First of all, look at the spout, handle and body to see if they are balanced.
The connection between the spout and the body of the kettle, and the connection between the handle and the body of the kettle should be handled naturally, without any imperfections, just like a whole. To see if the kettle is balanced, first hold the handle of the kettle, hold it up and feel comfortable, then remove the lid of the kettle, inverted on the table, to see if the spout, spout and handle are in a straight line. Tea people called "three mountains".
Second, look at the mud
A good pot of muddy water, warm, dignified, friendly, pleasing to the eye, to the relatives of the ancient and elegant.
Third, listen to the sound
Because of the different firing temperatures of zisha pots, the hardness will be somewhat different, so the sound will be crisp, high-pitched or dull. Whether it is crisp or cloudy, there is no certain standard. However, according to the experience shared by the circle of friends who have been playing with Zisha pots for many years, the pots with crisp and bright sound are more suitable for brewing tea with high fermentation aroma; the pots with muddy and boring sound are suitable for brewing low aroma and heavy fermentation tea.
Fourth, look at the charm
Carefully observe the pot, can make you feel that you are looking at a work of art, a good pot from the quiet elegance of the noble temperament; from the simple and heavy, let a person feel stupid; from the simple lines, you can have a back to basics of the reverie.
Fifth, look at the practicality
In the end, the teapot is still a tool for tea. A good teapot should feel comfortable to hold. Pouring tea from the pot, the water flow should be smooth, the water column should be smooth and not scattered, commonly known as "seven inches of water is not open". A good kettle should be quick to cut. Press the lid on the outlet, the water column will quickly close, there will be no residue in the spout.
Sixth, look at the decoration
Generally Zisha pots have more or less decorative, such as relief, painted, inlaid, inscriptions, seals and so on. These decorations should be integrated with the body of the pot, rather than being very abrupt, based on the beauty of the whole pot.