Home › Forums › coffee? Tea? › loose-leaf tea stuff › 60, 90 or 120 ml: apparently gaiwan size is a lifestyle choice
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Noodle 92.
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August 22, 2026 at 5:11 pm #5409Question or objective: pick a practical daily size
Tea category: gaiwan size comparison
Exact product: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans
Vendor: River Gate Tea
Origin: Phoenix Mountain, Guangdong
Cultivar, if known: Mi Lan Xiang
Harvest season/year: spring 2025
Processing or roast: medium roast
Cake/batch number, if relevant: cake/lot noted above where applicable; otherwise N/A
Purchase/opening date: purchased 2026-06-25; opened 2026-08-21
Storage since purchase: sealed original pouch inside a dark cupboard
Style: gongfu
Vessel: 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans
Vessel material: porcelain
Nominal and actual filled capacity: 55 / 82 / 108 ml filled
Filter or strainer: lid gap
Kettle: standard electric kettle + thermometer
Vessel preheated: yes
Dry leaf weight: ratio matched at 1 g per 13 ml
Water volume: capacity matched
Water temperature: 90°C
Water source or mineral profile: same bottled water, 55 ppm
Rinse: 5-10 s where noted by the recipe; otherwise none
Infusion schedule: 8/8/10/15 s
Agitation: none
Was each infusion completely decanted?: yes
Aroma: similar
Sweetness: similar
Bitterness: similar
Astringency: similar
Body/texture: similar
Flavour: similar with handling differences
Aftertaste: similar
Number of satisfying infusions: 6
Exact problem: one-person ergonomics and waste comparison
Desired result: pick a practical daily size
Variable changed: vessel size
Previous value: 120 ml
New value: 60 and 90 ml
Result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost
Dry-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Liquor photograph: not attached yet
Wet-leaf photograph: not attached yet
Video if pouring or drainage is relevant: not relevantI used the same tea and tried to keep ratio, water and timing close enough that the vessel was actually the interesting variable. The test was vessel size: 120 ml versus 60 and 90 ml. 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
If you own both kinds of gear, I would especially like the boring details: actual filled capacity, pour speed, cleanup, heat retention, and the thing that annoys you after three weeks.
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August 22, 2026 at 5:41 pm #5410
Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: firsthand ownership/use of both compared options.
Change: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward pick a practical daily size if that variable is causal.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: I would stop if the change removes the aroma you are trying to preserve.
Commercial relationship: none.-
August 22, 2026 at 6:59 pm #5411
Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: controlled side-by-side use under matched conditions.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.-
August 22, 2026 at 7:38 pm #5412
Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: firsthand long-term use of one side of the comparison.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none. -
August 22, 2026 at 10:19 pm #5415
Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none.
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August 22, 2026 at 8:12 pm #5413
Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward pick a practical daily size if that variable is causal.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none.-
August 22, 2026 at 9:11 pm #5414
Long-term report
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: Water chemistry may change the result, so I would not generalize this to every city.
Commercial relationship: none.
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August 22, 2026 at 11:35 pm #5416
Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: controlled side-by-side use under matched conditions.
Change: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward pick a practical daily size if that variable is causal.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: My result is from a small number of sessions, so treat it as evidence rather than law.
Commercial relationship: none. -
August 23, 2026 at 12:38 am #5417
Controlled test
Direct recommendation: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: side-by-side or repeated one-variable test.
Change: repeat the same recipe on a second day.
Expected effect: a repeated result should be easier to trust.
Observed result: not tested on this exact setup yet.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none. -
August 23, 2026 at 2:07 am #5418
Long-term report
Direct recommendation: weigh the actual filled water once.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: repeated sessions over time.
Change: weigh the actual filled water once.
Expected effect: your ratio will become comparable with other reports.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: This may not transfer to a heavier roast or a very different vessel size.
Commercial relationship: none. -
August 23, 2026 at 2:54 am #5419
Original-poster update
Direct recommendation: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Applies to: same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans / gaiwan size comparison in a setup close to 60 ml / 90 ml / 120 ml porcelain gaiwans.
Evidence: follow-up on the author’s own same 2025 dancong across three gaiwans.
Change: repeat the session with 60 and 90 ml.
Expected effect: the cup should move toward pick a practical daily size if that variable is causal.
Observed result: 90 ml is easiest balance of handling, heat and leaf cost.
Limitations: If your actual filled volume differs from the stated volume, the ratio may be the bigger issue.
Commercial relationship: none.
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