Yixing teapots
A Yixing teapot is unglazed clay that slowly takes on the tea you brew.
Start a new pot in three steps
Give it one tea family
Clay holds on to aroma. Keep each pot for one kind of tea, such as roasted oolong or ripe pu'er.
Wake it with hot water
Rinse it inside and out with hot water, then brew the tea you plan to use and pour that first pot away.
Keep soap away
Empty the leaves, rinse with hot water and leave the lid off to dry. Soap sinks into bare clay and stays there.
The clay remembers every tea you brew.
What to look for
Many pots sold as Yixing are mass-produced, and some contain added colorants. A seal on the base proves nothing, so buy from a seller who can tell you what the clay is.
Yixing teapots
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
What is a Yixing teapot?
A Yixing teapot is an unglazed pot made from zisha clay from Yixing, Jiangsu. The clay is slightly porous, and tea drinkers say it keeps some aroma.
Can you wash a Yixing teapot with soap?
No. Rinse it with hot water and let it air dry. Bare clay can absorb soap and pass the taste into your next pot.
How can I tell if a Yixing teapot is real?
You often can't be sure from a photo. Test how it pours, check the lid fit and smell it, then ask what clay and method were used.
