Opinions about Yixing pots wanted: Benefits vs. Price Point?

[t4texas]

I bought a number of inexpensive ($12 - $50) Yixings in a short period of time. Having done that, I do not recommend it. Start with a gaiwan and put your money in some good teas. After you learn how to brew better both western style and gongfu style, then get an inexpensive Yixing and experiment with it.

There is no magic in "zhuni". Matching clays and teas is a trial and error process. Whether you get a pot a merchant says is made of zhuni or one of the more common darker zisha, it's a matter of trying different teas in it to see what works best. So if you have the Yixing bug and just have to have one, then just pick one out from Yunnan Sourcing and make tea. But do consider spending either the extra $2 - 3 for his most basic gaiwan or $9 - $15 for one of his best ones. You don't have anything to lose at those prices and, as others have said, it will give you a comparison to show you what, if any, difference your Yixing is making.

BTW, I use my gaiwans as much as I use my Yixings.

[tingjunkie]

Ok, ok! You guys have twisted my arm enough that I will get a gaiwan to play around with too! (See how easy it is to get me buy more teaware?)

And FWIW, I've experimented with some nice teas before- I'm not a total newb! But, your point about investing in good teas is still well taken T4.

[Salsero]

Very cheap pot HERE that looks pretty nice. I'm tempted to get one myself.

Am I missing some obvious defect? I suppose you could email Scott to ask what gives.

At that price you could get a gaiwan and some of his quite respectable (and also bargain priced) Big Red Robe yan cha oolong.

[tingjunkie]

Am I missing some obvious defect? I suppose you could email Scott to ask what gives.

I saw that one too, and as a beginner, just glossed over it because of the price. All my instincts are telling me to just ignore it, but it might be worth getting the story as to why it is so affordable.

[Salsero]

Well, I wrote to Scott and he said:

• • Material is good quality but it is no masterpiece... not
    entirely symmetrical and not the tightest lid fit.

That sounds perfect for a first, experimental pot!

[Tead Off]

ting, I would venture to guess that most people have never drunk out of a good, older, zhuni clay teapot. There is a reason that it is usually more expensive and harder to find. But, I don't want to turn this into a 'who knows better than me' war. But, one more thing to think about is this. If you never get to taste a really exquisite high quality tea, how can one judge a lesser quality tea? It's like a good wine. The first time I drank a really great vintage wine, I knew immediately why people made such a fuss. It gave me a 'standard' that I could judge wines from. That is why I think it is important to find out what others are talking about concerning teapots, tea, and, why they rave about this or that. Of course, money is a deciding factor and you can still enjoy tea with a gaiwan and many commercially imported teas, but you will not experience what the 'connoisseurs' are after.

That modern zhuni teapot at Yunnan Sourcing, Jade Pillar, is a beautifully made pot and probably worth every penny. Hope this confuses you more.

[Salsero]

most people have never drunk out of a good, older, zhuni clay teapot.

I am one of these "most people," so don't overestimate the value of what I say. People like Tim, Wyardley, Xuancheng, Swozt and Tead Off have enormously more knowledge and experience than I will ever be able to claim.

[ABx]

The problem is that the price is no indicator of quality. As I said in my last post, my favorite pot right now is a super cheapy one. There are also lots of fakes - cheap ones sold as antiques or expensive ones, even some with an artificial patina from shoe polish or soy sauce.

When you buy something online you really have no idea of what you're getting until you have it. I've even seen plenty of complaints from reputable vendors that mis-labeled (or perhaps simply mis-judged) the capacity, so they thought they were getting a small pot when they were actually getting a rather large one (bigger than anything they would use).

Additionally you can't buy a pot online for a specific tea. You can look for specific types of clay, teapot shapes, etc., but it may have been pounded more or less dense, have thicker or thinner walls, or any number of other factors that make it better suited for another type of tea entirely. Most of the pots I bought with a certain type of tea in mind turned out to be not at all suited to what I had in mind.

Honestly, however, I would say that the biggest thing right now is to get through exploring teas. There is just no sense in blowing hundreds of dollars when you still haven't settled on what you like most, and don't know how to brew.

A yixing pot is not going to magically brew your tea like a tea master. If you aren't getting good results from a good tea now, the chances are that a yixing pot will not help. The "magic" from a yixing pot really comes from a) knowing how to use it, and b) imparting tea oils absorbed from decades of use.

Lastly, I'll repeat that I have a couple/few hundred dollars worth of pots that I regret buying. They're great pots, but they're just too big. They are now more decorative pieces than anything.

[tingjunkie]

That modern zhuni teapot at Yunnan Sourcing, Jade Pillar, is a beautifully made pot and probably worth every penny. Hope this confuses you more.

I like everything about the Jade Pillar except that it is just a tad bit bigger than I was looking for. I was hoping for something in the 120ml -130ml range. Is there a drawback to filling a Yixing pot 4/5ths of the way when preparing oolongs gongfu style, or is it just a personal preference thing?

Am I correct in thinking a similar quality pot with a similar pedigree in my ideal size will be along shortly on Yunnan if I show a little patience? They seem to have a good flow of stock coming through.

[ABx]

I like everything about the Jade Pillar except that it is just a tad bit bigger than I was looking for. I was hoping for something in the 120ml -130ml range.

Ah, just about the size of some of the pots that I now regret getting

Yes, there's a big advantage to filling them most of the way (of course that's partially dependent on how fast they pour, which you won't know until you get it), depending on the tea. Filling that much of a 4-5oz pot can drain your wallet very quickly. That's a big part of why I say that it's best to wait to buy things like yixing until you're good at brewing.

[tingjunkie]

Ah, just about the size of some of the pots that I now regret getting

ABx. You are great at raining on my parade!

But seriously, I do really appreciate the advice. You are giving me a lot of good things to consider. I'm just working on the salary of a humble public servant, but at this point, it may be worth the $40 just to satisfy my Yixing curiosity and get my butt away from this darn computer screen!

[swozt]

most people have never drunk out of a good, older, zhuni clay teapot.

I am one of these "most people," so don't overestimate the value of what I say. People like Tim, Wyardley, Xuancheng, Swozt and Tead Off have enormously more knowledge and experience than I will ever be able to claim.

Salsero, you are too kind. However, I am still a green horn in the realm of Yixings.

But to the TS, you sure you want to use a gaiwan? You may end up burning your fingers. Once I started using teapots, my gaiwan never sees action again.

Also, I personally like to see my tea being pored out in a nice delicate stream from the spout of a nice teapot.

But each of us have their own preference and taste. THe journey is long........you will find your own way. The force be with you!

[sriracha]

Very cheap pot HERE that looks pretty nice.

I've been looking at some of the $35 pots from Yunnan Sourcing, I didn't even see that one, thanks!

Also, there's a Chinese tea house I've visited a couple of times that has some yixings in the $70-$80 range but the shapes have for the most part been too fussy for my tastes. The advantage is of course that I can handle and get a feel of their pots..hm.

All I really want is a beginner level pot to play around with so maybe YSLLC's are okay?

[Tead Off]

most people have never drunk out of a good, older, zhuni clay teapot.

I am one of these "most people," so don't overestimate the value of what I say. People like Tim, Wyardley, Xuancheng, Swozt and Tead Off have enormously more knowledge and experience than I will ever be able to claim.

I hope you didn't think my post was a refutation of yours. My opinion is just mine and not the only way to view this. So, ultimately, one decides what is best. In my case, I was sold 2 pots right from the beginning of my tea journey and I'm still using them today, 20 years later. I think that's good value, no?

[betta]

Matching clays and teas is a trial and error process. Whether you get a pot a merchant says is made of zhuni or one of the more common darker zisha, it's a matter of trying different teas in it to see what works best.

In my case, I found it is true. Up to now I haven't found an absolute best pot for all kind of teas.
Good, all of us always improve brewing method; so we have to take into account whether the same brewing parameter can really be used for different pots. I hope somebody can standardize this comparison method.