Product Review: The First Instant Tea Machine?

I came across this article that is one of those paid for articles in a Swiss periodical, and thought I might regret not reviewing the product so I could come back later and look at it. Might even try and talk a Chinese friend into buying one so I can try it. Interesting machine, and if it really changes temperature and has a fanatical tea cult to provide the teas every year it could put to shame those espresso blasters across town at the Bloomberg office. But also it is unlikely with a name like this so obviously playing off a coffee machine, and the flamboyant and pretentious yet naive writing, all too likely revealing to us that this machine is a hoax, and this tea "master" is "fuerdai" (a silver-spoon child) who does have a good idea to make money.

The ad does have historical value. It documents the evolution of tea consumption as it will grow through some offices of some CEO's across the world. And as the first shot at such a high-end machine. I am happy to see it. It documents the growth in Chinese wealth and conspicuous consumption. True among newly wealthy Chinese there is a craving to find what is really China, which leads most of our rich Chinese friends, at one point or another to buy that tea set, often even inviting to dinner silly men and women who introduce themselves as tea "masters".

Concerning the ad copy, I must admit I agree if there is one tea I travel with it would be that "red honeyed" Da Hong Pao.

Unfortunately I didn't see a Da Hong Pao tea-capsule offered with the machine on the Tpresso website: the homepage is well worth a read. But looking at the specially designed tasting glass, unless it is one of those vacuum dual pane Bodum cups, looks to get mighty hot on the thumb, indeed!) Serious tea cups should flare out at the lip so that the hot tea in them can be held without burning the fingers...

But, all fun aside, where can I try one?

The Ad Copy is below first in quaint (Google translate) English. Then (bottom) in the original language.

If you want better grammar go to the website selling the machine.

The man is identified with a brand, called Teafinder, and there is a teafinder.com, but it doesn't seem to sell Chinese tea...

Like many Chinese financial stocks, the promotional wording of this leaves many questions.

SR | 24.02.2011 | 5:28 p.m.
They are less than a hundred like him in China. "Nose" tea, which select the best leaves.One of them, Wu Jianming, was present in Geneva yesterday. The opportunity for a tasting.
The 47 year old man has all of the winemaker. But in its transparent cup-shaped wine glass without a foot, he savors other wines: White Tea, Lung Ching or Red Oolong.Anna-Maria Favre is the service codes and decrypts the tasting. She and her husband, Eric, invented the machine tea capsules, called Tpresso. With their partner, Mr. Wu, founder of Teafinder, they embark on the high end. Tpresso, launched in January in China, should be marketed later in Europe.
"The tea capsules have the same taste as traditionally prepared, but it saves you time," Mr. Wu Analysis Specialist stirred her tea cup to oxygenate and bring out the flavors, then taste it. A ritual that reproduces 50 to 100 times per day. The addict has not forgotten to come to Geneva with his personal consumption: 100 g of Da Hong Pao. The living room seems to please him. He is relieved to have found a kettle in her hotel room ...

(original)

Ils sont moins d’une centaine en Chine comme lui. Des «nez» du thé, qui sélectionnent les meilleures feuilles. L’un d’eux, Jianming Wu, était présent hier à Genève. L’occasion d’une dégustation.
L’homme de 47 ans a tout de l’œnologue. Mais dans sa tasse transparente en forme de verre à vin sans pied, il savoure d’autres crus: thé blanc, Lung Ching ou encore Red Oolong. Anna-Maria Favre fait le service et décrypte les codes de la dégustation. Elle et son mari, Eric, ont inventé la machine à capsules de thé, baptisée Tpresso. Avec leur partenaire, Monsieur Wu, fondateur de la société Teafinder, ils se lancent dans le haut de gamme. Tpresso, lancée en janvier en Chine, devrait être commercialisée par la suite en Europe.
«Le thé en capsules a le même goût que celui préparé traditionnellement, mais il vous fait gagner du temps», analyse Monsieur Wu. Le spécialiste agite sa tasse pour oxygéner le thé et en faire ressortir les arômes, avant de le goûter. Un rituel qu’il reproduit 50 à 100 fois par jour. Cet accro n’a pas oublié de venir à Genève avec sa consommation personnelle: 100 g de Da Hong Pao. Le séjour semble lui plaire. Il est soulagé d’avoir trouvé une bouilloire dans sa chambre d’hôtel…