Pour, volume, and getting the leaf out
A pot that dribbles down its own spout will annoy you every day for years. A pot that does not empty completely leaves leaf sitting in hot water, which over-extracts the next infusion. And a pot with a narrow opening is a pot you will resent cleaning. Test all three before you consider the material: they are the properties you interact with every time and the ones almost no review mentions.
Porcelain, glass, stoneware and clay
Porcelain and glass are neutral — they hold no flavour and can brew anything, which makes them the sensible first pot. Glazed stoneware is similar with more heat retention. Unglazed clay, of which yixing is the famous example, is porous: it absorbs oil and aroma from the tea and gives some back, which is why a clay pot is traditionally dedicated to one tea type. That is a genuine effect and also a genuine constraint, and buying one as a first pot means committing to a category before you know which you like.
Size, and why smaller is usually right
Most Western teapots are far larger than one person drinks before the tea cools. A 200-300 ml pot suits one or two people and lets you brew stronger and more often. Large pots push you towards a single long steep, which is the brewing style that most flattens a good leaf. If you mostly drink alone, buy small — it is the least glamorous advice in this guide and the one that changes the most cups.
Built-in infusers
Many pots ship with a basket that sits in the neck. If it is generous, it is convenient. If it is narrow — and most are — the leaves cannot expand and the tea brews weakly no matter how much you use. A pot with no infuser at all, strained on the way out, is usually better than a pot with a bad one.