5 interesting facts about the evolution of the teapot.

1. The teapot started out not as a pot with a spout but as a bowl.  The tea leaves would be infused in the bowl with hot water and then poured though a small hole, sometimes through a mesh or stainer into small cups.  No dripping spout; in fact, no spout at all.

2. Teapots made from pottery such as clay have been around for thousands of years but it wasn't until the 13th and 14th centuries that porcelain was used, and this was when things really took off for the teapot.  Although Porcelain originates from China it was in Staffordshire here in England where the porcelain bone china teapot was mass produced.  A bone china teapot is a great choice when brewing light teas such as Green tea, Oolong Tea or a lighter Black Tea such as Darjeeling.  Bone China is the material of choice for teapots used for Afternoon Tea.

3. Teapots made from cast iron became popular in 17th century Japan.  In Japan the cast iron teapot or tetsubin as it is known is specifically used for Loose Leaf Tea, mainly Sencha green tea.  Cast iron is used as it is a material that heats up quickly and retains its heat for a long time.  Used as both a kettle and a teapot, all very efficient.  Nowadays the Cast Iron teapots we sell are enamelled on the inside but the original Japanese teapot wasn't.  The material absorbs some of the flavours of the tea it contains and likewise if allowed to rust was said to absorb the iron, 17th Century Iron-Brew if you will.  We prefer the none rusting enamelled version.

4. The Glass Teapot made its debut at the beginning of the 20th century.  It is said that glass isn't really that practical a material for a teapot.  Glass doesn't retain heat that well and it stains easily.  However when brewing a beautiful tea that is low in tanin and requires a lower water temperature a glass teapot can be a great choice.  Imagine veiwing the brewing process of a tea like our Summer Tea with its multiple types of flower petals swirling around the pot as it brews.  As you can see the brewing process in realtime you'll know when your tea has reached the perfect strength.

5. The modern infuser teapot.  If you want to experience the best tea brewing experience you need the right equipment and you can't go wrong with a teapot with a built-in infuser.  Infuser baskets can be made of materials such as stainless steel, plastic or glass.  A teapot that has a built-in infuser is a really game changer when it comes to brewing loose leaf tea; when brewing loose lea tea in a none infuser pot the tea leaves are left in the pot after it is brewed.  This presents a couple of problems, the first is your tea will stew (over Brew) if not served in time, the second the leaves will need removing from the bottom of the pot.  With an infuser basket built-in to the teapot the tea leaves are contained within the basket and once your tea is brewed to perfection can be removed and disposed of, simple.