You’re boiling kettle wrong – correct way for perfect tea

You could be making a big mistake when you make a cup of tea.

Monday (April 21st) marks National Tea Day, and as a nation of tea drinkers, we can get quite territorial when it comes to what makes a good brew. What tea bags you prefer and at what stage you put the milk in – not to mention how much milk you use – are all hotly debated topics, and everyone has their own opinions.

One thing that people don’t consider that often is the water. We can all agree that you have to use boiling water for properly infused English breakfast tea, and most of us also know that other teas, such as green tea, require hot but not boiling water.

But it turns out people do actually have different methods of boiling water for their cuppas. Of course, you can choose to use an electric kettle or a stovetop one, and there’s some debate over whether to use a teapot or pour straight into the mug, but some people have even begun debating the water itself.

The little-known discrepancy revealed itself in a TikTok video shared by Caitlin Laoise, who asked an innocent question that turned into a huge debate – do you use water that’s in the kettle already, or do you tip it away and refill?

In her video, Caitlin said: “If you’re about to make a cup of tea and you’ve already got water in the kettle from a previous boil, do you reboil it or do you pour the water out, refill the kettle, and then stick it on for a boil? Let me know. I need to know.”

Most people had never considered the question before, and the British public is divided on what the correct answer should be. Many pointed out that tipping away water was a “waste,” and they didn’t see the point in getting rid of it when there was nothing wrong with it.

One person said: “Reboil! Why waste water?”

However, others argued that they always get rid of “old” water and refill the kettle. Some said they were worried about “bugs and dust” getting into their water, while others said it had to do with oxygen in the water that helps tea brew better.

Someone stated: “Definitely fresh water, not sure this is true but my dad told me that boiling water removes oxygen and the tea brews better with oxygen in the water.”

Another argued: “Fresh EVERY TIME has more oxygen in it and helps the tea infuse better. I take my tea seriously.”

How to make a perfect cup of tea

According to the UK Tea and Infusions Association, you should “always use freshly drawn water” when preparing tea. They claim that the “hot water ‘energises’ the leaf and extracts all the character in the tea”.

What’s more, they state: “In order to draw the best flavour out of the tea, the water must contain oxygen; this is reduced if the water is boiled more than once and you waste energy! Only boil the amount you need.”

The experts also recommend using a water filter before filling your kettle, as living in an area with hard or soft water can affect the taste of the tea. You should aim for water that’s between 90 to 98^oC for black tea and around 80^oC for green tea.