catch them at almost every Plum Deluxe event.
FAQs
By capping your mug, travel cup, or teapot, you'll keep steam -- and, therefore, heat -- from escaping and cooling off your tea too quickly.
How to make your tea stay warm longer? ›
Preheat your mug: Before pouring your hot tea, rinse your mug with hot water to preheat it. This will help keep your tea warmer for longer. Use a tea cozy: A tea cozy is a cover that fits over your teapot to keep the tea warm. It can also be used to cover individual mugs or cups to keep the tea warm.
How to keep tea hot while steeping? ›
Keep the Heat In While Steeping
Cover your teacup, mug, or teapot while steeping to keep the heat in. You can do this with a cozy, a lid, or a tea towel. This will keep your flavor consistent when brewing tea.
How do you keep tea hot on the go? ›
Keeping tea warm with a tea thermos. The tea thermos is one of the most used tea accessories. It can be made of stainless steel or glass. An insulated tea bottle allows you to keep the temperature of the tea for several hours.
Why does my tea go cold so quickly? ›
Tin cups will turn cold faster than ceramic cups. The weather affects the water temperature. Covered or uncovered container affects the water temperature. The amount of water will greatly affect the temperature.
How do you keep tea from getting cold? ›
Turn Up the Heat
To circumvent this everyday phenomenon, just pour very hot water into your cup, swish it around or let it sit for a few moments, pour it out, and then add the tea (and more water if you're steeping directly into that vessel).
How do you keep tea hot for a tea party? ›
A tea cozy is a great way to keep your tea warm and delicious throughout your tea party. Whether you're serving hot black tea, soothing herbal tea, or fragrant green tea, a cozy will help to retain the heat and prevent your tea from getting cold.
What material keeps tea hot? ›
Most come with vacuum insulation technology (similar to Yeti cups) which makes stainless steel the best material for tea kettles if you need to keep your water hot for long periods of time.
What is the best material to keep tea hot? ›
Borosilicate glass teapots are excellent heat retainers, and can keep your tea toasty for longer - no tea cosy necessary! Avoid thin glass receptacles like wine and untempered water glasses.
How to keep tea hot for hours without a thermos? ›
Here's our advice: Rather than reaching for the microwave or burning your tongue on too-hot coffee from a thermos, consider the humble mug warmer. Functionally, a mug warmer is a tiny hot plate that sits on your desk and heats the bottom of your cup to keep the liquid inside hot.
You can use your kitchen appliances or insulated containers to keep food warm, use a cooler to make a hot and portable container, or serve your food on warm plates so they don't get cold. No matter how you do it, you can have a hot meal wherever you are!
What is the best teapot for keeping tea hot? ›
Shrestha says that stainless steel and other metal teapots are better for heat retention than glass. Ceramic also beats out glass in terms of heat retention, but stainless steel options are the best if you're concerned about having your teapot staying hot for long periods of time.
How long should you let hot tea cool down? ›
Irrespective of whether you brew in a teapot or cup, the brew should be allowed to cool down for around 2-3 minutes, after removing the tea bags. Because, once the temperature reduces, the flavors start to develop and deliver a better quality taste.
Does stirring tea make it colder? ›
According to New Scientist, stirring does accelerate the natural process of convection, in which the hottest liquid circulates from the bottom and middle of a container to the surface, where it then loses its heat to the air. So, technically, it does lower the temperature of your beverage — but only slightly.
How do you make tea cool faster? ›
The fastest way to cool your tea down is to add a bit more milk, or a splash of cold water. Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
How do you make tea last longer? ›
Brewed tea is susceptible to oxidation, microbial contamination, and flavor loss if it is exposed to light, air, heat, or moisture. To prevent this, store your brewed tea in a clean and sterile glass or stainless steel container that has a tight lid, and refrigerate it as soon as possible after brewing.
In which cup will your tea stay warm longest? ›
Based on the thermal conductivity knowledge mentioned above, a glass mug should be used to keep liquids the warmest for the longest period, followed by the ceramic, and then the steel mug.
How long does warm tea last? ›
Brewed tea can last for several hours at room temperature and up to 48 hours when refrigerated. However, to fully enjoy its flavor and benefits, it's best to consume it within 4-6 hours of brewing.
