An illustration of a pastel blue teapot on a saucer with a pink cup/saucer to the left and a green cup/saucer to the right

Five Considerations for Picking Out the Best Teapot

Michele Lillie

At the heart of the tea drinking experience is not only the tea, but also the teapot. Without a vessel in which to brew the tea, we would not be able to enjoy the deliciousness that comes from it. If you have stepped through the door of English Tealeaves, you will see that we have teapots of all sizes, types, and colors. How do you choose what is right for you or for that special gift? Read on for advice to help you.



3 wooden shelves loaded with numerous different porcelain tea pots and cups

Besides appearance, teapots will vary by the type of material from which they are made, by their size, whether they are glazed or not, as well as for intended use. Read on to understand what things you need to consider when picking out that perfect pot from the myriad that are for sale.

Table of contents
Materials Size Shape & Color Brewing Infusers Specialty Teapots

Materials

Ceramic

Pros

  • Since ceramic is one of the most common materials from which teapots are fashioned, they are readily available.
  • They come in a variety of colors and styles.
  • They are lightweight.
  • They retain heat relatively well.
  • They are moderately priced.
  • Most ceramic teapots are glazed. This means that they have a smooth, non-porous interior. Not only does this make them easy to clean, but they do not absorb flavors from the tea brewed in them. This allows them to be used for brewing any type of tea.

Cons

  • They can chip or crack.

a row of different colored ceramic teapots on one shelf with matching teacups on the shelf above

Glass

Pros

  • You can watch the tea brew and see the color of the finished tea.
  • They are perfect for watching flowering teas open and bloom.
  • As they are non-porous, you can use them for any type of tea.
  • They are easy to clean.
  • Glass teapots have an elegant appearance.
  • If made from borosilicate glass, it will be very resistant to thermal shock from high temperatures.

Cons

  • They do not retain heat as well as other types, meaning the brewed tea will cool faster.
  • Some glass products can be fragile. Those made from borosilicate glass are more shatter-resistant.
A glass teapot with a flowering tea blooming inside it

Cast Iron


The traditional Japanese cast-iron teapot is known as a Tetsubin. These became popular in the 1700s and were designed to heat the water over direct heat. Many of today’s cast iron pots are better known as a tetsukyusu. Although they look similar, the latter is not meant to heat water, but only to brew the tea. This is especially true if the pot has an enamel coating on its interior.


Pros

  • Cast iron can retain heat over a long period of time.
  • If glazed, it will not retain flavors and can be used for any type of tea.
  • They are very sturdy and will last a long time.
  • Some say the traditional tetsubin (unglazed) affects the water, resulting in a mellower and sweeter flavor.

Cons

  • Cast iron pots are heavy.
  • They do require special care to ensure they do not rust, especially if they are unglazed.
An orange cast iron pot with a brown handle

Size

Teapots vary from as small as two or three ounces up to as much as 60 ounces. Many teapots will be described by how many cups they hold, rather than by ounces. When this is done, one must be aware that a cup is considered the size of a British teacup, 6 ounces.


How much tea do you want to drink at one time? This will help you narrow down your choices. If you only want to drink one or two cups at a time, you will want a smaller teapot or even a tea brewing mug. You can indeed brew less tea in a larger teapot, but it will not stay as warm because of all the empty space. If you wish to drink more tea or are serving tea to multiple people, you will want a larger teapot.


Tea infuser mugs are great for offices, dorm rooms, or for people who only want one cup at a time. The mugs may be made of ceramic, glass, or other material. They come with their own infuser and lid.


Another aspect of size is your storage capability. You may love that large, beautiful teapot, but do you have a place to store it where it will not be damaged?

Shape & Color

Teapots come in a myriad of colors. The exterior color is very much a personal choice. However, a pot that has a white interior allows you to examine the color of the tea better.


Shapes range from traditional to more modern shapes. Some shapes can be so modern and unusual that they do not brew properly and may be very difficult to clean.


Some pots that are often called Collector’s or Decorative pots are just that. They might be in the shape of a cottage, an animal, or something else. They are really not meant for brewing, but rather are meant for display.

Brewing Infusers

Infuser Type


The best way to brew loose-leaf tea is loose in the pot. The dried tea leaves need room to move around, absorb water, and unfurl. Only when this happens do you get the flavor from the tea that is intended. When the tea is poured into the cup, it is normally poured through a handheld strainer positioned over the cup.



a white teapot pouring tea through a strainer situated over a cup

The downside of brewing loose in the pot is that unless all of the tea is poured out of the pot, the leaves will continue to brew in the remaining water and become stronger and bitter. Because of this, most people will use some sort of infuser that holds the tea leaves during brewing, and then the infuser with the leaves are removed after the proper brewing time. Although some will say this leads to an inferior brew and inferior flavor, it is an option that is available with almost all teapots.

Basket infuser


Basket infusers may be made of metal or silicone mesh. They fit inside the teapot and hold the tea leaves while brewing. They typically come with a lid that can be used as a coaster when the infuser is removed. Many teapots come with their own infusers. One may also purchase stand-alone infusers that can be used in the pots.


For these infusers, the better ones are made with mesh as they keep out any size of tea leaf. Others that are made of stainless steel or ceramic may have holes rather than a mesh. In some cases, the wholes may be too large to keep out smaller leaves.


One caution is that some teapot lids only fit well if the infuser is left in the pot. The lid is important for holding in the heat as well as making it easier to pour from the teapot. Therefore, if your teapot is like this, you would have to remove the infuser, remove the tea leaves, and replace it into the pot so the lid will fit well.

a black mesh tea infuser with a lid hovering above it and looseleaf tea beside it

Tea balls & spoons


These are generally less than ideal infusers. As the dry tea leaves need space to open and unfurl, most tea balls are too restrictive to allow full brewing. If you choose to use one, be sure not to overload the ball with tea leaves.

A number of tea balls and spoons in a line on a white backgrouind

Spout infuser


A spout infuser is a less common type of infuser. They fit over the inside of the spout and keep the leaves from going into the cup when you pour. However, the leaves remain inside the pot and continue to brew unless all the tea is poured out.

A clear teapot with sliver metal spout infusers beside it

Paper filters


Although English Tealeaves advocates the use of quality loose-leaf teas, some people love the convenience of tea bags. Rather than purchasing tea bags with inferior tea, you can purchase paper filters and make your own tea bags. Once again, be sure the bags are not overfilled to allow proper brewing.

A tan box showing white tea filters on the side

Specialty Teapots

The Chinese Yixing teapots are made from a special type of porous clay, called zisha, that is traditionally sourced from the Jiangsu province of China. They are unglazed and so will absorb the flavor of the tea over time. Experts describe it as a type of “seasoning” or a “tea memory.” Each new brew is enhanced with traces of the flavor of the last brew. So, tea drinkers should limit each Yixing pot to just one type of tea.


They are also typically small, making them ideal for the Gong Fu style of brewing with multiple short infusions.

A small brown teapot on a white background

Three traditional Japanese teapots are the Kyusu, the Shiboridashi, and the Houhin.

All are traditionally made of clay, although you can find porcelain and glass versions.

Kyusu pots

  • Kyusu is a general Japanese term for a teapot, but in common usage, it refers to a particular type of teapot with a side handle.
  • They come glazed or unglazed and do not come with an infuser.
a white kyusu Japanese tea pot setting on a brown tray with 2 white cups

Shiboridashi pots

  • This style of Japanese teapot is smaller than Kyusu at only 3-5 ounces.
  • Because of their small size, they are good for solo tea drinkers who enjoy multiple resteepings of the tea leaves.
  • As opposed to the Kyusu, this style lacks handles. The tea drinker must hold the rim of the pot with their fingertips to pour the tea. There are typically small ceramic holes that are aligned with the pour spout that filter out the leaves.
  • The shape is wide and flat.
  • This pot was designed to brew high-quality Japanese Gyokuo green tea.
a red shiboridashi pot with lid with black flower outlines on it

Houhin pots

  • This style is similar to the Shiboridashi, but differs in that it has a slightly larger capacity.
  • It is deeper and not so flat as the Shiboridashi.
  • This pot was designed to brew high-quality Japanese Sencha green tea.
a white houhin Japanese teapot with a lid

Gaiwan

  • A gaiwan is a Chinese brewing vessel that is a small, flared bowl with a lid that acts as the filter as you pour. It is the style preferred for Gong Fu Cha.
  • Gaiwans are made for larger leafed teas, such as the high-quality Chinese teas, and not for smaller leafed teas.
a light blue gaiwan with tea leaves in it sitting on a saucer with the lid behind

Travel tea infusers


Travel tea infusers or mugs are not technically teapots, but they act like a teapot on the go. Some will be made of borosilicate glass, others of metal. They usually have a removable tea infuser and are designed to handle both cold and hot teas.

a clear infuser bottle with a bronze lid, cork around the middle and bronze base

Tea for Ones


These are attractive items composed of a small teapot that sits on top of a matching mug. They are normally sized for one person, thus the name. Evaluate them as you would any other teapot.

a white tea for one with blue/purple flower design on it and setting beside flowers

French Press


French Presses are typically thought of as for use with brewing coffee. However, they can be used to brew tea very successfully.

a silver and glass french press with brown tea and floating tea leaves in it and the press lying beside it

The next time you are in the market for a new teapot or are looking for one as a gift, remember these considerations about the different types of teapots. They will help you choose one that is just perfect!

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