Hi, I'm thinking of buying a Japanese cast iron teapot or a Chinese Yi-Xing clay teapot. I have one question, however, to which I would like to have an answer before proceeding.
And the question is: can you use the same teapot for different kinds of tea?
The reason why I'm asking this is that I have read that you should never ever clean Yi-Xing / cast iron teapots with soap, only rinse them with water and let them dry. I'm told a tea residue will form over time, which will add aroma and richness to the tee brewed. However, won't the taste of a sencha tee, for example, be ruined if I have brewed the smoky Lapsang Souchong?
The yixing teapot should be used for only ONE type of tea, for the reasons that you pointed out. It is made with red clay, which allows the tea flavors to soak in over time. So it is meant for only one.
The cast iron teapot can be washed and thus can be used with pretty much any type of tea.
The cast iron teapot can be washed and thus can be used with pretty much any type of tea.
"Make tea not war"
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I agree with Teafanatic with regard to the cast iron tea pots. Many of them are porcelein lined so that they can be washed. If you are concerned about soap residue you can simply clean the inside with hot water and wipe them dry with a cloth or paper towel if you are concerned that a residue or flavor of the previous tea remains. I use mine for many types of tea and have not noticed any problems.
Jan 20th, '07, 14:59
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All cast iron tetsubin style teapots are supposed to have an enamel coating on the inside when sold in the USA...FDA regulation. So, they can certainly be cleaned. I use mainly vinegar and water which cleans all residue including the nemesis, scale. But usually, simply rinsing well between teas is fine.
Any interior glazed or glass pot can be used for various teas within reason...lapsang souchong has such a strong and enduring aroma for instance, that if I were to drink that tea, I would reserve a pot for that purpose only. Again, rinsing well between teas and occasional vinegar and water for cleaning.
Anything made of clay is generally intended for one and only one tea.
A little off the subject...but until you use a glass pot or pouring pitcher, you have no idea how much scale builds up in your teapot...it is often disguised as tea stains...but after rinsing well, the scale remains...vinegar is amazing when it comes to getting rid of scale.
Any interior glazed or glass pot can be used for various teas within reason...lapsang souchong has such a strong and enduring aroma for instance, that if I were to drink that tea, I would reserve a pot for that purpose only. Again, rinsing well between teas and occasional vinegar and water for cleaning.
Anything made of clay is generally intended for one and only one tea.
A little off the subject...but until you use a glass pot or pouring pitcher, you have no idea how much scale builds up in your teapot...it is often disguised as tea stains...but after rinsing well, the scale remains...vinegar is amazing when it comes to getting rid of scale.
I strongly second Chip's vinegar recommendation. Any acid will remove scale, which is made of basic calcium and magnesium deposits...but I doubt anyone keeps a weak sulfuric or hydrochloric acid dilution around in their homes. 
I have a cast iron tetsubin (but it does not have a ceramic lining and I did buy it in the US). I also have a ceramic teapot that I sometimes use, though. I've brewed lapsang souchong in both, and I'll verify that the smell lingers in both. Even after I detergent-wash and thoroughly rinse the pots, I can still smell the lapsang souchong. If I leave the pot lid off for a couple days, however, the smell does disappear. An extra washing or two and a vinegar rinse helps speed things up a bit.
The reason you shouldn't wash Yixing (or any unglazed ceramic pot, for that matter) with detergent is that a bit of the detergent is absorbed into the clay and will give a soapy taste to many brews thereafter. That's also why you should dedicate any Yixing pot to a particular type of tea. Tetsubins, on the other hand, are rock-hard cast iron. They can stand rigorous washing, though they should be thoroughly dried. In my opinion, they make a pretty great all-purpose pot.
I have a cast iron tetsubin (but it does not have a ceramic lining and I did buy it in the US). I also have a ceramic teapot that I sometimes use, though. I've brewed lapsang souchong in both, and I'll verify that the smell lingers in both. Even after I detergent-wash and thoroughly rinse the pots, I can still smell the lapsang souchong. If I leave the pot lid off for a couple days, however, the smell does disappear. An extra washing or two and a vinegar rinse helps speed things up a bit.
The reason you shouldn't wash Yixing (or any unglazed ceramic pot, for that matter) with detergent is that a bit of the detergent is absorbed into the clay and will give a soapy taste to many brews thereafter. That's also why you should dedicate any Yixing pot to a particular type of tea. Tetsubins, on the other hand, are rock-hard cast iron. They can stand rigorous washing, though they should be thoroughly dried. In my opinion, they make a pretty great all-purpose pot.
Jan 21st, '07, 15:53
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Wow, Mary, where did you get it...they must have smuggled it into the country...lol. I would like to find one.Mary R wrote: I have a cast iron tetsubin (but it does not have a ceramic lining and I did buy it in the US).
We were just discussing this issue a few days ago on a Japanese Green Tea forum (O-Cha). Even in Japan it is hard to find a tetsubin that is not coated on the inside and ones that are not coated are usually from small producers or old...both being very expensive.
I understand that it is desirable traditionally to have one that is not lined because a small amount of iron will leach into the water each time it is used which they claim to be both healthful and superior in taste.
From a cleanliness standpoint, perhaps it is easier to have a coated one.
Mary, do you ever heat water in it, placing it directly on a heat source? The coated ones all have directions that tell you not to heat water in them.
It's a great lil' pot, that's for certain. I'd heard unlined cast iron pots were expensive, so I snatched mine up the minute I saw it...at $19.95.
Unfortunately, I can't give you the specs. I lost the tag and have forgotten the name of the manufacturer. I have a feeling it started with an I, but I'm not certain. I do remember that the pot was manufactured in Japan, and it did retail for $50. I purchased it at a place called Tuesday Morning.
My mother's a big believer in the healing powers of cast iron cookware--my brothers and I all have ongoing issues with iron-deficiency anemia, so she tended to choose her cast iron skillet over other pans. It helps, and I think my lil' teapot does the same thing. I do feel slightly more energetic during periods I use that pot exclusively...though that could just be the caffeine.
I've never put it on the stove and heated water to boiling in it, but I think I could. I'm pretty impatient, so I use an electric kettle to heat my water. I do have a cast-iron warmer I purchased at Teavana that I use to help keep my brewed tea hot, but that's it.
Unfortunately, I can't give you the specs. I lost the tag and have forgotten the name of the manufacturer. I have a feeling it started with an I, but I'm not certain. I do remember that the pot was manufactured in Japan, and it did retail for $50. I purchased it at a place called Tuesday Morning.
My mother's a big believer in the healing powers of cast iron cookware--my brothers and I all have ongoing issues with iron-deficiency anemia, so she tended to choose her cast iron skillet over other pans. It helps, and I think my lil' teapot does the same thing. I do feel slightly more energetic during periods I use that pot exclusively...though that could just be the caffeine.
I've never put it on the stove and heated water to boiling in it, but I think I could. I'm pretty impatient, so I use an electric kettle to heat my water. I do have a cast-iron warmer I purchased at Teavana that I use to help keep my brewed tea hot, but that's it.
Last edited by Mary R on Jan 21st, '07, 20:21, edited 2 times in total.
Jan 21st, '07, 18:18
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Thanks, Chip. I think it may well have been Iwachu. I've done a bit of research, and my pot does indeed have their signature handle style. I can't find a pot of theirs that looks exactly like mine, though.
This blog entry titled "Iwachu in Paris" features a pot that looks very similar to mine, which gives me hope. My lid, however, is very slightly different than the one here.
Fantes features another Iwachu pot that looks similar to mine. They have several 10 and 11oz tetsubins, which might serve your single-serving needs, Chip. Here's a picture of this pot:
I can see the shiny enamel coating inside. My pot lacks that, as you can see:
I can't feel any difference between the pot interior and exterior either. Maybe I got a fluke or something. There had to be some reason Tuesday Morning got it, after all.
This blog entry titled "Iwachu in Paris" features a pot that looks very similar to mine, which gives me hope. My lid, however, is very slightly different than the one here.
Fantes features another Iwachu pot that looks similar to mine. They have several 10 and 11oz tetsubins, which might serve your single-serving needs, Chip. Here's a picture of this pot:
I can see the shiny enamel coating inside. My pot lacks that, as you can see:
I can't feel any difference between the pot interior and exterior either. Maybe I got a fluke or something. There had to be some reason Tuesday Morning got it, after all.
Jan 21st, '07, 19:49
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Jan 21st, '07, 23:39
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