Looking to start a teaware collection

[TAGsg]

So I had hoped not to make a whole new topic for this but I went like ~8 pages back and couldn't seem to find the answers I was looking for to some of my questions.

Anyway, I am hoping to start a teaware collection. The thing is, I am coming from nothing so first and foremost I am looking at utility.

I am thinking of getting a kyusu + 2 cups for green tea and then a gaiwan + ~2 cups + tray for if I make some other kind of tea. As well I need some kind of kettle.

Looking back at other threads I have found some kyusu pots that I like and would just like affirmation that if I am buying from a reputable seller that it should be of acceptable quality.

With regards to the gaiwan I have seen quite a variety and the prices seem to vary wildly so I would like to ask why and what I should look for in a gaiwan.

As far as the kettle goes there seem to be a lot of options available and I am at a loss for what to choose.

Also is there anything else I should buy to begin a teaware collection? Like I said, my focus right now is on utility, I really just want a functioning collection before I start buying anything with too specific of a use. My budget is probably around $200-$400 so I am hoping that can set me up.

Anyway, thanks for the help, because of all the options available I can't seem to decide what I should buy.

[Chip]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Since you are looking for affirmation, perhaps share what you are looking at first. We could easily make your head spin and offer many options.

Also, what teas will you be enjoying in your new collection?

[David R.]

Hi TAGsg, welcome.

With regards to the gaiwan I have seen quite a variety and the prices seem to vary wildly so I would like to ask why and what I should look for in a gaiwan.

Prices will vary depending on the quality if the porcelain. Hand painting is quite expensive too. Just choose an average gaiwan, around 10-12cl. With this you will be able to brew every kind of chinese teas. It will be your best ally to learn.

As far as the kettle goes there seem to be a lot of options available and I am at a loss for what to choose.

My advice would be to begin buy a basic one, hopefully one you already have, and save up for tea. Try filter your water or buy spring water if yours is bad.

Also is there anything else I should buy to begin a teaware collection?

Once again, I would advise to skip for the non essential things for now (maybe some cups ?) and focus on tea.

[iannon]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Since you are looking for affirmation, perhaps share what you are looking at first. We could easily make your head spin and offer many options.

Also, what teas will you be enjoying in your new collection?

+1 yes share what you are looking at
what helped me a lot when starting out (and still does) for Japanese Greens was soemthing like this
http://tiny.cc/aya51 or you can get a smaller style one ..I just use this one cause i stuck it to the sid eof my fridge which is next to where i prep my tea.
as well as something like this:
http://tiny.cc/v410o I use those silicons ramekins and put my tea in that and then on the scale
Both pretty cheap tools and can really help out

[debunix]

For one or two people, you can do everything in a simple small gaiwan. I get excellent results from my inexpensive porcelain gaiwans, $2.99 apiece from my local chinatown tea shop. They hold about 100mL to the brim, but their useful capacity is between 60 and 75 mL. They are mass produced but entirely functional. I bought samples of a few other styles at the same time--at that price I could afford to try several at once--and the only one that really didn't work was a glass version with a subtle inset rim that made it hard to tilt the lid just right to control the pour opening.

Some day I would like to have a few really nice ones, but right now I am focused on expanding my palate with comparative tastings of different tea rather than building a tea collection, and identical gaiwans help standardize brewing conditions.

While I do have one nice chao zhou pot and some inexpensive 'yixing'-type pots, I reach for the gaiwans more often than not except for sencha and gyokuro, where the small leaf bits make the pour hard to control from the gaiwan, and the kyusu is pretty much essential.

I think your plan--one kyusu, a gaiwan, and a couple of nice cups plus a kettle--will allow you to brew nearly every kind of tea you might want. After a while if you know that you prefer one or another kind of tea you can invest in another special pot. I'd add a cheap pocket scale, because weight is better than volume for measuring tea leaf, and a small digital thermometer. If you have a good thermometer you don't need a fancy kettle, although I love my pino digital kettle pro.

[TAGsg]

A few kyusu that caught my eye were from the artistic nippon.

As it stands now I am considering
Kyusu from artistic nippon
Random Gaiwan
Tray for Gaiwan (necessary?)
2 cups for kyusu / 2 for Gaiwan
Random Kettle
Thermometer
Small scale

As far what teas I am going to be drinking I used to drink mostly black teas but I have pretty much stopped in the last month or so. I am now drinking more green teas so since I like sencha, I want to find myself a sencha that I like to drink on a daily basis. I would also like to try whites and other greens to broaden my palate. Other then that I am considering trying some pu-erhs and seeing if I can get into that, but I have only tried a few pu-erhs and I even though I liked them I don't really know anything about them.

The thing is for me I used to just buy random loose leaf teas from this tea shop near where I live, but this is my attempt at taking tea a little more seriously.

[Chip]

Artistic Nippon is a very good vendor for teaware. They are very responsive and trustworthy.

Eventually you will want to get some nice Japanese cups. I find Japanese sencha tastes best in something like Hagi. AN has a Hagi section.

[edkrueger]

Tray for Gaiwan (necessary?)

No. The tray is only useful, but not necessary, when using a pot or gaiwan with out a saucer. Just get a bowl to put the waste water and waste tea in.

[britt]

I think it's a good way to start; one kyusu for green teas and a gaiwan for the other types. A gaiwan can also be used for greens, and is especially suitable if it is very thin and light. It may be better to get a thicker gaiwan for oolongs and black teas and to use the kyusu for all greens, both Chinese and Japanese. This sounds like what you're planning to do. Many forum members use a kyusu for Chinese greens with good results.

Artistic Nippon is a very reliable vendor so you should not have any trouble finding a good kyusu.

Be aware of a few things:

Depending on what type of sencha you're planning on drinking (light, medium, or heavy steamed) you may want to consider what type of filter you want in the kyusu. I have over two dozen kyusu and all but one have a clay sasame filter, which I really do prefer, but depending on the design of the kyusu they can clog when brewing deep steamed sencha. The obi-ami (metal screen that wraps around the inside body of the kyusu) is foolproof.

I would also be wary of buying cheap Chinese teaware. I would consider paying more and buying better Chinese teaware or just buying a gaiwan made in Taiwan. Regardless of which one you decide to buy, be aware that gaiwans can be great or they can be a real pain. I really disliked them until I started using a fair cup (sharing pitcher). This way you pour the tea from the gaiwan into the pitcher, which usually has a wider mouth than the cups so eliminates spilling.

Good luck!

[edkrueger]

I too would highly advise a pitcher for gaiwan use.

[TAGsg]

Hmm can you recommend a vendor for a good gaiwan?

[msurads06]

Cant really help with the gaiwan,I got all of mine from a local shop. I would however advise a water filter if you dont already have one, they can really make a difference in the quality of tea you brew, especially if your tap water is heaily clorinated like mine.

[Cyphre]

http://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14365


Check the sites in this forum. I am slowly getting a good list of trusted sited for teaware.

[fracol]

Some people here will probably disagree with me, but I really recommend a cast iron teapot. They are great for brewing almost all types of tea. Not to mention if you treat them right they season to make your tea taste even better.

[Chip]

Some people here will probably disagree with me, but I really recommend a cast iron teapot. They are great for brewing almost all types of tea. Not to mention if you treat them right they season to make your tea taste even better.

I agree ... most here will probably disagree with you.

Tetsubin teapots are lined with an enamel coating, therefore seasoning is really pretty non existent.

Plus temp control can be really rather difficult with a cast iron teapot.

An unlined tebsubin kettle, that is different, but they are not suitable for use as a teapot.