Need help finding affordable kyusu

[kikkuman]

Hi, I recently ordered a dragon gaiwan from red blossom for brewing chinese greens and oolongs.

Now, I'm looking for a nice cheap kyusu to brew japanese greens. I was interested in the $19 kokoro offered by den's but they don't have it in stock anymore.

I'd like buy something similar to that: around the same price, simple, no need for superfluous designs, just gets the job done. Anyone have suggestions? Thanks!

[tenuki]

This is kinda mean I suppose, but.... clicky clicky V



( this actually qualifies, their cat. #1 pot would be around 35 bucks after shipping, etc if I do my math right )

[scruffmcgruff]

Tenuki, you are evil!

[Sam.]

I posted another thread asking specifically about the Den's kokoro teapot and someone who had spoken to Den said it would be back in stock around May. I'll probably end up buying one around then - not too long to wait!

[Eastree]

I have the same (type of) gaiwan. It's severed me well for quite some time!

As far as a kyuusu, all I can recommend is patience.

[tenuki]

Tenuki, you are evil!

Maybe, but it's a good kinda evil, right?

[kikkuman]

#1 pot would be around 35 bucks after shipping, etc if I do my math right )

There wasn't enough selection so I didn't bother looking through it.

Maiko tea has some on ebay for around $20, but it doesn't list the shipping cost. I emailed them and haven't received response yet. It does say ordering from their website will be cheaper, but their website doesn't even list any kyusus.

[tenuki]

There wasn't enough selection so I didn't bother looking through it.

[scruffmcgruff]

There wasn't enough selection so I didn't bother looking through it.

This must be a joke...

if it isn't!

[Space Samurai]

indeed.

[kikkuman]

indeed.

Gaiwan arrived. Dragonwell never tasted so good. I wonder how it'll fare brewing sencha... if that works out, no need for kyusu!

[rosenkraftlos]

How ironic. I also just ordered that exact same gaiwan, it arrived today and the first tea I made in it was dragonwell, and the same thought came into my mind "dragonwell never tasted so good".

I also ordered a kyusu and Yixing, but they have not arrived yet.

[Eastree]

I won't recommend it for sencha. The two biggest reasons are that firstly, something with more volume, and made of ceramic, will have better heat handling properties and have better volume parameters for sencha. Second, sencha leaves are small, so they'll easily slip out of the gaiwan when you pour.

[tenuki]

Sencha is impossible to brew in anything but a Tokoname Kyuusu. Deal with it. (joking of course, but it is hard to brew in a gaiwan, I gave up and I brew _everything_ in a gaiwan)

You can get many of the pots in that catalog direct from tokonamefor under 40 bucks _after_ shipping...

Example...



1600 yen + 1700 yen for s&h (EMS, fastest option) = 3300 yen = 33 bucks.

(the S&H is from the exmple given on their ordering page, assuming current exchange rate of 100y to the dollar.) That pot is 16 US dollars! it's the shipping that kills ya.

Or...



2700 + 1700 = 4400 yen = 44 bucks

Just be extra careful to make sure they know what pot you are ordering, send them a picture along with the catalog number when you email them requesting the quote. It doesn't hurt to get the quote, right? If it's too expensive you can just not order it.

PS: I'm about to order the second pot I think. Yes, all that was really to just convince myself to order it. hahahah.

[Pentox]

I like the look of the second pot tenuki. I'm not a big fan of very glossy colored kyusu's like your first one. I've got a 3 dollar one that i've been meaning to get rid of that looks like that.