My favorite cast iron teapot and maintenance techniques

We've owned several tea kettles in the last two decades, and they've all broken eventually. Usually something mechanical or made of plastic. I've always loved the durability and utility of cast iron, so when our last kettle kicked the bucket, I looked for cast iron, landing here with the 60 ounce model.

If you're familiar with the care and feeding of cast iron, take this as my recommendation and skip the words below. If you're new to this vintage and sometimes curmudgeony technology, maybe read on.

When I read through the reviews, some of the low scores suggest inexperience (not meant as an offense; cast iron takes acclimation). Watch a few YouTube videos on how to initialize a new cast iron kettle and how to preserve it. It's simple enough work, but it's very different from steel, copper, ceramic, etc. Follow the instructions provided (roughly translated, it seems) to prepare the kettle for first use. Don't use soaps. Don't scrub. Empty the kettle whenever you're done, and let the water inside evaporate before replacing the lid.

A friend of mine spent years salmon fishing in Alaska, living that woods-y, old-fashioned life away from the world. He taught me cast iron. If you don't have a friend like that and are looking at this kettle or any other cast iron contraption, accept that there's a small but doable learning curve. It's worth it.

And be patient. It's worth it. With care, this could be the last kettle you'll ever buy.

A few more notes:

  • I have no idea the country of origin. As others have said, the box clearly reads "Made in China." An older answer above suggests this may be a Japanese company whose manufacturing is handled in China but QA is done in Japan. Either way, ours seems well made and is quite striking.
  • Don't buy too small! Compared to our outgoing Walmart kettle, this 60 oz. model is about 2/3 the capacity. There's enough for 5-6 8oz. mugs of tea, but it's smaller than we're used to. Take a measuring cup and measure out the capacity for any kettle you're looking at. See how that compares to your needs.
  • Don't skip the steps outlined in the manual to prepare your kettle before first use. I've already said this, but it's important. Run it, with tea the first time, for several cycles before you plan to drink from it. Don't scrub with soap or do anything else not listed in the manual. Expect discolored water and maybe an iron smell for several cycles.
  • The listing mentions an enameled interior. Ours is cast iron only. I would criticize the listing for being deceptive, but the lack of enamel is a preference for me. Your mileage may vary, and other sizes may be different. 

That's it.

And if you do buy one, enjoy the heck out of it! A beautiful little tea kettle.

Best Regards,

- Teaeer 

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