Drinks Teapots?

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What are your favorites? I've got a nice little glass one with an infuser for loose tea (also works for coffee grounds), but it's small and only holds enough, barely, for two mugs full. Not enough when we have company, so I got a larger one made of cast iron (so I don't have to worry about breaking it!). It can also be used on a stove to heat the water, although I think putting it on an open flame would probably ruin the pretty paint job. We use an electric kettle to heat water at present, so -- as long as the power stays on -- that's not an issue; if the power was off permanently, I could either heat water in a saucepan, or decide not to worry about the paint on the cast iron teapot.



Looking forward to pictures of pretty teapots, LOL!

Also, favorite kinds of tea?

Kathleen

 

[kyrsyan]

I used to have the bottom one. But now I just make it by the mug full. 20 oz mugs are generally enough that any extra would be too cold by the time I went to drink it.
But Mom collects tea pots.

 

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I used to have the bottom one. But now I just make it by the mug full. 20 oz mugs are generally enough that any extra would be too cold by the time I went to drink it.
But Mom collects tea pots.

One of my nieces has collected teapots and pretty cups and saucers since she was a little girl (she's still in her early twenties).

I just used the cast iron pot for the first time, filled it to the brim, and almost got two mugs full for each of us (me and daughter), and it stayed plenty warm enough through the refill (I did preheat the cast iron teapot with hot water, which helped). I think, if it was just me here, I would probably have just stayed with tea bags and making one mug at a time, but with two of us we can go through quite a bit of tea in a day at this time of year. Loose tea (and regular coffee) seems like a less expensive way to go, and taste better, too. Also, I was planning for growing some of our own tea (mint is one of our favorites, and there are several other herbs we can grow to add to teas), which would need to be used loose.

Kathleen

 

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A brown betty makes the best tea. It isn't the prettiest, but the tea is the best. I have lots of pretty china teapots, but the tea is not as good as it is from a brown betty. My every day BB is old, red clay that I bought at an auction a long time ago. It was old then. It is probably from the 1940's or 50's or even older. DH has glued the handle back on several times.
For pretty I have several, but my favorite is a Hammersley Victorian Violets that I bought on a trip to England in the 1970's. It is part of a tea set and it is beautiful.

 

[xtreme_right]

I have a Brown Betty too. It would get cold before I finished it so I use a tea cozy. I use an electric kettle to boil the water.

 

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I thought about getting a Brown Betty, but really wanted something that wasn't easily broken -- I do tend to be clumsy. I think what makes the Brown Betty work so well is the mass of the clay it's made from, though, and the cast iron ones are pretty good in that department, too. They are the traditional tetsubin teapots from Japan (though mine is a Chinese made imitation).

Kathleen

 

[kyrsyan]

I haven't had a Brown Betty in a long, long time.
My current thing is one of the electric teapots that will heat water quickly when I need it. I typically only heat enough for one cup so it only takes a couple of minutes. But it can heat up to two quarts. And it lets me control the temperature it heats to. So if I'm drinking a more delicate tea, or I don't want to wait very long for it to cool enough to drink, I can have it heat the water to a lower temp. And lately I added a set of silcone covers for the cups. So that when I do want to long brew, or I'm likely to get distracted, it helps hold the heat in and keep my drink warm longer.

 

[nomifyle]

I bought a nice teapot a year or so ago and have never used it, didn't get one with an infuser.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[xtreme_right]

I think what makes the Brown Betty work so well is the mass of the clay it's made from, though, and the cast iron ones are pretty good in that department, too. They are the traditional tetsubin teapots from Japan (though mine is a Chinese made imitation).

I’ve seen some really pretty Japanese cast iron tea pots.

 

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I was just doing some research, and found this:
"Outside Japan and especially in the Western market, the most famous Japanese teapot is the tetsukyusu (鉄急須) (iron teapot), a cast iron teapot that outwardly looks like a tetsubin.

"Nevertheless, there is a major difference: the inside of the tetsukyusu is glazed with enamel to make it more practical for tea brewing and is often equipped with a removable tea strainer. Tetsukyusu cannot be used to heat water because this would irremediably damage the enamel coating inside."

So what I have is actually a tetsukyusu, with the enamel lining.

Here's a link to the page, because there's quite a bit of interesting information there: What are Tetsubin? 10 Things to Know About Cast Iron Kettles

nomifyle, you should get your teapot out! They are at their best at this time of year, when it's cool enough to want hot drinks!

Kathleen

 

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I haven't had a Brown Betty in a long, long time.
My current thing is one of the electric teapots that will heat water quickly when I need it. I typically only heat enough for one cup so it only takes a couple of minutes. But it can heat up to two quarts. And it lets me control the temperature it heats to. So if I'm drinking a more delicate tea, or I don't want to wait very long for it to cool enough to drink, I can have it heat the water to a lower temp. And lately I added a set of silcone covers for the cups. So that when I do want to long brew, or I'm likely to get distracted, it helps hold the heat in and keep my drink warm longer.

I have two electric kettles, but neither of them allows for temperature control. If I ever replace them, I'll have to look for that feature.

The silicone covers are a good idea.

Kathleen

 

[kyrsyan]

The silicone covers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F7YVKCL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

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I have a Brown Betty too. It would get cold before I finished it so I use a tea cozy. I use an electric kettle to boil the water.

I use tea cozys, too. I have made several, I have one my sister brought me from Scotland, two that my Aunt made for my Mother about 60 years ago and various others.

 

[AlaskaSue]

I was a happy, selective teacup (mostly) and teapot collector for around 30 years. Have it all tucked away in my conex and hope to unpack a few this summer.

My favorite and most-used company teapot is a large Old Country Roses teapot, and a couple of teacups/saucers of same.

But the Brown Betty is my daily driver - and yes the spout has a chunk missing, but still a delight to use every day.

 

[TerriHaute]

I have a Brown Betty but seldom use it. My sister knit me a tea cozy to put on it, and I keep it displayed on my Hoosier cabinet most of the time.


This is the one we usually use. It makes just enough tea for a mug full for both DH and I. There is an infuser that drops in the top for loose tea.

 

[nwillitts]

here is mine

 

[Cardinal]

I have the glass one too, and use a teapot I bought at WM to heat the water in.

 

[xtreme_right]

My sister knit me a tea cozy to put on it

Terri, that is such a CUTE tea cozy!

 

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I have a Brown Betty but seldom use it. My sister knit me a tea cozy to put on it, and I keep it displayed on my Hoosier cabinet most of the time.
View attachment 319799

This is the one we usually use. It makes just enough tea for a mug full for both DH and I. There is an infuser that drops in the top for loose tea.
View attachment 319800

I have two Hoosier cabinets! I love them! Mine aren't really old, probably built in the 1940's, but they are so useful. There were no cabinets in the kitchen when I bought this house, so I picked up some miscellaneous cabinets to 'make do,' and haven't felt the need to change things.

And the tea cozy is adorable!

Kathleen

 

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here is mine

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I came really close to getting one just like that, but then I saw my cast iron one on sale 'used.' I love cast iron, and the history behind the Japanese teapots was so interesting, that I had to get that one.

Kathleen

 

[Cardinal]

I love listening to mine whistle when the water is at full boil.
Had a whistling pot when I was a kid, used to make my grandmother tea.
In the summer, I would ride my bike to the nearest Friendly's Ice cream shop to get her Strawberry ice cream-her favorite.

 

[Kathy in FL]

LOL. I don't drink coffee and my daughters who do (only ones that do) are "snobs" and fix it weird. I grew up with my dad loving on his Mr. Coffee first thing in the morning. LOL

For tea? I have teapots but when I want it I don't have time to fool around so usually just nuke some hot water, drop in my choice of tea bags, and wham bam thank you ma'am it's complete.

Occasionally I will make "loose leaf" herbal tea but for that I have an old fashion tea strainer ... the metal ball or spoon with holes in it ... and just do it that way.

We also have an electric kettle and I have a couple of old "percalaters" but they don't get used often. Too busy.

 

[20Gauge]

I not a sentimental type of person, but my mother has a teapot (hasn't used in years) that I remember he pouring me tea from as a kid. The thing is from the late 50s or early 60s and is a type of china. Nothing expensive, but built solid like things then were made.

Once they are gone, I am going to raid that from her house......

 

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I not a sentimental type of person, but my mother has a teapot (hasn't used in years) that I remember he pouring me tea from as a kid. The thing is from the late 50s or early 60s and is a type of china. Nothing expensive, but built solid like things then were made.

Once they are gone, I am going to raid that from her house......

I totally understand that. I really wanted the old pedestal dining table that we always ate off of my whole life before I left home, but Mom gave it to my niece. It's okay -- she'll take good care of it. But it doesn't have the memories for her that it has for me.

Kathleen

 

[Melodi]

I never understood tea cozies until we moved here, in the UK/Scotland/Wales/Ireland, especially in the Winter - your tea in a pot will go cold in about five minutes without one. We mostly make tea by the cup, but I may get another tea pot at some point and if I do I'll knit a cozy for it.

Basically you can do a simple one just knitting a hat (use a flat pattern if you want) and leave a place for the spout. Or you can get really creative and knit chickens, cats, dogs, flower pots all sorts of things.

 

[xtreme_right]

I not a sentimental type of person, but my mother has a teapot (hasn't used in years) that I remember he pouring me tea from as a kid.

Actually, I don’t drink tea that often. I’m a coffee drinker. I bought my tea pot when my girls were little and we had tea parties. They have good memories of those. My Dad always said, we’re making memories.