Tea Timer

Steep Times and Water Temperatures by Tea Type

The timer's presets follow widely accepted brewing guidelines for Western-style steeping (one teaspoon of leaf per cup, single infusion). Pick your tea, press Start, and an alert sounds when the steep is done. Temperature matters as much as time, so both are listed here:

• Green tea — 3 minutes at 70–80°C (160–175°F). Boiling water scalds green tea and draws out excess catechins, which taste bitter. Let boiled water cool for 2–3 minutes first.
• White tea — 4 minutes at 75–85°C (170–185°F). Delicate buds like Silver Needle can tolerate longer steeps than green tea without turning harsh.
• Black tea — 5 minutes at 95–100°C (200–212°F). Fully oxidized leaves need near-boiling water to release their malty, robust character.
• Oolong — 5 minutes at 85–95°C (185–205°F). Partial oxidation puts oolong between green and black; rolled oolongs also rebrew exceptionally well.
• Earl Grey and chai — 5 minutes at 95–100°C. Both are black-tea bases; chai spices need the full time to infuse.
• Herbal and fruit tisanes — 7 minutes at 100°C. Chamomile, peppermint, and rooibos contain no tea leaf and essentially cannot over-steep into bitterness.
• Matcha — about 1 minute. Matcha is whisked into 80°C water rather than steeped; the preset covers the whisking and settling time.

You can also set a fully custom time in minutes and seconds — useful for gongfu-style short infusions (20–45 seconds with more leaf) or for cold brew checks.

Why Steeping Time Changes the Taste

Different compounds extract from tea leaves at different rates. Caffeine and aromatic oils come out early; tannins (polyphenols responsible for astringency) accumulate steadily the longer leaves sit in hot water. A green tea steeped 3 minutes tastes sweet and vegetal; the same leaves at 6 minutes taste sharply bitter because tannin extraction has overtaken everything else. This is why a timer beats guessing — a single extra minute is often the difference between a balanced cup and a bitter one.

Tips for a Better Cup

• Use fresh, cold water and bring it to temperature once — re-boiled water loses dissolved oxygen and tastes flat.
• Preheat the pot or mug with a splash of hot water so the steep temperature stays stable.
• Remove the leaves or bag as soon as the alarm sounds; leaving the bag in continues the extraction.
• If your tea is too strong, add water after brewing rather than cutting the steep short next time — under-steeping loses aroma, not just strength.
• Quality loose-leaf oolongs and greens can be re-steeped 2–3 times; add roughly 30–60 seconds to each subsequent infusion.