It is not recommended to brew black tea and experiment with different varieties and types of tea: clay absorbs odors well, and with a constant change of varieties, the aromas will mix. Therefore, it is better to assign a clay teapot to a certain type of green, yellow or white tea, and for black use porcelain or ceramic.
A glass teapot is most often used for brewing related tea, as it allows you to admire the buds blooming in the water. This does not mean that glass cannot be used for regular black or green tea, but keep in mind that it will be very difficult to clean the inside of a teapot with a classic closed spout.
A cast iron kettle is the best option for brewing dried herbs, berries and fruits, since cast iron retains heat longer than other materials. Herbs and berries take a long time to brew, and in a regular kettle the water may cool down before the infusion is ready. In addition, a good cast iron kettle can last for decades, which is why many Asian families have an expensive cast iron kettle- this is a real relic. The spout of a cast iron teapot is not covered with a grate from the inside, and without a strainer, tea leaves and herbs will fall into the cup, so you will have to buy an additional strainer for the kettle if it is not included.
Metal as a material for a teapot has one undeniable advantage - it is not afraid of impacts and falls. However, tea does not mix well with metal or take on its flavor. Therefore, you should not leave the tea leaves in a stainless steel teapot for a long time - it should be poured into cups immediately after readiness, after 3 - 5 minutes.
If the body of the teapot is made of a material with high thermal conductivity (metal, glass), the handle should be covered with covers made of bakelite, wood, bamboo or plastic. It is recommended to buy a teapot with an asymmetrical bend in the handle - it will provide a good stop.
The flasks of French presses are made of heat-resistant glass, and the body is made of metal or plastic; it protects the hand from contact with the hot surface of the flask and the flask itself from damage. It is important that the handle, which is integral with the body, is comfortable. If it has a rubberized coating, your hand will not slip.
Volume
You can drink tea by diluting the tea leaves with boiling water in a cup, but more The right way- brew tea in a teapot, achieving the desired strength, depending on the infusion time. In the first case, for four people you will need a kettle with a volume of 0.5 l to 0.8 l, in the second - at least 1 l.
It is not recommended to buy a teapot “with a reserve”; it is better to choose a teapot that is enough for only one tea party, since leaving tea in the teapot for a long time is not very good for health. For big company out of 10 people you will need a three-liter teapot, for one person a teapot with a volume of up to 350 ml will be enough.
A French press in this sense is no different from a teapot and is also selected depending on the number of tea party participants. For one person, a flask with a volume of 330 - 350 ml will be enough for both coffee and tea. A family of four needs a liter French press that can hold four standard portions tea.
Form
The shape of a teapot is not only about design. The closer it is to the ball, the more evenly the heat in the kettle is distributed. To prevent the lid from falling when the kettle is tilted, there must be a protrusion on it, and a groove on the neck of the teapot. To prevent the tea leaves from spilling, the neck, spout opening and handle should be at the same level. The lid should have a small hole for steam to escape.
Additional functions
Some French presses are equipped with a brew strength control system. The tea in them is poured into a mesh container, which rises and is fixed in the upper position after the tea acquires the desired color.
To ensure that the French press can be washed quickly and efficiently, you need to choose models with a collapsible press. The smaller the mesh of the strainer and the tighter the piston fits to the walls of the flask, the less likely it is that tea leaves will fall into the mug.
Teapots are heated. A flat candle is placed in a ceramic or glass flask, the flame of which maintains the temperature of the brew. Such teapots create additional comfort and allow you to enjoy a hot drink for a long time.
A reference article based on the author's expertise.
For many of us, drinking tea is an integral part of everyday life. But for the drink to fully reveal its aroma and taste qualities, you must use special dishes to prepare it. Let's try to figure out how to choose a good, practical tea infuser.
Volume
When choosing a tea infuser with or without a press, primary attention should be paid to the volume of the container. Much depends on how many servings the dishes should be designed for. It should be assumed that the liquid in the kettle when brewing a drink should occupy approximately 2/3 of its volume. There must be a few centimeters of free space at the top, which is required for the tea to “breathe.”
The optimal solution is to purchase several products of different sizes. In this case, you won’t have to unnecessarily transfer the tea leaves again.
Material of manufacture
The classic option is a porcelain teapot. A cup of tea filled from such a container will be more aromatic, since the material heats up quickly and retains heat well.
High-quality porcelain teapots do not contain obvious deformations, have uniform paint, and a glaze without roughness or cracks. The manufacturer's seal must be present on the bottom. You can check the quality of the material by tapping it with a pencil. This should produce a ringing sound similar to the sound of a bell.
A earthenware teapot also retains heat well. However, when choosing this option, you will have to sacrifice the visual appeal and durability of the product in favor of cheapness. The main differences between earthenware teapots and porcelain teapots are opaque, thick walls and the general fragility of the material. The advantage of such products is easy care and quick drying.
Ceramics are perfect for brewing green, yellow, etc. Moreover, it is advisable to always prepare the same drink in such containers. Because the material absorbs odor well.
When choosing a ceramic teapot, you need to ask how well the product was fired (to achieve strength, it is advisable that this procedure be carried out at least three times). A sign of the use of natural material is the presence at the base of a small clay rim without glaze.
A glass tea infuser is an extremely attractive option for decorating any kitchen interior. However, such containers do not retain heat well. In addition, a tea coating quickly forms on the glass, which reduces the transparency of the material. You should choose products with reliable metal parts that do not emit an unpleasant odor.
Silicone tea infusers are suitable for drink lovers who do not want to use a teapot and prefer to brew it directly in the cup. They are presented in the form of an elastic strainer made from a material that is safe for health.
Form
The optimal shape for a teapot is round. The lid must contain small holes. Otherwise, during preparation the drink will “suffocate” and will not reveal its taste. The base of the lid must fit into a special groove that prevents it from falling out while pouring the drink into cups.
It is advisable that the tea infuser have a fairly long spout located at an angle of 30-35 degrees. Otherwise, when the container is completely filled, the liquid will splash out under the influence of the slightest vibrations.
Ease of use
Comfortable operation of the teapot largely depends on the balance of the product. A good kettle has a handle that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and never forces you to break your wrist when pouring a drink. The balanced capacity remains practical even when filled with a significant volume of liquid.
Internal "arrangement"
When choosing a teapot, it’s worth looking inside once again. It is desirable that the product contains a built-in strainer or filter, which will prevent tea leaves from getting into the cup from the container when pouring the drink.
Recently, glass containers with internal cones in the form of a continuous strainer have become widespread, into which the tea leaves are actually poured. Unfortunately, most of these filters are made of metal, which significantly distorts the taste and aroma of the drink.
Design
Undoubtedly, choosing a teapot based on the material of manufacture, volume and practicality is the right decision. However, quite a lot important role Aesthetic appeal also plays a role here.
Usually, if you have nice dishes, the tea prepared in it seems much tastier. And it’s more pleasant to take care of your favorite product. Therefore, if the teapot is often left unwashed by household members and is constantly exposed to shock, it may be worth paying attention to a different design that will be more to the liking of family members.
Bottom line
True gourmets who instantly sense the smallest nuances of the smell of a drink and prefer expensive ones are recommended to acquire a whole set of porcelain or clay teapots of various sizes for all occasions.
For people who are not too versed in the intricacies of the tea ceremony or do not have time to use large quantity kitchen utensils, you should limit yourself to purchasing separate teapots for black and green tea.
How to choose the right teapot? The question is not as simple as it seems at first glance. Sometimes you have to put a still good teapot on the far shelf just because it is extremely inconvenient to use. Or, when brewing, the water splashes in all directions, trying to cause burns to the hot tea drinker. Or, pouring the drink into mugs, the hostess floods the table and even her guests with it, because the tea leaves pouring from the spout resembles a stormy, capricious stream.
So, a few useful tips by choice of teapot.
Tips for choosing a convenient device
- It is better to choose a teapot of the simplest shape: with oval sides, proportional and symmetrical.
- When choosing, look inside the kettle - its handle should not be hollow, and there should be a strainer at the base of the spout. Extra cavities prevent the tea from pouring smoothly through the opening of the spout, and the strainer will prevent the tea leaves from getting into the cup.
- Look at the lid - there must be a hole in it that allows the tea leaves poured with boiling water to breathe and brew properly. In addition, it allows water to pour out of the spout evenly, without gurgling or splashing.
- You can check how tightly the lid fits the kettle by blowing into the spout: it should jump a little.
Now let's pay closer attention to the spout of the teapot.
- Its base should not be located close to the bottom level. Otherwise, even with a strainer, the tea leaves will end up in the cups. The angle of the spout to the side should be approximately 30-40°.
- It is best if its top edge is in the same plane as the top of the kettle itself, then the water will not splash out, even if it is poured to the brim.
- The tip should bend elegantly to the side, but at the same time be in a horizontal plane. This achieves the beauty of the ritual of pouring tea into cups, when the last drop, with the most imperceptible movement to return the teapot to the table, does not fall into the cup, but flows back into the teapot.
By following these tips, you can be sure that drinking tea will only bring you a good mood and will not be overshadowed by minor, but annoying inconveniences.
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It just so happens that I love tea, and real tea, brewed according to all the rules, in a teapot, and not bagged. Having broken another favorite, I decided to approach the issue thoroughly and buy the right and good teapot.
As it turned out, fashion does not stand still in this matter, and French presses, metal teapots, and glass teapots are conquering the market.
History of the teapot
In Europe, teapots appeared at the beginning of the 16th century, following the tonic drink that began its victorious march from China. Initially, the dishes were small clay vessels - unpainted and heavy. Then porcelain teapots came from the East, however, they were very expensive, so they only decorated the tables of wealthy people. This continued until the 17th century, until Europeans learned the secret of porcelain and began mass production of tableware. Nowadays, teapots are made from porcelain and earthenware, ceramics and glass, metal and plastic. The material used not only performs a decorative function, but also, according to experts, plays an important role in the formation of the aroma of tea, as well as in preserving its beneficial qualities.
6 signs of an ideal teapot
- The teapot should be pot-bellied - the round shape of the dish allows for even distribution of heat
- The kettle lid must fit tightly. Find a seal on the rim that prevents it from falling out when tilted. In addition, there must be a hole in the lid for air and steam escape.
- Place the teapot upside down without a lid on a smooth surface - the neck, spout opening and handle should be at the same level, otherwise the tea will spill
- Look at the teapot from above - it should be symmetrical
- Take it in your hand - the thickness and bend of the handle should not create inconvenience.
- Blow out your nose. There should be small holes in its base that trap tea leaves at the bottom of the dish, but if they are too small, they will quickly become clogged and it will be difficult to pour tea.
Which material to choose
- Porcelain
The best material, durable, beautiful, retains heat for a long time, and this helps the tea to fully open.
Disadvantages: price, difficult to clean
- Faience
A teapot made of earthenware holds the temperature well, almost the same as a porcelain one
Disadvantages: less durable, sensitive to temperature changes
- Metal, silver
Not the best material for a teapot, tannic acid contained in tea leaves reacts with the dishes at high temperatures, and the drink acquires an alien metallic taste.
And holding a metal kettle with boiling water in your hands is hot.
- Glass
Transparent glass teapots allow you to observe how it is brewing, although such a teapot does not hold heat for long. This means that the tea does not develop to its full potential. True, some manufacturers produce heated glass teapots. The main thing is that the metal or plastic parts are made of high-quality materials that do not distort the final taste of the tea.
- Clay (ceramics)
These teapots became fashionable about ten years ago. Such teapots retain heat well; after some time, the porous structure is saturated with the aromas of tea, which helps the tea to open up to its full potential. True, this is also the disadvantage of clay teapots - you cannot brew flavored teas there, and in general it is better to brew only one type of tea. But a ceramic teapot is inexpensive.
One of the advantages of the hospitable people of our beloved homeland is hospitality. Guests will always be greeted with smiles, fed if appropriate, and, of course, given tea. For us, this is not a prim Chinese act, but a good-natured tradition, without which we cannot imagine receiving guests.
Now tea bags are used almost everywhere in tea drinking, but many owners are switching to loose leaf tea, which requires brewing in a teapot. Today we will tell you which teapot is best to buy and how to choose it.
Types of teapots
It happens that you come to a store and you seem to know why you came, but when you saw the selection presented, your eyes immediately ran wide.
To prevent this from happening to you, and for you to decide in advance which teapot is best to buy so that it meets your needs, let’s look at what types of teapots there are, their advantages and disadvantages.
Glass teapot
The glass teapot has taken a strong position in the market due to its inexpensive price and a large number of design options.
Glass is combined with various materials, which gives manufacturers the opportunity to “play” with colors. All kinds of designs are applied to teapots, both hand-painted and industrial-scale appliqué.
A glass teapot can be matched to any, even the most sophisticated, interior; there are very stylish models, and there are simpler models.
Basically, this is not a very high price segment, although there are exceptions everywhere.
If you choose glass teapots, then you will need a warmer for the teapot, because glass has high thermal conductivity and quickly releases heat to the environment.
Glass teapotPorcelain teapot
Porcelain teapots are expensive and very beautiful. This is usually an original work or a limited edition, if we are talking about production.
Since childhood, we have known that porcelain is very thin and therefore valuable, since with a small wall thickness it has a sufficient margin of safety. But this does not exclude the fact that it must be handled very carefully.
Porcelain heats up quickly and retains heat well, which is why tea brews well in it and reveals its aroma.
A sharp change in temperature can cause a porcelain teapot to crack, so before pouring boiling water, warm the teapot with warm water.
Cast iron kettle
Cast iron teapots are a rarity at the table in our country, although such teapots have many advantages.
They have the fashionable shape of Chinese teapots, cast iron is durable and you don’t have to worry about it breaking due to careless movement. It stands steadily on the table due to its considerable weight and flattened shape, but it definitely needs a stand so as not to leave melted marks on the table.
A cast iron teapot heats up well and retains heat; it makes sense to brew teas in it that require long infusion and simmering. This kettle is 100% suitable for such purposes. In addition, you can put it on the stove and brew tea over the fire.
For special originals, you can take a cast iron teapot outdoors and brew tea over a fire. Very romantic and atmospheric.
French press
French press - a good option for a teapot. Despite the fact that the shape and general design remains the same from model to model, the body around the glass bulb has different designs and materials, which makes it possible to match such a kettle to the interior or the character of the owner.
A wide variety of volumes of French press teapots allows you to use it both for a large company and for work where you brew tea only for yourself.
The filter built into the piston will not allow a single tea to pass into your cup and will achieve maximum strength from the tea through the press.
Since the flask in which the tea is brewed is glass, you will need a teapot warmer, otherwise you will not be able to get the best taste from your tea.
Ceramic (clay) teapot
A ceramic or clay teapot is very suitable for brewing any tea. It has a round shape, which allows the tea leaves to open freely. Also, this shape concentrates the taste and aroma inside the teapot and retains heat there.
The thermal conductivity of ceramic teapots is not as high as that of glass teapots, so they are able to brew excellent tea without the help of special devices that retain heat.
Such a teapot absorbs the taste and aroma of tea and releases it in subsequent brewings, so it is better to use one type of tea for one such teapot. However, no one forbade experimenting with flavors either.
Metal kettle
Metal teapots are made of stainless steel. Such teapots can be placed on the fire and you will get strong brewed tea, but it will have a strange aftertaste that can be identified as metallic.
Such teapots may look stylish and be spacious in size, but there is no escape from the alien taste, so you should not give preference to a metal teapot.
Gongfu
The Gongfu teapot has a number of distinctive features from the classic vision of teapots. It has a glass body, but the container itself is divided into two compartments: upper and lower. Tea leaves are poured into the top one and poured hot water. After the time set for brewing has expired, a mechanism is activated that opens a passage between the upper and lower compartments, where only the filter remains. The brewed tea passes through the filter into the lower compartment and is drained or poured into cups.
This tea brewing scheme brings together chinese traditions tea drinking, where the first brewed tea is poured out and drunk only from the third brew, and new technologies that have made it possible to simplify and speed up the process of the tea ceremony.
Electric kettle
An electric teapot can be considered another technological kitchen gadget along with a multicooker, toaster, yogurt maker, and so on.
The main catch is the price; of course, it is much cheaper to buy a regular kettle than an electric one. In addition, it does not suit everyone’s style, and sometimes a ceramic kettle creates much more comfort and a spiritual atmosphere than an electric one, which is so valued by our people.
But such a kettle also has undeniable advantages, which appeared precisely due to the fact that it is electric. Is a certain temperature required to prepare tea? Please. Tea party is scheduled for eight, but it is preceded by dinner and conversation that you can’t tear yourself away from? The timer is at your service.
It is very convenient that the functions of boiling water and brewing tea are combined, that is, instead of two actions, one is performed, which significantly saves time. And the heat preservation function will also be useful to many.
Electric kettle
How to choose a teapot?
In addition to the types of teapots presented, it is important to know some other points that may influence your choice. Based on your needs and the properties of this or that kettle, the choice will be conscious and knowledgeable.
Form
It’s not for nothing that almost every home has round-shaped Soviet teapots. It is this shape that contributes to maximum opening of the drink, better infusion, as well as uniform distribution and retention of heat.
The “bellied” shape is indispensable when brewing good, expensive teas, the taste of which is really worth enjoying. In addition, the spherical shape determines the correct opening of the tea leaf, which makes the drink even more aromatic and rich.
For everyday brewing of common loose leaf tea of any well-known brand, any kettle, including a French press, is suitable. Although it does not have a special shape, it has many other advantages.
Filter
A filter in a kettle is an optional thing, but very necessary and useful. Nobody likes tea leaves in tea, so many have been invented in various ways leaking tea without them.
Filter in housing design
The first is the built-in filter. These are small holes in ceramic teapots, for example, in the area where the spout is attached to the body, which trap the leaves in the teapot and prevent them from rising up to the spout.
The advantage of such a filter is that it is built-in, no additional devices are required. Among the disadvantages is the poor permeability of the brewed tea itself, because the tea leaves clog the holes and block the flow of water into the spout of the teapot.
Strainer
For those kettles that do not have such filters, there are strainers. These are metal, not always hemispherical containers with many holes, which are attached to the outside of the spout using metal “whiskers” and trap the tea leaves coming out of it along with the tea. Our grandparents used these strainers, but this method is still not outdated, but, on the contrary, has become fashionable as old school.
The advantage of such a device is that it can be changed from kettle to kettle if the previous one becomes unusable. It can be quickly cleaned and rinsed if it becomes clogged, and the tea in the teapot remains as it was.
The downside is that this strainer is quite small and can quickly clog if you use loose leaf tea. It also gets dirty quickly due to tea residue, so wash it often to keep it looking good.
Replaceable filter container
Next in line is a replacement filter. It is replaceable in the sense that it is removed and reinserted into the kettle after it has been rinsed. Quite convenient to use, although you need to pay attention to the material from which it is made. If it is metal, then it is possible that the tea will acquire a characteristic metallic taste. High-quality plastic is preferable in this case.
This filter has a sufficient volume and differs from the previous ones in that it does not prevent the passage of tea leaves from the kettle, but is a container into which the tea leaves are poured and only pure brewed tea is present in the kettle. The volume of such a filter is usually sufficient for well-brewed tea.
However, keep in mind that there can be no question of any proper opening of the taste and tea leaves, since in a limited space the tea is tightly packed together and opens as necessary.
Replaceable or built-in spout filter
There are also filters that, like a mustache, block the exit of the tea leaves from the kettle. This can be a separate filter inserted into the grooves near the spout of the kettle or a built-in filter located on the lid of the kettle. A fairly convenient filter if its size is optimal: not too big, so as not to let tea leaves through, and not too small, so as not to get clogged at every convenient and inconvenient occasion.
Volume
You will use the second kettle to give water to all guests, without suffering from a lack of brewed tea and without switching to bagged tea. This kettle can easily take two liters. The tea in it will be renewed quite often and will not lose its properties, because the popular belief is that after three hours of infusion, tea is already less useful and even harmful due to the toxins it produces.
Teapot Manufacturers
Among the popular manufacturers of teapots aimed at the mass consumer, there are not so many good ones, and most of them represent a full range of metal half-pots, including teapots. Below we will look at the most popular of them.
Mayer Boch
The Mayer Boch company is a large manufacturer of tableware of all kinds. Among other things, it presents teapots of almost any model on the market. The company is focused on satisfying the demand of the maximum number of consumers in terms of assortment, but not always in terms of quality. Since she sells economy-class dishes, she captivates the buyer with price and choice, and not with quality.
Gipfel
Gipfel cookware, including teapots, has a rather dubious reputation, mainly because they hide the country of origin and from time to time testimonies on this matter differ.
As for teapots, they represent a fairly wide range of metal, glass and cast iron teapots. The prices cannot be called budget, so it is worth thinking about whether it is worth purchasing Gipfel products.
Taller
Taller is an English company whose reputation is not shrouded in darkness, like previous manufacturers. She specializes in metal utensils and tableware. Among the teapots there are both metal and glass examples with a metal strainer.
When choosing a kettle from this company, remember about the possible metallic taste in both the first and second cases.
Fissman
The Russian cookware manufacturer Fissman entered the market not so long ago, but has already firmly established itself and is actively developing its retail network. There are popular models of teapots here, including French presses and ceramic ones. The choice of colors and models pretends to be stylish, and the prices are budget-friendly.
Vitesse
The Vitesse company has Russian roots, but claims to be called a French company. It produces many types of metal utensils, as well as small household appliances. As for the quality of the products, one thing is clear - the dishes are clearly not durable, they have a very definite, not very long, service life.
Teapots are mostly made of glass or metal, there are French presses and even one cast iron teapot. The models are quite stylish, the volume is usually small.
Wilmax
White porcelain teapots from Wilmax are fascinating. Here great amount shapes and design solutions, teapots vary in volume and decorative elements. What is noteworthy is that, with all the variety of choices, the color remains exclusively white, which looks very stylish when there is a whole range of table settings.
Wilmax specializes only in all kinds of white porcelain products, and the prices are more than affordable.
Where to buy a teapot?
It is better to buy teapots in specialized stores that sell branded tea and coffee by weight, or in good tableware stores.
In hypermarkets you can also easily find an inexpensive teapot for daily use. These teapots are produced in industrial scale, are used everywhere and cope with their task quite successfully.
