For Vietnamese people, teapot is one of 5 factors that determine the quality of tea. Vietnamese people have a saying ” “nhất thủy, nhì trà, tam bôi, tứ ấm, ngũ quần anh”. It means five factors of making a good tea. The first is water, the second is tea leaves, the third is a teacup, the fourth is a teapot, and the fifth is people gathering around a tea set.
The quality of a teapot affects tea flavor and the drinker’s mood. Enjoying Vietnamese tea will be better if you own a teapot following Vietnamese style. This article will provide a basic guide on choosing the best Vietnamese teapot to fit your needs.
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1. How to choose the most suitable Vietnamese teapot
Along with the thousands of years of Vietnam’s tea culture, the pots used to make tea have also evolved in a variety of shapes and types. During this process, there is also the absorption and development of elites from other countries, such as China, Japan, Russia, European countries, etc.
What is the best Vietnamese teapot? There will be no single answer to the question because it depends on each individual’s preferences and needs. However, there are a few factors that you can consider while selecting the best teapot for you.
1.1 Material
Vietnamese teapots are made from a variety of materials, including:
| Clay |
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| Porcelain |
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| Glass |  |
| Metals |
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| Wood |
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| Jade |  |
1.2 Guide on choosing a suitable teapot that fits your needs
Knowing the uses of every type of teapot will help you select the appropriate size, avoid lack of tea to invite guests, or excess tea causing tea water to cool.
When serving for one person
A small teapot with a capacity of 50 – 100ml is appropriate if you frequently drink tea alone.
When serving for 2 – 6 people
A teapot with a capacity of 100 – 250 ml is enough for family members or a small number of guests. You can see the type of teapot in Vietnamese families.
Big teapot for tea shop or restaurant
Tea shops and restaurants that serve a large number of customers use bottles ranging from 3 to 12 liters. In Vietnam, you can see many big teapots in streets that are totally free for people, especially the poor.
1.3 Structures of teapot
The structure is also a factor that many people consider when choosing a Vietnamese teapot. Tea aficionados have found that a teapot having a simple structure can help to make a better tea taste. The tall cylinder and low sphere are the two most popular forms.
Structure of teapot and types of filter
If you want clear tea without any tea leaves, you need to pay attention to the filter of the teapot. The regular teapot has one hole spout, but some teapots have filters (multi holes or hemispherical) available inside, the same material with the pot or separate stainless filter. The teapot spout is also a point to note. The spout must shut off the water neatly after pouring.
The guides listed above may assist you in selecting the ideal teapot. We will study the most common varieties of teapots in Vietnam in the next section.
Related post: Vietnamese tea culture: 5 interesting facts you may not know
2. 4 most popular types of teapot in Vietnam
As we mentioned above, if you want to experience Vietnamese tea fully, let’s make tea in a Vietnamese teapot. Here are the 4 most popular types of teapot you can easily find and buy in Vietnam.
2.1 Tu Sa teapot
Tu Sa is one of the most favorite types of teapot in Vietnam. They are usually compact in size and come in many colors but the most valuable are purple, red and green.
It is originally made from special clay in Yixing, Jiangsu province, China. That explains why this teapot is also called Yixing clay teapot. In Vietnamese, it’s named as Tu Sa teapot. “Tu” means “Purple” and “Sa” means “Sand”.
The clay used to make Tu Sa teapot can be natural, mixed, or artificial. There are 3 popular production methods of this type of teapot:
- Handmade
- Semihandmade
- Using mold
The low Tu Sa teapots are suitable for Oolong tea, and the high teapots are fit for Black tea, Green tea, Pu-erh tea, White tea, etc.
Advantages of Tu Sa teapot
- Clay’s composition contains many minerals.
- Proper heat distribution, insulation, and heat retention.
- Maintain the tea’s distinct flavor and quality. Simultaneously, it absorbs the aroma of tea, allowing it to last longer.
- Capable of fast adapting to environmental changes.
Disadvantages of Tu Sa teapot
- Usually, Tu Sa teapot is good for brewing the same kind of tea. It is suitable for people who only like to drink a certain type of tea.
- There are many fake or low-quality Tu Sa teapots on the market.
- Good quality and original Tu Sa teapot has a high price.
2.2 Clay teapot
Clay teapot is called Ấm Gốm in Vietnamese. The teapot is made using a similar method as the Tu Sa teapot but using the clays of Vietnam. The pots are formed and fired at the appropriate temperature. Bat Trang is a well-known pottery village where many artisans create high-quality clay teapots. Vietnamese clay teapot is suitable for Green Tea, White Tea, Oolong Tea, Flower Tea, etc.
Advantages
- Even heat distribution for tea leaves
- Good insulation helps heat retention.
- Preserve the tea’s quality.
- Wide range of designs
- Good at adapting to temperature changes.
Disadvantages
- Retention of tea flavor. If you use one teapot to make 2 tea types, the flavor of a new tea will be mixtures with the previous flavor.
- Easily stained and broken.
2.3 Porcelain teapot
Porcelain teapot is called Ấm Sứ in Vietnamese. The process of making a porcelain teapot includes 5 basic steps: preparing clay, shaping, decorating patterns, glazing, and burning (at 1200 to 1400 °C). The last three steps make it different from clay teapot. Bat Trang is also a famous place for Vietnamese porcelain teapot products.
Porcelain teapot is suitable for teas that do not require high brewing temperature, such as green tea, flower tea, etc.
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Advantages
- Eye-catching designs, a wide range of styles, colors, sizes
- Easy to clean
- Relatively good insulation
Disadvantages
- The texture inside and outside of the teapot is different, so the heat distribution is uneven, slightly affecting the taste of the tea. It is easier to break than metal teapots but better than a clay teapot.
- Weak adapt to the changes of the environment
- Tea cool off quite fast
2.4 Crystal/Glass teapot
Crystal/Glass teapot (Ấm Thủy Tinh in the Vietnamese language) is made of transparent glass. You can observe the blooming process of tea leaves and other ingredients. It’s the best choice for making Flower Tea, White Tea, Fruit Tea, Herbal Tea, etc.
Advantages
- Observe the brewing and infusion easily
- Give a modern look to a house
Disadvantages
- Need to spend more time cleaning the teapot
- Easily to be broken
- Weak adaptation to temperature changes
Related post: How to make Vietnamese tea – A guideline to enjoy our tea easily!
Your cup of tea will taste better with a decent teapot. We hope you found this article helpful in determining the best Vietnamese teapot to fit your needs. If you’re interested in purchasing Vietnamese tea in bulk, please contact us at info@vietnam-tea.com.
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