merton said

Looking for a new teapot

Hello everyone,

I have been thoroughly enjoying some of the tea companies that all of you have recommended to me. I am back for more recommendations.

I am looking for a new teapot. I am not necessarily looking for anything crazy, and I will be using this teapot to make a variety of teas (I am still trying so many different kinds, and it is awesome), so I don’t think I want a clay one (the clay absorbs some of the flavor, right?).

I would prefer to support an artist and get a really cool teapot vs. buying some standard type of teapot from a store. I have found several really cool ones on etsy, but before I make an order, I just wanted to see if there were any other good places to look?

Thank you again for all of your help! I am still very new to the game, but I think it is safe to say that tea is officially a new hobby for me. :)

27 Replies
GuyOne said

Hi Merton,

Since no one has spoken up I thought I’d chime in. I see quite a few handmade pieces on quite a few of the tea seller’s website. But they all seem to be from Asian artists. I myself have bought several pots from Yuuki-cha and ArtisticNippon, excellent service and wonderful pots. But Etsy seems to be the best bet I’ve found for direct buying from the artist’s. I think I’ve bought a total of seven pots through Etsy handmade teapot searches. (I know, I know……I have a problem!) Is there a 12 step program for us folks with OCT?

merton said

Thank you for the two sites!

I am trying to control my tea spending craze. I keep ordering new teas, and I currently have a pretty huge backlog. I am new to the tea world, so every time I see something new that sounds interesting, I order it. I need to join this 12 step program already.

I am worried the more teas I try, the worse it is going to get!

tperez said

Haha, I’m with you on that. I’m pretty new to tea too and there’s SOO many things I want to try!

Teachat (that “other” forum hehe) has a section where teaware potters post pictures/information on their wares and links to their sites :)

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Wonks said

For a general…. all purpose pot I highly recomend Zero teapots. They’re awesome because all of the metal parts come off in literally 2 seconds if you want to microwave some water, it’s dishwasher safe, and best of all you can replace every part on it.

Gawians are extremely popular as well, but I feel as if it cheapens my experience. I highly advise against tempting cast iron pots unless they aren’t enameled. I had a forlife pot that was awesom e, but I would put it neck to neck with the Zero/Beehouse pots. I think if you are already loving a specific tea… you should look into yixing to get your feet wet, but the latter will start emptying your pockets the most I think.

But in all honesty, you could find your perfect pot and it’ll just end up sitting on a self/table with all of your other favorites heh.

Wonks said

Hush you, you don’t know what you’re talking about. The Rishi Tsuki is obviously superior to the Zero pots.

You should definitely decide what size suites you best. When I first discovered the nicer teas and wares I was looking for my first high end pot….. a 35-40oz pot. Boy was i ignorant. 12-16oz is the way to go. Just remember, glass doesn’t retain heat well, make sure it doesn’t drip, avoid enameled interiors, and you generally get what you pay for.

ashmanra said

I love my Zero/ Beehouse Pots for the very reasons you named. Stump pots are great but the metal lid doesn’t come off so you can’t reheat in a microwave, though I love the way you can stack the pots and they look so pretty when you have lots of colors. The Curve For Life pot is super, too. It has a silicone gasket in the lid so even if you tip way over to pour the lid won’t fall off. The basket is metal and removes easily. We actually write on our teapots with a dry erase marker at tea time sometimes to keep track of what is in each pot. You can write messages on them, too. They just wipe right off when you are done!

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Michele said

My favorite teapot is by Xu De Jia and his pieces can be found on redblossomtea.com. However, do check out Hou De’s (houdeasianart.com) site as well, because they carry some of his pieces erratically, and they tend to be more competitive in price. Either way, his teapots will cost you, but you will love them more and more everyday.

Wonks said

That will be my next pot. I have never seen a pot more perfect. Does his pots usually have a multi-hole filter or is there some sort of basket in them? Where’s pics of yours? I need teapot porn! >.<

Michele said

Hey Wonks~! As soon as I finish my darn paper, I will definitely take a good picture of my pots and cups by this artist and post them for you. His pots come with a multi hole in them which makes them perfect for oolongs and I’ve even used them with larger leaf black teas. Great to know another tea aficionado who has an eye for beauty. ^^

Wonks said

Well I’m a minimalist in every way, so lack of a mesh is ideal for me. I use a yixing for my dark oolong, and a Tsuki for everything else. Infact, I literally gave away my old when I receive new. I could easily see myself trading out the Tsuki for a Xu De Jia though.

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Merton, I don’t know if you’ve picked out a teapot yet but if you haven’t, I’d say at least be cautious on Etsy.

There are a LOT of resellers and people doing low-grade work and charging out the wazoo for it.

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Ateatime said

Maybe we have you expect the teapot .Welcome to http://www.ateatime.com

Wonks said

He was looking for a good non-yixing. You appear to only sell yixing. Also, considering the prices on your site, you may want to include information about the artist.

Not to be negative, but your site looks like it sells a bunch of nice $25 eBay pots with the vague descriptions, lack of artist info, and broken English. If these really are high end products, I wouldn’t hesitate to get a few of them.

I second Wonks. Waiting for response from vendor – until then I’d be VERY wary of this site.

Why? This quoted from one of the pots on the site:
“About Clay :Huanglong Mountain top, green clay ore, ore has disappeared, the group of the green is 15 years before the opening of the produced, the mud is sandwiched between the seam in the thin one layer, are made from scratch, so rare and remarkable degree. This batch of mud, there have not many, very collectible value. This group of the green, very tender, plus the traditional mud making method, manual extraction, so it is natural to carve, derived from nature, is the essence, bubble raises effect that is a word: excellent!! This pot of tea, so you really feel the green you return to nature feel! When you touch the pot when you will deeply appreciate, there is millions of years of history of the mud to bring you unique feel. Work type: hold it in place, very fine workmanship, pot wall processing fine, clean and neat, with inner wall printing, truly handmade.”
http://www.ateatime.com/shop/chinese-yixing-teapot-green-ni-clay-si-fang-qin-quan/

I’ve tended to find one should avoid EVERYTHING with the keywords “very beautiful”, “rare”, “not many”, “very collectible value” as these products are really Chinese mass produced garbage. Which is fine if that is what you are expecting, but these products are hardly worth a $333 price tag.
Furthermore, additional research shows that Huanglong Mountain top clay has not disappeared at all (correct me if I am wrong steepsters.. ahem mrmopar).
And I absolutely KNOW i have seen this pot elsewhere for far cheaper – as well as other yixings on this site.
Additionally, Wonks is correct. Where is the artist information that is customary for yixings in this price range?

Wonks said

I know I’ve seen this pot before but idk where. It has some geometrical distortion…. specifically a trapazoid skew on the top where the lid meets. The lid handle isn’t what I would expect from anything over $50…. much less $300+. Defects are acceptable IMO, but not when there’s so many questions about its origin and fabrication process.

I paid $80 for my last pot. It wasn’t perfect, but it was totally handmade and included a photo of the artist holding my pot, her signature which matched the bottom chop, and it really did add to my purchase (as well as dealing with the husband and wife duo via email). I love it with all of its imperfections and fingerprints. I guess I am expecting similar for these “higher end” pots.

Ateatime said

Works of reference price respectively:

Arts and crafts : 300 to $600.

Assistant industrial artist: 500 to $1500.

Artists: 1200 to $5000.

Senior artist and Craftsman: $4000 to $40000.

Boffin Senior artist and Craftsman: $4000 to $100000.

China Arts and Crafts Master: $20000 to $500000.

History notable: $500000 to $2000000

The most expensive auction: 2011 Gu Jingzhou Shi Piao teapot 12320000 RMB. In 2008 to 2011, Gu Jingzhou’s work is only 1500000 RMB to 3000000($500000) between.

Perhaps you have seen a lot of reference price, but that is the past, in the last several years because of lack of materials. But the most important is a crazy Chinese, hype flooded the whole society. The sand-fired pot prices from 2008 to now over 4 times. If starting from 2000 the calculation, has now turned to have ten times.

This also is we do not provide information on the causes of artists.

Ateatime said

YiXing Teapot technology Type:
1.Slip casting pot
2.Mould pot
3.Copy pot
4.Casting pot(Half Handmade)
5.Handmade
6.Chemical pot(Adding chemical composition, this is garbage)
And My English is Garbage too.

Ateatime said

YiXing Teapot technology Type:
1.Slip casting pot($10-$60)
2.Mould pot ($10-$60)
3.Copy pot ($50-$10000)
4.Casting pot(Half Handmade)($50-$300)
5.Handmade ($100-$2000000)
6.Chemical pot(Adding chemical composition, this is garbage)($1-$30)

Ateatime said

This is the price differential method

Ateatime said

Our teapot like ebay sells?
OK,This teapot our Sell $5
http://www.ateatime.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/1226_.jpg
It is like ebay sells

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Ateatime said

Our Teapot is 100% firsthand ore And 100% Handmade

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merton said

I just wanted to let everyone know that I finally ordered a teapot.

I just purchased this:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/108028012/sale-handcrafted-stoneware-4-cup-teapot

I wanted a slightly bigger pot just so I have the option of making a full pot when I have friends or family over.

very nice pot

GuyOne said

Beautiful Pot merton. I was looking at BlueParrots sale items just yesterday. But I have a couple of dobins and find that I don’t use them as much as other tea ware. I sure love the classical look they have.

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Ateatime said

Thanks, I hope everybody buy and testing our Teapot products.

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merton said

So I got the teapot today, and I absolutely love it!

I highly recommend ordering from BlueParrotPots (http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueParrotPots).

I placed this order around midnight (I couldn’t sleep), and I was contacted that same day by the seller letting me know that my teapot had shipped. This was on Monday, and the teapot arrived today (Wednesday).

The craftsmanship is excellent, and I love the colors.

Overall, I am extremely satisfied.

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sandra said

my personal favourite is what i have been using for many many years: an original Japanese tetsubin. has been in the family for years.
tea stays hot. size 0.8L. just perfect. wouldn’t want anything else.
got it from my nan, will go to one of my daughters when I am gone.

would seriously consider investiging in a tetsubin.!

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