Review on Exquisite KIYOSHI Luxury Japanese Cast Pieces: Unmatched Elegance and Craftsmanship by Thimothy Purnell

I really liked this tetsubin. The ceramic coating makes cleaning easy and rusting inside the pot is not a problem. No need to clean the outside, just rinse with hot water and let dry. Some things to consider before buying: 1) I found some rust on the bottom of a cup holder but it has been fixed. simply with some mineral oil. (This is to be expected when an exposed iron is left to dry on a drying mat.) The underside of the sheets is the only exposed iron in the entire set. 2) The item arrived with a small defect on the lid where there was a black ceramic glaze. Touch and minor imperfections where the gold rims did not line up with the rim of the cups. I have enough pottery experience to know how difficult it can be to dip cups in glaze without coating them on the outside before sending them to the kiln. To me, this is proof that the set was hand painted and submerged in water, not a machine. 3) The kettle and cups feel hot during use; The teapot keeps the tea hot, and somehow the tea cools down quickly after being poured into cups for consumption. 4) Tetsubin cannot be cooked directly on the stove as it is covered in glaze. If you want to drink iron deficiency rust, you should look out for unglazed tetsubin. 5) Tetsubin is handmade in China, not Japan. It doesn't bother me at all but some people are tetsubin snobs lol. Overall I like this tetsubin. It's unique and human error adds to its charm. That is beautiful. The other two cups must be ordered separately. FYI: Giving Japanese friends/colleagues/customers 4 (ie 4 cups) gifts is a big mistake. fair warning.