Choosing your teapot, and the kettle to go with it
By the LBDT Sommelier · published on · 3 min read
Reviewed and approved by the La Boutique du Thé team
A teapot is chosen first by the tea you will brew in it and the number of cups you serve: enamelled cast iron holds the heat for black teas and oolongs, porcelain and glass stay neutral for green and white teas, and a capacity of 500 to 600 ml is enough for two. The second purchase, often more useful than the first, is a temperature-controlled kettle.
The material, according to the teas you drink
| Material | For which teas | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enamelled cast iron (Japanese tetsubin) | Black teas, oolongs, rooibos, flavoured teas | Retains heat for a long time, very sturdy, beautiful on the table | Heavy; the enamelled interior must not be scoured; keep it for a single type of tea |
| Porcelain | All teas, especially green and white | Neutral, retains no odour, moves from one tea to another | Cools more quickly |
| Glass | Green teas, white teas, tea flowers, cold infusions | You can watch the leaf unfurl and see the colour of the liquor | Cools quickly, fragile |
| Unglazed clay (Yixing, Tokoname kyusu) | A single tea, oolong or Pu-erh, or sencha for the kyusu | Seasons over time and rounds out the tea | One tea per teapot, never any soap |
The capacity
- 300 to 400 ml: one person, or teas re-steeped in small quantities, such as oolong, gyokuro, Pu-erh.
- 500 to 600 ml: two people, the most useful size for everyday.
- 1 litre and more: the family, brunch, iced tea.
Allow 2.5 g of tea per 200 ml: a 600 ml teapot needs 7 to 8 g, three heaped teaspoons.
Mariage Frères cast iron teapots
Made in Japan from artisanal cast iron, enamelled inside, with a stainless steel filter: the Kanbin, 500 ml, a refined silhouette, €140; the Natsumi, 1 litre, a rounded curve, €178; the Pleine Lune, 600 ml, white and pink, €198. These are objects that last for decades: it is the gift we recommend for someone who drinks tea every day.
The kettle, the real difference
Japanese green teas are steeped at 70 °C, white teas at 85 °C, gyokuro at 50 °C: without temperature control, you scald them. A variable-temperature kettle solves the problem for good. The Serena 1.7 l (€99.99, also in a platinum finish) offers eleven settings from 50 to 100 °C with a digital display; the Fujian (€149.99) and the Sencha (€199.99) are the tabletop models. The Simeo kettles (from €54.99 to €59.99) are simple kettles for black teas and herbal infusions.
Care
- Enamelled cast iron: rinse with hot water, dry immediately with the lid open, never use soap or an abrasive sponge, never place on the hob. A brown deposit inside is normal and desirable.
- Porcelain and glass: dishwasher safe; tea stains come off with bicarbonate of soda and hot water.
- Clay: clean water only, and a single tea.
- Kettle: descale every month with diluted white vinegar or citric acid, especially in hard water areas.
The accessories to go with it
An opaque tea tin from the house (€15) to store loose leaf tea, or a washi tin by Esprit Céladon (€16.50 to €18.50) with a double lid; a matcha bowl (€23) if you take up matcha; a bombilla (€11) for maté; the 50 ml glass cups (€21.50 for 4) for serving oolongs in short infusions.
The sommelier's selection
Frequently asked questions
Which teapot for green tea?
Porcelain or glass, neutral and easy to wash, from 300 to 500 ml. Above all, a kettle set to 70 °C: the teapot matters less than the water temperature.
Can a cast iron teapot go on the hob?
No. The enamelled cast iron teapots sold here are for steeping, not for heating water: the enamel would crack.
Do you need one teapot per tea?
Only for unglazed clay, which retains aromas. Enamelled cast iron suits one family of teas, black or flavoured; porcelain and glass suit everything.
Which capacity should you choose?
500 to 600 ml for two people, 1 litre for the family, 300 ml for a single drinker or for teas you steep again.
Is a variable-temperature kettle useful?
It is the accessory that changes the taste of tea the most: it avoids scalding green and white teas, and gives black teas the simmering water they need. Eleven settings from 50 to 100 °C on the Serena.
To go further
Written by the LBDT Sommelier, La Boutique du Thé, official Mariage Frères stockist in Bordeaux and Nice since 1999. Published on 15 October 2026. Prices as observed on the date of publication; the price shown on the product page prevails.
More guides from the house
- Cast iron teapot: telling it apart from a tetsubin, preparing it and caring for itAn enamelled cast iron teapot steeps, a tetsubin heats water. First rinse, steeping, drying, rust: our advice and our Japanese models.Read the guide →
- Tea accessories: the essentials, and the ones that bring pleasureWhich tea accessory to buy first: adjustable kettle, infuser, measuring spoon, tea timer, caddy. The role of each and the pleasure items to add.Read the guide →
- How to store tea: what spoils it, where to keep it, which tin to chooseHow to store tea: away from air, light, moisture and odours. Where to keep it, which tin to choose, what the date on the packet is worth.Read the guide →