Alex Ciobica

gaiwant app icon: a white bowl of dark tea on a black square

gaiwant

A minimal Gong Fu tea timer for iPhone and Android. Set the first steep and how many seconds to add to each one after. When the timer rings, the next steep length is already set.

I brew Gong Fu every day, so I wanted a timer that gets out of the way. The apps I tried buried it under features. This app is the timer and nothing else.

Setup screen: Shou Pu-erh, 10 second first steep, plus 5 seconds per infusion, 99 degrees, and a play button
01Pick a tea. 10 seconds to start, 5 more each steep.
Running view a second into the steep: pale brown background, 9 seconds left, infusion 1
02Pour hot water and start the timer. The screen starts pale.
Running view near the end of the steep: deeper brown background, 2 seconds left, infusion 1
03The screen darkens as the tea brews.
Between infusions: full Shou Pu-erh brown, 15 seconds queued for infusion 2, with previous, play, and next buttons
04The timer rings. The next steep length is already set: five seconds longer.
  1. 01

    Add a few seconds each steep

    Each steep needs a bit more time. Set how many seconds to add up front, tweak as you go. gaiwant adds them after every ring.

  2. 02

    Watch the colour deepen

    The screen darkens as the tea brews, from pale to the tea's full colour.

  3. 03

    No sign-up

    Free. No account and no ads. It works with the internet off. Your settings stay on your phone.