There are three “standard” materials we use for cauldrons:

• Pewter is the best for beginning Potions work, as it is the slowest and least expensive standard cauldron. All Hogwarts students should have a Pewter Size 2 cauldron for their Potions class.
• Brass brews Potions at a medium speed and is slightly more efficient than a Pewter cauldron.
• Copper is the fastest-brewing of the three standard cauldron.
• Other materials are occasionally used for cauldrons, although they are much more expensive and rarer. The most common of these pricier cauldrons include silver and gold.

As mentioned in the safety procedures, you must always have dragon-hide gloves for handling dangerous ingredients, goggles to protect your eyes, and your wand when brewing. Remember, some ingredients are not only caustic, they may also try to bite. Other important implements for your brewing station include a set of scales to measure your ingredients as well as measuring cups for liquids or a ruler for solids that must be added by measuring length. You will also want a sharp knife to ensure you are cutting ingredients cleanly and a cutting board so that you do not destroy whatever surface you are using to cut or chop. Some ingredients must be crushed to a fine dust with a mortar and pestle. 

Most stirring should actually be done with your wand (never stick your wand into the potion, though!) but you may have a wooden stirring utensil of some sort as well.

Potion ingredients must always be added in the correct order. This is very important, as the Magical and thermal (heat) energy that impacts the ingredients causes certain ingredients to react at certain times with other compounds and ingredients. If you add ingredients out of order, then these reactions cannot happen and your potion will not brew properly.

Another important component is stirring with your wand. Hold your wand over the cauldron, say the incantation, and move your wand in slow, steady circles. That said, stirring the Potion in the correct direction, either counterclockwise or clockwise is very important. Also ensure that you stir the correct number of times at the proper time.

Potion brew time is the total amount of time it takes to brew a potion. We measure this as Estimated Brew Time (EBT), although depending on the cauldron, brew times may vary slightly.

The most common storing mechanisms used for daily Potion storage are glass or crystal phials. These phials can either be completely clear or slightly tinted for Potions that require darkness when stored. The Potion can either be poured through a funnel into the phial, or a Siphoning Charm can be used to transport it from a larger cauldron to be stored. (If you are unable to funnel your Potion into the phial owing to your cauldron being too large, the Siphoning Charm will help you).

Many Potions can be used immediately after brewing. However, some require time for the ingredients to mature and for certain chemical and magical processes to “settle,” for lack of a better word. Most texts will list this maturity as the Total Brew Time (TBT)

(Remember the difference between EBT and TBT. EBT- Only the brewing time of the potion. TBT- Brewing time plus stalling times, etc.)

Also remember that potions do not last forever and have expiration dates as well as special conditions under which they need to be stored.

The following should appear on the label of your potion:

• Name of the potion
• Effect
• Ingredients
• Date brewed
• Expiration date
• Usage
• Warnings about allergies or side-effects.