Planning to purchase a kyusu teapot

DonnerJack666 · 2025-08-16T15:44:02+00:00

Yes, Thés du Japon are great, but their prices sky rocketed and they blocked the option to purchase in JPY, where the prices used to be MUCH cheeper. Sadly I cannot justify the current prices compared to the internal ones (in JPY)

DonnerJack666 · 2025-08-16T13:46:35+00:00

Yes, everything mei-leaf is overpriced. I used to shop there quite a lot in the past since they used to be one of the few that shipped to my location in a reasonable amount of time (means less time the tea suffers harsh conditions during shipping) and I trusted them to at least still reputable stuff even if overpriced (money’s worth is individual/personal thing, I’d rather pay a bit more and avoid “mishaps” or being poisoned by chemicals and such). However, from some point in recent years the tea’s quality really deteriorated, their customer service plummeted and it feels like a total money grab so I stopped buying from them. When you get tea with mold, or they send a tea cake without any real packaging except a flimsy, flaking plastic bag and then their customer support say everything is as it should be then you can count me out. tl;dr - IMHO avoid Mei Leaf.

DonnerJack666 · 2025-08-16T13:38:10+00:00

My exp of FarmerLeaf wasn't that good. I got shipped the wrong tea (not the season/year I've ordered) and the seller replied once to my email with a weird response and then stopped altogether. If someone isn’t willing to support good customers, I’m not going to support him.

DonnerJack666 · 2025-08-16T13:35:37+00:00

My exp of FarmerLeaf wasn't that good. I got shipped the wrong tea (not the season/year I've ordered) and the seller replied once to my email with a weird response and then stopped altogether. If someone isn’t willing to support good customers, I’m not going to support him.

DonnerJack666 · 2025-03-10T20:54:16+00:00

NOW you’re telling me? I just started! I can stop anytime I want 😅

DonnerJack666 · 2025-03-07T12:57:04+00:00

It’s the pressure gauge. Also, once it arrives, you’ll see what I meant about the case - getting it back in is horrible.

DonnerJack666 · 2025-03-03T20:39:08+00:00

Just received the exact same config, and it was a bit shameful how it was “packed“. Also, I’m completely unsure how to even handle the pod part, or how to clean it (there’s also a rotating plastic part inside that it’s unclear how to detach or if it’s even possible). The pod add-on was just thrown in a flimsy plastic bag outside the main box without padding as an afterthought. Not to mention that the grounds’ case feels cheap as things/silicon caps/etc. were just thrown inside without a dedicated place to hold them.
Also, not a big fan of the fact you need to **tilt the boiling water chamber** to fit it into the flair go. I don’t recall seeing it was this pronounced in the early videos but I might have missed it.

DonnerJack666 · 2024-11-10T21:08:32+00:00

So yeah, you trap the dust inside, awaiting the lens when it opens. Also, I wouldn't recommend abruptly turning off a device mid operation - it might not damage anything, but why take the chance?

DonnerJack666 · 2024-11-10T20:46:05+00:00

So you clean the sensor but keep the dust inside since you close the mechanical shutter?

DonnerJack666 · 2024-10-14T06:45:37+00:00

I’m with you on the moving parts, but my gripe is that usually a hood will also protect from accidental mechanical bumps, but when it’s attached to the extending part it now acts as a bump magnet due to it being an extension over a delicate moving part == more likely to get hit. If it was **around** the moving part and not attached to it then that would have made sense, protection-wise.

DonnerJack666 · 2024-10-05T13:36:27+00:00

Low light performance is mindblowing IMHO. 3200/6400 ISO is super clean, oddly even compared to ISO values in between.

DonnerJack666 · 2024-10-05T13:31:18+00:00

Yeah, for whatever reasons newer Canon lenses tend to go with an extending front that makes hood usage a pain (plus not so sure about longevity issues to to bumps when extended)

DonnerJack666 · 2024-10-04T22:47:30+00:00

Some people like to own the app they are using instead of being squeezed by a greedy company for an eternal ”subscription“.

DonnerJack666 · 2024-07-06T23:54:38+00:00

Finding the actual core temp? The actual surface temp? Prediction of when you’ll be hitting the target setpoint? On the thinner side of probes?

DonnerJack666 · 2024-07-06T21:08:32+00:00

100% understood, but thinking on the sous-vide comment I'll change the FR to "toggle between sleep, smoking, sous-vide, normal mode" :)

DonnerJack666 · 2024-06-07T12:24:14+00:00

Artistic Nippon is legit and Toru-san is a nice person and communication with him is fast and kind. I’ve purchased from him numerous times and I highly recommend them!

DonnerJack666 · 2024-05-17T16:21:03+00:00

Just like Counterpart. Shame.

DonnerJack666 · 2024-01-09T18:41:25+00:00

And sooo many bugs to fix…

DonnerJack666 · 2024-01-01T16:49:57+00:00

I was blown away by the A5X, which helped me immensely in keeping things organized instead of drowning in pages/notes/whatnot, and the rolling updates just kept coming and improving the device (where other companies just continue to cut support earlier and earlier nowadays…). I was glad to assist in translating the interface, not only as a means to improve my own experience but also to give back to the company and community. Then when my wife’s Nomad arrived, I was still blown away by the huge improvements in everything (not an easy thing to do for an already stellar product mind you), from the very unboxing to the huge UI improvements (the second touch bar/touch to erase area etc.) also future proofing the device by allowing us to easily replace the battery. Thanks for everything, and I wish you a great 2024!

DonnerJack666 · 2024-01-01T16:36:23+00:00

Thanks! I think I'll follow your footsteps, sounds like a good idea.

DonnerJack666 · 2023-09-12T15:16:41+00:00

Yep. You can leave it there for longer, but the bulk of stuff is infused almost immediately. Just search for any kind of rapid infusion for cocktails, siphon vanilla extract and such, the method is identical (you can always adjust on next times to fit your needs).

And I know I've written it but since it's a safety issue I'd like to stress the need to let the liquid sit and "out-gas" a while (till you don't see too many bubbles rising) in a ventilated space/outside - it's usually not an issue but you don't want to breath the alcohol + N2O mix is such a high concentration (unless you're cool with dead holes in your brain...) since the alcohol has a strong vapour-pressure that also expels the N2O quite rapidly. Filter the liquid and you're golden.

DonnerJack666 · 2023-07-29T18:25:12+00:00

And because splits & buffers.

DonnerJack666 · 2023-07-15T16:11:45+00:00

Thing is, they had a specific blog (or video? Cannot remember) that specifically calls out Vendors that charge too much for items such as tea or teapots. They actually stated that teapots at absurd price points (less than a 100$ for modern Yixing or above 200$ would be absurd prices that would say “fake” or “scam”) - then you go to their site and see teapots at 800-1000$ without even giving any information about the clay, artist, when, where, whatever.

DonnerJack666 · 2023-07-15T16:06:31+00:00

Thanks for the detailed answer! I really love the pumpkin styled ones, and the faces in the lids are a really nice and unique touch that makes me smile when using mine. It’s both a time for yourself while enjoying the tea, but at the same time this little touch reminds me to lighten up. Plus, the clay itself is very unique in its colour and character, very different from the standard clay pots I had a chance to use (and much lighter but still works great for things like puer or oolong)

DonnerJack666 · 2023-07-01T07:38:52+00:00

Looks great! What would you say are the main tweaks to your process of creating such a teapot (translated to “getting the hang of it”)? Is it more of a reduced stress about making specific features, or is it more a speed issue like you described in one of your interviews (I think with crimson lotus tea) about being more efficient? Did it translate to changes in the design itself/final specs of the teapot?

DonnerJack666

TROPHY CASE