I’m quite partial to an English Breakfast or an Earl Grey tea. But I also like to ensure I have a cup of green tea every day too – so many health benefits!
But how you brew the tea has implications for the taste and because of that we love cast iron teapots because they genuinely make the best tasting tea on the planet.
Why? Because, they have a really high thermal conductivity, which means your tea brews at a slower pace really bringing out more of the flavour.
And it stays nice and hot for a longer time than it otherwise would have so you can enjoy several cups, one after the other!
But that’s not all, this high thermal conductivity makes the tea leaves abstract the taste slowly, which is perfect for the more delicate tasting teas, such as pomegranate or coconut.
Moreover, cast iron teapots are far more durable than their counterparts, such as stoneware, porcelain, stainless steel, or aluminum.
AND cast iron teapots also improve the water quality by releasing iron ions and absorbing chloride ions in water, making the resulting tea softer and sweeter.
There are some really great cast iron teapots out on the market at the moment so it can be quite hard to pick just one.
And, without further ado these were the top 3 results…
Here’s Our Top 3 Picks For The Cast Iron Teapots
OUR TOP PICK
Now, this is the one to go for if you’re looking for a teapot that looks authentically Japanese!
Not only is it made of cast iron, like the traditional Japanese Tetsubin teapots, but its beautiful pattern just couldn’t be more Japanese in theme!
There’s no wonder it’s a bestseller!
Overlaid on the black cast iron of the teapot is an exquisite and very delicate design, featuring a beautiful tree peppered in blossom, painted over in white and gold.
It would make a great centerpiece on your dining table.
And even the handle is designed to look like a tree branch!
It’s perfectly safe to go on a stovetop and be used as a kettle as well as a teapot.
And it comes with its own strainer.
Better yet, the 1.3-liter teapot has a very large capacity – enough to accommodate 8 to 10 cups of tea when fully loaded.
There are some handy maintenance tips on the Amazon page to help you ensure it stays in good condition.
Sure it’s more of a premium choice than the other teapots that made our top 5 picks.
But we would argue that it’s totally worth it for that super authentic Japanese teapot look.
And it was rated very highly on many of its features too, including sturdiness, craftsmanship, durability, warmth, easiness to clean, and as suitable as a gift.
Please note that this review is for the 1.3-liter version, but there are also both smaller and larger options available, right on the same product page.
However, these don’t all have the same beautiful pattern embossed.
Pros
- Authentic Japanese look
- Makes a beautiful centerpiece
- Can also be used as a kettle
- High capacity at 8 to 10 cups
- Very positive user feedback
Cons
- Premium product at a premium price so therefore not budget friendly.
EDITORS CHOICE
The TopTier is one of the most popular cast iron teapots we’ve come across.
While the picture you have been shown is of a plain black teapot, we must let you know that there are several other color options available to choose from.
Including several pastel shades, a bright yellow, and a gorgeous navy blue.
You should also know that there are several sizes of teapot to choose from in this range.
Starting with 650 ml capacity for making 1 – 2 cups of tea, all the way through to one with a 1200 ml capacity, which can brew 5 – 6 mugs of tea.
The price goes up according to the size of the teapot, but in each case, you get great value for money.
Eight of the five color options feature a very nice wave design all around, a feature that is also brought through to the lid.
We love that this TopTier teapot is safe to use on a stove because this means it can double as a kettle too!
It’s of excellent quality. It has an ergonomic handle that stays cool to the touch and folds down to allow you to fill it up with water.
And it’s stainless steel removable infuser is extra fine. The teapot is also both shockproof and rust-resistant.
The interior of the teapot, meanwhile, is coated with enamel, and this serves to preserve the taste of the tea and makes the teapot very easy to clean.
And the shortly curved spout makes for easy pouring.
Pros
- A bestselling teapot
- Modest understated pattern
- Gorgeous color options
- It can double as a kettle
- Extra fine stainless steel infuser
Cons
- May be smaller than you were expecting from the photos so check the sizes and specification carefully.
BEST VALUE
Now, this is a very popular Japanese style teapot with a modest, understated design. It’s pitch black in color, which makes it very easily complement most kitchen and den decor.
But although it’s plain in color it is not plain in design – the outer is patterned with lots of raised dots.
And there’s a Japanese picture on the lid, with pine leaves, bamboo, and plum blossom.
The interior is enamel coated for easy cleaning and maintenance.
It comes complete with a removable stainless steel infuser, where you can place your tea, ready to be infused into the hot water. The infuser has a fine filter and is easy to clean.
Wrapped around the handle is hemp twine, to make the handle more comfortable to hold.
And the handle folds right down when you want to access the lid.
It comes in a wide variety of different sizes, ranging from 640 ml at the smallest, which is enough to make tea for 1 – 2 people, all the way up to 1800 ml, which can make up to 10 cups of tea.
TOWA’s customer service is exemplary. You can approach them either pre-sales or after-sales, and they will respond within the hour.
Pros
- A top bestseller
- Traditional Japanese Tetsubin
- A modest and understated look
- Comes with stainless steel infuser
- Variety of sizes to choose from
Cons
- We have been informed that fakes are doing the rounds, so please ensure that you buy from a reliable retailer to ensure you get the real thing
RUNNER UP
We just LOVE the look of this teapot.
A beautiful shade of blue-green with a gorgeous gold spiral pattern embossed over, complimented by its gold handle.
And the spiral pattern has also been carried through to the lid.
But that’s not all there is to love about it – in addition to being used as a teapot, it can also be used as a kettle.
There’s an enamel coating on the interior of the teapot to prevent it from rusting inside.
And this has the added benefit of making it easy to clean and maintain.
It comes complete with a large removable infuser to which you can add your tea bags, loose tea, or fruit to be infused into the hot water.
If you go over to the Amazon page, you will notice 3 other “color options”.
However, they are not the same style of this teapot in different colors but are actually also differently shaped and patterned.
There’s a dark green one with a gold hexagonal pattern, a squashed purple one with gold vertical stripes, and an eye-catching red one with a gold bamboo weave pattern.
Please note that these teapots each have different total capacities.
Tetsubin is a popular choice with fans of traditional Japanese tea making
Pros
- Gorgeous look
- Can also be as a kettle
- Includes infuser
- Easy to clean
- A popular choice.
Cons
- Only holds a maximum of 4 cups of tea
RUNNER UP
This is a very nice looking teapot, cute and retro.
A bold cobalt/sky blue color with beautiful flowers dotted prettily around the top half and the lid.
It has a capacity of 900 ml, big enough for several cups of tea, or there is also a larger, 1200 ml version if you prefer.
The covered handle folds down for you to lift the lid and fill the teapot up with boiling water.
It comes complete with a stainless steel infuser to set your loose tea leaves into, ready to infuse the hot water with your favorite flavors.
It’s well made and easy to clean, thanks to its enamel coated interior.
And, there are some really handy maintenance tips available right on the Amazon page.
There are also 5 other color options available. These include green, yellow, white, black, and pink.
Choose according to your taste and kitchen decor.
Pros
- Cute retro design
- 2 sizes to choose from
- Very easy to clean
- Colors to compliment your decor
- Stainless steel infuser
Cons
- If you overfill the teapot, hot water will come bubbling through the spout
Best Cast Iron Teapot Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide, laying out everything you might want to think about when shopping for your cast iron teapot.
How it would look in your kitchen
With such good quality cast iron teapots on the market, buying the item is less about how well it retains the tea’s temperature and more about how well it will look in the backdrop of your kitchen.
The most favored design in cast iron teapots is the Japanese style.
But while Japanese style cast iron teapots are traditionally black in color, you can actually get them in a range of different colors.
Most of the teapots in our top 5 picks are available in other colors besides black.
If however, you want your cast iron teapot to look as authentically Japanese as possible, then you should definitely go with our…
…number 1 pick, the 1.3 L TOWA Workshop Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot.
It would look amazing as a dining table centerpiece!
Capacity
If you’re brewing tea in a teapot rather than straight in a cup, it goes without saying that you want to make several cups of tea rather than just the one.
If you have several tea lovers in the household, or if you like to have guests over, then a teapot of a decent size is a must.
With an average size teapot of say one liter, you could make 4 to 5 cups of tea.
Stovetop Safe
If your favored cast iron teapot is stovetop safe, this is great, because it means you can use it as a kettle as well as a teapot.
Infuser Included
If you intend to brew tea using tea bags, then you don’t need to have an infuser included.
However, if you intend to brew from loose tea leaves, then an incorporated infuser is essential.
The finer the mesh of the infuser the better. A stainless steel infuser would be a good choice because it’s dishwasher safe.
Enamel Coated Interior
We recommend that you look out for teapots with an enamel coating in the interior.
Yes, on the one hand, it means the teapot is not 100% cast iron, however you get a more pure-tasting brew, and it makes the teapot much easier to clean.
Handles
Cast iron teapots feature handles that are cool to the touch. They often achieve this by wrapping twine around the handle.
You should look for handles that can be folded down to give you more room to lift the lid from the teapot and pour in the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cast iron teapots good?
Cast iron teapots are great and a staple in Asian kitchen. Here’s a quick recap of the benefits we mentioned in our introduction…
They have a really high thermal conductivity, which means your tea stays nice and hot for a longer time than it otherwise would have.
So you can enjoy several cups, one after the other!
But that’s not all, this high thermal conductivity makes the tea leaves abstract the taste slowly, which is perfect for the more delicate tasting teas, such as pomegranate or coconut.
Moreover, cast iron teapots are far more durable than their counterparts, such as stoneware, porcelain, stainless steel, or aluminum.
AND cast iron teapots also improve the water quality by releasing iron ions and absorbing chloride ions in water, making the resulting tea softer and sweeter.
What is the best cast iron teapot?
We think that the best cast iron teapot is our number 1 pick…
The 1.3 L TOWA Workshop Japanese Tetsubin Cast Iron Teapot.
Not only is it beautiful, but it’s also a very nice size, highly recommended by customers, and can double as a kettle besides.
Are Japanese cast iron teapots safe?
There are several answers to this question. First, if you hold your Japanese Teapot by the handle you will not scald yourself.
Secondly, most such teapots are designed to stovetop safe, so they can double as a kettle.
And thirdly, most such teapots, including the ones in our top 5 picks will not be damaged by rust, because of their enamel coated interior.
Hi all! I’m Cora Benson, and I’ve been blogging about food, recipes and things that happen in my kitchen since 2019.