Cididu Chinese Gaiwan Tea Cups with Lid Set of 3

A few things matter when picking a gaiwan: material, size, and how it fits your routine. The Cididu set checks the main boxes — it's handmade porcelain (the traditional material, which doesn't absorb flavors between teas), and at 10oz it's larger than typical gaiwans, which usually run 4-6oz. That bigger size is actually a plus if you want a full mug's worth of tea rather than small gongfu-style sips. You also get three cups in the set, which is great for sharing or keeping one at home and one at the office. The tradeoff with porcelain is heat — it gets hot to the touch, so if that bothers you, look for gaiwans with flared rims or thicker walls.

It's one of the most beginner-friendly ways to start brewing loose leaf tea. The all-in-one design means there's nothing extra to buy — the lid acts as your strainer, the bowl is your brewer, and the saucer is your coaster and handle. Just add leaves, add water, and the lid holds back the leaves when you sip. Compared to a teapot-and-infuser setup, there's less to wash and less to figure out. Reviewers who describe themselves as new to loose leaf tea specifically mention how straightforward this set makes the process. The only learning curve is handling the hot porcelain, but the saucer solves that.

Yes, and it's actually a popular use case. The all-in-one design (lid, cup, saucer) means you don't need a teapot, infuser, or any other accessories — just bring your loose tea and add hot water. The lid keeps your tea hot and prevents anything from falling in (the product specifically highlights this), and the saucer protects your desk. At 10oz, it holds about the same as a standard office mug. Several buyers mention using their gaiwan for daily home and office tea drinking. Just be mindful that the porcelain gets hot — keep it on the saucer on your desk rather than carrying it around.

The product is listed as handmade porcelain, and reviewers tend to back this up — multiple buyers mention the high quality construction and the fact that the artwork and patterns look beautiful and detailed. Several reviewers also note the cups look better in person than in the photos, which is often a good sign of genuine craftsmanship. At this price point, 'handmade' likely means hand-finished and hand-painted rather than thrown on a wheel by a single artisan, but the quality clearly exceeds what buyers expect.

Among collectors, hand-painted porcelain and vintage Yixing clay cups are the most prized. For everyday tea drinkers, though, what people really seek out is a cup that's both beautiful and functional. The Cididu gaiwan set gets a lot of love on the beauty front — reviewers consistently mention the artwork and patterns, with several saying the cups look even better in person than in the product photos. The handmade porcelain construction gives each piece slight uniqueness, which tea enthusiasts appreciate over mass-produced uniformity.

A porcelain gaiwan is genuinely versatile — it works with any tea type because porcelain doesn't absorb flavors. That said, it especially shines with Chinese teas like oolong, green tea, white tea, and pu-erh, which are traditionally brewed in gaiwans. The 10oz size also makes it practical for larger Western-style steeps of black tea or herbal blends. The flavor-neutral porcelain means you can switch from a delicate white tea to a robust pu-erh without any flavor carryover. If you're only going to own one tea brewing vessel, a porcelain gaiwan like this is about as versatile as it gets.

Here's the basic process with the Cididu gaiwan: Add your loose leaf tea to the bowl (about 3-5 grams works well for the 10oz size). Pour hot water over the leaves and place the lid on top. Let it steep — timing depends on the tea type. When you're ready to drink, tilt the lid slightly to create a small gap that holds back the leaves, and sip directly from the bowl. The saucer catches any drips and gives you something to hold since the bowl itself gets quite hot. Many owners use these daily at home or the office for exactly this kind of simple, no-fuss tea brewing.

It's called a gaiwan — literally meaning 'lidded bowl' in Chinese. The Cididu set is a classic example: each piece includes the three traditional components (lid, bowl, and saucer) that make up a proper gaiwan. The lid serves double duty — it keeps your tea hot and acts as a strainer when you sip, holding back the loose leaves while you drink.

Gaiwan (盖碗) translates to 'lidded bowl' in Chinese. It's a traditional three-piece tea brewing vessel that's been used in China for centuries. The Cididu gaiwan set stays true to this tradition — each cup comes with a lid, the bowl itself, and a saucer underneath. It's one of the simplest and most elegant ways to brew loose leaf tea, and it's still the preferred method for serious tea tasting in China.

Traditional gaiwan etiquette is pretty straightforward. Hold the saucer in your palm, use the lid to gently push back the tea leaves, and sip from the gap between the lid and the bowl. You never remove the lid completely while drinking — it acts as your strainer. With the Cididu set, the saucer gives you a stable base and keeps your hands away from the hot porcelain. If you're serving guests, it's customary to offer the gaiwan with both hands as a sign of respect.

Green tea is one of the best teas to brew in a gaiwan because you can control the temperature precisely. With the Cididu gaiwan, use water around 170-180°F (not boiling — that scorches green tea). Add about 3 grams of green tea leaves, pour the water, and lid it. Steep for just 1-2 minutes for the first infusion. The beauty of the gaiwan method is you can re-steep green tea 3-4 times, increasing the steep time slightly each round. Each infusion reveals slightly different flavor notes. The porcelain won't hold onto the delicate green tea flavors between sessions either, so your next tea always tastes clean.

Porcelain gaiwans like the Cididu set are easy to maintain. Rinse with hot water after each use — the glazed porcelain surface doesn't absorb tea oils the way unglazed clay would, so a simple rinse usually does the job. For deeper cleaning, mild dish soap and a soft sponge work fine. Avoid abrasive scrubbers that could damage the artwork. The three-piece design (lid, bowl, saucer) comes apart completely, so there are no hard-to-reach crevices. If tea stains build up over time, a paste of baking soda and water will remove them without damaging the porcelain.

Pick up the gaiwan by its saucer (this keeps your fingers away from the hot porcelain — reviewers note the bowl gets quite hot). Use your other hand to slightly tilt the lid, creating a narrow gap. Bring the bowl to your lips and sip through that gap — the lid holds the tea leaves back naturally. There's no need to pour into a separate cup unless you prefer to. The Cididu set is designed for drinking directly from the bowl, and the 10oz size means you get a satisfying amount of tea per steep.

Gaiwans give you complete control over your brewing — you can adjust steep time, water temperature, and leaf-to-water ratio easily, all without extra equipment. The Cididu gaiwan specifically gives you a built-in strainer via the lid, so loose leaf tea becomes almost as convenient as tea bags. Porcelain is also flavor-neutral, meaning it won't absorb or impart flavors between different teas. Reviewers particularly appreciate how this set simplifies loose leaf brewing into a single vessel — no teapot, no infuser basket, no separate strainer needed.

It's beautifully simple with the Cididu set. Warm the bowl first with a splash of hot water (pour it out). Add your loose tea leaves — for the 10oz size, use about 3-5 grams. Pour hot water to fill the bowl, place the lid on, and steep. For green teas, that's about 2-3 minutes with 175°F water. For oolongs and black teas, use boiling water and steep 3-5 minutes. When ready, tilt the lid to hold back the leaves and drink right from the bowl. You can re-steep quality loose leaf tea 3-5 times this way, which is one of the great advantages of gaiwan brewing.

Oolong is one of the teas that really shines in a gaiwan. The traditional approach — and what the Cididu set is perfect for — is multiple short infusions. Use about 5 grams of oolong for the 10oz cup, pour boiling water, and steep for just 30-60 seconds on the first infusion. Then re-steep, adding 15-30 seconds each time. Good oolongs can go 5-7 infusions this way, and the flavor evolves beautifully with each round. No milk, no sugar — oolong's complex flavors (floral, toasty, sometimes fruity) are best appreciated on their own.

Traditionally, no — and most tea enthusiasts would say oolong's nuanced flavors are best enjoyed straight. Oolongs can range from light and floral to dark and roasted, and milk would mask those subtle notes. When you're brewing oolong in the Cididu gaiwan using the traditional method (multiple short steeps), each infusion tastes slightly different, which is part of the experience. That said, there are no tea police — some people enjoy milk oolong lattes. But if you're investing in a traditional gaiwan set, you'll probably get the most out of it by tasting the tea on its own.

Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) is a classic oolong that's ideal for gaiwan brewing. In the Cididu gaiwan, use about 5 grams of leaves and boiling or near-boiling water. First steep: 20-30 seconds. Second steep: 30-45 seconds. Third and beyond: add 15 seconds each time. Tie Guan Yin is famous for being re-steepable — you can easily get 5-7 infusions from quality leaves, with the flavor shifting from light and floral to deeper and more toasty. The gaiwan's lid lets you control the pour perfectly, which matters when you're working with short steep times like these.