Blue Sky London Bus Ceramic Teapot

This teapot hits a sweet spot for a few groups. It's great for London and England enthusiasts who want a functional piece of British charm. Novelty teapot collectors will appreciate that it actually pours well. Tea beginners will find it simple and approachable — the smaller size makes it forgiving for learning. And it's an excellent gift, especially for someone who's hard to shop for but has any connection to British culture. It's not ideal if you need to serve multiple people or want a large-capacity daily driver.

Reviewers are overwhelmingly positive about the appearance — "adorable" and "decorative" are the words that come up most often, with six separate reviewers highlighting how great it looks. The multicolor design and authentic London bus details hold up well in person. Several owners mention it generates compliments from guests and works as a conversation starter, which suggests the real thing lives up to the photos.

Multiple reviewers praise the build quality, calling out the good ceramic construction. It's certainly durable enough for regular use, though many owners treat it more as a special-occasion or display piece given its decorative nature. The pour is smooth and functional, so there's nothing stopping you from using it daily — just hand-wash it to preserve the colorful bus design over time.

This London Bus teapot doesn't come with a built-in infuser, which is actually fine for a novelty teapot of this size. For loose leaf tea, you can use a separate basket infuser or a tea ball that fits inside — or just brew loose leaves directly and pour through a small strainer. If you mainly use tea bags, you won't need an infuser at all. The compact size means one or two tea bags work perfectly.

Absolutely, and given its compact size, tea bags are arguably the easiest option. One or two tea bags work well depending on how strong you like your tea. Just drop them in, add hot water, steep, and pour. The teapot pours cleanly, so you won't have any issues. This is actually a great option for people who want the charm of a teapot experience without fussing with loose leaf tea.

No — do not put this London Bus teapot on a stove or any direct heat source. It's a ceramic teapot, not a kettle. Direct heat can crack the ceramic and damage the colorful bus design. Boil your water separately in a kettle, then pour it into the teapot to brew. This is standard practice for all decorative ceramic teapots.

Hand washing is the way to go with this one. The detailed multicolor London bus design could fade or chip in a dishwasher over time. Use warm soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge — avoid abrasive scrubbers. Rinse thoroughly to remove any soap residue that could affect your next brew. If tea stains build up inside, a paste of baking soda and water will clean it without damaging the ceramic.

This is the question everyone has about novelty-shaped teapots, and the London Bus actually performs well here. Reviewers specifically mention that it pours surprisingly well given its unusual shape — the spout is well-designed for a clean pour. It seems Blue Sky put real thought into making this a functional teapot and not just a decorative piece.

This is one of the most common concerns with novelty teapots, and the answer here is genuinely both. Multiple reviewers were pleasantly surprised that it pours well despite the bus shape — better than they expected, actually. That said, it's on the smaller side, so it's best suited for single-person tea service rather than pouring for a crowd. Most owners use it as both a working teapot and a display piece.

Both are excellent choices, but they have slightly different strengths. Ceramic teapots like this Blue Sky London Bus retain heat well and tend to be a bit more durable for everyday handling. Porcelain is thinner, lighter, and often more elegant in a traditional sense. For a novelty piece like this, ceramic is actually the better material — it's sturdy enough to handle the detailed bus shape without being fragile, and it holds heat nicely for a proper cup of tea.

Same basic steps as any ceramic teapot. Start by warming it — pour in some hot water, swirl it around, and dump it out. This preheats the ceramic so your brewing water doesn't lose heat immediately. Then add your tea (bags or loose leaf), pour in water just off the boil for black tea or cooler for green tea, and let it steep. The London Bus pours well despite its novelty shape, so just tilt and pour like any teapot. The bus shape is surprisingly ergonomic according to reviewers.

Since the London Bus doesn't have a built-in infuser, you have a few options for loose leaf. You can add leaves directly to the pot, steep, and pour through a small mesh strainer into your cup. Or drop in a tea ball or basket infuser before adding water. For this teapot's size, about 1-2 teaspoons of loose leaf should do it. Warm the pot first, add your tea, pour in hot water at the right temperature for your tea type, and steep for the recommended time.