What exactly constitutes good drainage? Everyone has their own criteria, and more often than not, we judge it based on an intuitive feeling. Some sellers might tell you that this is something you can only understand through experience, not explanation. However, through repeated use and comparison, it's not hard to discover some standards that are commonly understood and subconsciously applied by the public.

There are roughly three types of spout holes: single hole (commonly found in older pots; back then, tools were mostly made from bamboo, making it difficult to process the spout hole, so a single hole was typically punched); mesh hole (nowadays, most pots have mesh holes, with 7, 9, or 14 holes); and ball hole (a semi-spherical shape with densely packed tiny holes, designed for better Tea filtration but more difficult to clean and prone to breakage).

In conversations with fellow enthusiasts, the question of drainage often arises: “Does a purple clay Teapot drain better if it has more spout holes?”

The number of spout holes has little direct relationship with drainage performance. The view that the number of spout holes determines drainage effectiveness is incorrect. The drainage performance of a teapot depends on four factors: 1. Water pressure. 2. Air pressure. 3. Water flow force. 4. Volume of water drained.

Water pressure depends on the pressure of the water inside the pot when pouring. The greater the difference in height between the spout and the water level inside the pot, the higher the water pressure and the better the drainage. Clearly, the lower the base of the spout, the better the drainage effect, as seen in the Ziye Shibo teapot.

Air pressure depends on the air hole at the lid knob. If the air hole is too narrow, the inflow of air during pouring is restricted, affecting air pressure and, consequently, drainage performance.

The water flow force depends on the shape of the spout. A spout with many bends results in significant loss of water flow force and weaker drainage, such as in Teapots with a three-bend spout.

A wider spout with a larger base allows for a greater volume of water to be drained, which is easily understandable.

Therefore, among various styles of teapots, Jingzhou Shibo has the best drainage because it scores highest overall in these four factors. Following that, the Ziye Shibo and teapots with a similar structure to the Ziye Shibo are also excellent.

The speed of drainage affects not only the aesthetic quality of the water flow but also the final presentation of the tea infusion. For teas that don't tolerate long Steeping times, a teapot with slow and gentle drainage might result in a few extra seconds of infusion time, missing the optimal taste. Similarly, a slender and graceful woman pouring tea with the force of a gushing spring would create an incongruous scene for her guests. Choosing a teapot suitable for the type of tea being brewed is just as important as choosing one that suits the tea brewer.