Do you get sick and tired of having to go back to the kettle and wait for it to boil every time you want up of tea? I do!
Waiting for the kettle to boil when you’ve got things to be getting on with is a distraction at best, and a productivity issue at worst. And if you use a regular teapot, don’t you find that the tea doesn’t stay as hot as you like for as long as you like?
But the good news is that there’s a perfect easy solution. If you were to invest in a cast iron teapot, it will keep your favorite tea warm for a long time, and you can leave it to sit without worrying about it getting too cold to enjoy.
And the other good news is that we’ve been checking out some of the best cast iron teapots on the market at the moment, and we’ve hand-picked our top 5 favorites which we can’t wait to show you.
And we get that choosing one can be tricky when they’re all so good, so we’ve also put together a buying guide for you that will walk you through all the key things to think about before you buy. You can use it as a handy checklist.
Then we’re going to top that off with a section where we answer some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
And without further ado...
OUR TOP PICK
Now, this is one of THE most popular cast iron teapots with the online retailers. They’re simply flying off the shelves. And it goes down really well with customers.
As you should be able to see the photo, it's a nice, understated pale pastel shade with raised waves decorating the outside, complemented with a white handle.
However, if you click on “check price” and head over to the product page, you will see that there are several other color options, patterns and styles available. There are several more pastel ones for you to check out, a gorgeous navy blue one, and a sunshine bright yellow.
It’s also available in different sizes, starting with 650 ml capacity, which can make 1 or two cups of tea. The biggest available size is the 1200 ml capacity which can brew 5 to 6 cups worth of tea.
Unfortunately however the price does go up according to the size of the teapot. But that said, you still get great value for money.
One thing we really love about this cast iron teapot is how it can double as a kettle, because it’s completely safe to us on the stove, which is something you don’t always get.
It comes complete with a removable stainless steel infuser, which is extra fine, so you won’t get any loose bits in your tea. And because it’s stainless steel, it’s safe to put in the dishwasher.
The teapot is of excellent quality, built to be durable, and is both shockproof and rust resistant. It features an enamel coated interior which helps to preserve the taste of the tea. And it makes it much easier to clean too.
It features a handle that folds down to pour the water in, and the handle should remain cool to the touch if left up. And the short curved spout makes for easy pouring.
Pros:
- A bestseller with retailers
- It can double as a kettle
- Stainless steel infuser
- Understated patterns
- Great color options
Cons:
- Some customers said they expected the teapot to be bigger
EDITORS CHOICE
Now, if you like the sound of an authentically Japanese cast iron teapot, you don’t need to look any further. It doesn’t get much more Japanese than this.
It features a beautiful and elegant raised Japanese Tetsubin design with tree branches, pine leaves, and plum blossom, decorated in browns and silvers. All on a dark black background and professionally crafted by skilled craftsmen.
And in keeping with the tree branch theme, even the handle is designed to imitate natural tree branches, and looks very fetching. The handle folds down when you need it to, and remains cool to the touch.
A quick word of warning however, only the 1.3 Liter version on the product page will look like it does on the photo shown here.
The other size teapots are also made to excellent quality standards, and are all black, so they wouldn’t look out of place against most kitchen decor. Though they don’t have any pictures, just some nice patterns.
The other teapots on the product page range from 640 ml, which is about enough for three servings, right up to 1800 ml which is almost 3 times as large. The price tends to go up with the size of the teapot.
It comes with its own perfectly fitting stainless steel infuser to place your loose tea into, and the infuser can be removed from the teapot entirely afterwards and can be put in the dishwasher to be washed.
We also love how the interior has an enameled coating, since this helps to make it easier to clean and maintain. And it leaves a more pure taste too.
You can also buy a matching black trivet for the teapot to sit on, and we think it’s worth buying because it will prevent your tables from getting heat damaged by the underside of the teapot. It’s right on the product page described as size 5.3.
It comes backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you have any issues you can just get in touch with the manufacturer, and they will get it resolved in a timely fashion.
Pros:
- Traditional Japanese Tetsubin
- Very elegant craftsmanship
- Comes with stainless steel infuser
- Several size options to choose from
- Easy to clean enamel coated interior
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
BEST VALUE
Do you want your cast iron teapot to really stand out and make a statement? If so, then this could be the one for you.
The photo should show an all black cast iron teapot with a very modern design made up of tessellated triangles and diamonds outlined starkly in gold. It looks very striking. Even the lid handle is matching in shape.
And even the handle is also in keeping with the design, looking modern and blocky rather than rounded. The handle folds right down when you’re ready to lift the lid and fill it up.
But if you feel like black is maybe not for you or your kitchen, then you might want to check out the other color options on the product page. There’s a really nice aqua one, a forest green, a powder blue, a pale pink, a striking white, or a sunshine yellow.
It’s available in 3 different sizes, namely 900 ml, 1200 ml, or 1600 ml. So none of them are too small, and each will hold several cups worth of your favorite teas at a time.
We love the fact that it’s stove top safe, since this means it can double as a kettle and reduces the washing up.
It comes complete with a stainless steel infuser to place your tea leaves in without worry of getting loose bits into the tea.
It also features a fully enameled interior which serves to preserve the taste of the tea, and makes the teapot super easy to clean.
Pros:
- Striking modern design & aesthetic
- Comes with a stainless steel infuser
- Several size options to choose from
- Easy to clean enamel coated interior
Cons:
- Premium product at a premium price
RUNNER UP
This is one of the bestselling cast iron teapots with the big online retailers. And it comes highly recommended by those who’ve tried it.
It has a very authentic Japanese look, with its deep blue background color and a raised pattern of white dots in a rustic and shabby chic aesthetic. This pattern runs through to the matching lid
Even the handle is super authentic Japanese, with twine wrapped around it to make it cool to the touch.
But there’s a lot to love about this teapot besides its design. In addition to being a great little teapot, it also functions as a kettle, because it’s safe to use on top of the stove.
But you don’t have to worry about the heat from the underside of the teapot damaging your furniture because you get a trivet included in the price.
And that’s not all, it also comes with its very own removable stainless steel infuser for using loose tea leaves. And better yet, it's dishwasher safe too.
The only drawback is that there are no other color options or size options to choose from. But don’t worry, this size teapot can easily accommodate 3 small cups of tea.
And just a quick heads-up, this is easily the most affordable cast iron teapot in our shortlist, so if you’re looking for a bargain, just click on “check price” to be taken to the product page.
Pros:
- Bargain affordable price
- Safe to use as a kettle
- Authentic Japanese look
- Comes with matching trivet
- Includes stainless steel infuser
Cons:
- Only one color option and size option
- Not quite big enough to serve 4 people at a time
RUNNER UP
Here’s another super popular cast iron teapot, and one that’s available at a great price too!
Again it has that much coveted traditional Japanese look. It features a dark navy background color which is almost a black, emblazoned with raised flowers reminiscent of cherry blossom, painted in a striking white. It has a wonderful rustic shabby chic aesthetic. The pattern also goes through to the lid.
It comes complete with its own stainless steel infuser. You simply fill the teapot up so far with boiling water before placing the infuser in with your chosen tea leaves inside. And you’ll have a gorgeous brew of tea ready within minutes. And the infuser is safe to use in a dishwasher.
The handle is cool to the touch and will fold down when you want to lift the lid to pour the water in.
But what we really love about it is just how much tea it can hold, at a whopping 1 liter in size, you can have several cups of tea before it needs a refill.
There does seem to be some confusion amongst customers whether this teapot can also be used as a kettle. Some customers have used it successfully on their stove, but we would advise against it because it has been cast and painted, and you wouldn’t want to ruin the finish.
Unfortunately, it’s not available in any other colors, sizes or patterns.
Pros:
- Bargain affordable price
- Large one-liter size
- Authentic Japanese look
- Exquisite finish
- Stainless steel infuser
Cons:
- Only one color option and size option
Best Cast Iron Teapot Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide!
What’s so hot about a cast iron teapot?
For those of you who don’t already know there are loads of reasons to get yourself a cast iron teapot.
- As we mentioned in our introduction, cast iron teapots have a high heat conductivity which means that your tea will stay hot for longer. You can enjoy cup after cup.
- This high thermal conductivity also means that flavor is extracted from the tea leaves more slowly, which is great for those delicate tasting teas such coconut tea or pomegranate teas.
- Cast iron teapots can boost the water quality because iron ions are released from the teapot to the water, and they absorb the chloride ions in the water, and this makes the tea softer and sweeter.
- Cast iron teapots are far more durable and long-lasting than any of their counterparts, including porcelain, aluminum, and even stainless steel.
What to Look For in a Cast Iron Teapot
Aesthetic
Most cast iron teapots follow a Japanese tradition and aesthetic, but this aesthetic is very broad, and entails a range of different colors, patterns and overall look.
And while all the cast iron teapots that made our shortlist are all Japanese, they can look quite different from one another. Most look very rustic and traditional with their detailing, but for something that looks quite different, check out our number pick, the TOPTIER Diamond Design Japanese Cast Iron Teapot.
Size
One of the advantages of a cast iron teapot is that it keeps your tea hot for so long that you can have cup, after cup, after cup. So if you want to drink several cups all day long, then the bigger the teapot the better.
And if you have guests coming over you’ll need to accommodate them too. An average size cast iron teapot can hold about a liter of tea, which is enough to pour about 4 to 5 cups.
Safe to Use on a Stove
Occasionally you might come across a cast iron teapot that’s safe to use on the stove, and this is particularly handy because it means it will double as a kettle, and this means less washing up.
Inclusion of an Infuser
If you intend to make your brews with loose-leaf tea, then you will need an infuser, so that the flavor can be extracted from the tea, without getting any floaty bits in your tea.
Ideally you should look for a teapot that comes with it’s one infuser, as this means it will be the perfect size for the teapot.
The finer the mesh of the infuser the better. The most popular materials for teapot infusers is stainless steel because unlike the cast iron teapot, it is entirely dishwasher safe.
Special Handles
Making the tea safe to pick and pour requires handles that are cool to the touch. In the traditional Japanese style, this is achieved by wrapping twine around the handle.
And to give you enough room to lift the lid in order to pour the kettle water in, you should look for handles that can be folded down.
Enamel Coated Interior
If you were to get yourself a teapot with an enamel coated interior, then it won’t be 100% cast iron. However, not only does it make the teapot much easier to clean, but it also gives you a more pure tasting cup of tea. We recommend it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cast iron teapot?
Our favorite cast iron teapot has to be our number one pick, the TOPTIER Japanese Cast Iron Teapot. This is because it’s an excellent quality teapot that doubles as a kettle and comes with its own stainless steel infuser…
But moreover, it’s one of the bestselling cast iron teapots out there at the moment, AND despite receiving so many customer reviews online, it still gets an excellent average customer rating on Amazon, coming in at a very impressive 4 and a half stars out of 5.
