Teapots

[flirty41]

Can anyone help with my dilemma? Every teapot I've had recently has dribbled! The only connection between all of them is that there hasn't been the little blow-hole in the lid. Is this hole necessary to stop the dribbling? I remember my Mum's teapot and ones I had years ago all had blow-holes, and I don't think they dribbled, but I can't seem to find any teapots these days with holes in! Help! I'm sick of dribbling teapots!

[anthomson]

Good question - it has always amazed me that something that has been specifically designed for a single purpose - dispensing tea, could be so bad at doing just that. Worst offenders are the stainless steel teapots at motorway service stations which can dribble upto half the contents. I suspect a hole in the lid would help since the air replacing the dispensed tea will not be drawn in thru the spout ( and therefore directly over the tea going the other way ). Why have they dropped the holes from modern designs ? - they must cost too much.

[anthomson]

.. and another 'design feature' of motorway service station teapots are their ability to conduct all the heat from the tea directly to the handle ;- )

[Toglet]

I was once told that to check if a teapot was going to dribble, you had to look down the spout. If you could see into the body of the teapot, it was unlikely to dribble. If the spout was too curved so you couldn't see, then you were going to end up with a puddle. I don't know if it's true though.

[anthomson]

Further to my first answer, I performed some experimentation in my local teahouse - which being a bit up-market has teapots with holes in the lid. The tea poured okay but blocking the hole had no effect whats so ever (other than getting some curious stares) - so I think togglet may be correct and spout design may be the key factor.

[Janetex]

Okay, I'll be Mother.... Part of it is in the shape of the pot/spout, but mostly it's in the pouring. Always lift the cup and saucer to the spout and never tip the pot to fill the cup more than 2/3rds. (Watch some old movies, sooo quaint.) Antompson, I have the gigles picturing you dressed for tea as Miss Marple, frequenting posh tea-houses with ulterior motives.

[flirty41]

Thank you all for your answers, and a special thank you to anthomson for conducting his experiment! I have tried out all your suggestions - I can see the bottom of each of my offending teapots through the spouts; I have tried keeping the pot more upright; I have tried pouring slowly; and as anthomson says, blow-holes don't seem to matter. Sadly, though, my teapots still drip! It's a mystery! Oh, and yes, those metal teapots are lethal, aren't they! Thanks again everyone. If I ever find the perfect pot, I'll let you know! :-)

[flirty41]

You get a star Answerbok for making me smile! :-)

[Hamish]

It's been a long time since I was here but I just found this gem. People have been trying to design teapots to solve this problem for years. Its all to do with the surface tension of the water (tea) and the shape/surface of the spout. Try adding some soap to the tea, it won't taste nice but it should stop the drip as it reduces the surface tension of the water. Another thing to try is roughening the end of the spout (on a china/ceramic pot) this will make the water spread rather than ball on the surface. But it will also make the spout hard to clean and unhigenic.

hope this adds to the pleasure of a nice cuppa and provide a good excuse for a longer tea break!

Hamish

[gilf]

They created a special pot which had a sort of lump on the spout which sort this problem out.

[flirty41]

Well Hamish, erm, thanks for those 2 unusual suggestions! Can't see that I'll be trying them out though, unless I have an unwelcome unexpected visitor I want to get rid of! gilf - any clues where this wonder-pot is available from? :-)

[gabby]

I've heard that one can buy some sort of accesory to fit onto the end of the teapot's spout. I've yet to find one though. If someone knows a source, please share .............. Thanks.

[zjas58]

Howdy to you all ... I'm a newbie :) so please be kind!  I found this 'gem' pondering the very same question; having problems with my own 2 dribbling tea pots.  (Glad to hear I'm not alone). 

In response to the question of add-on items:  I recently found for latex sheath covers $4.00Cdn/pair, which claim to cure the dribbling.  I was warned by the shop keeper these may split. She was right, though I heated the sheath, my spout was much to large for it.  It may do the job for another sleeker tea pot.  I likely should have heeded her recommendation to buy another add-on cure.  A small chrome piece held by the inside of the spout $5.00Cdn/ea.  I guess it changes the surface adhesion problem and supplies a steep angle on the bottom of the spout (like a pour spout for a liquor bottle).  $5.00 is outrageous for this but unless I come across something better, I will likely cave-in and purchase one.