What to Buy Coffee, Tea & Espresso The Best Teapots of 2024, According to Tea Experts Get the best brew using these top picks. By Cindy Brzostowski Cindy Brzostowski Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. Along with her previous work experience in cookbook publishing, she is an avid home cook. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 22, 2024 In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Our Favorite Teapots Factors to Consider FAQ Our Expertise We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Food & Wine / Amazon There's nothing quite like a cup of freshly brewed tea — any of the different types of tea — to warm you right up. Sure, it's easy enough to pop a pre-packaged tea bag into a mug and pour hot water from an electric kettle right over, but there's something extra nice about preparing your beverage in a thoughtfully designed teapot that looks great and has your refill ready when you want it. But it's about more than just feeling special: A good teapot leaves lots of room for the tea leaves to expand, move around, and release their flavor, resulting in a tastier brew. We researched tons of teapots, looking at important factors like material, capacity, features, and aesthetics to determine which ones are the best to buy right now. We also spoke with three tea experts to hear about the pots they love to use themselves (and get their expert insights on brewing): Bonnie Eng, creator of the Thirsty for Tea blog; Swadesh Shrestha, owner of Chiya Chai in Chicago; and Steve Schwartz, founder and master tea blender of Art of Tea in Los Angeles. Scroll on to see our full list of the best teapots. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Hario ChaCha Kyusu Maru Glass Teapot at Amazon ($19) Jump to Review Best Value: Primula Half Moon Teapot at Amazon ($25) Jump to Review Best for Beginners: Bodum Assam Tea Press with Stainless Steel Filter at Amazon ($20) Jump to Review Best Cast Iron: Suyika Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot at Amazon ($80) Jump to Review Best with Built-In Strainer: Kinto Stainless Unitea One Touch Teapot at Amazon ($35) Jump to Review Best Ceramic: Sweejar Royal Teapot at Amazon ($27) Jump to Review Best Personal-Size: Tokoname Japanese Teapot at Amazon (See Price) Jump to Review Best Splurge: Wedgwood Renaissance Red Teapot at Wedgwood.com ($248) Jump to Review Best Stainless Steel: Venoly Stainless Steel Tea Pot at Amazon ($25) Jump to Review Best Overall Hario ChaCha Kyusu Maru Glass Teapot Amazon View On Amazon $19 View On Walmart $35 Pros A sleek, easy-to-clean design matched with an extra-large strainer to extract full flavor make this an ideal teapot for daily use. Cons Even the largest size of this teapot is on the smaller side, so it's best for small batches. This is Eng's very favorite teapot. "It's versatile, lightweight, and sturdy," she says. "Because it's made with heatproof glass, it allows you to appreciate not only the taste but also the color of your tea." The material is also easy to wash free of any residue when it's time for your next brew. Another major plus is that the teapot's large strainer that nearly reaches the bottom of the pot and gives ample room for the tea to expand as it infuses. "You'll be able to see your tea leaves 'dance' — a term used to describe watching your tea leaves move about as they brew," Eng says. While the teapot comes in three sizes, we prefer the largest, which can make about three servings at a time. Material: Glass | Capacity: 23.7 ounces | Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.72 x 5.71 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes Best Value Primula Half Moon Teapot Amazon View On Amazon $25 View On Walmart $30 Pros With an included filter and large capacity, this inexpensive teapot is an easy choice. Cons You have to wait for the pot to cool down before removing the filter. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a quality teapot. This option by Primula is inexpensive and gets the job done in style. It’s made of borosilicate glass and features a plastic handle, lid, and angled cover for its unique half-moon look. There's also has a silicone base to keep the pot from sliding around on your countertop, and a mesh filter for proper steeping and straining. It's even dishwasher-safe! The Primula is sizable, especially for its price, able to make more than a quart of tea at a time. The only real downside about the design is that the removable filter doesn't have a handle or other way of getting it out safely when it's hot. You’ll have to wait for the pot to cool down before you take it out, or get creative and try to dig it out with a fork or some tongs. Materials: Glass, plastic | Capacity: 40 ounces | Dimensions: 5.75 x 7.25 x 6.75 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes Best for Beginners Bodum Assam Tea Press with Stainless Steel Filter Amazon View On Amazon $20 View On Target $20 View On Wayfair $30 Pros This dishwasher-safe teapot's press lets you stop brewing at exactly the right time. Cons The stainless steel lid gets quite hot, and you shouldn't fill the pot to the brim with water if you want to make use of the press feature. Shrestha says this teapot is a great introductory option because it's "accessible, inexpensive, and easy to use every day." The stay-cool plastic handle, dishwasher-safe cleanup, and transparent glass material all make brewing simple, but the special feature of the Bodum Tea Press that's perfect for beginners is, well, the tea press. You push down on a plunger in the lid when steeping is done to move the leaves into a sealed section of the infuser, effectively stopping the tea from brewing any further. (It's similar to how a French press works for coffee.) The setup "helps you to decide how long you should steep the tea, depending upon how strong or light you want it," Shrestha says. You can watch the water change color through the clear pot and pour off the finished tea exactly to order, with no need to worry about oversteeping and bitterness. Materials: Borosilicate glass, stainless steel, plastic | Capacity: 51 ounces | Dimensions: 6.5 x 6.7 x 8.38 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes Best Cast Iron Suyika Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot Amazon View On Amazon $80 Pros Great for serving many people, this large teapot has a beautiful look, holds heat effectively, and is nearly indestructible. Cons The cast iron pot is quite heavy and can be awkward to handle. Cast iron cookware is popular because cast iron is an excellent heat conductor, plus it's extremely durable. The material lets this pot from Sukiya serve as both kettle and brewer: You can put it directly atop a stove burner to boil water, then remove it from the heat and insert the included infuser. We also love its unique aesthetic, with an attractive and attention-getting look. This is the kind of teapot you'd want to take out to impress guests, and it's crowd-friendly, with a capacity of 60 ounces. (That's easily enough for six large mugs, and can serve as many as a dozen.) The large size and dense material make this a quite heavy teapot, especially when it's full. The hemp-wrapped handle helps make it easier to maneuver, but you'll need to be careful to avoid spills and burns. Material: Cast iron | Capacity: 60 ounces | Dimensions: 8.43 x 8.39 x 4.8 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: No Best with Built-In Strainer Kinto Stainless Unitea One Touch Teapot Amazon View On Amazon $35 Pros The built-in filter lid gives tea the entire inside of this pot to float around and infuse properly. Cons It's fairly expensive for its size and simple design. One of the keys to brewing great tea is allowing the leaves lots of room to soak up water, expand, and move around. The Kinto Unitea's clever design makes it so the entire inside of the pot is available; there's a filter built into the stainless-steel lid that works as you pour. "This is our family's typical go-to teapot," Schwartz says. "With its minimalist design, it elegantly simplifies the tea-steeping experience. The clear glass construction not only adds a touch of sophistication but also allows tea lovers to visually enjoy the leaves unfurling and the tea's color infusion, making brewing an intuitive art." The Kinto is dishwasher-safe, and it can even go in the microwave (without its metal lid!) to reheat your leftovers. It holds about 24 ounces, enough for three or four servings. That's not tiny, but it's also not huge, especially given the relatively high price. Materials: Glass, stainless steel | Capacity: 24.3 ounces | Dimensions: 5.91 x 3.07 x 4.72 inches | Infuser: Built-in strainer | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes Best Ceramic Sweejar Royal Teapot Amazon View On Amazon $27 Pros This colorful pot adds a refined touch to any tea party, and it's easy to work with. Cons If you prefer big mugs to dainty cups, its capacity is on the small side. Want to serve a traditional British afternoon tea? This porcelain vessel is ideal. It brings a level of sophistication with its scalloped shape and thin gold rim, and its eye-catching color options range from jade green to lavender to pink (or plain old white, if you're boring). There's a stainless-steel infuser included, and the pot can go in the dishwasher when the gathering is over. The Sweejar pot is lovely to look at, but its small size is its main weakness: A full batch will only fill about four teacups. But for an intimate teatime, it's ideal. In fact, if you’re interested in the full experience, we recommend Sweejar's tea set, which includes this pot, six cups and saucers, a cream pitcher, and a sugar bowl, all in a matching pattern. Material: Porcelain | Capacity: 28 ounces | Dimensions: 8 x 7.5 x 6.5 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes The 4 Best Stovetop Kettles of 2024, According to Our Tests Best Personal-Size Tokoname Japanese Teapot Amazon View On Amazon Pros The built-in spout strainer and side handle make this pot a breeze to use and pour. Cons Lefties will have trouble with the one-way handle, and the small pot can only make one or two cups at a time. This distinctively shaped teapot is called a yokode kyusu. The Japanese design features a thick handle sticking off the side that allows for elegant pouring — you secure the lid with your thumb while you rotate the pot toward its spout. Instead of a removable infuser, there's a built-in strainer on the inside of the spout that keeps solids out of the finished tea. The finely detailed pot is made from unglazed clay, which will absorb some of the flavors of whatever you brew in it. That can add complexity to each cup you brew in the future, but you'll probably want to avoid anything super strong-tasting unless that's the only thing you want to drink. It's also fairly small, made for personal use more than for a group. And if you're left-handed, you might have some trouble with any yokode kyusu, which only pours comfortably when held with the right hand. Material: Clay | Capacity: 11.8 ounces | Dimensions: 5.71 x 6.69 x 3.94 inches | Infuser: Built-in strainer | Dishwasher-Safe: No Best Splurge Wedgwood Renaissance Red Teapot Wedgwood View On Wedgwood.com $248 Pros Light but made to last, this sophisticated china teapot is one that can become a family heirloom. Cons There's no strainer included, so you'll have to get your own or use tea bags. Throwing yourself a tea party at home already feels a bit fancy, so why not embrace the feeling with a lavish teapot made of fine china? From the legendary Wedgwood brand, this gorgeous teapot is embellished with a swanky neoclassical crimson-and-gold pattern that begs to be put on display rather than in the back of a dark cabinet. The pot looks and feels delicate, but it's more durable than it seems: The brand even says it's okay to run through the dishwasher. There's just no way around the fact that Wedgwood pottery is very expensive. This is an heirloom piece at an heirloom price. It also doesn't include its own infuser, so you'll need to buy one or use tea bags. It's a small annoyance but a glaring omission considering that the teapot costs more than $300. Material: Bone china | Capacity: 33.8 ounces | Includes Infuser: No | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes The Best Coffee Mugs Our Editors Love Best Stainless Steel Venoly Stainless Steel Tea Pot Amazon View On Amazon $25 Pros This dishwasher-safe teapot will keep your drink nice and warm for a long time. Cons The lid can get very hot, so extra caution is needed. From the removable infuser inside to the lid on top, this teapot is made entirely of stainless steel. It's a minimalist look, but the cute bulbous body and curved handle give the Venoly a bit more personality. The dense material is rust-resistant and dishwasher-safe, and it'll keep your tea from going cold anytime soon. Just be careful with the lid! The heat-conductive steel gets very hot very fast, and we recommend using a kitchen towel or hot pad to take it it off after steeping. Thankfully, the included infuser has its own handle that makes it easy to remove when your tea is done. Material: Stainless steel | Capacity: 33.8 ounces | Dimensions: 6 x 5 x 5 inches | Includes Infuser: Yes | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes Our Favorite Teapots The Hario Cha Cha Kyusu Maru Glass Teapot is our all-around favorite because of its top-notch design and very reasonable price. If you're hosting multiple guests, the Suyika Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot has a 60-ounce capacity to serve a crowd, and looks incredible doing so. Factors to Consider Material Probably the most important consideration when choosing a teapot is its material. Common options include glass, ceramic, steel and cast iron, all of which have different characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. "Ceramic teaware — especially unglazed — and cast iron are porous and often hold on to residual flavors after a brew," Eng says. "There's nothing wrong with this, but if you prefer one of these more porous teapot options, then it's a good idea for that particular teapot to be dedicated to brewing one kind of tea only. This way, you'll be able to appreciate your tea as it was meant to be enjoyed without any crossing of flavors. Of all the materials, glass and stainless steel are less likely to hold on to residual flavors when washed properly." A teapot's material also affects its heat retention. For example, metal teapots are known for staying warm longer, while glass doesn't hold onto heat as well. Shrestha says even things like the surface of your kitchen counters and living situation may affect what teapot material to choose. "If you have hard surfaces like granite or marble, or if you live with pets or children, you may want to consider a more durable teapot, such as stainless steel instead of clay or glass." Capacity Teapots range in capacity from a personal-sized model that barely fills one mug to a party-sized monster that can serve a dozen. Consider how much and how often you brew, and aim for a size that's close to the amount of tea you want to make regularly. It's a pain to run back and forth boiling more water and brewing additional batches, but it's also a bad idea to let unserved tea sit in the pot to oversteep and get bitter. A bigger pot will, of course, also be heavier and take up more space than a smaller one. Special Features There aren't a lot of bells and whistles available for teapots, but some include helpful extras. One common accessory is a removable infuser/strainer that lets you stop brewing at just the right point, and remove the leaves without needing to scrub them out of the inside of the pot. Other models have a strainer built into the pot, while some need tea bags or a separate strainer. Other potentially helpful additions include non-stick feet or an included trivet/coaster, a spill-proof spout, and a French press-style plunger to stop brewing and collect loose leaves at the same time. Frequently Asked Questions How do you use a teapot? At the most basic level, you put tea and hot water inside, then wait for the tea to steep. (In most cases, you don't actually boil water in a teapot; that's what a stovetop kettle or electric kettle is for.)Eng says it’s crucial to note the ideal brew temperature of the tea you’re using. “Whatever temperature that is for your particular tea, first pour some water of that temperature into the teapot before the tea leaves go in, then decant the water,” she advises. “This important step helps to heat up the teapot, so when you pour in your water for brewing, it's at the ideal brewing temperature for that particular tea. Without this step, the temperature of the water may be lower than ideal, resulting in less flavor.” Water that's too hot, on the other hand, can result in a bitter brew.Shrestha says that you must allow the appropriate time for the tea to brew and steep. “Do not be impatient when steeping black and other stronger teas,” he says. “The extra few minutes will give the tea a satisfying full-bodied flavor and bring out the best aroma.” He notes that green teas need shorter steeping times to maintain their fresh and floral notes. How do you clean a teapot? Shrestha says it’s better not to use soap to clean a teapot. “Teapots absorb what you put in them, and you definitely do not want the taste or flavors of soap interfering with the taste of your tea,” he says. “Glass teapots are a little more forgiving of soap but will still retain the smell and taste." Tea actually contains small amounts of naturally occurring oils that are good for pots, which soap will wash away. Shrestha recommends using only hot water to rinse your teapot and letting it dry on the dish rack upside down.If you do decide to use a little bit of soap or the dishwasher to clean your glass or stainless steel teapots, Eng recommends giving them a thorough rinse before brewing the next batch of tea. What type of teapot holds heat best? Shrestha says that stainless steel and other metal teapots are better for heat retention than glass. Ceramic also beats out glass in terms of heat retention, but stainless steel options are the best if you’re concerned about having your teapot staying hot for long periods of time. Our Expertise Cindy Brzostowski is a freelance writer and avid home cook who has previous experience in cookbook publishing. Her writing has been featured in Allrecipes, Blue Apron, The Kitchn, and EatingWell among other publications. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit