Help with a gaiwan!

[Classica]

Hello all,

Finally back on these forums after hunting down the username I couldn't remember! I have started drinking pu-erh recently in gong fu style, and I know many people recommend using a gaiwan. I bought an inexpensive one from Yunnan Sourcing when I purchased my tea, and I found it incredibly hard to use!

To remedy the problem, I purchased a 200ml ceramic pot from Amazon. It's a bit big for one person, but I like it very much.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009TY ... UTF8&psc=1
(Not sure how to make links; sorry!)

However, I'd like to find a gaiwan, as the pot is tiresome to clean after each use, and I can only imagine how annoying it would be to scrape out an even smaller one! I was thinking about purchasing an "easy" gaiwan when I run out of tea, as I think the grips on the side and the filtered spout may make things much less difficult for me.

My problem is that I have a physical disability which causes hand tremors, especially when I attempt to do anything requiring fine motor skills or a very steady hand, such as gripping a very hot gaiwan with three fingers, or trying to hold the lid in a tilting position. Does anyone have any experience with these "easy"gaiwans who might be in a similar position as I am? Does anyone on the forums use a small ceramic pot? I'm wondering if there is any difference in brewing with the two different vessels. I may just stick with my little pot, but I'd love to be able to use a gaiwan.

[Poseidon]

Gaiwans are great tools in your arsenel but if its hard to use, dont use it! IMO, tea is about relaxing and reflecting. Worrying about gaiwan burns or being able to use one perfectly is trivial compared to the overall expirence.

You can certainly use your pot and have great results but if you are set on a gaiwan, give one of these a try.(link below) I have one and I really like it. It has a name that escapes me but if you search quick gongfu on ebay many will come up.

Good Luck!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4 ... u&_sacat=0

[Classica]

Thank you! I've been thinking about getting one of those instead of trying to take my whole tea set back to college. I'll look into it.

I did find this: http://teahong.com/tea-accessories/9106 ... ruyao.html. I like the handle on it, but I'm worried it might be too big for a gongfu pot. Does anyone have any experience buying from Tea Hong? I've looked at their website many times and their tea and tea ware seems very nice, if a bit expensive.

[BW85]

Teahong sells quality products, unfortunately they're sold out of the pot you linked. Look at the the teaware on peonyts.com, they might have an "easy gaiwan" you'd interested in. Note the default currency is in Singapore dollars

[Noahwhiteman24]

In terms of an easy gaiwan, a hohin, pretty much a gaiwan with a built in screen, clay or otherwise, could be of some assistance. It provides kind of an aesthetic middle ground with the look of a gaiwan while being perhaps a little easier to handle. I also have a kyusu from ArtisticNippon.com (they have tons of them there) which is quite easy to clean compared to my larger or unglazed pots, but I'm not sure if that would be an improvement over the teapot you had to clean before. Best of luck in your search!

Here's an example of a hohin, which is unfortunately out of stock at the moment, just to give you a general idea of what they look like. They do, however, come in many different designs. http://www.rishi-tea.com/product/ho-hin ... ot/teapots

[bonescwa]

If you're in america, teatrekkers has a nice variety with cheaper shipping, prices are high to reasonable depending on what you get

[yalokinh]

I would only use hohins if you only brew low temp teas because it doesn't have a handle. I think a kyusu would work well because of the handle and ease of handling.
I use a gaiwan with a very high saucer base, so I can grip it easily from the bottom instead of the sides (gripping by the sides feels awkward in my opinion).

[yat97]

I made a video, show how to hold gaiwan...talking in Chinese though. But I think you can see clearly how to hold the gaiwan without listening to the language.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIIUfle ... 6aBuXPngqk

[Poseidon]

In terms of an easy gaiwan, a hohin, pretty much a gaiwan with a built in screen, clay or otherwise, could be of some assistance. It provides kind of an aesthetic middle ground with the look of a gaiwan while being perhaps a little easier to handle. I also have a kyusu from ArtisticNippon.com (they have tons of them there) which is quite easy to clean compared to my larger or unglazed pots, but I'm not sure if that would be an improvement over the teapot you had to clean before. Best of luck in your search!

Here's an example of a hohin, which is unfortunately out of stock at the moment, just to give you a general idea of what they look like. They do, however, come in many different designs. http://www.rishi-tea.com/product/ho-hin ... ot/teapots

The only downside to a houhin is, on mine, that the walls are so thin that it gets very hot. Hot enough that I have to use a towel to grab the vessel. I would seek out something with designated finger areas.

[yalokinh]

aren't hohins only supposed to be used with really low temp teas?

[Poseidon]

aren't hohins only supposed to be used with really low temp teas?

Yes. From what I can tell it is used for gyokuro and sencha.

[Tead Off]

aren't hohins only supposed to be used with really low temp teas?

Yes. From what I can tell it is used for gyokuro and sencha.

It all depends on how the hohin is made. Many will be too hot for using with oolongs and other teas that need heat. Others can handle many teas. Care is always needed when handling hohin, shiboridashi, and gaiwan due to the lack of a handle.

[debunix]

It all depends on how the hohin is made. Many will be too hot for using with oolongs and other teas that need heat. Others can handle many teas. Care is always needed when handling hohin, shiboridashi, and gaiwan due to the lack of a handle.

Yes. I am still looking for a larger gaiwan or shiboridashi for use at work--where I often would like to brew up a quart of tea in just a few infusions, one right after the next, to fill my thermos. The gaiwan or shibo design is easier to clean while access to a proper sink is limited, but they do tend to scorch the fingertips by the end of a series of rapid-fire infusions.

[Tead Off]

Wouldn't it be easier to just use a larger teapot with a handle? The mouth is usually large enough to make cleaning easier.

[allthebest4u]

My first experience with a gaiwan was with one of these. I lived very near an import store in Boston's Chinatown.
It has very thick walls and dimples on the sides for your thumb and middle finger. A simple spout with strainer holes.
Absolutely no problem with excess heat.
I have another one like it which is still available for around $15. It only holds 100 ml but is very beautiful like Aladdin's lamp in the classic Chinese restaurant blue & white style.