Handmande Cast Iron Teapot - Taku Cookware - Taiwan

[Taku_Cookware]

Hi everyone,
I am John from TAKU Ironware. TAKU is a Taiwanese company and has a new US website: takucookware.com and we would like to show you some of our cast iron teapot here. We hope you will love them! They are designed by artists from Taiwan (Ms. Chiu, Chin-Tuan for the handles for example).
We are also making cookware (pans, pots and more...).
Here is some of our teapots:

TAKU Longevity

TAKU Maple Bridge


I can post more if you like them but please, visit our website and follow us on the social networks, it would help us a lot! Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a wonderful and healthy day!
John

Website: takucookware.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/takucookware
Twitter: www.twitter.com/takucooking

[bonescwa]

Are they pots or kettles?

[Drax]

They appear to be on the order of 2 quarts, or 1800-2000 mL... so I'd say kettles.

[Drax]

John -- It doesn't seem to be immediately clear from the description... what are the interiors like? Are they glazed, or bare?

[Taku_Cookware]

Hi guys,

@bonescwa: As Drax said, they are kettles. They all come with their own trivet and own fork to remove the lid. Here is the trivet for the TAKU Longevity:


@Drax: They are bare. Our products are 100% natural cast iron, we do not use artificial coating. The inside layer is only seasoned with cooking oil.

If you want to learn more we have a video to present TAKU here:
http://takucookware.com/index.php/video/about-us

[Chip]

This is a bit of a conundrum. Clearly this topic does not meet the criteria for a TeawareArtisan topic and will have to be moved. But I see the potential value to the forum community.

But this topic cannot stay here under TeawareArtisan.

[kyarazen]

They appear to be on the order of 2 quarts, or 1800-2000 mL... so I'd say kettles.

hmm.. the price points for many of the products are in the range of entry level kunzans and some low mid range iwachus...

[xiaobai]

I have one of these iron cast kettles from Taku. It is one of the four unglazed tetsubins that we own (an old one inherited from our family, and two newer ones, one of them semi-hand made by Kunzan in Morioka).

The one from Taku is not a bad product. However, it rusts very easily. I think the interior is untreated unlike Kunzan's. It took us a long time and several rounds of boiling green tea leaves in it to get it seasoned so that it ceased coloring boiled water and giving it a brown tone that sometimes reminded us of chocolate.

When compared to the Japanese tetsubins, it is a bit on the heavy side, but it also looks more sturdy and may withstand drastic changes of temperature and direct gas fire better than Japanese tetsubins (I would not dare to use a japanese one on a gas stove). In addition, being completely unglazed it may work better with a wider range of clays, but I have not done extensive research about this.

[Taku_Cookware]

@Chip Sorry if I created my topic in the wrong category. I let you decide where it is supposed to go.

@xiaobai Thank you for your review! Could you tell us which one of our kettles do you have?

It took us a long time and several rounds of boiling green tea leaves in it to get it seasoned so that it ceased coloring boiled water and giving it a brown tone that sometimes reminded us of chocolate.

We are aware of the rust problem and even if it is safe, I know that it can be disturbing for consumption. We are currently working on this, so until we find an healthy solution, I can only invite you to read this article on our blog. We hope it will help to reduce the problem.
http://takucookware.com/index.php/easyb ... first-time

(...) may withstand drastic changes of temperature and direct gas fire (...)

Yes, our kettles and cookware can be used on all cooking surfaces. (except in microwaves!) You can even use our pans on charcoal BBQ (an idea for the weekend? ) or directly in the oven.

[茶藝-TeaArt08]

Taku_Cookware,

Greetings!

I first encountered your pieces in Qiu Shan Tang／秋山堂 in Taizhong while studying tea there with my teacher. I noticed your video is also shot in QST. Having just finished a show there with friends, I noticed as well that QST still has one Taku kettle there for sale.

I do recall that the pieces were a little heavy. Is the thickness and weight of the kettles something that is purposely designed with heat parameters in mind? Can they be made a little lighter?

While in Taiwan discussing the kettles I did hear as well about the issue of the kettles rusting quickly but it seems standard preparatory maintenance could negate that issue.

In talking with your Florida location I was told that the kettles are all manufactured in Taiwan....and not China. Can you confirm this? I see that you are located in Taizhong; are the kettles also made in Taizhong?

Also, in the promotional video the kettles are said to be covered only in "raw lacquer"....is this raw lacquer a proprietary lacquer similar to Japanese urushi and also plant derived, as with traditional Japanese tetsubins?

Looking over the website there are some nice kettle designs. However, as I was comparing these kettles to the antique and new Japanese tetsubins in our home (and online) my wife and felt that it would be nice to have some kettles without graphics but covered in interesting textures similar, for example, to the "Hada" texture on some Japanese tetsubins so that the pieces don't feel so "glossy." While we both found the kettles beautiful, the uniformity across the entire line , for us, came across as too "clean" looking, almost too perfect.

Since I first saw the kettles it seems new designs have been released into the line and I'm curious if each year the company's intention is to introduce new designs into the lineup and, if so, at what time each year new designs would be introduced?

It seems you have mentioned this above, but in the interest of a second confirmation, can the kettles be placed on any heating surface (gas, charcoal, hot plates, hot-pot stoves, electric ranges, etc. without deterioration? Are there any limitations beside the obvious exclusion of microwaves?

Lastly, thank you for opening up a conversation here.

Blessings!

[Taku_Cookware]

Taku_Cookware,

I do recall that the pieces were a little heavy. Is the thickness and weight of the kettles something that is purposely designed with heat parameters in mind? Can they be made a little lighter?

Yes, our engineers are working with the experts from Kuen-ting Entech Company to provide the most reliable and healthy products. Thanks to this quality we can provide a lifetime warranty for all the TAKU products. Making them lighter would weaken them and it would not match with our vision.

While in Taiwan discussing the kettles I did hear as well about the issue of the kettles rusting quickly but it seems standard preparatory maintenance could negate that issue.

Exactly.

In talking with your Florida location I was told that the kettles are all manufactured in Taiwan....and not China. Can you confirm this? I see that you are located in Taizhong; are the kettles also made in Taizhong?

Yes, we manufactured all our products in Taiwan.

Also, in the promotional video the kettles are said to be covered only in "raw lacquer"....is this raw lacquer a proprietary lacquer similar to Japanese urushi and also plant derived, as with traditional Japanese tetsubins?

Yes, our lacquer is similar to the Japanese one. It is free-chemical from planting to production in Taiwan.

Looking over the website there are some nice kettle designs. However, (...) the uniformity across the entire line , for us, came across as too "clean" looking, almost too perfect.

First, thank you!
Then, our will is to always create new and unique designs. That's why our designers work with artists in Taiwan to always provide something different. Even our casting process is different from the traditional sand casting process. Japanese tetsubins and Taiwanese kettles are merely 2 different styles in the tea art.

(...)I'm curious if each year the company's intention is to introduce new designs into the lineup and, if so, at what time each year new designs would be introduced?

Yes, new designs will be released but I can't tell you at what time... The only way for you to know will be to follow us on the Social networks or to visit our website regularly.

It seems you have mentioned this above, but in the interest of a second confirmation, can the kettles be placed on any heating surface (gas, charcoal, hot plates, hot-pot stoves, electric ranges, etc. without deterioration? Are there any limitations beside the obvious exclusion of microwaves?

Our cookware & kettles can be placed on any heating surfaces without deterioration.

Lastly, thank you for opening up a conversation here.

You are welcome! Thank you for your post and your interest! I hope to see you soon on our website & on the blog.

Have a good and healthy day!

[Taku_Cookware]

Hi everyone,

Here are a little bit more of our kettles! Hope you will like them.

We called them the 4 Gentlemen, if you like Chinese art you could know that it refers to the following plants: Bamboo, Chrysanthemum, Orchid and Plum blossom which appear in a lot of paintings from East Asia.




They have a common trivet representing the 4 Gentlemen together:


Let me know if you like them and if you want more!
Have a wonderful day!

[Chip]

My conclusion is this.

This topic does not fit into the criteria nor rules of any TC forums.

Therefore, I think I will create a new forum to allow this sort of topic and others.

My initial thought is to name it TeaIndustry. Let me know what you think.

Might turn out to be a beneficial resource for members.

Best,
Chip
Immoderate Tea Drinker who happens to Moderate

[Taku_Cookware]

Hi Chip,
I agree with you, the name "TeaIndustry" seems to be perfect for this new topic.
I let you create it and move my post when it is ready!

Thank you,
Have a good one!

[Chip]

There seems to be a glitch preventing the creation of a new forum. I will have to work on the problem ...