Tetsubin. Really?

[Chasm]

They do require specific care in order not to ruin them, so I think reading up on them carefully before investing is a good idea.

I'd be curious to try a good one, but for the teas I favor I prefer glazed ceramic kettles for now; based on what I can learn by reading, not tasting, that's where I thought I'd get the greatest value for my current interests. There are some really good tea blogs around with bloggers who've put a lot of work into trying to give the rest of us some idea of what various implements might do to the flavor of tea. Teamasters is one, but there are many more listed here somewhere.

[IPT]

Sorry if my post came off as rude to a new forum member.

Yes, I know Debunix (via internet), and did not take his remark as rude. I was joking in my response to his.

[betta]

Silver is said to have some great water enhancing qualities. Unfortunately, pure silver tetsubins are out of most of our budgets, not to mention somewhat difficult to find.

And after paying for the price, especially for the antique piece, one will think thrice before really using it for boiling water: 2000€ vs taste of water .
It might be too delicate for that purpose. A life-long japanese antique vendor even told me that it is not advisable to use silver tetsubin for boiling water. Instead, iron tetsubin should be enough.

[MarshalN]

Betta: tetsubin can only be iron. Silver kettles are called ginbin. When using a tetsubin one needs to treat it as a disposable, not as a durable good.

As for the original question by the OP - I use a tetsubin on a daily basis and swear by it. It not only changes the water, but it keeps your water hotter than most other vessels.

[betta]

Marshaln, thanks for correcting me. You're right, tetsu stands for iron and gin for silver.
I don't know how much is the difference of water boiled with tetsubin and ginbin. I'm afraid ginbin's mythical effect might be sort kind of marketing strategy. Or maybe it's my taste palate only...

I do have a pre- 20's ivory kyusu as well as a pre-50's kettle made of pure japanese silver. Honestly I don't sense any enhancement in water taste and if only I'd known it from the beginning, I would not have acquired them.

[strickmr]

Marshaln, that's very interesting. I've used an iron kettle before (not an authentic tetsubin) and the taste of the iron was so overpowering, I couldn't even taste the tea.

[woozl]

Here is mine,
35$ at an antique show.
It seems to make "sweeter" green tea.
Keeps hot, I rarely need reheat for a short session.

[Chasm]

Very nice!

[Marco]

Here is mine,
35$ at an antique show.
It seems to make "sweeter" green tea.
Keeps hot, I rarely need reheat for a short session.

woozl this is a beautiful tetsubin - more pictures for us teaware addicted please

[MarshalN]

I don't know how much is the difference of water boiled with tetsubin and ginbin. I'm afraid ginbin's mythical effect might be sort kind of marketing strategy. Or maybe it's my taste palate only...

I do have a pre- 20's ivory kyusu as well as a pre-50's kettle made of pure japanese silver. Honestly I don't sense any enhancement in water taste and if only I'd known it from the beginning, I would not have acquired them.

Everyone who I've met who has tried silver kettle water tells me the same thing -- even if they don't know that's what it was - the water's very sweet from it.

When you boil the same water in the silver kettle and, say, your stainless steel kettle and you don't sense any difference?

[TIM]

Marshaln, thanks for correcting me. You're right, tetsu stands for iron and gin for silver.
I don't know how much is the difference of water boiled with tetsubin and ginbin. I'm afraid ginbin's mythical effect might be sort kind of marketing strategy. Or maybe it's my taste palate only...

I do have a pre- 20's ivory kyusu as well as a pre-50's kettle made of pure japanese silver. Honestly I don't sense any enhancement in water taste and if only I'd known it from the beginning, I would not have acquired them.

Hi Betta - please show us some pics on the 20s kyusu and the 50s silver kettle. I would love to buy the silver one off your hand if its a genuine article , since its not doing anything for you. Many Thanks ~toki

[JBaymore]

I find heating a tetsubin over a fire and sitting quietly waiting for it is just a wonderfully peaceful thing and a great part of a Japanese tea session.

+1

[betta]

Everyone who I've met who has tried silver kettle water tells me the same thing -- even if they don't know that's what it was - the water's very sweet from it.

When you boil the same water in the silver kettle and, say, your stainless steel kettle and you don't sense any difference?

Marshaln, for the comparison what I did after boiling the water was to let it cool down to the room temperature. Apparently it didn't reveal me the magic.
I suspect it also has something to do with the hardness of water because
I used only water filtered by brita. Perhaps the result would be different with mineral water.

[betta]

Hi Betta - please show us some pics on the 20s kyusu and the 50s silver kettle. I would love to buy the silver one off your hand if its a genuine article , since its not doing anything for you. Many Thanks ~toki

Tim, concerning the kyusu I got a pm from someone else who's willing to provide it a new home. So I couldn't provide you the pic without his consent.
Pics of the kettle will be sent by pm.

[Tatter]

About tetsubin and iron/silver -- to MarshalN and others: when you refer to silver kettles are you talking about pure silver? Or about the silver-looking tetsubin (which I believe are iron, not silver, the "satetsu" kettles shown on hojo's website)?

I'm going round and round right now about what kind of water kettle to get. Should i go with a good quality tetsubin? spring for one of those satetsu's maybe?? (and do they really show a difference from a good tetsubin?) search out a true silver kettle if I'm really going to spend that kind of money??? (a big IF there) or should i bypass the metal (iron/silver) kettle road and look into clay kettles instead? (thinking Lin's here) OOORRRR.. just pick up a heat-resistant glass one so i can practice learning about the crab-eyes and such?

decisions...