Hario "Largo" Tea Dripper Stand Set | Product Reviews
The Hario "Largo" Tea Dripper Stand Set is a type of tea brewer that brews loose tea leaves at the top of the device, strains the tea leaves for you in the middle of the device and allows the tea to flow through the strainer into a pitcher below. In order to use this device, you must have some way to heat water up to a specific temperature (the temperature specific to your tea type). I use a gooseneck electric tea kettle that I can set to any temperature I'd like, but you can use other methods if those work better for you. As long as you can measure the temperature and amount of water, it's okay.
How to Put It Together:
When I first opened the box to my tea dripper, I had to put the device together. The instructions explain how to do this, but my recommendation is to take all the pieces apart, inspect them for defects and clean them with mild soap and water. When they have all dried, put them back together and make sure they are snug and secure. When I first used this device, it leaked because one of my parts was not as secure as it should have been. I could see from looking underneath the strainer part of the tea set that it wasn't secure, so inspect from the bottom before you use it to make sure everything looks secure.
How to Brew the Tea:
Set all the pieces of the set on the stand and heat your water to match your tea leaves. I drink mainly black tea and the temperature for that is 212 Fahrenheit. The brew time is 4-5 minutes. The tea dripper holds about a max of three cups of water, so I use one teaspoon per cup. I put the leaves in the upper part of the brewer and pour the water into the upper part when it reached 212 Fahrenheit. I waited for 4 1/2 minutes, then pressed the gray button to pour the tea into the pitcher below. I found the pitcher handle to be cool to the touch and the pitcher easy to pour from without spilling. However, if you try to pour too fast or tilt the pitcher too far, it will spill a little. Just be patient and it won't spill.
Filling the Tea Brewer:
Filling the Pitcher:
How to Clean the Tea Set:
Afterwards, I waited until the tea set cooled down and took all the pieces apart. I cleaned each piece with mild unscented soap and water and immediately dried off any metal parts so nothing would rust. Once all the pieces dried, I put them back together and put them on the stand. I think it is important to do this so nothing gross grows on the tea set and nothing rusts. It's easy enough to clean and put back together, even if the first time seems a little overwhelming because it was a new device for me. Now, after several uses, it's very easy to put together and take apart.
Taste:
As far as the taste, this is the best tea I've ever had or have made myself. I find that I appreciate the taste of loose leaves much more than tea in sachets and having the water heat up to the proper temperature makes a huge difference too. I just find the flavor to be more pronounced with this tea dripper, the tea is not astringent and not bitter. It is just plain leagues above other teas I've had in the past. It's also neat to watch the tea leaves swirl around and descend when making the tea.
The Cost:
I got this from Amazon for around $65. You can buy this set on Hario-USA's website for around $83 and on other tea and coffee websites for between $65 and $70. Just type in Hario tea dripper into your search engine and you will find a bunch of websites that sell it. I used Amazon because I know the website and it is usually quick with delivery.
Ease of Use and Cleaning:
I find the tea set easy to use after the first time I brewed the tea. I think the part that made it more easy to use was taking everything apart and seeing how everything worked and fit together. When I did that, I could easily see how everything could be put back together and if something failed, why it failed and how I could fix it. I think the biggest problem for most people is the cleaning process. I'm okay with cleaning my tea set after every use, but some people may not have time or even want to.
If you get this set, it's important that you clean it. The rubber parts of the strainer could have mold or bacteria growing on them and you might not know it because of the color. Just make cleaning your tea set part of your routine and it won't seem like a big deal. It only takes me about five minutes to break the set down, clean all the pieces and dry the metal parts off (the ball and the metal strainer). I do wipe down the glass pieces too, but that's just because I don't like water spots. Although it says it is dishwasher safe, I don't use the dishwasher because the pieces seem too delicate to me and I worry about them cracking next to other, heavier pieces. It's really up to you how to clean your set, but I recommend hand washing after every use just so you know the condition of your set with every wash.
Final Thoughts:
Do you have this tea set? Are you thinking about getting this tea set? Do you drink tea often? How do you brew your tea? Please share your thoughts below!
Thanks,
A
