Gaiwan vs Pot for gongfu

[entropyembrace]

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?

[Mr. Usaji]

I think gaiwans have a few advantages over pots:
You can see the color of the tea while brewing, if you're not sure how long to brew
You can drink from it directly if you want (not that I do that) or use it as a cup without the lid
You can use the lid to stir and to get rid of foam/bubbles
It's very easy to clean out the used leaves

I have a gaiwan with unglazed clay on the outside (glazed only on the inside), and it gets pretty hot when brewing tea that requires boiling water. I used to just pour as quickly as I could, but I found that the "thumb on top" pouring method (picking it up with the saucer) solves the heat problem, and it's not as precarious as it seems. You can also avoid the heat by not filling it all the way to the top.

I'm not saying you should get a gaiwan because porcelain pots may have some advantages that I haven't thought of, since I don't use one. Those DTH pots look nice. Yunnan Sourcing also has some that are a bit cheaper.

I never tried an "easy gaiwan." That's cheating, except if you call it a hohin.

[nickE]

I personally love using my gaiwan and have no problems with burning my fingers, just takes some practice.

Seems fine to me if you wanna use a different brewing vessel as long as the leaf/water ratio stays consistent.

[Chip]

*likes the spouted Gaiwanesque!*

[debunix]

I have occasionally scorched a finger a little with the gaiwans, but with my small gaiwans and large hands I can use a three finger hold on the base and the lid knob and don't have to touch the bowl of the gaiwan at all. But with my tiny for-tasting-only gaiwans, there are no bases, just bowl and lid, and they are so tiny that it is tricky to avoid contact between fingers and hot water.

[David R.]

Gaïwan enables to better control the brewing : you watch the leaves, the colour of the tea, and you can smell aromas under the lid, which is IMO better than an aroma cup, and helps to know when to pour. It is the most simple thing but highly effective. Finally, it is a traditional tool which has been used for ages. All good reasons to try I think.

Not burning oneself takes a bit of practice. A good advice would be not to fill it to the top and not to pour too fast.

[alan logan]

are they really that hard to use without burning yourself?

no, they are not. either you hold the gaiwan by the sides and you position your fingers on the top and be careful not to fill it to the rim, or you hold it with fingers on the saucer and on the top or the lid. second method is very good when you begin.

Would a small porcelain teapot like the 120ml ones from DTH be easier to use?

no easier, no more difficult. it is all a matter of what you are used to. any new tool you have to first practice a bit before you are fully comfortable with it.

Is there any reason why a gaiwan would be better?

none. the only thing I would say here is that a porcelain gaiwan is always better than a bad pot (meaning, made with unsuitable clay). But if you do not wish to spend piles of money on teaware, a gaiwan may prove better for the finances.

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

unnecessary.

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?

gaiwan is much more convenient. easier and quicker to wash thoroughly, and just as easy to handle while brewing. Which brews better cup ? none. you brew.

generally, gaiwan is not "better" than pot. they give different results and are handled differently. Yet don't expect a gaiwan to yield same result/extraction power as a pot made of high-end clay. But using a gaiwan teaches you alot. More is left to your hands in a sense, it is a bit like a touchstone, although whatever the tool you remain the artisan of your liquor.

[tingjunkie]

Unless you are a particularly clumsy or uncoordinated person, you really shouldn't worry about burning your fingers. Yes, as you are learning, it's going to happen on occasion, but after just a little practice you will find a method that works well and shouldn't have to worry about it. You can even start our practicing with room temp water before you step up to hot.

It is important, however, to find a gaiwan with a nice flared rim. The more the rim flares on top, the more buffer distance there is between your fingers and the boiling water. I'm pretty partial to the Tea Gallery's gaiwans for this and other reasons.

I will second all the reasons people have given you thus far for using a gaiwan, and I will add that it's the easiest vessel to clean out at the end of a session. Just dump and rinse. No pulling out leaves with fingers or tweezers involved.

[the_economist]

just a quick note: i think a significant advantage the gaiwan has over the pot for me is the gai. that lid is just wonderful for enjoying concentrated aromas from the tea. the lid also can smell different from sticking your nose into the pot/body of the gaiwan itself, so its another dimension to my tea sessions.

btw some people do fill it to the top (i do) and an easy way to overcome getting burnt is to tilt the gaiwan with lid on sideways to dump some of the liquid before picking it up to decant proper.

[rabbit]

I prefer a gaiwan, the trick is to not fill it to the brim, because I tend to hold it by the saucer and the brim of the cup, if it is filled too high I have occasionally burned my fingers (which always presents the risk of dropping it!), so just be carefull with how much water you add and you should be fine.

[tsverrir]

Gaïwan enables to better control the brewing : you watch the leaves, the colour of the tea, and you can smell aromas under the lid, which is IMO better than an aroma cup, and helps to know when to pour. It is the most simple thing but highly effective. Finally, it is a traditional tool which has been used for ages. All good reasons to try I think.

Not burning oneself takes a bit of practice. A good advice would be not to fill it to the top and not to pour too fast.

Exactly my thoughts. And a gaiwan is more fun.

[msurads06]

I personally enjoy brewing in a teapot. It just seems more elegant maybe? Maybe more traditional (yes i know gaiwans are very traditional as well, just my personal feelings.) That said, my gaiwans see ALOT more action than my pots, mainly because they are so much easier to clean.

[Alex]

Over those pots as well a gaiwan will have a quicker pour if you wish which again goes for a +1 in the control of the brew. I love gaiwans.....I'd quite like to live in one actually.

Just a side note but I always use the upturned lid of a gaiwan to put the leaves on before I slide them off in to the gaiwan after warming it. I'm sure I could shoe horn a gaiwan into everything I do in life.....

to the above yeah pots do have a magic calming feel to them but its just different to me. There's also something magical about staring in to a gaiwan full of tea and water.

[rabbit]

Just a side note but I always use the upturned lid of a gaiwan to put the leaves on before I slide them off in to the gaiwan after warming it. I'm sure I could shoe horn a gaiwan into everything I do in life.....

I do the same thing, the gai is perfect for holding the measured quantity of dry leaf while preparing my setup.

[Alex]

Just a side note but I always use the upturned lid of a gaiwan to put the leaves on before I slide them off in to the gaiwan after warming it. I'm sure I could shoe horn a gaiwan into everything I do in life.....

I do the same thing, the gai is perfect for holding the measured quantity of dry leaf while preparing my setup.

Yeah I used to use a presentation vessel but the lid of gaiwan feels much more elegant and simple. Its also perfect size for handling.