The debate is endless- do you throw a tea bag into some water and nuke it in the microwave or heat up water on the stove or in a water warmer/boiler? There are pros and cons to both methods. It might be a choice between convenience, caffeine content, and taste.

Traditional brewing methods have stood up to time and trial. Pouring hot water over a tea bag or tea infuser and allowing it to steep allows for a control of astringency and for the flavors to come out. For different teas there are different lengths of time for steeping and different water temperatures. Below are our recommendations for each type of tea.

We have found that microwaving, while convenient, can greatly effect taste and create a bitter cup of tea. Microwaving a cup of water with a tea bag is a quick and easy way to brew tea and also a great way to extract more caffeine from your tea bag. Making sure you do not over- microwave your tea and removing the tea bag before it becomes bitter is important.

Although at least one researcher has shown that microwaving green tea is the healthiest way to brew it, we are going to stick to the ritual of traditional brewing. Which side of the debate are you on? We would love to read your comments and questions!

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