A question about teapots...

[OnlyTheBest]

I am going to post this question here rather than the beverage forum becuase i need the answer specific to Seattle.

I need to find a Chinese supply place that has a wide variety of teapots. I have been all over the ID looking but i think i might be missing it.

I usually get the Chinese pots because i am terrible with china and tend to be waaay too clumsy to have anything more than a good dependable Chinese pot that usually runs around 6 dollars or so.

I know there must be somewhere that has Chinese china because most large cities do....but i havent found it yet. It is usually a store that has all kinds of other imported Asian items as well and tons and tons of plates and cups of all patterns.

I was once in a store years ago that had the most wonderful selection of teapots imaginable...almost 2 dozen different kinds every style and shape you could think of.

I would SO appreciate it if someone knows the answer to this. I have been to Unjamaya(sp)...they dont have anything like that as they have mostly things Japanese. I've got a feeling it is right under my nose but i have not found it. If you dont know where...tell me where you think i could start to ask to find out.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. I drink LOADS of tea everyday and have managed to nearly destroy my poor little pot with my all thumbs routines in the kitchen. I really do need a new one. Please let me know if you can help...thanks so much.

[Deborah]

Cost Plus has several inexpensive teapots although I don't know if they are from China or not. I checked mine and there was no "Made in" stamp soooo who knows....but it works great!

I love hot tea. It was a sad day for me a few months ago when my Russell & Hobbs kettle finally died. I just bought a new electric cordless tea kettle and they are great. I have a stash of PG Tips. Hot tea with a touch of milk--perfection on a cold rainy day.

[tsquare]

Like they use in Chinese restaurants? Maybe one of the restaurant supply places?

[OnlyTheBest]

Like they use in Chinese restaurants? Maybe one of the restaurant supply places?

←

Yes...that is the kind of thing i am talking about sorry i wasnt being clear...i meant that these are the kinds of china or dinnerware you see in Chinese resturants....or international gift shops. Usually you will see alot of this kind of thing stacked in isles in Chinese grocery stores...usually the big ones have a large selection. But...like i said...i have been unable to locate a market that carries a good variety.

I am certain that this exists in Seattle...i just have to ask around to see if i can find it. It's usually an importer of Asian goods. I know of one Chinese resturant supply place in the ID...but it was closed the day i was there. They may possibly have a good selection .... but i'll have to check further. Usually places like that just have resturant equipment...but who knows.

[Deborah]

Oh I just remembered--isn't there a tea shop on Queen Anne(The Teacup I think). Maybe you can call them to see if they have what you want, and if not, they would probably know where you can find it.

[Mr. Lucky]

Try heading up Jackson or King until you get to 12th. The markets in this area always seem to be pretty busy and look like they might have what you are looking for. The one on the corner of 12th and King looks to be the most popular. I would advise you park on the street as there are always tons of cars trying to get into the lot that has a very limited number of spaces.

[OnlyTheBest]

Try heading up Jackson or King until you get to 12th. The markets in this area always seem to be pretty busy and look like they might have what you are looking for. The one on the corner of 12th and King looks to be the most popular. I would advise you park on the street as there are always tons of cars trying to get into the lot that has a very limited number of spaces.

←

Yep...been around that area but i have not had the chance to do a complete search. It looks as good a place as any so i will have to check it out more. thanks

[tighe]

There are a couple shops in the Great Wall Mall in Renton/Kent (near Ikea) that carry a selection of inexpensive Asian wares, including teapots. It might be worth the trip and you can always have lunch or dinner at Imperial Garden while you're down there.

Edited November 2, 2004 by tighe (log)

[OnlyTheBest]

There are a couple shops in the Great Wall Mall in Renton/Kent (near Ikea) that carry a selection of inexpensive Asian wares, including teapots.  It might be worth the trip and you can always have lunch or dinner at Imperial Garden while you're down there.

←

WOW!! Excellent suggestion tighe! I totally forgot about the great wall mall...been meaning to go there too....just didnt occur to me to check it out AND!!! a great meal at Imperial Garden as well ! SUPER!

Guess i know what i am doing this week....THANKS!

[rockdoggydog]

There are a couple shops in the Great Wall Mall in Renton/Kent (near Ikea) that carry a selection of inexpensive Asian wares, including teapots.  It might be worth the trip and you can always have lunch or dinner at Imperial Garden while you're down there.

←

WOW!! Excellent suggestion tighe! I totally forgot about the great wall mall...been meaning to go there too....just didnt occur to me to check it out AND!!! a great meal at Imperial Garden as well ! SUPER!

Guess i know what i am doing this week....THANKS!

←

To go along with the Great Wall Mall there's also the newer Ranch 99 in Edmonds that also has a bunch of the same types of stores clustered around it, Ranch 99 itself also has a small selection of chinaware.

Rocky

[OnlyTheBest]

There are a couple shops in the Great Wall Mall in Renton/Kent (near Ikea) that carry a selection of inexpensive Asian wares, including teapots.  It might be worth the trip and you can always have lunch or dinner at Imperial Garden while you're down there.

←

WOW!! Excellent suggestion tighe! I totally forgot about the great wall mall...been meaning to go there too....just didnt occur to me to check it out AND!!! a great meal at Imperial Garden as well ! SUPER!

Guess i know what i am doing this week....THANKS!

←

To go along with the Great Wall Mall there's also the newer Ranch 99 in Edmonds that also has a bunch of the same types of stores clustered around it, Ranch 99 itself also has a small selection of chinaware.

Rocky

←

Hey cool ! Thanks Rocky...I'll add it to my trip.

[elswinger]

I can't think of the name of it but there is a Japanese store on the Ave (south of the UW Bookstore) that has all kinds of China cheap! You might also check Uwajimaya in the ID.

[OnlyTheBest]

I can't think of the name of it but there is a Japanese store on the Ave (south of the UW Bookstore) that has all kinds of China cheap!  You might also check Uwajimaya in the ID.

←

Thanks for your suggestion but i have found that Japanese stores ususally dont like to carry Chinese things. Most of the ones i have been in carry stuff only from Japan with very little Chinese goods at all.....not that i am looking for only a Chinese pot. There just seems to be alot of it around. If i dont find what i am looking for i will check it out. Thanks again

[laurel]

There's a restaurant supply store in the ID near 12th & Jackson: http://www.ipcsupplies.com/

[OnlyTheBest]

There's a restaurant supply store in the ID near 12th & Jackson: http://www.ipcsupplies.com/

←

Thanks for the info laurel...i just called them and they dont have any teapots...only a metal one. Thats ok...it was a good lead...i appreciate it.

[white lotus]

Perhaps it was my imagination but I thought that I had seen a topic a while back where someone was looking for reasonably priced teapots (for frequent users who abuse them) the Seattle area. Anyway, I was in both of the Viet Wah markets yesterday and saw a few in the $8 - $10 catergory. Appologies, but two or the more attractive $10 ones are now mine. The yellow ones remind me of ones you used to see in Chinese restaurants. (Perhaps I should get one of those too...)

Happy Chinese New Years to you all. WL

[OnlyTheBest]

Hi WL... that was me looking for cheap chinese teapots because i always seem to break them. I would die if i broke something really good...so these work well.

I did go to the ID many months ago and found a little shop that had just what i was looking for. But thanks for the suggestion ...its always good to know where to get replacements.

[rockdoggydog]

I recently bought a whole slew of teapots for gifts on amazon for $1.49 each, they're rather small about three to four cups capacity but they also came in a whole rainbow of colours.

Rocky

[Eden]

Any idea on the return policies/quality of the ceramics from Viet Wah?

I bought some rice bowls from a hole in the wall up in Vancouver's chinatown about a year ago & they must have been fired wrong because they would mildew like crazy. you'd wash them & put them in the oven to dry out to be sure they were really dry & they'd still mildew anyway it's made me gun-shy of asian ceramics but I'd like to get over that...

[girl chow]

Any idea on the return policies/quality of the ceramics from Viet Wah? 

I bought some rice bowls from a hole in the wall up in Vancouver's chinatown about a year ago & they must have been fired wrong because they would mildew like crazy.  you'd wash them & put them in the oven to dry out to be sure they were really dry & they'd still mildew      anyway it's made me gun-shy of asian ceramics but I'd like to get over that...

←

Eek! The same thing has happened to me with a ceramic Mikasa bowl I bought at an outlet store. It always seems to get some kind of weird mildew on it, even when it's completely dried (I bought a matching bowl at the same time from the same place (it's smaller) and it does not have a problem with mildew). Maybe this question should be in a cookware?? thread on another eG board, but does anyone know how to save our mildewy bowls? I LOVE the color, shape and size of this bowl and it would be so great if I could figure out how to salvage it.

[tamiam]

Rocky...I am interested in your teapots. Any chance you could post a link or a photo?

Also, at Ross near Crossroads they had a bunch of those small pretty Asian iron type of teapots that usually cost fifty bucks or more. These ones were more like twenty to thirty. I am curious if people use this type of have them more for looks (they are really attractive!)

[white lotus]

Rocky...I am interested in your teapots.  Any chance you could post a link or a photo?

Also, at Ross near Crossroads they had a bunch of those small pretty Asian iron type of teapots that usually cost fifty bucks or more.  These ones were more like twenty to thirty.  I am curious if people use this type of have them more for looks (they are really attractive!)

←

Hi TamIam. I am not a fan of those heavy iron teapots. I don't think that they are practical nor do they brew a better cup of tea. IMHO I think that they were meant as decorative items for export and somehow gained popularity outside of Asia. I may be totaly wrong but I have never seen them used in Japan or anywhere else in Asia. I also don't want to be negative about something being decorative. In regards to tea paraphenalia, I certainly have teapots that don't pour right or are difficult to clean but I have them around because they make me happy. Tea like food can be an obsession. BTW, the cheap teapots I got from Viet Wah seem like they are made from the Chinese version of pyrex/corningware. No molding yet. Sincerely, wl

[rockdoggydog]

Rocky...I am interested in your teapots.  Any chance you could post a link or a photo?

Also, at Ross near Crossroads they had a bunch of those small pretty Asian iron type of teapots that usually cost fifty bucks or more.  These ones were more like twenty to thirty.  I am curious if people use this type of have them more for looks (they are really attractive!)

←

Hi TamIam. I am not a fan of those heavy iron teapots. I don't think that they are practical nor do they brew a better cup of tea. IMHO I think that they were meant as decorative items for export and somehow gained popularity outside of Asia. I may be totaly wrong but I have never seen them used in Japan or anywhere else in Asia. I also don't want to be negative about something being decorative. In regards to tea paraphenalia, I certainly have teapots that don't pour right or are difficult to clean but I have them around because they make me happy. Tea like food can be an obsession. BTW, the cheap teapots I got from Viet Wah seem like they are made from the Chinese version of pyrex/corningware. No molding yet. Sincerely, wl

←

I agree with White Lotus, I have never found the heavy iron pots to be used for anything other than strictly decorative purposes. The exact pot I bought is nto available anymore but this is very similar.

Chantal Teapot

Rocky

Edited February 12, 2005 by rockdoggydog (log)

[LEdlund]

Hi TamIam.  I am not a fan of those heavy iron teapots.  I don't think that they are practical nor do they brew a better cup of tea.  IMHO I think that they were meant as decorative items for export and somehow gained popularity outside of Asia.  I may be totaly wrong but I have never seen them used in Japan or anywhere else in Asia.  I also don't want to be negative about something being decorative.  In regards to tea paraphenalia, I certainly have teapots that don't pour right or are difficult to clean but I have them around because they make me happy.  Tea like food can be an obsession.  BTW, the cheap teapots I got from Viet Wah seem like they are made from the Chinese version of pyrex/corningware.  No molding yet.  Sincerely, wl

←

I agree with White Lotus, I have never found the heavy iron pots to be used for anything other than strictly decorative purposes. 

Rocky

←

I thought that cast iron pots were supposed to be the best for keeping tea warm? At least that is why I've been looking to purchase one. My teapot holds three cups of tea and I usually drink the first one hot, the second one cool and the third as iced tea. I was hoping for a pot that would allow me to have two hot cups (without microwaving it!). Is that not your experience with the cast iron pots?

[ScorchedPalate]

Ooh, this one is purty: Bodum Eileen tea set

Here's the Bodum store's only warmer (though it's $40 vs. $38 on the link just above): warmers

There are also a ton of electric versions that you can find easily through Google.

~A

(edited to remove items that duplicated SeaGal's post...)

Edited February 15, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)