A teapot can set the mood and the look for tea time. From elegant to fun and whimsical, here are my teapot picks for all occasions and in a range of prices.
Finding the Best Teapot
With so many teapot options out there, it’s hard to find the right one for your needs.
I’ll help you narrow down your choices and figure out what to look for.
What to Look for When Buying a Teapot
- Ceramic or porcelain or glass?
The answer? It depends. All three are great options for a teapot with pros and cons. Ceramic is sturdy and good for retaining heat but can be heavy. Porcelain is light and delicate but can be too dainty. Glass is perfect for herbal tea but doesn’t do well with retaining heat. - Stainless steel infuser
An infuser is a must! To brew tea properly, an infuser is your best friend. - Makes 2-4 cups
A teapot that holds 2-4 cups is the perfect size for serving tea at tea time. Too big and it becomes too heavy to pour without a mess.
My Pick for Best Teapot:
Photo Credit: williams-sonoma.com
Other Recommended Teapots:
Photo Credit: amazon.com
A cute teapot perfect for everyday use in simple, clean white. Made of porcelain, the teapot makes enough tea for 2 cups and the infuser is made of stainless steel.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Teapot Tips
- Warm up the teapot before pouring in hot tea. This prevents the tea from cooling down too quickly while steeping. Pour in some hot water and swirl it around, then discard the water.
- Don’t let the tea sit in water for too long. This will make your tea bitter.
- If you’re getting a teapot with an infuser, look for one that comes with a big infuser. The bigger the infuser, the more room your loose tea will have to steep properly.
Questions You May Have
To make tea, use an electric kettle (not a teapot) to boil water then pour the hot water into the teapot followed by scoops of tea.
Teapots are for brewing tea only, not for boiling water. Do not place a teapot directly onto a stovetop. A kettle’s only purpose is to boil water and it’s not for steeping tea.
A teapot is usually short and stout in shape (yup, like from “I’m A Little Teapot”) to allow room for the tea leaves to unfurl. A coffee pot is tall and slender so that the coffee grounds can easily settle to the bottom.
On a teapot, the spout is usually placed at the bottom of the body since tea leaves are busy floating at the top. With a coffee pot, the spout is at the middle of the pot so that it’s not pouring out coffee grounds that have settled at the bottom.
To pour the teapot properly, hold onto the handle with one hand and place your index finger from your other hand on top of the lid. This prevents the lid from sliding off in case you tilt the teapot too far.