Electric Kettle Brewing Makes Brewing Japanese Green Tea Easy!
The ability to brew delicious Japanese green tea quickly is such a joy. I mean, why wait for that first delicious cup if you don’t have to?
So today we’re looking at the convenience of the OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle, which I personally use daily. It is manufactured by OXO.
Here Are Some Reasons To Consider Using An Electric Tea Kettle
One great option for making tasty Japanese green tea is by using an electric tea kettle. There are a couple of reasons to use an electric tea kettle.
Microwave Brewing is Not Exact and It Takes More Time
Microwaving your water to brew Japanese green tea takes more time than most electric tea kettles. This is because you must keep swirling the water as it heats to get even temperatures.
Also, with microwave
Stovetop Brewing Is Not Exact for Proper Brewing Temperatures
Stovetop heating your water in a kettle may be a fast way to get hot water. However, much like microwave heating, it is difficult to ensure the correct temperature.
When you use the stovetop, the entire heating kettle becomes hot, including the handle. This can lead to a burn. The conventional kettle can also pick up flavors and aromas from previous uses, impairing the pure green tea aroma and flavor.
What Do I Use For Boiling Hot Water?
Readers often ask me what teapot I use to brew my tasty Japanese green tea. For those who wonder, the tea ware that I currently use is the OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle, Stainless Steel.
Some of the main reasons I prefer this teapot are listed below.
1. Temperature Control – Essential to each variety of tea preparation is the water temperature. This product’s temperature dial maintains the precise temperature for brewing up to 30 minutes.
2. Quick Heating – The OXO Brew provides boiled water very quickly.
3. Yuzamashi is Easy – Yuzamashi–or the process of first boiling tea water then letting it cool–is simple with this teapot. After boiling, I can remove the kettle for a few minutes and then replace it again to check the water temperature. (Read more about yuzamashi technique here.)
4. Cordless Design is Convenient – The OXO’s cordless design provides easy maneuverability once the water temperature is reached. The cord also stores easily when not in use.
5. Wide Spout is Great – Many tea kettles have a narrow spout, more advantageous for pouring coffee than green tea. The OXO spout also has a convenient spout strainer, which can be easily removed for cleaning.
The only drawback I have found for this teaware is that there is some difficulty draining out the last few drops of tasty Japanese green tea. But hey: If this happens, looks like it’s time to brew another pot!
Japanese Green Tea Lovers Will Love The Features of OXO
The OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle has some very good features. There are a few products marketed like the OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle for hot brewing their Japanese green tea. Most of the competitors offer their product with a stainless-steel body.
Following are more highlights about this tea kettle.
- It is versatile in that it allows you to exactly set different temperatures. The OXO lets you set the brewing temperature for different teas such as green, white, herbal, black, and oolong. It also can be used for pour-over coffee.
- It has a large 1.75-liter kettle capacity.
- The glass kettle boils quickly, and heated water can be maintained for up to 30 minutes.
- The OXO temperature memory recalls your preferred heating temperature.
- The temperature function makes choosing your heating temperature easy to use, and between Fahrenheit and Celsius temperatures.
- An audible signal alerts when proper temperature is reached.
- Thermal shock-resistant glass provides easy viewing and safety for the user.
- The kettle is cord-free for easy maneuverability.
- The stay-cool handle is also non-slip and comfortable to grip.
- Ample lid opening to release steam.
- The stainless steel mesh filter is reusable, removable, functional, and easy to clean.
OXO Product Specifications
Here is some relevant information on the OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle product for brewing tasty Japanese green tea.
- Product Manufacturer: OXO
- Product Size: 1.7 Liter
- Product Color: Glass body
- Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 12.5 inches
- Product Weight: 4.0 lbs. / 5.0 lbs. shipping
- Product Model Number: 8716900
- ASIN Number: B01KTRDKNW
- Amazon Price: $159.99
Customers Have Had Good Experiences With The OXO
When I select products, I enjoy reading product reviews found on Amazon. Most customer reviews were very favorable about the OXO, with the product receiving an overall favorable rating of about 84%. The following are the ratings I reviewed for you:
5 star – 62%
4 star – 14%
3 star – 8%
2 star – 5%
1 star – 11%
Product Pros
Most comments about the OXO BREW Cordless Glass Electric Kettle were favorable. Here are some of the positive comments on the product I uncovered:
- Customers liked the convenient temperature controls.
- Customers liked the temperature memory.
- Customers liked the ease of use.
- Customers liked the ease of cleaning.
- Customers liked the automatic “keep warm” feature for 30 minutes.
- Customers liked the easily removed mechanical filter for cleaning.
- Customers liked the easy switch between Celsius and Fahrenheit.
- Customers liked the glass container size.
- Customers liked the lack of mineral build-up from boiling water.
- Customers liked the easy comfort handle that stays cool to the touch.
- Customers liked the fast heating of water.
- Customers liked the ability to use the product for tea or coffee.
Product Cons
Only a few negative comments about the OXO were made. Here are some of the negative comments on the product I uncovered:
- Customers disliked that the item was pricey compared to many other kettles.
- Customers disliked that the rim design does not allow all the water or tea to be extracted at the very end of pouring.
- Customers disliked that the product is not easy to clean leaving water residue. (Though I found that keeping the lid open after turning off usually evaporates the water so that it always looks clean – I don’t put anything other than water in the kettle so it stays clean)
- Customers disliked mineral build-up if using hard water.
- Customers disliked the glass container size – too big and heavy.
- Customers disliked the time it takes to heat the water.
What Other Product Compare to the OXO Tea Kettle?
An internet search uncovered some electric tea kettles comparable to the OXO Electric Tea Kettle. What we looked for are those kettles with an adjustable temperature control intended for the proper brewing of different teas. Here we provide a list of similar products. The prices are average Amazon
Breville – Breville BKE830XL – The IQ Kettle
Price: $149.83
What’s Your Favorite?
Do you have a favorite teapot you use for brewing your Japanese green tea? Please comment below and tell me about your favorite and why. I’m curious.
Author, Kei Nishida, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program and uses product images with permission
I’ve got the Cuisinart –Cuisinart CPK 17 P from the link I’ve had it for 3 years and still it looks nice and works really good. It has most of the functions of the Oxo but I rather have a complete steel kettle because I’ll worry about dropping the glass Oxo.
The nice thing is that it comes with preset temperature buttons wit 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 and boiling 100 degrees Celsius. If I’m having a Japanese green I’ll start with 80 and move to 85 in the later infusions. Plus it is really fast so I do not need the keep warm function really.
Hello Kei,
I agree wholeheartedly with your points for using an electric kettle and for selecting a favorite. This one seems to be worth checking out. One more feature that interests me is that it is glass. Watching the bubbles is one way I gauge the water temp. (I’ve sometimes questioned the accuracy of the digital readout).
I currently use two electric kettles; one glass and one stainless steel. Each of them have features I like. But this OXO seems to have everything. Great find and helpful recommendation. Thank you.