Review: Rishi Simple Brew Loose Leaf Tea Pot

This review has not been paid for, or sponsored by Rishi - Our writers are independent tea enthusiasts.

Design

The Rishi pot provides a modern and unconventional look when compared with most other tea pots. this is one of the main ways in which the Simple Brew initially piqued our interest.

The lid is made exclusively of stainless steel which I prefer to rubber or plastic gaskets as these alternatives can often begin to degrade and present odor issues over time. The stainless steel and attached filter are flush with the glass and provide consistent performance with use. While the glass is not overly thick, it does seems strong enough to last over time. Judging by the thickness of this glass, I would highly recommend hand washing to ensure no mishaps. Of course, the glass body will also not survive any considerable drops. Upon carrying the tea pot from place to place, we also found the build is a bit top heavy due to the thin glass on the bottom and heavy steel-built lid. This can cause some precarious wobbling if one is not careful while transporting the vessel.

Takeaway: The vessel could benefit by having thicker glass for durability and as a counterweight to the lid. Overall, the design is simplistic and effective. 4.5/5

Price

This tea pot goes for ~$30 anywhere you find Rishi products available. Ideally, this product is an investment as it is made of stainless steel and glass and should last quite a while with careful use.

Takeaway: The pot is essentially just two pieces with minimum frills, we actually prefer this as there are fewer pieces to fail/break. 5/5

Availability

While I was only able to find the 400 and 1,000 ml versions on Amazon, all 3 versions (400, 600, and 1,000) are available on the parent site (rishi-tea.com).

Takeaway: The Rishi is a well renowned brand which can be found from a variety of retail sources. 5/5

Function

Upon purchase, I was most concerned about the Rishi’s ability to ability to strain our wide collection of tea blends. After testing with several teas, the design seems to be well through out and admittedly quite simple. The kettle is essentially a french press design without the option of plunging as there is no handle - the top functions as one solid unit. One simply removes the lid, places the tea and hot water in the main cavity, and places the lid back onto the vessel. In the act of pouring, liquid tea separates from the leaves and makes its way out of the kettle.

Takeaway: I give the design 5/5 stars for simplicity and aesthetic.

Filtering

Per the accompanying photo from Rishi’s site, the filter on top is composed of an upper and lower keeping the strainer in place and a mesh screen in between. I found the mesh screen worked surprisingly well with filtering a variety of tea blends including those with very small leaves. There were a few very small bits that made their way through. Still, while I was able to see these in the cup, I really did not notice them at all while sipping the tea. This made for a pleasant visual experience, watching the leaves float around in the main portion of the kettle and allowing them to be trapped by the mesh as the tea freely flowed through.

Takeaway: 5/5 for function.

Post-Use Cleaning

Prior to purchase, I read several reviews mentioning difficulty with cleaning the mesh after use. I can honestly say this was in no way a problem for us. As aforementioned, we brewed a wide variety of fine blends and had no issues with washing out the strainer, simply leaving the piece under the water for a few moments and occasionally supplementing with a sponge. Up to this point, cleaning has been quite easy - we also dry the piece throughly after running under water to prevent any chance of rust.

Takeaway: Easy to clean and rust resistant. 5/5

Durability

While we have only used this tea pot for a short while, I’m not at all worried about its durability. With proper care, I’m not even sure what could go wrong with such a simple device. The components are made of high grade glass and stainless steel meaning we avoid the main durability problems found with rubber or plastic pieces. Aside from an unfortunate drop or rusting, I see no glaring design issues relevant to longevity.

Takeaway: While the pot is promising, we have only tested it for a short while. A tentative 5/5 as it requires more usage over time.

Final Thoughts

After a thorough evaluation, I am quite satisfied with this product. Rishi clearly opted for the “less is more” approach, nixing any need for moving parts or superfluous additions. The glass vessel feels sturdy and looks fantastic and the stainless steel lid functions well in straining out tea leaves. One of the main reasons we chose this tea pot was due to the aesthetic - allowing leaves to openly float in the vessel rather than being contained within a tea bag or metal diffuser. This purpose seems to have been met without any notable shortcomings.

Takeaway: Highly Recommend