Tea lovers for generations have appreciated the attractive look and fastest heating characteristics of copper kettles. While kettles made or made by hand from copper have been produced in the United States for decades, most such cookware is now made in England, Portugal, India and China. Due to the high cost of real copper, many teapots are now made of copper-plated stainless steel.
Solid copper kettles
When selecting a new or used solid best kettle , it is important that the inner lining of the pot is in good condition to avoid a metallic taste which can occur if copper is exposed inside the kettle. Most teapots made from real copper are lined with tin or nickel inside to avoid the metallic taste of copper. In use, the kettle will tarnish or develop an “aged” appearance. If you prefer to keep the teapot shiny outside, the outside of the pot should be cleaned regularly with a high quality non-abrasive metal polish. Wenol’s metal polish does a great job of quickly cleaning even the most stubborn tarnishes, leaving a clean, polished surface appearance. Never clean the inside of a solid copper teapot with metal polish, metal scouring pads, metal utensils, bleach, vinegar or harsh cleaners as this can seriously damage the liner inside the pot. Because copper is a very quick conductor of the heat, solid copper teapots normally work well at medium or lower heat settings, saving time and energy. Be very careful never to let a solid copper kettle dry boil on the stove. Although most kettles are damaged by this event, letting a solid copper kettle dry boil can seriously damage the interior lining of the kettle. A solid copper tea kettle with a burnt or damaged inner lining should not be used. Letting a solid copper tea kettle boil dry can also distort or damage the kettle.
Copper plated teapots
Many new generation copper teapots are made of stainless steel with a copper coating and have a robust construction for everyday use. To eliminate the need for polishing, some (but not all) of the new generation of copper-plated stainless steel tea kettles also feature a clear, high temperature outer coating that seals the outer copper coating to minimize tarnishing. Because the kettle is made of stainless steel, the inside of the kettle is easy to clean and resists damage.
