Multiple Teapots?
Hopefully not a dumb question, but I was wondering if there’s any reason one needs/should have multiple teapots?
(A practical reason that is, other than the fact that so many of them are just gorgeous).
My best friend keeps saying she wants to pick me up a new teapot for Christmas and while the idea of adding teapots to my list-of-things-to-collect (right after skulls, gasmasks and antique bottles), I’m kind of weird about collecting a practical thing for aesthetic reasons.
So I figured I’d ask, since I’ve read that certain teas will stain/taint a teaball or strainer, I was wondering if that could also happen with a teapot? Mine’s just a regular copper stovetop one.
Some materials of teaware picks up flavors of tea, including some ceramics, plastics (as in tumblers) and some metals. It is suggested that (and I can vouch for this personally) you dedicate at set of tea ware to blacks, and a second to whites and greens. (no first hand idea on the other types, but I assume it is similar)
One thought- many of the cultures that are tea happy integrate the practical and aesthetic.
For me, metal teapots are more for blacks, pu’erh, and some of the more robust oolongs. My ceramic pot is more for lighter oolongs, greens, and whites. And then I rarely use the pot for making herbal or rooibos because I can usually only drink one cup of any particular flavour before I feel like something else.
That being said, I don’t have a metal pot at the moment, but may treat myself to one after Christmas. I’d LOVE an yixing pot for my milk oolong though!!
Different materials will give you different experiences. There’s also the size factor. Large pot for guests and a small one for when it’s just you.
Ah, makes sense. Thanks guys, I might take her up on that offer, especially if its just another cheap copper one.
I have multiple pots. I often serve tea to family and guests and quite often different people want different tea. Sometimes one daughter is still drinking her pot of tea and the rest of us want a different tea so we need a pot to make it in. But there are three of us at home most of the day, so that is a somewhat unusual situation.
Also, I wanted a small glass pot for blooming tea and “art” tea. Also, a small ceramic for gong fu and a Yixing because, well, I wanted a Yixing. So, that is how a person ends up with a lot of pots! (And I doubt that I am through!)
I always use ceramic/earthen ware type teapots. I have multiple because I like having them and using different ones from time to time.
I can see myself collecting many many teapots when/if I have the room someday.
Google (or Bing) the phrase “skull teapot” and then click on the tab on top to just see images. Bet you’ll see a lot of reasons you need/should have several new teapots. Some of them are incredible.
Wanting half of those pretty bad right now, especially a Dia de los Muertos one I found, oh lawd.
I have a number of different pots/steeping devices but I tend to use just a few. I have a clear pot for blooming teas but it is a bit large so I do most of my daily brewing in the ceramic bubble teapot from Davids, or my Perfect Tea Mug if it’s just for me. I also have a gaiwan for special teas. The rest of my teapots are essentially decorative – when people know you like tea, they like to give you teapots. Could be worse, I guess. : D
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