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Piping hot aromatic tea sparkling inside a glass tea set can be an enchanting sight for any tea lover. Beautiful and elegant, the glass tea set's visual appeal and translucent nature sets it apart from all other tea ware.
Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, glass tea sets also offer multiple functionalities to the tea drinker. They are an exceptional option for hosting, ensuring a pleasant tea experience at any social occasion or dinner party.
In this article, we will discuss some of the common properties of glass tea sets as well as what makes them stand out. We have also added a few highly useful tips on how to prolong the lifespan of your glass tea set and what you should do to keep it clean.
So, let's dive into what glass tea sets are all about!
A glass tea set is usually formed and furnished by adding a mixture of quartz-containing sand, soda ash, and limestone. These constituents are first melted at high temperatures and then cooled to create the final shape.
Many different types of glass tea sets exist. These include crystal glass tea sets, high borosilicate glass, sodium calcium glass tea sets, etc. Each of these glass tea sets has unique features and functionality.
For instance, crystal glass sets are highly transparent and renowned for their unique and novel design. Sodium calcium glass sets have strong plasticity, thick formation, high stability, and durability.
In contrast, high borosilicate has gained popularity due to its heat-resistant ability, which accommodates the high temperatures of freshly brewed tea. These glass tea sets are on the high end in price are valued by most tea lovers.
Sodium Calcium Glass Tea Sets
It is the most common glass for us. The price of this kind of glass tea sets is relatively cheap. But the transparent of sodium calcium glass is lower than crystal glass. The sodium calcium glass has strong plasticity, that is why we can see the sodium calcium glass tea sets has so many different and special shapes.
Crystal Glass Tea Sets
The tea set made of crystal glass has much higher transparency. When you making tea with crystal glass tea set, you can directly see the original color of the tea soup and the color changes in different stages. It is easiest to judge tea’s quality by its color. Moreover, the crystal glass tea sets are light with a great hand feel. The wall of the products is thinner than that of ordinary sodium calcium glass.High Borosilicate Glass Tea Sets
The biggest feature of high borosilicate glass is high temperature resistance, so it is heat-resisting. Calcium glass tea sets and crystal glass tea sets can not be heating directly with fire / induction cooker in daily use, while the high borosilicate glass tea sets can meet the needs of tea brewing and tea cooking. It can withstand the sudden change of temperature from - 20 ℃ to 150 ℃ without causing any crack on it.
Apart from being beautifully attractive and transparent, glass tea sets offer many advantages. Let's have a look!
Stunningly Beautiful
Glass tea sets are famous for their elegance, sophistication, and classy display. A glass tea set offers multiple benefits, but its dazzling appearance makes it stand out among the other tea sets.
These tea sets are sold in many shapes and forms, varying from crystal glass tea sets to high borosilicate glass sets. If you are a tea lover and a sucker for aesthetics, a glass tea set with its intricate design and alluring details is an ideal choice to host tea ceremonies. Their attractive and alluring beauty is sure to leave an everlasting impression on your guests!
Transparency
Besides adding an elegant touch to brewing tea, glass tea sets offer a mesmerizing view of the tea inside the teacup. Glass tea sets have a clear and transparent texture. This allows you to observe the visual properties of tea.
The way tea leaves unfold inside the teacup, the exquisite dance of floral tea leaves floating in the liquid, and the delicate change in color and hue - all account for a visual appreciation of tea brewing artistry. The transparent nature of glass tea sets adds to a delightful tea experience.
Heat-resistant
Some glass tea sets have a double-layered structure, making the material thick and heat-resistant. For instance, as mentioned earlier, high borosilicate glass tea sets have heat-protecting ability. These glass tea sets can withstand sudden changes in temperature without breaking or cracking.
However, only a few glass tea sets can retain heat compared with clay and ceramic tea sets, for which heat resistance is a core characteristic. Therefore, these glass tea sets need an insulation sleeve or a cover to hold the cup so you don't get scalded.
Maintains Tea Fragrance
Glass tea sets are denser, less porous, and have a lower water-absorption ability than other tea sets. This means that glass tea sets keep the tea as fragrant as possible.
In comparison, clay tea sets are highly porous, prolonging the tea's aroma but losing its original taste. Hence, glass tea sets allow you to enjoy the authentic taste of tea or coffee with no added flavors for the next tea round.
Easy to Clean
If you are an everyday tea lover, cleaning might be the most tiring work after a peaceful tea gathering. So, it is important to invest in a tea set that requires little to no cleaning effort.
Glass tea sets are convenient and practical to use. These tea sets have a smooth and plain surface that prevents dirt from sticking to them and keeps germs at bay. Moreover, given its crystal clear and transparent material, a glass tea set easily makes any dust or remaining residue inside visible to human eyes.
One major drawback of glass tea sets is their fragile nature. This compromises the durability of a glass tea set, making it more likely to break if not handled with care.
Moreover, as mentioned before, most glass tea sets are not heat-resistant and can burn your hands if you don't use an insulation sleeve. The only exception is high borosilicate glass tea sets that greatly tolerate high temperatures.
Hence, properly caring for your glass tea sets is important so they last you all season.
Clean Before Brewing Tea
As much as cleaning glass tea sets after a tea party is important, washing them before every use is important. This will also clean any residue you missed during the last wash and avoid embarrassment in front of the guests.
So before pouring a drink, wipe your glass tea set with a dry cloth to clean any dust. And rinse it thoroughly with clean and warm water without any spots.
You can also use vinegar or lemon juice to remove germs and bacteria. This is very useful for washing the glass tea set for the first time as it removes any bacteria or residue after manufacturing.
Wash Properly After Each Use
After a warm and peaceful tea session, it is important to rinse the glass tea set so you can use it clean and fresh for the next gathering. Make sure to always hand-wash glass tea sets to avoid accidental breakage in the dishwasher.
This will help you eliminate tea stains and old smells and ensure decontamination. After washing the tea set, air dry it completely and store it in a cool, dark place.
Handle With Care
As discussed above, glass tea sets have a very delicate material, which puts them at risk of shattering easily. Moreover, be very gentle when washing a glass tea set as they tend to be slippery and might crack in your hands.
It is important to keep them somewhere safe, inside a cabinet or a box, to avoid collisions or clashes with other hard objects.
Do Not Microwave
Not all glass tea sets are microwave-safe. Therefore, avoiding heating glass tea cups or teapots in a microwave is wise. But if you really need to reheat your drink and there is not enough time to use the stove or warmer, you can use the microwave but at a lower temperature.
However, try not to change the temperatures suddenly, as glass is sensitive to temperature, and a sudden change can lead to cracking or shattering.
Before we wind up our article, there are some important steps we want you to learn on how to clean glass tea sets. This will ensure the longevity and sustainability of your glass tea set.
● Avoid touching the tea set with dirty hands, as that will leave dabbing prints that look bad afterward. So, always start with clean hands.
● Take off any bangles or jewelry before washing, as that can unintentionally create scratch marks on the tea set, reducing its overall quality.
● Empty the teapot and tea cups. This will make cleaning easier later on, and try doing it as soon as possible after the use to avoid staining from the remaining tea content.
● Next, rinse your glass tea set with warm water to remove leftover tea leaves or residue. If the tea stains or leftovers have dried up in the glass teapot or tea cup, the best price is to soak them in warm and soapy water for a few minutes to make things easier.
● Gently scrub using a toothbrush with soft bristles, paying more attention to nooks and corners. Avoid using abrasive scrubbers, as these can leave scratches on the glass. You can also use orange peels to clean and wipe off residues from the glass tea set.
● Finally, rinse them with water and dry them before storing them in a safe place.
Bonus Tip: In Asia, it's a common practice to use pearl powder or toothpaste for cleaning purposes, as that is believed to provide a strong cleaning effect.
If you are a tea enthusiast looking for elegant and visually appealing teaware, glass tea sets are your best investment. Umi Tea Sets sells various products, ranging from high borosilicate to crystal glass tea sets.
These glass tea sets are a budget-friendly option for all tea and aesthetic lovers. These tea sets come directly from Japan and offer a variety of features and uses to suit everyone's needs. Check out our teaware collection to know more about different types of tea sets!