Choosing your teapot, and buying a teapot to suit your needs!Now, you may ask, "How can I go about buying a good teapot to make my good quality tea in, and how do I choose it?" To answer this question, there are 4 basic points to consider: 1. Design (look and feel) 2. Design (functionality) 3. Intended usage 4. Materials 1. Design (look and feel): The selection of a teapot is as individualistic as the person choosing it. Like the saying of ‘love at first sight’, you should choose a teapot you will like and feel comfortable with (or the intended user). Imagine yourself making tea with it, is it comfortable to hold? Do you like the colour or design? Does it speak to you?
2. Design (functionality): A well made teapot should have the handle, opening (where you put the leaves and water in) and the beak aligned in one straight line. Some like a metal basket inside the teapot to hold the leaves so they don’t get into the cup when the tea is poured. Because most teapots are bought to be used, verses collectibles, it is important to think about the intended usage.
A glass infusion teapot is best for herbal teas! 3. Intended usage: Many of our customers ask why choose small teapots – the reason is better tea making practice. A smaller teapot encourages you to drain all the tea out of the teapot, into your cup(s), once the tea is made. This way you won't have over-steeped your tea left in the teapot. Once the first infusion is completely drained, add fresh boiling water to make the second infusion and so on.
The advantage of a big teapot however is that yo can make big pot of tea, and drink it until you have had enough, then put the rest in a jug in the fridge for cold tea later. It’s up to you wether you use a big or small teapot, they all have their place.
This Chinese teapot and small cups is perfect for green tea. 4. Materials: Teapots have been around for centuries and for different cultures. There are teapots made with different materials. The following paragraphs explore some of the most common materials, but there are others such as jade, agate, crystal, silver, stainless steel and glazed iron. We advise strongly to avoid teapots made from pewter, aluminum, uncoated iron, plastic, lacquered bamboo or other synthetics. These materials oxidize easily and can (even if not harmful) greatly affect the taste of the tea.
Glass
Many people love glass teapots because they consider the visual transformation of the dry leaves opening up to regain its original leafy shape an integral part of the tea drinking.
This China teapot has a cup underneath it, ideal for one person! To keep the glass teapot from tea stains, soak it regularly in diluted detergent water. Rise in hot water and air dry. Glass is by far our most recommended choice of teapot material as it makes a neutral cup without tainting the true colour and taste of the tea, while showing the colour and transformation of the tea leaves. Tea is meant to be enjoyed once it is made, so although one may argue glass doesn't retain heat well, it is actually a good thing because that forces you to have a micro-break and enjoy your cuppa while it is still hot!
Porcelain
For many, porcelain is the traditional material to make a teapot. It maintains a good infusion temperature while being relatively carefree.
As most porcelain teaware are fairly delicate, we recommend against dish washing. This coated metal teapot is my favorite! Clay Because of its porous nature, clay can enhance the texture, aroma and taste of the infusion. However, also because of its porous character, clay teapot will take up the aroma of the tea it is used for. For this reason, many people have a different clay teapot for different teas. Many Chinese tea drinking purists will tell you they have a pot for Formosa Oolong, another one for Pu-erh, another one for Keemun and so on.
Yixing (also called Zisha) teapot is probably the most highly regarded in the world of clay teapots. The best grade of Yixing teapots are very strong (a person can stand on it and it won’t break!) and can improve the quality of the infusion. Go to a reliable merchant as there are a lot of imitations on Yixing teapots.
Old teapots never die! Drill a couple of holes in the bottom for drainage and plant with a herb! Tetsubin (Iron pots, coated) Tetsubin are becoming very popular in Asian style shops. The cast iron teapot was originally used as a kettle in Japan but during the mid-19th century as tea drinking became popular, tetsubin became a status symbol. Tetsubin designs have become more decorative from that point on. Tetsubin, like other cast iron cooking utensils, spreads heat evenly and keeps it well. It adds iron to your diet. Caring for Tetsubin is quite simple – rinse right after each use and wipe dry. Do not use Tetsubin on a stove! Even if you can afford to buy one of these silver teasets, they are not good for making tea in, the metal can taint the taste of the tea! Happy tea drinking, Patrick Remember, that if you plant a green tree in your heart, a singing bird might come! 
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