I had of course heard of the BODUM brand but largely because I had lived in Europe for so long and its headquarters are in Switzerland. You would see their products throughout the continent, including specialty stores, at least when I lived there. And of course, after London stole my heart, I became a tea lover and never looked back.
Even if you haven’t spent a lot of time in Europe, you’re likely to have run across them. Since 1974, BODUM has produced more than 100 million of French Coffee Presses and 30 million teapots, and their products are sold in 55 countries; with 20 BODUM stores worldwide.
The Chambord tea pot – our top pick for elegant design
Personally, I am always looking for new brands that make unique tea kettles and pots — same goes for coffee. I also love tasting creative new tea blends despite the fact that I remain loyal to the oldies but goodies: epic Earl Grey and the ever so smokey but lovely Lapsang Souchong. The latter is an acquired taste but I’ve been drinking it (loose leaves and bags) since college.
We took a look at the Capresso brand last year — their coffee pots tend to be a bit more conventional. And, the fall before Covid hit, we were fortunate enough to participate in a very traditional Japanese tea ceremony south of Tokyo at the Zen 2.0 Conference in Kamakura along the coast. What an amazing experience we had with nationally renowned Mushakouji-senke tea master Kyoko “Myokyo” Denda. She explained how one partakes matcha tea in a way to understand the essence of nature and being present, in order to awaken one’s consciousness to higher levels. Matcha tea of course has a number of health benefits as well.
Between my years spent living in England and in South Africa, it’s hard to turn your back on a good cuppa tea — in fact, you find that it becomes such an integral part of your life that it brightens even the most stressful of days.
We were thrilled to have an opportunity to review a couple of products from BODUM this Spring. As a visionary in innovation for over 70 years, we love their unique designs. The range of products extends from coffee, tea and glassware to kitchen electrics and gadgets.
What initially drew us deeper into their website was their long stem black electric tea kettle which we hope to review sometime this summer as they were out of stock when we inquired this Spring. Until then, they sent us the non-electric version that sits on top of your stove. Beautiful and elegant, right?
Their long stem tea kettle — this one sits on the stove.
What’s nice about this piece is that it’s small, so its perfect for that solo cuppa tea although you can get a couple of cups from it. Because of it’s size, it also doesn’t take up much space on your stove and looks “tres chic.”
We are going through a copper phase although we’ve always been passionate about copper pots and pans. Although the gem below isn’t the best pick for parties or large gatherings, its perfect for entertaining a table of four or six. And, I’d add that it’s a show piece. The copper colored top is a stand-out and you can use it for both loose tea and for tea bags depending on your mood.
The Chambord does indeed shine, doesn’t she?
You see, BODUM is all about elegant design with a creative twist and yet their prices don’t break the bank, making it a great gift choice as well, whether for a birthday, anniversary or even as a wedding gift.
“Good design doesn’t have to be expensive,” Peter Bodum
As we mentioned, you can simply use this with traditional tea bags, but because of the included infuser, why not use higher quality tea leaves and have a real tea drinking experience? Whether you want to use it to entertain or simply for a soothing infusion before bedtime, the Chambord is a great choice.
They use a heat-resistant borosilicate glass as well as a BPA-free plastic filter. The Chambord tea pot is encased in a stylish stainless steel frame with an ergonomic plastic handle for easy pouring so if you’ve never had a tea ritual before, perhaps its time to start?
Borosilicate Glass for Better Taste
Techies and tea snobs will love the use of heat-resistant borosilicate glass because it’s designed not to alter or impair the taste of your brew. At 44 ounces, there’s enough to serve yourself and family or friends visiting for dinner. It’s also easy to clean and btw, dishwasher safe as well, which certainly isn’t the case with all my tea pots and kettles.
It’s All in the Details
First, add your favorite preferred tealeaves into the filter. Their recommendation is 2-3 scoops of black tea or 3 scoops of herbal tea for each liter of water however after you’ve made a few pots, you can adjust the amount depending on your own preferences. When you pour in the boiling water, make sure the water stays below the MAX level mark.
They recommend letting the tea brew for 3-5 minutes for black tea, or 5-10 minutes for herbal and fruit teas. Again, you can adjust it accordingly as you like it. When it’s done, simply remove the lid and pull out the filter before serving. YUM!
Although we didn’t review the ASSAM Tea Pot, I wanted to mention it mainly because you can get different color lids for it — green, blue, yellow, lavender, black and others. If fun is what you’re after, BODUM has you covered as well.
BODUM’s creative ASSAM Tea Pot
They also offer the ASSAM gooseneck tea pot (and a stainless steel strainer) with a beautiful bamboo handle as well.
The ASSAM with a bamboo handle
We have had a great experience so far and look forward to reviewing their elegant black electric tea kettle — after all, if you’re a European reader or an avid traveler who’s always on the go, it’s great to have a quick option as well and electric is the way to go.
Two thumbs up! Visit their website for more information about their offerings which in addition to tea kettles and pots and coffee pot options, there’s travel press mugs as well.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
