I would honestly recommend holding off on buying a yixing until you get accustomed to gaiwan brewing first; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GaiwanGhumbs wrote:I've researching to find my first teapot, so this would be perfect. I'm in for a #7 (preferably) or #8. Can anyone vouch that this is a good price and good pots?
Also, I'm new to tea, so please let me know what I should know before buying one of these or any teapots. Thanks!
e: also dibs on the - Shui Xian
Also guys, updated the op. If anyone has any questions, concerns, or comments pleas pm me.
I would not suggest anything from the set for a first teapot, these are high end. I would suggest something from YSLLC for a first pot.I've researching to find my first teapot, so this would be perfect.
Good pots, OK price. The real question is if anyone can vouch for you.Can anyone vouch that this is a good price and good pots?
There is a lot to know about yixing. Look around these forums and Google some.Also, I'm new to tea, so please let me know what I should know before buying one of these or any teapots. Thanks!
Wyardley already called that. Also, I think dibs on samples should go to thanks who is organizing the buy, then to the people who are spending the most moneye: also dibs on the - Shui Xian
I know these are high end pots, but I don't see why I should hold off until later on. The way I see it, I'd like to do it once and do it right, rather than buying a cheap pot and going from there.
I've been googling tea and yixing for a good month or so, trying to find a nice first pot, but when I came across this I thought it might be a good idea to get in. I've lurked this site and it has helped me with a lot of what I know so far, but I'm still confused about all of the different kinds of yixing clay; what's real, what's fake, etc.
Thus far, I'm still interested in a #7 or #8 pot unless someone can redirect me to a better pot for under $100. Thanks!
I don't know if whether or not I'm excluded from the last sample, but if not, I'd take it. I'm not trying to be greedy or anything, I just wanted the opportunity to try some different teas.
I've been googling tea and yixing for a good month or so, trying to find a nice first pot, but when I came across this I thought it might be a good idea to get in. I've lurked this site and it has helped me with a lot of what I know so far, but I'm still confused about all of the different kinds of yixing clay; what's real, what's fake, etc.
Thus far, I'm still interested in a #7 or #8 pot unless someone can redirect me to a better pot for under $100. Thanks!
I don't know if whether or not I'm excluded from the last sample, but if not, I'd take it. I'm not trying to be greedy or anything, I just wanted the opportunity to try some different teas.
As far as the samples go, I can say this. When I first started drinking pu, I had a lot of trouble getting the pour right. So many variables. What kind of tea will it be used, what kind of water, temperature, leaf to water ratio, steeping times. I've ruined many a sample early on that looking back, could have been quite tasty given a more controlled hand and a little more knowledge of the process. Further, what do you brew in? Sure, yixing is porous and will take on it's own characteristics over time, but IMHO, I think it's always best to sample in a gaiwan. It lets me have a few solid conversations with the tea to see what it really has to offer. Nothing is masked this way. Even if you make your first pot a nicer one such as the aforementioned, you're doing yourself a great disservice by not also investing in a gaiwan or two. Just my two cents.Ghumbs wrote:I know these are high end pots, but I don't see why I should hold off until later on. The way I see it, I'd like to do it once and do it right, rather than buying a cheap pot and going from there.
I've been googling tea and yixing for a good month or so, trying to find a nice first pot, but when I came across this I thought it might be a good idea to get in. I've lurked this site and it has helped me with a lot of what I know so far, but I'm still confused about all of the different kinds of yixing clay; what's real, what's fake, etc.
Thus far, I'm still interested in a #7 or #8 pot unless someone can redirect me to a better pot for under $100. Thanks!
I don't know if whether or not I'm excluded from the last sample, but if not, I'd take it. I'm not trying to be greedy or anything, I just wanted the opportunity to try some different teas.
No problem. I figured I would start buying different teas and brew them in a cheaper pot until I found the tea I liked and wanted to dedicate this (or another high end pot) to.edkrueger wrote:Sorry if I came across as being rude. I would start with a cheap pot... I did. Seriously, because you want to know which teas you like and you can get three good dedicated for the price of one of these.
In fact, this pot is actually a gift for my girlfriend, and even though she doesn't care about this kind of stuff as much as I do, I have the type of personality where I like to research the hell out of things before I buy them. So, when she said she wants a teapot, I have to go out and buy a really good one. It's just the way I am.
That being said, how do these compare to the ones Stephanie sells on Tea Masters or some of the ones sold at 1001 Plateaus? I'm open to buying a different pot, but the age of these particularily interested me. Thanks for any help!
Thanks for the advice. I think I'll head over to the store and get a gaiwan to test teas out (and my ability to brew) in before diving into the yixing pot. That's a great idea.thejamus wrote: As far as the samples go, I can say this. When I first started drinking pu, I had a lot of trouble getting the pour right. So many variables. What kind of tea will it be used, what kind of water, temperature, leaf to water ratio, steeping times. I've ruined many a sample early on that looking back, could have been quite tasty given a more controlled hand and a little more knowledge of the process. Further, what do you brew in? Sure, yixing is porous and will take on it's own characteristics over time, but IMHO, I think it's always best to sample in a gaiwan. It lets me have a few solid conversations with the tea to see what it really has to offer. Nothing is masked this way. Even if you make your first pot a nicer one such as the aforementioned, you're doing yourself a great disservice by not also investing in a gaiwan or two. Just my two cents.
See my earlier comments. I think they're maybe a tad overpriced (as individual pots) at the current price, and some of the cost of the set is based on the fact that it's a complete set.... but I do like them enough to want another one, especially since it matches pots that I already have. Other than going to vendors who don't normally sell to the US, or auction sites (risky), you probably won't find a much better price on a pot like this, assuming they are actually '70s and from Factory #1 (I don't feel confident enough to offer an appraisal of whether they're authentic and exactly what they're advertised to be or not, beyond what Seb says on the site.) In fact, even though these are a fairly standard type of pot, it's surprisingly hard to find good ones, especially in the smaller sizes.thanks wrote:I'm assuming it's a good pot worth the money or you wouldn't be wanting another one, correct?
I have personally paid anywhere between roughly $30 and $200 (US) for similar factory style pots from the 70s-90s (some have writing or decoration; others are plain). The provenance and quality of the ones I have varies (i.e., some are most likely real and some are almost definitely fake, or not what they were advertised to be).
Well it's not so expensive as to be an unreasonable first pot, and it's a simple, classic shape, and a decent quality clay. Both the clay and shape should be appropriate for a fairly wide range of different teas. Since I don't think Jing will be selling too many more of these, it's probably a good time to pick one up. I would personally take one of these pots over 2-3 of most of the $10-40 pots I've tried.I would not suggest anything from the set for a first teapot, these are high end.
Last edited by wyardley on Jan 4th, '09, 22:27, edited 5 times in total.
I'm in! I've been looking for a really small great quality pot for my milk oolong. Drinking it in large quantities isn't too great and I was almost turned off by it completely! Can I get #1?
I purchased a 30 ml pot on ebay for $13 (including shipping) but if you look closely the quality doesn't look too great but I guess you get what you pay for. If I am able to get #1 I'll post comparison pics of both pots.
I purchased a 30 ml pot on ebay for $13 (including shipping) but if you look closely the quality doesn't look too great but I guess you get what you pay for. If I am able to get #1 I'll post comparison pics of both pots.
Last edited by Ms Kita B on Jan 4th, '09, 22:57, edited 1 time in total.
In my very humble opinion, the clay is somewhat better and it's a better value for the money than the pots from those two vendors (which is not to say that the pots from either of these two vendors is bad, although Stephane's are pretty close in price, and he's not likely to run out anytime soon). (Caveat: I haven't purchased any of the newer pots from Stéphane - I have a couple of his old ones, from the factory that a lot of the Rishi pots are from, and I don't believe I've purchased any from 1001 Plateaus before. Both of the ones I have from Stéphane work well and make good tea.)Ghumbs wrote: That being said, how do these compare to the ones Stephanie sells on Tea Masters or some of the ones sold at 1001 Plateaus? I'm open to buying a different pot, but the age of these particularily interested me. Thanks for any help!
But many of the mass-produced 70s / 80s factory style pots are of somewhat funky workmanship, and they don't have built in filters. As I mentioned before, they may come with a slightly clogged hole in the top (you will find this with some cheaper new pots as well).
In other words, the newer pots may be more "perfect" (i.e., they should pour quickly and accurately, should stop when you put your finger over the ball, etc., less likely to get tea caught in the spout).
Stopped entirely, or just poured really slowly? I brew both rolled and wiry oolongs in single holed pots all the time (and I use a LOT of leaf, so sometimes the leaves are pressing against that hole pretty tightly), and while sometimes it will pour a little slow, as long as the spout isn't clogged, it should pour well enough. Are you sure there wasn't anything in the spout? I even use single holed pots for chaozhou style gong fu with some crushed leaves & the leaves taking up 1/2 or more of the pot's total volume, and no major problems as long as I pour carefully. I've found it does help to pour slowly and deliberately until the leaves have expanded sufficiently to hold them in place.gingko wrote: Yeah I thought big-leaf tea would be good for one-hole pot. Then it was a completely failure even though I poked the hole a lot. Mine is a half-ball shape, not a shui ping. But I guess whatever the shape of the pot, oolong leaves expand to the entire space and block water flow. Small-leaved tea such as green and black will stay put at the bottom without clogging the hole. I don't like giving the pot extra strainer, so just assigned the pot for keemun black
I don't find that red tea always stays to the bottom, especially during the rinse - I'd worry much more about having a single hole pot for really small leaf teas than anything else.