I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Does anyone know anything about the Forlife line of products? I was
looking at their Stump teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/stump-
teapot.html) and their Whole Leaf Teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/
wholeleaf.html)

Does anyone have any experience with these? Or does anyone recommend a
better teapot?

Thanks

On Sep 28, 10:12 am, " wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Does anyone know anything about the Forlife line of products? I was
looking at their Stump teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/stump-
teapot.html) and their Whole Leaf Teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/
wholeleaf.html)

Does anyone have any experience with these? Or does anyone recommend a
better teapot?

Thanks

No experience with those, in fact, I've never even heard of them
before. Maybe check Uptontea and something like the Chatsford teapots.
They have cool little 2 cup ones up to big ones, they have infusers,
and are very popular.

- Dominic

I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot

Dominic:
No experience with those, in fact, I've never even heard of them
before. Maybe check Uptontea and something like the Chatsford teapots.
They have cool little 2 cup ones up to big ones, they have infusers,
and are very popular.

Everyone seems to like Chatsfords. I use one daily, also obtained from
Upton's (and get some tea samples from them while you're ordering).

Best,

Rick.

On Sep 28, 10:12 am, " wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Does anyone know anything about the Forlife line of products? I was
looking at their Stump teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/stump-
teapot.html) and their Whole Leaf Teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/
wholeleaf.html)

Does anyone have any experience with these? Or does anyone recommend a
better teapot?

Thanks

There are a few things to consider:

1. Glass teapot teapot will not retain flavor of strong pu-erhs and
black teas and
you can wash one out and brew a subtle white without any problem. But
glass
teapot will not hold the tea warm for as long.

2. Glass teapot is harder to keep clean-looking.

3. On the plus side, glass teapot will require less hot water to pre-
heat it before
brewing. Clay teapot will need more.

4. Large pot will keep the tea hot for a far longer time, which may be
a good thing
at work even if you don't need that much tea.

5. Clay pots will typically have metal infusers which I personally
find lacking with
white and green teas as they impart metallic flavor. At least some
glass pots
have glass infusers.

6. Chinese stores (like pearl river or kam man in manhattan and many
online tea
stores) usually have a japanese-made ceramic pot for around $15. It's
made of
black ceramic clay and has a colored glazed lid. The pot itself isn't
glazed, so
you'll run into problems if you brew whites after blacks as I
mentioned before,
especially if you brew teas flavored with jasmine or something like
that. But I
have one of those pots and it's good. I'm not sure if it's sold with
an infuser, I
think I bought an infuser separately in Kam Man.

7. Any small decent pot will have spout on top, I think. Wouldn't
putting it in
the middle make it effectively half-capacity?

8. Are you sure you want to have an infuser? I find that good teas
don't need
one at all and make better brew when leaves float freely. Since good
expensive
teas are still very cheap per cup, and are more reliable in terms of
being hard
to brew wrong, they seem like a good idea for work. The only exception
is
darjeeling teas which just don't work well when infused for a long
time, except
for the best ones which are kind of expensive..

9. If you want an infuser to make it easier to get rid of spent
leaves, I found that
it's even easier to use one of those strainers that look like a really
big spoon with
a wire mesh at the end, when cleaning out a pot, I pour in some water
and then
pour out water with leaves through the spoon strainer.

10. One issue with the ceramic pot I mentioned is that the lid handle
is rather
small and gets very hot when brewing blacks. A Jenaer glass pot I have
does
not have this problem, the handle is both large and never gets hot.

11. I don't like those stump pots too much. First of all the lid might
get very
hot if you touch it by mistake at work.. Second, the part of the lid
that you
have to push might also get too hot, it seems like heat would transfer
directly
to it.. A clay lid seems to be more fitting on a clay pot, and also
the design
is too angly, rounded curves are more suitable in teapot design, but
that's just
my taste.

hth..

wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Try the 2-cup Chatsford from Upton's. If you get the cheaper earthenware
sort, it will keep the tea warmer a little longer than the bone china.
DO NOT forget a tea cosy if you intend on keeping the tea for a while.
In a pinch, a terrycloth towel or the padded cloth covers from old HP test
equipment will do as a cozy.

Does anyone know anything about the Forlife line of products? I was
looking at their Stump teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/stump-
teapot.html) and their Whole Leaf Teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/
wholeleaf.html)

I have not used them. There are three questions to ask: do they allow
easy brewing with a basket, do they keep the tea warm, and do they drip?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Sep 28, 11:58 am, (Richard Chappell) wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot

Dominic:

No experience with those, in fact, I've never even heard of them
before. Maybe check Uptontea and something like the Chatsford teapots.
They have cool little 2 cup ones up to big ones, they have infusers,
and are very popular.

Everyone seems to like Chatsfords.

Not me though! I never used one but I don't like the way their spouts
are bending in a way that's too unnatural and funky vs. chinese and
japanese pots that bend in a way that water flows, tree branches grow,
etc. Same goes for british cups (at least for traditional designs).
But
that's a matter of taste, of course, and if OP likes the photos of
Chatsfords,
he'll probably like the pot itself. I'm sure they're good pots, maybe
I'm
just too picky :P.


Best,

Rick.

On Sep 28, 10:12 am, " wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Does anyone know anything about the Forlife line of products? I was
looking at their Stump teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/stump-
teapot.html) and their Whole Leaf Teapot (http://www.forlifedesign.com/
wholeleaf.html)

Does anyone have any experience with these? Or does anyone recommend a
better teapot?

Thanks

I brew all kinds of tea at work - white, Chinese greens, Japanese
greens, black, pu-erh, and oolong! I find that what works best for me
is a small, ceramic Japanese teapot with a built in filter that covers
the spot. You can find a cheaper one with a fine metal mesh. Since
this type of pot is made for sencha, which has very fine leaves, it
is effective at filtering all types of tea. If you do want to use it
for all tea types, it must be a finished ceramic on the inside
though. I bought a few in Japan for $10 or $15 on sale. They hold
maybe 8 oz or a touch more. I haven't seen them that cheap in the US
anywhere though - maybe a local Japanese or Asian grocery store. Good
luck!

Mugs + infuser + lid are all over Chinatown for $5. Pot + infuser +
lid are in discount stores for $10. Bottom line, don't spend much for
what you are describing.

Jim

wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot
should have a built in/removable infuser, be relatively small (2 cups
worth, preferably), and not be too expensive. I just want something to
keep the tea relatively warm as I use it throughout the day. I've also
been told to buy a teapot with the spout close to the top, which makes
it a little harder to find teapots.

Thanks, everyone. For your suggestions.

It seems a lot of people favor the Chatsfords. My only concern about
them is the fact that the spout is so low on the bottom. I was told to
pick a spout closer to the top, so that you don't get as much residue
when you pour the tea.

What's the difference between the 2-cup Eathenware Chatsford on sale
for $16.00 and the Series E for $19.80?

On Sep 28, 11:58 am, (Richard Chappell) wrote:
I'm looking for a small teapot that I can use at work. The teapot

Dominic:

No experience with those, in fact, I've never even heard of them
before. Maybe check Uptontea and something like the Chatsford teapots.
They have cool little 2 cup ones up to big ones, they have infusers,
and are very popular.

Everyone seems to like Chatsfords. I use one daily, also obtained from
Upton's (and get some tea samples from them while you're ordering).

Best,

Rick.

wrote:
...
It seems a lot of people favor the Chatsfords. My only concern about
them is the fact that the spout is so low on the bottom. I was told to
pick a spout closer to the top, so that you don't get as much residue
when you pour the tea.
...

There is a 2-cup Porcelain Chatsford Teapot with the spout closer to the
top of the teapot, shown near the bottom of the webpage at:
http://tinyurl.com/29g2em
It's expensive, but porcelain is stronger than earthenware, or bone china.

hth

On Sep 30, 6:52 pm, TeaSeeker wrote:
wrote:
...
It seems a lot of people favor the Chatsfords. My only concern about
them is the fact that the spout is so low on the bottom. I was told to
pick a spout closer to the top, so that you don't get as much residue
when you pour the tea.
...

There is a 2-cup Porcelain Chatsford Teapot with the spout closer to the
top of the teapot, shown near the bottom of the webpage at:http://tinyurl.com/29g2em
It's expensive, but porcelain is stronger than earthenware, or bone china.

hth

It is more expensive. Do you think it's worth the extra money? Is it
really that big of a concern?

wrote:
It seems a lot of people favor the Chatsfords. My only concern about
them is the fact that the spout is so low on the bottom. I was told to
pick a spout closer to the top, so that you don't get as much residue
when you pour the tea.

If you use a basket, the residue becomes really little issue. And the
Chatsfords come with baskets.

What's the difference between the 2-cup Eathenware Chatsford on sale
for $16.00 and the Series E for $19.80?

The older model has been discontinued and replaced with the Series E
which is a slightly different shape.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."