My first impression when I unboxed this teacup was just how large it was. I didn’t expect to be as large as it was. Of course, I did not pay any attention to the dimensions that I am certain were clearly stated on Amazon’s site. Nevertheless, once I got over the initial shock, I decided to give my new teacup a whirl.
First thing first, I ran it through the dishwasher. A huge benefit for me as I do despise having to wash dishes by hand. The cup isn’t microwave safe but to me it is neither here nor there as I never use the microwave with regard to tea.
Once clean, I had to decide on what tea to drink first. I decided Coconut Pouchong would be my first choice. I realized quickly that I needed to make sure the leaves I used for steeping were not too large and wouldn’t expand much during steeping. The area designated for steeping leaves is not adequate for those leaves that need a great deal of room to expand. I found this cup is best reserved for smaller tea leaves that don’t require the space. Though not too small like rooibos but perhaps honeybush would be acceptable.
Once I placed the leaves within the cup and started the steeping, which is pretty cool. The way the teacup works is by tipping the cup in the direction of the filter when steeping. Once you have steeped the leaves you tip the teacup towards the opposite side of the filter and watch the water drain away from the leaves thus stopping the steeping process. Now you are ready to drink.
I waited my usually time for the tea to cool and then proceeded to drink. The first thing I was reminded of was how small my hands were. I needed to quickly find the best way to take hold of this cup. If I didn’t hold it properly I could see it potentially slipping out of my hands as the plastic used to make this teacup is rather slippery despite the slight texturizing done to its finish. After a few fumbles, success. I took a sip and found it to be a lot cooler in temperature than it normally would have been in a traditional teacup. The reason must be a result of the large cup opening and the plastic material the teacup is made from.
Despite the cooler than average temperature, which can be easily remedied by simply waiting less time than usual to drink the tea, tasted sublime. The sheer ease of use only made the experience that more enjoyable, once I figured out how to hold the cup.
I would HIGHLY recommend this teacup. Not as a primary cup for all teas but more for a cup of convenience while at work or one that is mainly used for finer teas like Sencha, Gyokuro’s, even some CTC’s, and simple black teas. I think I will be mainly saving it for my green teas. I found this teacup a perfect and welcomed pairing to my favorite green teas.
Overall Pros and Cons…
Pro’s
Dishwasher Safe
Easy to Clean
Convenient to Use
Steeped Tea Looks Beautiful in the Cup
Acceptable Price
Aesthetically Pleasing
Produces A Delicious Cup
Con’s
Filter area too small for all types of teas
Not Microwave Safe
Cumbersome for those with smaller hands
Does not retain heat well
For me the “Pro’s” outweigh the “Con’s” and I am glad I made the purchase. I hope you find this post helpful. If you do decide to purchase one of your own please do share your experiences.