Gaiwan vs Pot for gongfu

[britt]

I´m trying to pick out a little gongfu set but I´m wondering about something...I see gaiwans are very popular but I also hear a lot of talk about burned fingers...are they really that hard to use without burning yourself?

Would a small porcelain teapot like the 120ml ones from DTH be easier to use? (like these http://stores.ebay.com/Dragon-Tea-House ... 34.c0.m322 )

Is there any reason why a gaiwan would be better?

Also what do people think about those gaiwans with the spouts built in?

I´m curious what are everyones thoughts on using a gaiwan vs a small porcelain pot? Which is easier to use and which brews a better cup of tea?

Gaiwans can be very inconsistent in build quality, even between different samples of the same one. This can result in spilling, burnt fingers, etc. Using a pitcher greatly reduces the frustration.

In my opinion, if you have any doubts, go with the porcelain teapot or the spouted gaiwan with a filter, preferably one made in Taiwan. Glass teapots are also an option.

Since you're talking about glazed porcelain for both the pot and the gaiwan, I don't see that your brewing results should be any better in one over the other.

I am not anti-gaiwan! I have recently been using them for brewing most Chinese and Taiwanese teas. I still use my Yixings as well. However, more than half the gaiwans I purchased were given away or are in storage because I really hated using them. There are only two that I now use reguarly, they were more expensive, and I think they were worth the money. Much more so than some cheaper ones that I never use.

[Alex]

Yeah I've bought some cheap gaiwans and they are very poor in comparison to the expensive ones. I got a few plain white ones custom made from jerry_ma (cha dao) off ebay and they were around $20 each these are thin, strong and beautifully crafted.

[rabbit]

I agree as well, the higher quality gaiwans make a big difference. It's worth a few extra dollars to get a nice one.

[Alex]

For the amount of use you get out a gaiwan and the pleasure of handling a top class one its defiantly worth it.

I was looking at his hand pained ones but they are just too expensive. And of course you're paying mostly for the art work which while beautiful is painted on to a breakable object.

I mean look at this piece for $150

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Song-Lin-Ya-Ju-Ji ... 654wt_1137

[the_economist]

oh wow zensuji, that piece is exquisite. if i had it, i would use it maybe on very special occassions haha...

[debunix]

I have never handled a really expensive gaiwan, but I get a lot of pleasure from my $2.99 versions. They're wonderfully functional and feel so good in my hands. I wouldn't overlook the cheap mass produced ones if you're getting started with them just because they're cheap. It's not like the yixing pot where the clay is so key and pricey in and of itself.

[britt]

I have personally found that better quality gaiwans, in conjunction with a pitcher, are very enjoyable to use even with those tiny cups. And yes, the great art on some of them is very costly. The one Zensuji showed is one of the nicest I've seen.

Quality isn't guaranteed by a higher price. I have a $58 gaiwan that doesn't pour well at all. It originally came from a tea house in Taiwan but it was manufactured in Jingdezhen, China. Jing of Jing Tea Shop has told me that some gaiwans just don't have a very good lid fit and don't pour well, but another sample of the same one may work fine. Chinese manufacturing and quality control needs a serious upgrade.

Overall I have found the Taiwanese gaiwans to be a better deal at all price points when they're available. I'm sure they're not all perfect either, but my success ratio with the Taiwanese ones is much better than with those from mainland China; 3 of 3 I've found to be very usable but have discarded two because they were bigger than I wanted. I have 1 out of 4 from China that is superb; the rest are too frustrating for me to bother with.

Edit: I should add that the one mainland Chinese gaiwan that has worked so well is the only one that was not from Jingdezhen. It's a Dehua from Fujian. A co-worker who had immigrated to the US from China had told me that Dehua was better than Jingdezhen. I tend to agree with him.

[Alex]

oh wow zensuji, that piece is exquisite. if i had it, i would use it maybe on very special occassions haha...

I'd set it up on a table then instantly smash it with a hammer before attachment set in

[teaisme]

are they really that hard to use without burning yourself? I guess that depends on how well you follow good recommendations. Regardless, if you have never used one before it is likely you will experience some unpleasant heat in the beginning

Would a small porcelain teapot like the 120ml ones from DTH be easier to use? For the average person, absolutely

Is there any reason why a gaiwan would be better? Like others have said...can inspect brew color, lid has great aroma/use to hold dry leaf, can whip bubbles (can just overflow the teapot though for same effect), and you can easily pour water on edges if you don't want direct contact with tea leaves (this is very useful advantage in my eyes)

Also what do people think about those gaiwans with the spouts built in?
Depends how well its made and what you are brewing in it. I've wasted a good amount of oolong before using one of those porc ones for oolong, it just had too poor heat retention

I´m curious what are everyones thoughts on using a gaiwan vs a small porcelain pot? Which is easier to use and which brews a better cup of tea?

I find a teapot easier to brew with and just more relaxing to use for me. None is better then the other. Heat retention is so important for me, gaiwans seem very good at this, but you can find teapots easily that are too

[britt]

For the amount of use you get out a gaiwan and the pleasure of handling a top class one its defiantly worth it.

I was looking at his hand pained ones but they are just too expensive. And of course you're paying mostly for the art work which while beautiful is painted on to a breakable object.

I mean look at this piece for $150

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Song-Lin-Ya-Ju-Ji ... 654wt_1137

Thanks again for the link; it cost me $125!

I decided to try one more Jingdezhen, but from Jerry Ma whom I was previously unfamiliar with. His Ebay feedback is spectacular and I noticed that his cheaper gaiwans get consistently high marks along with the more expensive ones.

I looked at several handpainted gaiwans and chose the Year of the Tiger one. I just received confirmation that it has shipped.

[Alex]

Oh britt that piece is soooo beautiful. Are you actually going to use it though? I'm not judging either way I'd be torn myself.

jerry is great BTW I've had problems with an order and he dealt with it very swiftly. You're in good hands. In terms of stuff coming from china his stuff is always faster then most aswell.

Those gaiwans are egg shell thin but incredibly strong. That tiger one is very striking and original.

[britt]

Oh britt that piece is soooo beautiful. Are you actually going to use it though? I'm not judging either way I'd be torn myself.

jerry is great BTW I've had problems with an order and he dealt with it very swiftly. You're in good hands. In terms of stuff coming from china his stuff is always faster then most aswell.

Those gaiwans are egg shell thin but incredibly strong. That tiger one is very striking and original.

Yes, I'm actually going to use this even though it's bigger than I really prefer. I will use it carefully, however! I just posted the vendor's pics on the Show Off Your Pots and Cups thread.

It was your positive comments, supported by the awesome feedback on Ebay, that gave me confidence to go with this seller. I have the feeling I'll be visiting his site on a regular basis. Not good for the wallet!

I also liked several others, including the one you posted the link for. However, this being the Year of the Tiger, I was afraid if I missed this one there may not be another until the next Year of the Tiger.

Thanks again for the info you supplied on this vendor. I hope this gaiwan changes my opinion of Jingdezhen products. Apparently these high end gaiwans use a much higher grade of porcelain, and as you pointed out, they are very thin which I prefer because I mostly consume green tea.

[Alex]

They're very nice. I really hope it lives up to your expectations. The very top of the lip (the top of knob bit) is unglazed. Which means the rim of the lid is glazed. (hope that makes sense) which I havent seen on gaiwans before but I really like it. Looking at close pictures of the tiger one it almost looks like the top of the knob is fully glazed as well. Be interested to hear if it is when you get it.

If you're unhappy with the piece jerry will refund it on return, he sent me an expensive piece that was a slightly different design by mistake and me being very picky sent it back and a full refund was given quickly.

I dont know the name of the JDZ factory these come from but DTH stock some of the lower end pieces as well. I've had 4-5 gaiwans of jerry and they've all been perfection. His teas are pretty good as well.

Oh and nice one for using it. Good man!

[britt]

Oh britt that piece is soooo beautiful. Are you actually going to use it though? I'm not judging either way I'd be torn myself.

What I have previously found with Japanese tea also applies to Chinese tea, at least for me. If I have high quality teaware that I really like to use, I not only drink more tea, but I enjoy the whole process much more.

Until this past May, I concentrated mostly on Japanese tea and teaware. However, at that time I became unemployed and decided I couldn't afford to continue purchasing large quantities of Japanese teaware. I also already have far more than I need. I decided to take this opportunity to search for good sources of quality Chinese (and Taiwanese) teaware because it is more affordable. I am also lacking in this area because I haven't found many good, reliable vendors. What I own has been very limited, unlike the wide variety of Japanese teaware I own.

As I found better quality Chinese teaware, my consumption of Chinese and Taiwanese teas increased tremendously and at this point, I consume more of them than I do Japanese tea. This is very unusual for me, and I think it is due to the fact that I now have a variety of teaware that I greatly enjoy using to brew Chinese teas.

[britt]

If you're unhappy with the piece jerry will refund it on return, he sent me an expensive piece that was a slightly different design by mistake and me being very picky sent it back and a full refund was given quickly.

Oh and nice one for using it. Good man!

Since this appears to be the only piece he had, I hope the pics were of this piece. If not, and if the one I receive varies too much, it's good to know his return policy is actually honored, not just stated.

Thanks for the additional info on this vendor!