Western-style teapots

[saxon75]

It seems like most of the focus around here is on Asian teas and teaware, which I've been finding really interesting. I'm interested in European tea traditions as well, though, and I love a cup of strong black tea in the morning--a nice Scottish breakfast blend or Ostfrisian, or a whole-leaf Assam. For those of you who like Western-style teas and teaware, what sort of teapots and cups do you use, and where do you like to get them?

[saxon75]

For myself, I've recently used an Ikea Riklig 2-qt glass teapot--which I did not care for and cracked from heat after just a few months. I've also used a 24-oz Chatsford series H teapot from Upton, which was a simple, no-frills teapot that I liked fairly well, and worked nicely for making large cups of tea for myself and my wife in the mornings.

[MEversbergII]

What differentiates "Western" from "Not Western" teaware?

M.

[theredbaron]

What differentiates "Western" from "Not Western" teaware?

M.

Western teapots - large volume pots in which smaller amount of leaves (usually black tea from Darjeeling, Asam, Ceylon, etc) are brewed for a longer time and only once.

The different Asian teapots are usually much smaller (200 cc is already considered large), in which a higher leaf to water ratio is brewed with repeated and usually shorter infusions.

[Muadeeb]

My family is Ukranian so I grew up with strong black tea as an digestif after dinner every night. We all have a big tea mug fascination, the standard size for my "Western Asia" drinking is a 3-cup mug. My mom has an even bigger one that she uses every day, filling it to the point my dad calls "positive meniscus".

Our local Bed Bath and Beyond had a $3 sale on regular size, clear, thick glass mugs so I stocked up on 6 of them. They're good for when you want to be able to see the color and amount of tea in the mug. It also helps me to drink a full mug faster, keeping it at the right temp (around 170 degrees is perfect sipping).

For teapots, I just use the round Bodum pots without the lid and infuser, which gets clogged and the plunger never works quite right anyway. I fill an unbleached teabag with my tea and stick it in the pot. I buy the bags for $20/1000.

[RichAftTaste]

I like the Victorian style porcelain tea sets. That is if they are not toxic to drink from. Otherwise yea, aside from possible toxicity they are quite nice. I although have mostly been exposed to asian style tea set presentations.

I would love a set like this one featured below.