I drink mostly tea, usually green tea leaves brewed by the pot (a Chatsford teapot, which has a large removable fine mesh basket for the leaves), and occasionally coffee, brewed with a pour-over filter in a mug. For both, I don’t gulp it down but sip it more slowly, and I like a largish cup. So keeping my cups warm long enough to finish them is worth some extra effort.
I saw this product advertised and was struck by its beauty, that it is ceramic, that the cup is double-walled to hold temp, and that it was both microwave and dishwasher safe. Double-walled glass mugs are very fragile and often top-heavy, and double-walled steel ones are tough but not beautiful or machine washable or microwaveable. So this looked like a promising alternate route. Plus, it is larger than many double-walled cups and comes with what looks to be a well-designed brewing basket in case I want to brew tea in the cup instead of a full pot. And it comes with a fitted lid that also serves to drain the basket or hold a wet teabag.
I really like it. I got the celadon lotus/water lily one, and it is lovely. It keeps coffee hot longer than a regular mug though not as long as a double-walled vacuum insulated steel cup. Unlike a steel cup, though, I won’t burn my lips on the rim, can microwave if a warmup is needed, and can put it in the dishwasher when done. And ceramic feels better than steel.
Although the included lid works, I recommend an inexpensive addition to this setup: a silicone mug lid. I got a white one made by Epoca:
https://www.amazon.com/Epoca-Silicone-Buddy-Cover-2-Pack/dp/B00I9N31X8
Right now only the pink and green ones are in stock at Amazon, but this lid is terrific. It has a knob on top to lift with and a slit on the edge to prevent vacuum lock. Being silicone, it won’t break if dropped, won’t chip the top of the cup, has no plastic residues, won’t get too hot to hold, and is dishwasher and microwave safe. It really helps to hold in the heat and I can’t imagine making a hot cup of tea or coffee and not using it. It fits right in with this ceramic mug set.
Tea Forte Cherry Blossom Kati Cup Double-Walled Ceramic Tea Cup with Removable Stainless Steel Infuser Basket and Lid, Steeps
4.7 | 17,174 ratings
Price: 18.7
Last update: 12-18-2024
About this item
TEA CUP WITH INFUSER includes a double-wall ceramic tumbler, stainless steel loose leaf tea infuser basket and a lid
STEEP THE PERFECT CUP of tea using your favorite loose leaf tea, use the lid to keep your tea hot while steeping, then rest the strainer basket on the lid to catch drips
EXTRA FINE TEA INFUSER made from stainless steel is sturdy, easy to clean and keeps tea leaves inside the basket with no residue left in your cup
INSULATED DOUBLE WALL design keeps tea warmer for longer than a traditional tea mug - pour hot water into the kati cup and allow to steep before handling
ELEGANT DESIGN and function for an exceptional tea brewing experience, makes a most welcomed gift for tea lovers and pairs perfectly with our Single Steeps collection
STEEP THE PERFECT CUP of tea using your favorite loose leaf tea, use the lid to keep your tea hot while steeping, then rest the strainer basket on the lid to catch drips
EXTRA FINE TEA INFUSER made from stainless steel is sturdy, easy to clean and keeps tea leaves inside the basket with no residue left in your cup
INSULATED DOUBLE WALL design keeps tea warmer for longer than a traditional tea mug - pour hot water into the kati cup and allow to steep before handling
ELEGANT DESIGN and function for an exceptional tea brewing experience, makes a most welcomed gift for tea lovers and pairs perfectly with our Single Steeps collection
Product information
| Brand | Tea Forte |
|---|---|
| Color | Cherry Blossoms |
| Special Feature | Microwave Safe |
| Style | Cherry Blossoms |
| Theme | Floral |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Travel |
| Occasion | Mother's Day, Christmas, Birthday |
| Included Components | Lid, Cup, Tea Infuser Basket |
| Specific Uses For Product | Hot Drinks |
| Shape | Basket |
| Pattern | Floral |
| Product Care Instructions | Microwave Safe, Dishwasher Safe |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Material Feature | Ceramic |
| Reusability | Reusable |
| Unit Count | 12.0 Ounce |
| Product Dimensions | 3.75"W x 5.75"H |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Package Type | Standard Packaging |
| Finish Type | Glossy |
| Manufacturer | Tea Forte |
| UPC | 735343521737 663199208369 663199208659 798837783257 |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00663199208369 |
| Size | Steeps 12 Ounces |
| Item Weight | 1.3 pounds |
| ASIN | B008DVSATQ |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 3910255 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars
15,374 ratings
4.7 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #1,330 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #1 in Infusion Mugs |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | June 22, 2012 |
Top reviews from the United States
Cat from Belmont
Lovely and practical, with range of designs, does keep warmth better than mug
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2021
Aisha Hackett
Is it time for tea?
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024Ami
Amazing Quality
Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2024Dawn
Sooooo Beautiful!
Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2024Violet Lafayette
Beautiful Mariposa Tea Forte Tumbler
Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
SSkaggs
Kati Cups are Wonderful to have
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2020
SSkaggs
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2020
This is my third such cup over many years. I always buy a new one to replace the previous one if it breaks. With my first one, I chipped the lip of the cup. With the second one I broke the lid and so wanted to replace it to have a complete set. This may make it sound like the product is overly fragile, but it actually feels very solid; the cup is weighty for its size. The lid, perhaps, is a bit more tricky to grip properly as it can be rather slick when wet. I wouldn’t mind future versions having something added to make gripping easier. But in the end, the last two cups needed to be replaced because of my own carelessness.
The tea leaf basket is surprisingly easy to clean and rarely gets loose leaf tea stuck in the holes. Even if that happens, its pretty easy to remove and you don’t need a bottle brush or anything.
The basket is also plenty big enough to brew tea as dark or complex as you might like. My “loose long leaf ‘Gunmetal Green’” tea had plenty of room to unfurl and steep evenly as you can see in the photo. The amount of tea debris that slips past the basket into the tea is very small, and that which does slip past is very small in size (as you can see in the picture at the bottom of the cup after brewing some ‘gunmetal green’ tea.)
The holes in the basket, while small enough to prevent most small tea debris from slipping into the tea, are large enough to drain water quickly after steeping is complete. Thankfully, this means you don’t have to stand and wait for water to drip out for ever or get impatient and put the basket down on the inverted lid only to find a whole bunch of tea pooled there later.
The mug (double walled) and lid hold heat very well and keep tea warm to hot for probably 20-30 minutes or so depending on surrounding temperature. I also find that tea brews very close to expectations, especially if you pre-warm the cup and lid with hot water before placing the tea basket in the cup and adding brew temperature water. That is to say, if one green tea says ‘use 3/4 tsp per 8oz boiling water; steep for 3 minutes’, while another green tea says ‘use 1 tbsp tea per 8oz water @ 180°F; steep for 3 minutes’, and your lavender tea says ‘use 1 level tsp in 175°F water; steep for 4 minutes’...you can follow the directions exactly as they are (especially with a pre-warmed cup), without having to consider adjusting the water temperature, amount of tea, or steep time to account for a cold cup and loss of heat over time affecting the outcome of your tea’s flavor. It’s reliable enough that if you try to steep your tea a bit longer than recommended, you’ll likely end up with bitter tea.
The cup brews about 12oz of tea, after removal of tea basket and leaves.
The cup can get hot to the touch when using boiling water to brew tea, but typically by the time brewing is complete the outside of the cup is rather warm but it can be held. In fact, the warm sensation of the cup in your hands is very pleasant.
My only notable dislike is that the white interior gets discolored after brewing. Even a run through the dishwasher won’t remove the color. I don’t feel that this has affected my tea’s flavors or anything, but it does feel kind of like I’m using a dirty cup even if I know it is clean. It’s a small complaint though, and it is expected since the cup is ceramic.
Cup, lid, and the basket can be washed in the dishwasher, so that’s a big plus for me.
The cup and lid can even be microwaved if you want to rewarm your tea. That said, I haven’t left behind enough tea to warrant a need to do this yet. :)
You can NOT microwave the tea basket though, so don’t think you can try to brew loose leaf tea in the microwave by just placing tea in the basket and some water in the cup and microwaving them together. That’s a no-go. It probably wouldn’t yield good quality tea by that method anyway.
But I suppose you could put a typical tea bag in the cup with water and microwave it that way, if that’s how you do things. I HAVEN’T tried that personally though.
I got this cup to make a nice quantity of green and/or black tea for breakfast, for herbal and mixed teas while studying at home, and to make chamomile/lavender or other soothing teas for after dinner and before bed.
It’s been perfect for my needs so far. I will continue to keep a Kati cup in the future.
Images in this review
