Smart sensor helps you brew the perfect cup of tea
It's called the 42Tea and you throw it in your kettle to monitor your water boiling.
Given the quantity of gadgets specifically designed to brew the perfect coffee, it's easy to think the tech world hates tea. Thankfully, 42Tea's new brewing sensor is designed to let people get as snobby about chai as most people do when arguing the merits of Arabica versus Robusta. The device is a small white cube that, along with a companion app, will hold your hand through the brewing method necessary for specific blends of tea. You'll still have to make the cucumber sandwiches yourself, unfortunately.
The first stage of the process involves using the app to choose what blend of tea you're planning to brew. Once you do that, your phone will tell you how much water to put in the kettle, but before you hit the 'on' switch, you'll toss in the sensor too. The device, which is about the size of a 2x2 Duplo brick, will monitor the water's temperature and tell you when to deactivate the kettle. Because, fact fans, boiling water is often far too hot for delicate tea leaves.
When the sensor detects that you've poured all of the water out of the kettle and into the pot, it sets a countdown timer. That'll tell you how long you've got to wait until the brew has properly steeped and you can enjoy your tea like a true connoisseur. According to the company's Romuald Clermont, the brick should last for three years, with five to 10 brews per week, while replacement batteries can be bought from the company.
42Tea is expected to go on sale toward the end of the year, In Europe, where Engadget first had a chance to see it in person, it'll retail for €48. In addition, users can pick up a tea caddy that can hold 50g of tea and comes with a programmable NFC lid. Should you wish, you can simply drop the sensor onto the lid of the caddy and it'll automatically identify which tea you're about to brew. In addition, the company is producing a wooden frame that will make the brick look nice while sat on your kitchen countertop. No word on how much either of those will cost -- at least not yet -- but the company should announce prices in the near future.
