Looking for suggestions

[thommes]

So I want to buy my first clay teapot or two. One will be for sheng and the other for shou puerh. I currently have a porcelain gaiwan, but am ready to try a clay pot. Been reading articles about the different regions and the types of clays, handmade, factory made, old, modern. It will take a long time to even remember all the information and longer to be able to determine a good pot from a bad one. However, I'd like to get a couple pots and start the yang process. So I thought I'd post here for help on trying to narrow the endless possibilities.

My first concern, I don't know what I'm doing and am going to get ripped off. I acknowledge that the write up about a pot on a website could be completely fake. No doubt. But I'm going with the idea that the more established online tea sourcing companies try to be honest, research their sources, and wouldn't last long in business if they ripped too many people off. Even after they see a product, what they actually receive could be something totally different and if the item is shipped form CN then its possible the online store will never actually see what is shipped.

Concern two: buying online. I don't have a 'local' source for tea or teaware. That's why I would like to find a reputable online merchant to buy from.

Third concern: I've been reading about the modern clays containing stabilization chemicals. I haven't read any articles about 2 tea drinkers dieing from the chemicals leaching from a chinese teapot, yet. Are chemicals a big issue with the modern clays?

So far these are the characteristics that I would like in a teapot from highest to lowest: clay that doesn't leach chemicals, vendor that delivers what is listed on website, modern pot, handmade

What am I looking for? suggestions on vendors (us or chinese), types of clay that work well for puer teas, regions that make good quality, opinions if chemicals in the clay are really all that concerning

[.m.]

The most important is to figure out what size you want. Personally, for sheng i'd get something around 80-120ml (although i use 60ml fairly often), for shu 120-160ml (a bigger size holds heat better and extract the tea better). You can go bigger, but in that category you can easily get a western porcelain teapot or just brew in a glass jar or whatever (no need to be fancy to make a good tea).
The best place to get a good deal on a teapot is a used one in the TeaSwap section here or on the facebook Gong Fu Cha group. There is plenty of places to buy new, but not much under $100, it is more like around $150 that a plenty of options opens. If you see something you like, just ask people here on their opinion. Good hunting!

[thommes]

The most important is to figure out what size you want. Personally, for sheng i'd get something around 80-120ml (although i use 60ml fairly often), for shu 120-160ml (a bigger size holds heat better and extract the tea better). You can go bigger, but in that category you can easily get a western porcelain teapot or just brew in a glass jar or whatever (no need to be fancy to make a good tea).
The best place to get a good deal on a teapot is a used one in the TeaSwap section here or on the facebook Gong Fu Cha group. There is plenty of places to buy new, but not much under $100, it is more like around $150 that a plenty of options opens. If you see something you like, just ask people here on their opinion. Good hunting!

How much tea are you using in that 60ml? My porcelain gaiwan is 120ml. I used an 8g sheng dragon ball in the gaiwan last weekend and learned quickly that suggested steeping time of 10 seconds meant 10 seconds! First time I think I brewed sheng. So that sheng lasted me a couple days. I thought my 120 was small for 8g tea. I would think that 8g would literally raise the lid off a 60ml gaiwan or teapot. Aren't you talking one serving when you get down to 60ml? So if you were making tea for more than one you'd have to steep a couple times.

Yeah I've been keeping an eye on the TeaSwap section here and seems like I missed some stuff right before I joined.

[.m.]

The most important is to figure out what size you want. Personally, for sheng i'd get something around 80-120ml (although i use 60ml fairly often), for shu 120-160ml (a bigger size holds heat better and extract the tea better). You can go bigger, but in that category you can easily get a western porcelain teapot or just brew in a glass jar or whatever (no need to be fancy to make a good tea).
The best place to get a good deal on a teapot is a used one in the TeaSwap section here or on the facebook Gong Fu Cha group. There is plenty of places to buy new, but not much under $100, it is more like around $150 that a plenty of options opens. If you see something you like, just ask people here on their opinion. Good hunting!

How much tea are you using in that 60ml? My porcelain gaiwan is 120ml. I used an 8g sheng dragon ball in the gaiwan last weekend and learned quickly that suggested steeping time of 10 seconds meant 10 seconds! First time I think I brewed sheng. So that sheng lasted me a couple days. I thought my 120 was small for 8g tea. I would think that 8g would literally raise the lid off a 60ml gaiwan or teapot. Aren't you talking one serving when you get down to 60ml? So if you were making tea for more than one you'd have to steep a couple times.

Yeah I've been keeping an eye on the TeaSwap section here and seems like I missed some stuff right before I joined.

Yes, i do single servings. The 60ml is very much the limit of usability and i wouldn't recommend starting there. Anything smaller is kind of too small, and also cools down too fast. Around 100ml is the sweet spot for me, and one can already serve for 2 if desired. I don't weight tea so not sure how much i use, but it is probably less than 8g. If the tea actually pushes the lid up, it's too much for my liking, because then there is not enough room for the water. When the tea is at its strongest (2nd,3rd infusion etc), i pour in and pour out almost immediately. Also, i like my tea strong. But there are many ways to brew tea. So it is a good idea to discover first what works good for you before spending substantial money.