I find it useful to use 3 tea sachets and 3/4 full of water, put it on the burner. Here it gets tricky be sure to leave the lid off and either watch for the sign that the water is beginning to boil or listen if you have good hearing before it boils over--only once the first time I used it. It is lovely the way that the tea remains hot even after breakfast while reading the Times. I love it.