What's the best way to measure tea water temperature?
I keep guessing at water temp — should I get a special kettle or thermometer?
A variable-temp electric kettle (Brewista, Fellow Stagg, Aiden) is the highest-impact upgrade — set it to 85°C and forget it. Cheaper alternative: any kettle plus a digital instant-read thermometer (€10). Old-school: boil water, then pour it into your gaiwan; by the time you've added leaves (~15 sec), it's dropped from 100 → ~92°C. Pour from gaiwan to fairness cup and back, and you're at ~85°C. After a few weeks you'll feel the temperature without measuring. Start with the gadget, graduate to instinct.
— Yurii — 931 Tea, 931 Tea