Gaiwan: Glass vs Porcelain

Tagged: gaiwan, glass, porcelain

This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 5 months ago by ICE.

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- 2013.11.19 at 5:31 am #8618
  
  Tea Man Bill
  Participant
  
  C.H. wrote to us with the following question, I think it would benefit all if we post it here:
  
  To Whom it May Concern:
  
  I just began to learn about gong fu tea, and I am so excited about this method! However, I have a question about the vessels I should procure: concerning the gaiwan, what are the benefits in using porcelain over glass? I like the idea of being able to see the tea while it brews, and the rest of the tea set that I am considering purchasing is glass. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.
  
  Thank you!
- 2013.11.19 at 5:57 am #10078
  
  Tea Man Bill
  Participant
  
  We have test-used a number of glass gaiwans, many of which popular in online stores, and have found none satisfactory. Their relative clumsiness for handling aside, the resultant tastes from them have been inferior to those from simple porcelain ones. That’s why we always recommend against the use of glass gaiwans. They are good only for photo purposes. Teapots made with thicker glass, however, are okay.
  
  For details of the criteria in selecting a gaiwan for gongfu infusion, please visit:
  
  https://www.teaguardian.com/how-to-make-tea/tea-accessories-gaiwan-1.html#.UotDAJHVof8
  
  This video details well also the reasons for detail criteria of the gaiwan:
  
  https://www.teaguardian.com/how-to-make-tea/gongfu-tea-2.html#.UotDXpHVof8
  
  FYI, although we recommend strict criteria in selecting a gaiwan, those meeting such criteria are not rare, nor necessarily expensive. Some are in fact much more affordable than glass ones.
- 2013.11.25 at 6:29 am #10082
  
  teanewby
  Participant
  
  I am interested in the point about glass teapot. How thick do you consider thick enough?
- 2013.11.25 at 9:53 pm #10085
  
  Betty
  Participant
  
  I agree with you Bill! The glass gaiwan was not even half as easy to handle as the bone china gaiwan and it drips :-S
- 2013.11.26 at 12:52 am #10086
  
  sofie1212
  Participant
  
  I still have a thin glass teapot that I now use only as decoration. 😐
- 2013.11.30 at 10:16 am #10089
  
  ICE
  Participant
  
  I can understand why people like glass gaiwans, because I too was attracted by it when I first saw it years ago. The one that I bought was mostly used to hold paper clips before it broke.
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