Apr 6th, '12, 23:43
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr 3rd, '12, 02:43
by chrisd » Apr 6th, '12, 23:43
Hello,
I am interested in purchasing a Tea Table, and have found a lot of good looking ones on Ebay from Dragon Tea House. But I am wondering if the forum would kindly inform me of the differences in quality tea tables.
What I am seeking is a good quality table, and preferrably with an optional hose attachment. And something that will last a long time rather than having to be replaced frequently.
Seems to be a lot of material choices, i.e. bamboo, wenge wood, ebony, ceramic, slate/stone e.t.c. What would be a good choice?
Thank you
Apr 6th, '12, 23:55
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok
by Tead Off » Apr 6th, '12, 23:55
chrisd wrote:Hello,
I am interested in purchasing a Tea Table, and have found a lot of good looking ones on Ebay from Dragon Tea House. But I am wondering if the forum would kindly inform me of the differences in quality tea tables.
What I am seeking is a good quality table, and preferrably with an optional hose attachment. And something that will last a long time rather than having to be replaced frequently.
Seems to be a lot of material choices, i.e. bamboo, wenge wood, ebony, ceramic, slate/stone e.t.c. What would be a good choice?
Thank you
I think the most beautiful and long lasting tea tables are in stone. However, they are costly but should last a lifetime barring accident. I've only seen Chinese/Taiwanese made ones.
Bamboo and wood tea tables are probably the most common with hose drains. There are some lovely ones but cracking can be a problem. It would be a shame to spend a lot of money on a table only to see it crack or warp. Personally, I would have to think twice about buying bamboo/wood if I lived in a less humid climate.
Clay and porcelain tea trays are probably the best values but to find ones with drainage holes is not easy. This would usually have to be custom made to suit your style.
Personally, I use a ceramic tray which gets emptied from time to time. I don't really like the idea of a hose draining into a bucket when I'm drinking tea at home. In commercial places, it would be a necessity to have a system with a hose.
Apr 7th, '12, 00:20
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Been thanked: 2 times
by Chip » Apr 7th, '12, 00:20
... while you wait for posts here, you can use the forum search for table or tables, pretty much on the topic.
I prefer "soft" such as wood or bamboo. I purchased a bamboo tea table in December 2010, use it several times a day, every day. No problems whatsoever. However others have had problems with bamboo which seems more problematic when dry/dormant than when in constant use.
Reason I prefer "soft" versus stone or clay/stoneware/etc. ... I envision breaking cups and pots on them (or even the table itself) ... plus I like wood and bamboo.
But this is just personal preference.
Oh, welcome to the forum!
Apr 7th, '12, 00:37
Posts: 15
Joined: Apr 3rd, '12, 02:43
by chrisd » Apr 7th, '12, 00:37
Thank you for the replies!
What about other types of woods other than bamboo? Would others still be prone to damage from drying/humidity?
I ask because I really likt ths rosewood table. Would you all see any problems with this type of table?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exquisite-Rosew ... 33569a7198
Apr 7th, '12, 02:06
Posts: 4536
Joined: Apr 1st, '09, 00:48
Location: Bangkok
by Tead Off » Apr 7th, '12, 02:06
chrisd wrote:Thank you for the replies!
What about other types of woods other than bamboo? Would others still be prone to damage from drying/humidity?
I ask because I really likt ths rosewood table. Would you all see any problems with this type of table?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exquisite-Rosew ... 33569a7198
This is really a tea tray, not a tea table. And is not hose drained. It has the plastic tray under the top that collects the water. It's pretty and looks solid. As Chip mentioned, wood and bamboo become problematic if not used for long periods of time.
Another problem buying these commercial made trays is you have no way of knowing how the wood/bamboo was cured and dried and this is another contributing factor to its longevity. Bamboo also tends to become dirty looking over time due to the tea staining it. Ask questions to the seller and try to get reviews of the products.
Apr 8th, '12, 00:38
Posts: 394
Joined: Jan 26th, '09, 02:43
by beachape » Apr 8th, '12, 00:38
I live in the upper midwest, which gets pretty dry during the winter. I've had a bamboo tea tray from andao tea (have they since closed shop?) since 09 and it was holding up great until this past month. I made the mistake of leaving it on our radiator (hot water radiator which gets warm but not hot), and I discovered a substantial crack after i noticed it leaking. I'll try to patch it up with some food grade silicone...but i'm guessing it is done for. I'd love to buy the same one again but it seems they went out of business. I also have one of the bamboo trays with a plastic collecting basin, but it isn't quite as fun to use. The sound of water dripping on wood is much more pleasant than water dripping on plastic.
Apr 8th, '12, 14:18
Posts: 132
Joined: Jun 24th, '11, 03:25
Location: Slovakia, Hungary
by TuoChaTea » Apr 8th, '12, 14:18
I have a tray like this, I use it for about 10 years and no problems. Please notice, that the water is collected in a black plastic container under the tea tray, so it will probably last for a lifetime (my plastic basin actually cracked, I do not know how, but I glued it and now it works just fine).
