Anyone who has ever drunk traditional Turkish tea has probably seen a çaydanlık. This characteristic double teapot consists of two pots that are placed on top of each other while brewing tea.
That doesn't just look unique. The two pots each have their own function.
You make strong tea in one pot, while you keep hot water in the other. They are only combined during pouring.
This allows everyone to drink their Turkish tea exactly as strong as they like it themselves.
But how exactly does a çaydanlık work? Which pot do you use for what? And do you choose stainless steel, glass, or an electric version?
What does çaydanlık mean?
Çay is the Turkish word for tea. A çaydanlık is the traditional double teapot used to prepare Turkish tea.
In the Netherlands, you come across various spellings, such as:
- çaydanlık
- caydanlik
- Turkish teapot
- double Turkish teapot
- Turkish teapot set
These usually refer to the same principle: two teapots used on top of each other.
Within the current TEKZEN teapot collection, you will find several of these double sets, mainly from Ferveo.
Why does a Turkish teapot have two pots?
That is immediately the most important difference from a regular teapot.
You use the bottom, larger pot for hot water.
You use the top, smaller pot for the tea itself. A relatively strong tea concentrate is made in here.
When serving, you first pour an amount of strong tea from the top pot into the glass. Then, you fill the glass further with hot water from the bottom pot.
This way, you don't have to brew tea separately for everyone.
Which pot goes on top?
With a traditional çaydanlık, the small teapot is on top and the large water pot is on the bottom.
There is a practical reason for that.
The bottom pot is placed directly on the heat source and heats the water. At the same time, the heat and steam help to keep the tea in the top pot warm and allow it to steep gently.
The system therefore works as a single unit.
How do you use a çaydanlık?
Start by filling the bottom pot with fresh water. Then, bring the water to a boil.
Meanwhile, put loose black tea in the top pot.
When the water is hot, pour some of it into the top pot over the tea leaves. Leave enough hot water in the bottom pot.
Then, place the small pot back on top of the large pot.
Let the tea steep gently.
After a while, you will have strong tea in the top and hot water in the bottom.
You can then start pouring.
How do you pour tea from a Turkish teapot?
This is where the çaydanlık system really becomes useful.
For a stronger glass of tea, pour more of the tea concentrate from the top pot.
For a lighter glass of tea, use less concentrate and relatively more hot water.
So, you only determine the final strength while pouring.
That makes a double teapot especially practical when multiple people are drinking tea together but not everyone wants the same strength.
What size çaydanlık do you need?
The capacity of both pots is usually indicated separately.
An indication of 0.7/1.5 liters, for example, means that the two parts have different capacities.
Within the current TEKZEN range, the Ferveo Seyma is available as a stainless steel set of 0.7/1.5 liters. The Ferveo Ayda and Alima have a capacity of 1.0/2.0 liters.
For larger quantities, there are also possibilities. The Ferveo Noya is, for example, available in a 1.0/3.0 liter version.
If you usually brew tea for a small household, you probably don't need a particularly large set.
If you often drink tea with family or visitors, a larger bottom water pot might be more convenient.
Stainless steel çaydanlık
One of the most well-known versions is the stainless steel Turkish teapot.
Stainless steel gives the çaydanlık the classic metal look and at the same time fits well in a modern kitchen.
Within the current Ferveo range from TEKZEN, the Seyma, Ayda, Alima, and Noya are available as stainless steel Turkish teapot sets, among others.
The different models primarily offer you a choice in size and design.
Glass çaydanlık
Another possibility is a Turkish teapot that uses glass.
The nice thing about glass is that the contents remain visible. You can therefore also see the color of the tea while it is steeping.
TEKZEN currently has various glass Ferveo models. For example, the Mina has a capacity of 1.0/2.0 liters, the Nora 0.7/1.8 liters, and the larger Yasmina 1.2/2.5 liters.
So, you can also choose between different sizes for a glass version.
Can a Turkish teapot be used on induction?
Yes, but not every arbitrary teapot is automatically suitable for induction.
Always check the product specifications for this reason.
That is easy with the current TEKZEN range, because various Ferveo models are explicitly offered as induction-suitable.
These include the Seyma, Ayda, Alima, Mina, Nora, Velda, Yasmina, and Noya.
You can therefore also use the traditional preparation method when you cook on induction at home.
Stainless steel or glass: what do you choose?
Both can be suitable for preparing Turkish tea. The choice therefore depends to a large extent on size, design, and personal preference.
If you like the classic metal look, a stainless steel çaydanlık is the obvious choice.
If you want to be able to see the tea and you like a more transparent look, a glass model might be more attractive.
However, always check the specific use and maintenance instructions of the product for glass models.
Çaydanlık or electric Turkish teapot?
You can also use the traditional principle electrically.
With a regular çaydanlık, you heat the bottom pot on a suitable stove. An electric Turkish teapot uses its own electric base.
Within the TEKZEN range, there is, for example, the Arzum Tea Clock, consisting of a glass combination of 1.7 + 1.0 liters with a power of 2200 watts and a 360° base.
Which version is more pleasant depends mainly on how you want to brew tea at home.
And what is a samovar?
A samovar is yet another solution.
Just like with a çaydanlık, you can use tea and hot water separately, but a samovar is especially interesting when you want to serve tea for a longer period or for multiple people.
Within TEKZEN, you will find, for example, the Arzum Ehlikeyf Samovar with a capacity of 3.5 + 1.2 liters and a power of 2200 watts.
In a future blog, we can go into more detail about the difference between a samovar and a çaydanlık.
Which Turkish teapot suits you?
Start with how you drink tea.
For daily use by a few people, a more compact double teapot may be sufficient. For a larger household or when you often receive visitors, a larger version may be more practical.
Then look at the material and especially your heat source.
Do you use induction? Then explicitly choose a model that is suitable for it.
This way, you can ultimately choose between a compact stainless steel çaydanlık, a larger double Turkish teapot, a glass version, or an electric system.
Buying a çaydanlık at TEKZEN
With a çaydanlık, you brew Turkish tea the traditional way: strong tea in the top pot and hot water in the bottom.
Precisely because both remain separate, you determine how strong each glass becomes while pouring.
At TEKZEN, you will find various Turkish teapot sets in stainless steel and glass and in various capacities. Moreover, a large number of models within the current range are suitable for induction.