samovar

A metal urn with a spigot, used to boil water for tea and traditionally having a chimney and heated by coals.

A copper urn used in Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, and elsewhere, in which water is kept boiling for use when required for making tea, live charcoal being placed in a tube which passes up through the center of the urn. Similar vessels are used in winter in northern China, for keeping soups, etc., hot at table.

A metal urn used in Russia for making tea. It is filled with water, which is heated by charcoal placed in a pipe, with chimney attached, which passes through the urn.

A metal urn with a spigot, for boiling water for making tea. Traditionally, the water is heated by hot coals or charcoal in a chimney-like tube which runs through the center of the urn. Today, it is more likely that the water is heated by an electric coil. It is a common misconception that tea is boiled in the samovar. This is not the case. The samovar merely boils the water, which is drawn off via the spigot into a separate teapot in which the tea is allowed to steep.

a metal urn with a spigot at the base; used in Russia to boil water for tea