Stovetop Guide

The Chai Maker works on every stovetop. But each type has its own personality, so knowing yours makes dialing in your brew much easier.

Typically, it's as easy as:

1. Pop it on the stovetop (see below for heat levels)
2. Wait for the fountain (6–10 minutes)
3. Keep heating until chai reaches desired color* (3–5 minutes)
4. Remove from heat, pour, and enjoy.

Because heat settings vary by stove, it can take a few tries to find your sweet spot.

We always recommend starting on medium heat the first time so you can learn your stove. Most people land on medium-high. If your stove is very powerful, medium may be plenty. If it’s weaker, you may need to go up to high.

* Chai is traditionally brewed to a deep, caramel brown. The darker it gets, the bolder the flavor.

Gas stovetops

Gas is the easiest to work with thanks to controllable heat.

Start on your smallest burner on medium heat, then work up from there.

• The goal is a steady fountain that's flowing, but not overly aggressive. If the liquid is boiling hard around the edges, the heat is too high.
• Total brew time on gas tends to be on the shorter side, around 9–13 minutes.

⚠️ The most important thing: keep the flame under the base. If flames extend past the Base Pot, they heat the sides of the Chai Maker, which can cause:

• The handle to overheat, making it too hot to touch, or—in extreme cases—to melt off entirely

• Liquid to boil aggressively at the rim, causing splashes or spitting

Larger burners are common in US kitchens. If the flame from your smallest burner extends beyond the Base Pot, place the Chai Maker slightly off-centre to keep the handle away from the flame.

Keep the flame under the Base Pot and the handle away from the heat.

Induction stovetops

Induction is powerful and fast, with big jumps between settings. You may need a bit of experimentation to find the right setting.

Start with the ring closest to the size of the Base Pot, on mid-range heat—then leave it.

• Don’t tweak or crank the heat to speed things up while brewing. Even a short burst of excess heat can scorch milk, which only gets worse as brewing continues. If your chosen heat isn’t right, adjust on your next brew.
• If one setting is too weak but the next burns, try a larger ring at a lower setting.
• Pulsating is normal. It actually mimics the traditional method of bringing chai up and down on the stove, so your chai will still taste amazing.
• The heat zone can safely extend beyond the base since induction only heats the metal it touches. This means the handle won't overheat.
• If your stovetop isn’t detecting the Chai Maker, an induction heat diffuser is an easy fix.

Electric stovetops

Electric stoves work, but require patience. There are three types: hot plate, ceramic, and coil. Because many electric stoves cycle on and off the heat rather than holding a steady temperature, they’re less predictable to brew on.

Place on the element closest to the size of the Base Pot on medium-high heat.

• Your fountain might take longer to appear (sometimes not until 10–12 minutes), be weak, or pulsate. That's okay. Even a gentle fountain is still circulating and brewing your chai.
• On weak stovetops, adding extra liquid (up to 25 fl oz / 750 ml) can help power the fountain.
• Keep the handle away from the hot element, so it doesn’t overheat.

If your chai keeps burning, try lowering the heat slightly to prevent spikes. This can make brew time longer. Two ways to speed things up:

1. Preheat the element (hot plate or coil only, not ceramic) a few minutes before you start
2. Use boiling water from a kettle instead of cold water

Because of the longer brew cycle, more liquid evaporates over time. If you've lost a lot of volume, top it up with a little water (or milk if you want it creamier), and let it fountain for another 2 to 3 minutes before pouring.