It is believed that water boiled in the samovar was quite soft. The faucet was positioned above the level where sediment accumulated, leaving impurities at the bottom.

The first Russian samovar was made of copper and appeared in the Urals. However, the first enterprise specializing in the production of samovars was a factory in Tula. Samovars manufactured by the Lisitsyn dynasty became famous for the variety of their designs and finishes. Their factory produced samovars shaped like barrels, embossed and engraved vases, and eggs, as well as samovars with dolphin-shaped faucets and loop-shaped handles.

Each samovar shape had its own name. There were samovars of such shapes as eggs, balls, shot glasses, vases, and turnips. As demand for these products increased, more factories opened in Russian cities like Tula, Moscow, Rybinsk, and Yaroslavl. In some cities, samovars were called differently. In Kursk it was known as a “samokipets”, in Yaroslavl — “samogar”, in Vyatka — “samogrey”.

In the Russian Empire, the samovar quickly became the centerpiece of tea drinking ceremonies and was known as the “General of the Table”. Initially, copper samovars were used, but they were later replaced by samovars made of zinc and copper alloys. Wealthy individuals began to purchase silver or nickel-plated samovars, which were more expensive. Usually, wood and wood chips were used to heat the samovars. Pine cones were also considered a popular fuel. They not only burned quickly, but gave a pleasant, lightly pine-scented taste and aroma to the tea.

In the 18th century, there were even “samovar kitchens” in the Russian Empire. These had three compartments separated by partitions inside. Food was being cooked in two of them, and water for tea was boiled in the third one. The device was used for cooking food in field conditions.