Kyusu - filter or not?

[Beidao]

I'm looking for a kyusu and have found some really nice ones. But, I haven't bought them because they all have filters that you take in and out. All my earlier teapots have filters in the spout and that's what I want. But I can't seem to find a really nice Kyusu made like this, at least not where I live and shop. So I wonder - what are the pluses and minuses with a loose filter? I guess people will have different views but please just say what you think!

[Sydney]

denstea.com and a number of other reputable vendors carry kyusu with permanent filters built in. I don't think I've seen one without at least a semi-permanent one.

So if this is what you're into, you should be able to find one.

[Cinnabar Red]

hi,

Try this place http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... eindex.htm

They are reputable, and their pots have permanent ceramic filters.

Also look at this site http://www.thejapanesegreenteashop.com/ ... ad0e12db31

I bought the Kuro Sendan. It also has a ceramic filter.

Many people prefer the metal filters. They feel you get a faster pour, with less clogging. I don't think you want to leave the tea leaves sitting in any water after the pot is poured.

[Chip]

Whatever the filter is made of, I definitely insist on a kyusu with a built in filter. 90% of the world has to get their kyusu online or similar. Just the way it is. There are many vendors who sell kyusu, just google, the world of kyusu is at your fingertips.

[Warden Andy]

If you can take out the sesame, you can clean the teapot more thoroughly. Clay sesames seem to need very good cleaning habits to avoid gunk from building up in the spout. I had a clay sesame in my kyusu, and tried to clean the spout once, and accidentally broke it. With the sesame intact, it looked like a clean pot. But once it broke, all the black gunk that was building up in the spout became visible.

[Chip]

If you can take out the sesame, you can clean the teapot more thoroughly. Clay sesames seem to need very good cleaning habits to avoid gunk from building up in the spout. I had a clay sesame in my kyusu, and tried to clean the spout once, and accidentally broke it. With the sesame intact, it looked like a clean pot. But once it broke, all the black gunk that was building up in the spout became visible.

In a word, "bottlebrushofthesmallestkind."

Yeah, pretty disgusting what builds up in the spout, but a small bottlebrush really does the trick. If the pot is glazed, you can soak the spout in vinegar for a bit before using the b'brush. Just don't whack the screen in the process.

I was astounded what came out of older kyusu afterwards. Live and learn.
.

[Cinnabar Red]

If you can take out the sesame, you can clean the teapot more thoroughly. Clay sesames seem to need very good cleaning habits to avoid gunk from building up in the spout. I had a clay sesame in my kyusu, and tried to clean the spout once, and accidentally broke it. With the sesame intact, it looked like a clean pot. But once it broke, all the black gunk that was building up in the spout became visible.

Gross. I have 2 new unused kyuso, and after reading this they may stay unused.

Are any of you aware of any with a pop out filter? Or one with no filter at all. Why can't one use a strainer over the cup when pouring the tea out? I've yet to try sencha, so am completely ignorant.

And what happens to a yixing with a built in strainer. Does the spout get yucky also? At least its easy to boil one.

[Sydney]

Den's kokoro has a screen that can be popped out with ease and replaced without any real trauma.

When kyusu users talk about screen gunk, we know it's not something nasty. But people who haven't dealt with it see us talk and get the impression that something bad is going on.

Really, it's not a problem.

And I just use pipe cleaners for cleaning in tight spots. Works quite well.

[Cinnabar Red]

Den's kokoro has a screen that can be popped out with ease and replaced without any real trauma.

When kyusu users talk about screen gunk, we know it's not something nasty. But people who haven't dealt with it see us talk and get the impression that something bad is going on.

Really, it's not a problem.

And I just use pipe cleaners for cleaning in tight spots. Works quite well.

That makes me feel alot better. Now. if I attach a pipe cleaner to a drill....

[Sydney]

That makes me feel alot better. Now. if I attach a pipe cleaner to a drill....

Probably a Dremel attachment for that.

[Pentox]

In a word, "bottlebrushofthesmallestkind."

Test tube brushes would probably work quite well for that job.

Amusingly that buildup would be referred to as being patina for yixing. And for a kyusu it's just relegated as gunk.

[Warden Andy]

I would still consider it gunk if I found it in yixing. What I referred to as "gunk" was probably mold. I wouldn't doubt that some smaller leaves got stuck, and became black and moldy over time.

[Salsero]

I would still consider it gunk if I found it in yixing. What I referred to as "gunk" was probably mold. I wouldn't doubt that some smaller leaves got stuck, and became black and moldy over time.

OK, that's it. Where do they sell pipe cleaners these days?

[Sydney]

I have 2 kyusu. One has a removable screen that just blocks the pour spout. The other has 360° interior coverage. They're identical in every other meaningful way.

I remove the removable screen once every several months of pretty much daily use, and it just doesn't have that much gunk. But there is some. I clean the screen and the kyusu with toothbrush and pipe cleaner, but no cleaning agents other than tap water.

The one with the non-removable screen gets the same treatment minus screen removal.

At this point I'd say that it can be easy to overstate the amount of gunk. But the pot should still be cleaned periodically.

I also hit each with a whole lot of boiling water every several weeks to kill off most of whatever might be in there.

[Chip]

I have 2 kyusu. One has a removable screen that just blocks the pour spout. The other has 360° interior coverage. They're identical in every other meaningful way.

I remove the removable screen once every several months of pretty much daily use, and it just doesn't have that much gunk. But there is some. I clean the screen and the kyusu with toothbrush and pipe cleaner, but no cleaning agents other than tap water.

The one with the non-removable screen gets the same treatment minus screen removal.

At this point I'd say that it can be easy to overstate the amount of gunk. But the pot should still be cleaned periodically.

I also hit each with a whole lot of boiling water every several weeks to kill off most of whatever might be in there.

Sorry, a bit of a rambling post.

Remember, Padre, your 360 is glazed if I recall? And still relatively new. But even glazed ones can get pretty gunked up if left uncleaned for too long. Once gunk begins to form, it grows faster it seems, having something to cling to?

I only removed a screen once, and now the fit is less than perfect. In Japan they sell replacement screens, but I am kind of stuck with imperfection now. This one is a weird screen too, it folds over all around the edge, so, unless I have the actual replacement intended for this kyusu, I will have to live with it.

Proper draining supposedly helps, I was told to drain it with the spout pointing down. As Padre mentions, rinsing with super hot water helps as well, this also helps the pot dry quickly, possibly reducing gunk.

OK, one more point, I am noticing since I am using the new graviTea which has worked wonders at removing scale, tea stains adhere to scale in teaware, which could add to the build up in the spout ... just a thought.

Like I said, sorry for rambling, about gunk ...