Tea Dam Mug

Ahh, tea. It courses through the veins of every man, woman and child. Whether you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Indian blend, a health-conscious green tea type, or even an experimental herbal quaffer, there’s nothing like a hot brew to calm the senses and smooth over your troubles. Or is there? Despite centuries of glugging back the stuff, there’s still no answer to the trying question: where the hell do you put the bag before you drink?

Tea Dam has its own simple answer. Built into one edge of the cup is a novel little receptacle – a dammed area, if you like - to place your used bag in, allowing you to sip away at your favourite brew in complete safety. Now you can allow your tea to infuse to the perfect levels before popping it out and into the dam, putting you back in the drivers seat when it comes to choosing just how strong you want it.

As well as strength, the Tea Dam mug is all about smooth delivery – a deep trough in the dam holds your bag firmly in place and eradicates the terrible tumbling of the soggy parcel into your face. When you take your last taste of tea, it should always be an unbridled pleasure – not some kind of mushy avalanche. Your taste buds will prosper, and your saucers, tabletops and surfaces will love you too, because from now on, they won’t be getting littered with cold old teabags.

All this from a solidly built stoneware cup and saucer set in either a pink, blue or plum-coloured glaze that looks homely enough to move into. We reckon it’s the future of tea. And it doesn’t need genetic engineering or batteries to get into this future: just a brew, some hot water, and five minutes to enjoy your break.

Even the most moustachioed of men can now down their tea in absolute peace. Get yourself in on the action now – you don’t have to have a moustache to buy one, you know.