TheKesser said

What size/style of Gaiwan should I get?

I’m looking to get one and I see they come in different sizes and like glass or porcelain etc., but I don’t know what to get! Help!

16 Replies

Mine are all 120 ml or less and porcelain (I have one Yixing gaiwan but prefer the porcelain).

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boychik said

Glass is too hot ! I have one I use all the time for sampling despite having lots of gaiwans or teapots. The most comfortable one

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Goldfish-Hand-Grabbed-Porcelain-Gaiwan-Tea-Cup-Teapot-150ml-5-3oz-/350927580204

I use it all the time.

Another alternative is small gongfu glass teapot on eBay with spring SS filter only. Very convenient. I wouldn’t get bigger than 150cc

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MzPriss said

I wouldn’t get larger than 100ml. I like glass myself because i like to look at the tea. But I also have the same wee glass pot with the spring filter that boychik has – mine is 100ml and its perfect. I have a 50ml glass gaiwan on the way too.

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MzPriss said

But will also add – an easy gaiwan with little grabbers is excellent too

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TheKesser said

Thanks for the guidance so far! I’ve been looking at amazon…

http://www.amazon.com/Sado-Traditional-Gaiwan-Teacup-Colours/dp/B00HQAJ0A8/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1419625282&sr=1-3-fkmr0&keywords=118ml+gaiwan

Or

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MG4QIK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1NFG2QN0QF52K&coliid=I1KEDLV9DW110R

I’m trying to not spend too much… The first one is 150ml and the second with the rest of the set is 75ml. I can’t decide! I don’t know much about these things, but it’s something I want to try out.

I would definitely get the second one. It’s a better deal because of all that comes with it and 150ml is definitely way on the large side for one person. I have a set that is exactly like the second link and mine is 90ml (so the person that said 75ml might be wrong).

My first gaiwan was glass. DON’T make that mistake. I used it twice and gave up. I thought gaiwans weren’t for me, but I didn’t know that glass was so much hotter than the others! Now I only use it on occasion for low temp stuff like green tea.

If you like the white porcelain, you may want to take a look at the porcelain gaiwan set from the Art of Tea. It’s good quality and well-priced.

http://everythingfortea.com/product/porcelain-gaiwan-set/

Good luck and enjoy!

Junenox said

I actually ordered the one that is a spitting image of the amazon one(also from amazon). Didn’t realize that I got the one that is 150ml though. Oh well it’s my first gaiwan. It should be here later today. Keeping my fingers crossed that it is a decent one at least.

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I have a lot of gaiwans. Ideally, I think a small 50ml gaiwan and larger gaiwan are essential. The smaller gaiwans are great for really expensive teas that you don’t want to use a lot of but still want to fill 25%-50% of the gaiwan up, while a larger gaiwan is perfect for larger teas that need room to expand. For beginners, I always recommend a thicker gaiwan so that your fingers don’t get burned while practicing. I have some very expensive super thin gaiwans that don’t have much of a lip. Unfortunately, they usually just end up as decorations. Glass gaiwans are really great for viewing the teas. I look for glass gaiwans that are double walled or have a substantial lip. Also, smaller glass teapots work great.

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nannuoshan said

110ml filled to the rim is the perfect size for me (ca. 75ml under the lid). Best if you are 2-3 person; acceptable alone. With double infusions you cover up to 7 persons.

I agree with Butiki: rim is important to start. With the time, you will feel the need of a smaller gawan (50-70ml) for top-end tea. The better the tea, the smaller the gaiwan.

What about this: http://www.amazon.com/Porcelain-10-piece-Tea-Comprised-Fairness/dp/B00EGDTV8E/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1419678773&sr=8-5&keywords=gaiwan+set

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AllanK said

You may want to start with the style of gaiwan called an easy gaiwan. They make pouring simple. I believe the one in Boychik’s link is an easy gaiwan. It means you don’t have to prop the top off to pour.

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I always recommend easy gaiwans, however they often are quite big (often over 120ml to 220ml) and wide. Size of your hands may matter, I have small hands and wide gaiwans are hard to use for me. http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Two-Piece-Pottery-Gaiwan-Bowl-with-Lid-for-Steeping-Tea-Peony-200ML-Free-Shipping/1982663387.html

I’ve been loving this style of gaiwan, a travel one as they are narrow, easy to pour like the easy gaiwan, and usually on the smaller size of 100ml http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Blue-and-White-Porcelain-Peony-Gaiwan-Teapot-Quick-cup-Gongfu-Tea-Maker-TP073-Travel-Tea-Set/1200241532.html

And since i’m linking aliexpress – here’s a pretty cheap gaiwan http://www.aliexpress.com/item/HT-120ml-handpainted-ceramic-teapot-kung-fu-gaiwan-porcelain-teapot-jing-de-zhen-hand-painted/32213603932.html

TheKesser said

I’ve always wondered about ordering from aliexpress. I found a travel mug on there that’s very similar to the one I had but broke and desperately want to replace with the same general style.

Dexter said

I bought one of these from AliExpress and I LOVE it. 200ml doesn’t bother me. I think what size you like is a matter of personal preference and your brewing style. This works for me and I had no problems with the vendor.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/160ml-Ceramic-Grasping-Puer-Gaiwan-Fine-Bone-China-Peach-Painting-Teapot-Porcelain-Kungfu-Tea-Set-Novelty/809099456.html

Anlina said

I’ve had good luck ordering from Aliexpress so far. I’ve picked vendors that have a good rating, and try to aim for items that have been purchased by others and have positive comments about the quality and accuracy of the photo.

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TheKesser said

Thanks for the help everyone. :)

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