I was using a coffee press to brew my green tea but it finally broke so now is the perfect time to get a kyusu. I want a classic looking kyusu and on my budge I have picked out 4. I'm just wondering at what price point out of the 4 I picked that it will stop making a difference in the quality of tea that it makes. At this point in my life I can't really afford to care who makes it or where it comes from, just the results it produces. Let me know what you guys think is the best kyusu for me (based only on the quality of tea it makes).
Dens Shudei ($8.95)
http://www.denstea.com/index.php?main_p ... th=275_379
O-cha K103 ($25.95)
http://www.o-cha.com/green-tea/tokoname ... -k103.html
Rishi Fukugata ($35.00)
http://www.rishi-tea.com/store/fukugata.html
Artistic Nippon Shudei Hiramaru ($56.00)
http://www.artisticnippon.com/product/t ... amaru.html
Depending on your location, shipping from japan can run 30$. 
The Rishi pot is nice alternative.
The Rishi pot is nice alternative.
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
Apr 19th, '09, 12:27
Posts: 45
Joined: Feb 24th, '09, 14:45
Location: South Jersey/Hartford
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TheJerseyDevil
If you want a kyusu that you will use until it breaks (which hopefully never happens), go with artistic nippon. If you want a kyusu that does the trick and doesn't hurt your wallet go for the den's. If you continue to drink japanese tea you'll eventually buy a handmade one.
If you are relatively new at green you probably won't be able to tell the difference in taste between the two pots. Some might say that buying a cheap pot is a waste because you'll eventually buy a nice handmade pot to replace it, but i disagree. I think starting cheap is a good way to find out what you like and what you don't. You can find out if you like the size or if you want to go larger or smaller. Also having a glazed teapot around doesn't hurt if you're making a variety of teas.
If you are relatively new at green you probably won't be able to tell the difference in taste between the two pots. Some might say that buying a cheap pot is a waste because you'll eventually buy a nice handmade pot to replace it, but i disagree. I think starting cheap is a good way to find out what you like and what you don't. You can find out if you like the size or if you want to go larger or smaller. Also having a glazed teapot around doesn't hurt if you're making a variety of teas.
Apr 19th, '09, 12:49
Posts: 495
Joined: Jan 31st, '09, 12:41
Location: midwest, Sanibel wannabe
Contact:
Dreamer
Hi there,
I only came to Japanese green tea within the past year or so, but I can NOT imagine that the $56 dollar teapot would make tea that is SIX TIMES as good at the $9 teapot.
I have the o-cha pot that you linked to. I ordered it at the same time as I ordered tea to combine the shipping costs. I use it daily...it is a great pot. I recently purchased the Den's pot you linked to as a back up (or perhaps to leave at my Sanibel vacation/rental condo for my personal use on vacation). I have not used it yet, but I am certain it will make a fine pot of tea.
I considered the Rishi teapot you linked to, but it was never in stock way back when I ordered my pot from o-cha.
Have fun shopping,
Dreamer
I only came to Japanese green tea within the past year or so, but I can NOT imagine that the $56 dollar teapot would make tea that is SIX TIMES as good at the $9 teapot.
I have the o-cha pot that you linked to. I ordered it at the same time as I ordered tea to combine the shipping costs. I use it daily...it is a great pot. I recently purchased the Den's pot you linked to as a back up (or perhaps to leave at my Sanibel vacation/rental condo for my personal use on vacation). I have not used it yet, but I am certain it will make a fine pot of tea.
I considered the Rishi teapot you linked to, but it was never in stock way back when I ordered my pot from o-cha.
Have fun shopping,
Dreamer
Yeah, I didn't really factor in shipping. I'm in the US on the east coast and probably about as far away from japan as you can getwoozl wrote:Depending on your location, shipping from japan can run 30$.
The Rishi pot is nice alternative.
If shipping is $30 then that makes the artistic nippon almost $90.
Apr 19th, '09, 13:03
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
I get tired of hearing absolutes about pricey pots always making better tea than cheaper counterparts. It is pretty much BS in this case.
I had a cheap one similar to O-Cha's for 7 years before I finally purchased a pricey model and can say that a cheap pot will brew a great pot of sencha. I would likely stick with at least the O-Cha level as below this, you may be getting a Chinese version versus a Japanese one. But I have considered the cheap one from Den's as well, partly out of curiousity.
The Artistic Nippon one is certainly superior in craftsmanship, but where are your priorities at this moment. A cheap one will not go to waste should you ever upgrade later. Trust me, you will still use the cheap one or maybe drag it to work or to relatives, etc.
There are always more expensive and supposedly better pots. In this case, I just do not see a big benefit unless you just like it more and cost is not an issue.
I had a cheap one similar to O-Cha's for 7 years before I finally purchased a pricey model and can say that a cheap pot will brew a great pot of sencha. I would likely stick with at least the O-Cha level as below this, you may be getting a Chinese version versus a Japanese one. But I have considered the cheap one from Den's as well, partly out of curiousity.
The Artistic Nippon one is certainly superior in craftsmanship, but where are your priorities at this moment. A cheap one will not go to waste should you ever upgrade later. Trust me, you will still use the cheap one or maybe drag it to work or to relatives, etc.
There are always more expensive and supposedly better pots. In this case, I just do not see a big benefit unless you just like it more and cost is not an issue.
That's pretty much what I needed to hear. Is the kyusu o-cha is selling unglazed clay? Is this the reason to step above the dens - because of the materials used? Otherwise the difference here is still craftsmanship which you said makes no difference in the tea it makes.Chip wrote:I get tired of hearing absolutes about pricey pots always making better tea than cheaper counterparts. It is pretty much BS in this case.
I had a cheap one similar to O-Cha's for 7 years before I finally purchased a pricey model and can say that a cheap pot will brew a great pot of sencha. I would likely stick with at least the O-Cha level as below this, you may be getting a Chinese version versus a Japanese one. But I have considered the cheap one from Den's as well, partly out of curiousity.
The Artistic Nippon one is certainly superior in craftsmanship, but where are your priorities at this moment. A cheap one will not go to waste should you ever upgrade later. Trust me, you will still use the cheap one or maybe drag it to work or to relatives, etc.
There are always more expensive and supposedly better pots. In this case, I just do not see a big benefit unless you just like it more and cost is not an issue.
Apr 19th, '09, 16:22
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
Scrolling: scrolling
Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
A lot of the reddish clay kyusu have what is called a slip, which is a thin outer shell that is often finer clay for better appearance while the inside is rougher. Hard to say in this case w/o asking, though a slip is different from a glaze.
It is a mass produced pot, the Artistic Nippon one is more handcrafted. There are differences, clearly. I have cheap and expensive kyusu-s. I find them all able to brew a great sencha.
One of the big selling points of Banko is that it will act more like a Yixing and will absorb and then impart flavors as you use it more. However I also found this to happen with my cheap Tokoname kyusu as well after years of use, everything was a little sweeter, but I would not call this better per se. After all, if you brew a great sencha right now, do you really want anything muddying the flavor???
Having said that, as I mentioned yesterday in TeaDay, I am actively looking at Banko, not because I have to have it in order to brew "better" sencha. No, more because it is different Japanese pottery, just like Hagi is different from Shino, and Tokoname, etc.
It is a mass produced pot, the Artistic Nippon one is more handcrafted. There are differences, clearly. I have cheap and expensive kyusu-s. I find them all able to brew a great sencha.
One of the big selling points of Banko is that it will act more like a Yixing and will absorb and then impart flavors as you use it more. However I also found this to happen with my cheap Tokoname kyusu as well after years of use, everything was a little sweeter, but I would not call this better per se. After all, if you brew a great sencha right now, do you really want anything muddying the flavor???
Having said that, as I mentioned yesterday in TeaDay, I am actively looking at Banko, not because I have to have it in order to brew "better" sencha. No, more because it is different Japanese pottery, just like Hagi is different from Shino, and Tokoname, etc.
You can always use a tea ball and Tokoname flavored chips! 
Seriously, aesthetics aside, good tea brewed correctly in a crappy pot will taste good.
Crappy tea brewed in a 1000$ pot will taste crappy.
Save the money and buy better leaf. ...MHO...
Seriously, aesthetics aside, good tea brewed correctly in a crappy pot will taste good.
Crappy tea brewed in a 1000$ pot will taste crappy.
Save the money and buy better leaf. ...MHO...
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
?