A teapot that is too small means brewing again before anyone has finished their first cup. One that is too large means tea going cold, and a heavier pot to lift every day. The right size sits somewhere in between, and it is easier to find than it looks.
This guide starts from the number of cups you actually pour, then turns it into millilitres.
First, how big is a cup?
Teapot sizes are given in millilitres, but most of us think in cups. Across our teapots, we count one cup as about 200 ml: a classic teacup, comfortably filled.
Your own cup may be different, and that changes the sums:
- A teacup holds about 200 ml. A 600 ml pot gives about three.
- A mug usually holds 250–400 ml. The same 600 ml pot fills two mugs at most.
- Small tea cups, like our 50 ml double-wall glass cups, hold a few sips each. A 400 ml pot fills them eight times.
So before choosing a size, look at what you drink from. If it is a mug, count each one as one and a half to two cups.
Teapot size by number of cups
| Cups (about 200 ml each) | Teapot size | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 cups | 300–450 ml | A pot for one, or a small cup each for two |
| 2–3 cups | 500–650 ml | Two people, or one person and a refill |
| 3–4 cups | 750–800 ml | Three or four people, or two people with mugs |
| 4–5 cups | 900 ml–1 L | A family table, or a long afternoon for two |
| 6 cups or more | 1.2–1.3 L | Guests, and second cups all round |
1–2 cups: a teapot for one (300–450 ml)
A small pot suits a quiet cup on your own, or teas you like to brew a little at a time. It warms through quickly, and there is rarely any tea left to go cold.
In this size you’ll find the Plum Blossom Cast Iron Teapot in 300 ml, the Square Glass Teapot in 350 ml, the Round Glass Teapot in 400 ml and the Tapered Glass Teapot in 450 ml. For an afternoon tea for two with teacups, the English-inspired ceramic teapot holds about 400 ml.
2–3 cups: a teapot for two (500–650 ml)
This size gives a cup each for two people with a little left over, or one generous mug and a top-up.
Around 600 ml, the choice is widest: the Ribbed Glass Teapot, the Wide Glass Teapot, the Round Glass Teapot and, in cast iron, the Hobnail and the Plum Blossom. The Glass Teapot with Wooden Handle starts at 500 ml, and the Round Glass Teapot with Steel Infuser at 650 ml.
3–4 cups: a teapot to share (750–800 ml)
Choose this size for three or four people with teacups, or for two people who drink from mugs. It is also a comfortable step up if you often wish your pot went a little further.
The Tapered and Square glass teapots come in 750 ml. At 800 ml, look at the Round, the Wide and the Wooden Handle glass teapots, or the Flat Cast Iron Teapot and the largest Plum Blossom.
4–5 cups: a teapot for the table (900 ml–1 L)
Around a litre, a pot serves four or five teacups in one go. It suits family breakfasts and afternoons when nobody wants to get up and put the kettle on again.
In cast iron, the Hobnail and the Golden Tree both hold 900 ml. In glass, the Tapered, the Square and the Round with Steel Infuser come in 950 ml, and the Round Glass Teapot goes up to 1 L.
6 cups or more: a teapot for guests (1.2–1.3 L)
For six people, or four who always ask for a second cup, go for the largest sizes: the Tapered Glass Teapot and the Round Glass Teapot with Steel Infuser in 1.3 L, or the Hobnail Cast Iron Teapot in 1.2 L.
Three things that change the answer
Mugs. If your household drinks from mugs, move up one size from the table above. Two mugs need the pot that three or four teacups would.
Second cups. If everyone tends to pour a refill, count two cups per person rather than one.
How you stop the brew. Tea left sitting on its leaves keeps getting stronger, then bitter. A pot with a removable infuser lets you lift the leaves out when the tea is ready, so a larger pot can wait on the table without spoiling. Nearly all of our teapots have one. The English-inspired ceramic teapot filters through small holes at the spout instead, so it is best poured in one go, which is exactly what its 400 ml size is for.
Glass or cast iron: does the material change the size?
It changes the weight. A glass teapot is lighter than a cast iron one of the same size, and you can see at a glance how much tea is left.
A cast iron teapot is much heavier. Our 800 ml Flat Cast Iron Teapot weighs about 1.5 kg before any water goes in, and 800 ml of water adds another 800 g. That weight is part of its charm, and once warm, cast iron holds its heat well. If lifting a heavy pot is a concern, choose a smaller size in cast iron, or glass for a larger one.
How much tea for each size?
A practical starting point is one rounded teaspoon of loose leaf tea per 200 ml cup: two teaspoons for a 400 ml pot, three for 600 ml, five for a litre. Adjust from there to your taste and to the producer’s suggestion on the pack.
For water temperature and steeping times, see our guide on how to make tea.
Still between two sizes?
- You mostly drink tea on your own: take the smaller one. You can always brew a second pot, and a pot filled only halfway cools sooner.
- You often share, or you drink from mugs: take the larger one.
Our teapot sizes at a glance
| Teapot | Sizes | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Square Glass Teapot | 350 ml · 550 ml · 750 ml · 950 ml | 1 to 5 cups |
| Round Glass Teapot | 400 ml · 600 ml · 800 ml · 1 L | 2 to 5 cups |
| Tapered Glass Teapot | 450 ml · 550 ml · 750 ml · 950 ml · 1.3 L | 2 to 6 cups |
| Glass Teapot with Wooden Handle | 500 ml · 800 ml | 2 to 4 cups |
| Ribbed Glass Teapot | 600 ml | About 3 cups |
| Wide Glass Teapot with Steel Infuser | 600 ml · 800 ml | 2 to 4 cups |
| Round Glass Teapot with Steel Infuser | 650 ml · 950 ml · 1.3 L | 3 to 6 cups |
| Plum Blossom Cast Iron Teapot | 300 ml · 600 ml · 800 ml | 1 to 4 cups |
| Hobnail Cast Iron Teapot | 600 ml · 900 ml · 1.2 L | 3 to 7 cups |
| Flat Cast Iron Teapot | 800 ml | About 4 cups |
| Golden Tree Cast Iron Teapot | 900 ml | 4–5 cups |
| English-inspired Ceramic Teapot | 400 ml | 2 cups |
Once you know your size, the rest is a matter of taste: the shape you like to look at, and the cups you like to hold. You’ll find them all in our teapots and cups and mugs.