A GOOD CUP OF TEA...an English Gentleman told me, several years ago now, the proper way to make a good cup of tea. Yes, it was right to heat up your tea pot. He says that most people wait for the electric kettle to switch off before pouring the water into the tea pot. Not so, says he, once your kettle comes to a rolling boil that is when you pour the water over your tea bags in the warmed tea pot! Once done, I generally cover my tea pot with a tea cosy (or if lacking a tea cosy, a tea towel does just fine). Proper length of time to steep your tea would be 5 minutes or better. Sit back and enjoy! Guess what, for you tea connoisseur's out there...it truly does make a difference. Who better to trust than an English Gentlemen, he knows what he's talking about.