Best Teapots For Brewing Tea

 Best Teapots For Making Tea

A teapot is an important accessory in the steeping of tea leaves, be it in the form of tea bags or loose tea leaves. Teapot with infuser or strainer helps in separating the tea leaves when pouring out the tea into the tea cup.

Types Of Teapots
What Is The Best Teapot?

Teapot comes in various designs, shapes, sizes and materials. You have the cast iron teapot, exquisite bone china teapots, artistic ceramic teapots, glass teapots for those who love to watch the tea leaves unfurl and the traditional, fine quality Yixing teapots, beautiful handcrafted clay teapots, all designed to enhance the flavor of your perfect cup of tea. To some people, teapots can be said to be the centerpiece of the whole tea drinking experience.

For the lone drinker, you can go for the teapot for one person. The tea-for-one set is just nice for that daily morning cup of tea. Normally 14 ounces or below, these cute teapots can be stack on top of the tea cups and make wonderful gifts. However, if you prefer teapot with infuser or strainer for your loose leaf tea, then you need a bigger size pot. A tea warmer will make sure your tea stays warm for longer hours.

Yixing teapots
The famous fine quality Yixing clay teapots or Purple sand Zisha teapots are so named because these teapots are made from Yixing clay, found in Yixing town in Jiangsu province, China. These teapots have been found to be in use as early as the 10th century in ancient China. Thicker and more porous Yixing tea pots are best use for brewing oolong and black teas, as well as aged pu erh tea. However for brewing green or white tea, for best results, temperature of water is best cooled down to about 85 degrees Celsius before making tea in the finer, thinner clay teapots.

The distinctive features of the much prized Yixing Zisha teapot lies in its ability to retain heat very well thus keeping the tea hotter for a longer period of time, reduce oxidation, enhances plus retains and absorbs the aroma, color and flavor from every infusion, and maintains the freshness of the tealeaves during long drinking tea sessions. This is due to its superior dual-porous structure and mineral composition of these reddish brown Zisha teapots.

It is recommended that these Yixing clay tea pots are washed with fresh water and then air-dried after use. Do not use soap or detergent. This is because after prolonged use, the pot will develop a coating that retains the flavor and color of the tea. In fact serious tea connoisseurs will keep a separate teapot for each different type of tea so as to maintain the true flavor of the particular type of tea, which gets better flavored after long usage.

There are also Yixing teacups whereby you brew the tea directly in the cup itself.

Beautiful Yixing teapots are indeed one of the best teapots for brewing tea.

Cast iron teapots
A cast iron teapot is traditionally used to brew tea or even boil water such as the handmade Tetsubin teapot from Japan. Cast iron distribute heat evenly throughout the teapot and this results in better tea flavor. Modern cast iron tea pots are enameled on the inside to prevent rust and oxidation and has mesh strainer or tea infuser for brewing loose leaf tea.

A Japanese tetsubin teapot is actually a Japanese cast iron tea pot with enameled interior, a solid cast iron exterior with beautiful, intricate designs such as butterflies, ornamental Japanese Koi fish and beautiful cherry blossoms. A stainless steel mesh infuser provided makes it easy to brew a pot of loose leaf tea. However, always remember not to use it as a stovetop kettle (unless indicated) as this can damage the enamel lining. For stovetop use, try the tetsubin kettle instead.

A set of fine quality Bone China teapot is just great for brewing the perfect pot of fragrance tea for the traditional vintage English afternoon tea party. Bone china teapots are known for their elegance and durability and patterned to the formal finished look, especially of beautiful flowers.

The traditional beautifully-designed and handcrafted fine bone china tea set for one, consisting of a saucer, a cup and a cover or lid, can be used to brew as well as to serve tea. A simple yet elegant way to enjoy your cup of tea, the traditional Chinese gaiwan tea set way.

Ceramic teapots
Glazed ceramic teapots are popular as high-fired ceramic is nonreactive and won’t affect the taste of the tea. It also retains heat well and is easy to keep clean. Besides, ceramic tea pots come in many attractive colors, patterns and designs and are more affordable. Making tea in a ceramic teapot can be a very fun and enjoyable experience.

Glass teapots
Using the more modern glass teapot is a very beautiful way to serve tea to your guests. Being transparent, the strength of the tea and the quality as well as type of tea is visible to your guests. A glass teapot is a great and fun way to serve blooming tea as you can watch the tea flower slowly unfurl and bloom in all its glory.

Glass, being non-porous, will not affect the taste of the tea as it will not absorb and retain any tea flavor on its surface. Rinsing in warm water is enough to keep your glass teapot clean for the next tea drinking session. Have a complete fascinating tea experience from brewing to sipping your tea with the glass teapot set.

Another type of traditional teapot is the Brown Betty teapot first made in Britain around 1695. It has a roundish  shape, with a manganese brown glaze known as Rockingham glaze. Due to its unique round design, there is more room for the tea leaves to move around to release its flavor, thus resulting in a more flavorful tea with less bitterness in taste. Made from red clay which retains heat and keeps the tea hot for a longer period of time, relaxing over a warm cup of Earl Grey tea made in a Brown Betty teapot is indeed an enjoyable moment.

Most teapots are used for steeping tea and should not be used to boil water. For that, you need a tea kettle. Boil the water in the tea kettle, then pour into the tea pot to brew tea.

Other tea accessories include teapot warmer, teacups and saucers, tea tins, tea mug, trivets and coasters.

Relaxing and savoring a cup of healthy tea in pleasant surroundings helps to remove stress and strain of daily life, giving us inner calm and peace and many shared happy moments. Buy your best teapot set and start drinking tea to enhance your health and longevity.