These are B-Stock Gong Fu Gurus which means that they will have small aesthetic blemishes. They are all fully functional and beautiful with some minor imperfections. Please take a look at the pictures to see some examples of the blemishes. PLEASE NOTE: we will not accept returns for any aesthetic blemishes. These include surface scratches to the bamboo box, excessive wood glue to the inside of the box and faded Mei Leaf logo as well as any other purely aesthetic issues. The towel included may be our newest Mei Leaf Gaiwan Design towel.
The Gong Fu Guru II is the hotly anticipated updated model of the much loved Gong Fu Guru which took over 3 years of designing and sourcing. This is the most complete and convenient elite tea brewing set anywhere. We know this because we have searched far and wide across Asia to find a similar set and eventually had to give up and make our own!
We have been asked by some clients to make the Guru available without any teaware and so this is a limited release of Gong Fu Guru II without any teaware. To buy the full set click here and get all of the teaware! This no-teaware version comes with the following:
- Bamboo storage box
- Bamboo water tray with ABS inlay
- Laser cut water catcher
- Fine Mesh strainer
- Gong Fu Tea Towel
When we sat down to discuss improvements to the Guru we quickly came to the conclusion that very little needed changing. The overall design is the same as the original but we have made some key changes.
- The Gong Fu Guru II has been re-engineered to create a thicker bamboo box with stronger latches. This makes it sturdier for transporting.
- The Gong Fu Guru II has an additional colour ABS tray which fits into the wet layer to prevent the bamboo from staining and add longevity to the waterproofing.
Please watch the videos below (which relate to Gong Fu Guru I) before using your Gong Fu Guru or read the 'Taking Care of Your Gong Fu Guru' section. Please be advised that all of the Gong Fu Guru's have been individually crafted and will all have individual differences and natural blemishes which is normal and part of the character of the sets.
SIMPLICITY OF BAMBOO
The Gong Fu Guru tray and dry storage are made from sustainably farmed bamboo. This is a strong yet lightweight material, perfect to carry the precious tea ceremony cargo.
CONVENIENT DRY AND WET LAYERS
The GONG FU GURU is unique from so many other sets because it has wet and dry storage compartments. The bottom layer is for storing all of your dry teaware and stays on your shelf whilst the top layer is designed for taking to the table for brewing. This prevents mess as you only take the teaware that you require whilst the others stay perfectly dry, clean and packed away.
The wet layer is much deeper than average tea ceremony trays so that you do not have to worry about it overflowing during extended tea sessions.
BEAUTIFUL LASER CUT WATER CATCHER
One of the problems with other Tea Ceremony water trays is that the designs are so boring. A couple of Chinese characters or some plants. Another problem is that they are often made out of multiple pieces of wood leading to a slightly uneven surface with large gaps causing cups to tip over. The GONG FU GURU water catcher is made from one piece of electroplated stainless steel which is laser cut to ensure a perfectly even surface. The design is exciting and the holes to drain water have been measured precisely to guarantee that small cups will not fall over. Please be sure to NEVER use abrasive cleaners or cloths on the water catcher as this will cause damage (please see instructions for care below).
IDEAL SIZE
We spent a lot of effort trying to work out the perfect size for our GONG FU GURU. Large enough to be able to perform the tea ceremony without being overcrowded and small enough that it does not take up excessive space and could be used as a single service tea tray. There is enough room in the bottom (dry) layer to place tea cakes if you want to use the GONG FU GURU for tea storage too.
TAKING CARE OF YOUR GONG FU GURU
Always empty and dry your water tray after a tea session. Be sure to completely dry the teaware and water tray before storing. To clean the stainless steel do not use harsh abrasives or scouring pads as this may scratch the electroplating. Instead use soapy water and cloth. If you have stubborn tea stains soak in a stain remover or use the method shown in this video:
Pick up the GONG FU GURU using the finger grooves or by holding the base of the trays. We advise using the latches to link the trays together when storing.
Never wash your Yixing pot with any cleaning products. Instead, rinse with water and allow to dry completely with the lid off.
