Tea is a special brew that comes with a lot of ecstatic feelings and health benefits. Depending on the type of leaves, there are different forms of tea brewing. However, attaining an excellent brew starts with the type of teapot you use.
From vintage to super-modern classic designs, glass teapots are here to take the art of tea brewing and sipping to another level. Due to their peak elegance, minimalistic design and practicability that are second to none, these ornamental tea tools come with a sundry of uses that go beyond the users’ expectations. Stay to the end of this blog as we are going to take you through the benefits, drawbacks, how to pick and maintain these wonderful tea accessories.
Glass Teapots Benefits
1. Amazing look
Glass teapots have a stunningly stylish look that makes them outstanding. Its transparent nature gives it an attractive look, especially when preparing tea for your guests. The look itself adds some psychological taste as you watch the colourful tea leaves being blown and rotated by the conventional current.
2. Safety
Glass teapots are 99.99℅ chemical-free due to the inert nature of glass. Heavy metals which are rampant in other teapots manufactured from iron and aluminium are not present in glass teapots. Due to its inert nature also, a chemical reaction is not likely to occur as you prepare your tea, thus maintaining the colour and taste of your tea.
3. Durable
Glass teapots made of borosilicate glass are more durable and long-lasting than other teapot options. Borosilicate glass is a combination of silica and boron trioxide. The combination of these materials makes it durable glass that is shatter resistant and less likely to crack or break even at extreme temperature. Teapots made from tempered glass is another durable one which undergoes thermal and chemical treatment to make it crack-resistant under any temperature.
4. Crystal look
As opposed to ceramic teapots, cast iron teapots and clay teapots, glass teapots gives you a more clear visual experience to watch the brewing process, so you can know when your tea is ready whether you are sitting close or at a distance. You don’t have to lift the lid for any confirmation as the crystal look of the glass dictates it all. The evolution of your tea is very conspicuous as you admire the beautiful green tea leaves evolve from one stage to another. The quantity of the tea left can also be noticed at a glance, adjusting if need be very easy.
5. Ease of cleaning
The slippery and smooth nature of glass teapots makes them very easy to clean. The effort used in cleaning a glass teapot is almost negligible if effortless is an understatement. It requires a little amount of water in cleaning since particles don’t get stuck easily on its smooth surface. They don’t get stained easily even with factors necessary for rusting such as water present.
6. They’re microwave safe
Making tea or boiling water very fast is another advantage of glass teapots. You remove any metallic part made of stainless steel before placing your glass teapot in a microwave. It’s very safe as opposed to heating water in a microwave using a plastic cup which is likely to react chemically, emitting toxic chemical into what is being heated.
Related Article: Is it Safe to Microwave Water for Tea?
Drawbacks of glass teapot
1. Heat retention
Glass is relatively a poor conductor of heat as compared to other material such as iron, aluminium and clay. Due to this attribute of glass, teapots made of glass cannot retain heat for a longer time.
2. Fragility
Glass teapots are manufactured using a mixture of hard materials. This, however, cannot make it durable as compared to its counterpart metallic teapots which can last several decades. The fact that glass teapots are durable is not a guarantee that that won’t break even if they fall on hard ground or object like a stone.
3. Staining
Glass teapots get affected by natural stains which however do not impact the taste and flavour of the tea in any way. The stain embeds itself in a manner that is very difficult to clean them or get them off by the normal and simple detergents. Lemon or vinegar combined with baking powder can be a good recipe for cleansing the surface of a glass teapot when scrubbing gently with a soft spongy substance.
4. Thermal effect
Glass teapot get overheated when subjected to high temperatures like a gas cooker. Without insulation properties like a plastic handle, these glass teapots can just be very impossible to handle especially when on top of a heat source.
Picking Glass Teapot
Whether you will achieve a 100% value for your money or not depend on how careful you choose your teapot. Even though the antiques come in the same type of materiality, they feature different brands. There are more expensive variants than others. Here are the factors to consider when enlisting your teapots.
1. Heating properties
During tea brewing, there is no doubt that your antique will be subjected to intense heat and instant temperature change. Generally, glass teapots are made with either ordinary glass or heatproof material. The heatproof material is a combination of elements such as silica sand, borax acid, borax and alumina. Other than resistance to imbalance expansion, the heatproof materials are ideal when it comes to instant temperature changes.
Heatproof materials are also susceptible to even temperature changes. Their inner and outer wall expands uniformly hence rendering them resistant to cracking. This attribute makes them a wonderful option where durability is the main cause for concern.
2. Toughen glass.
To avoid the nightmares of breakages of glasses, you should consider going for the toughen teapot glasses. They do not last to infinity, but their durability is satisfying. Having this in mind, it’s very important that you know which combination of ingredients will give you a tough and strong glass teapot. A glass teapot chemically toughened with silica sand and soda-lime offers the best strength that makes the glass teapot more long-lasting.
3. Transparency
Going for transparent glass teapots will be a factor to consider while picking your preferred teapot. It creates a pure tone. Crystal glass is also very easy to scratch and clean. Always consider purchasing glass teapots made from a combination of silica sand, lead oxide and potassium carbonate. They give your glass the sense of touch and look you would recommend.
4. Additional accessories
Infusers play a bigger role in tea brewing. It is what determines whether the brewed herbal drink will have solid-like products or particles or not. When choosing the glass, look at its design and ascertain whether it comes handy with an in-built tea infuser. Some teapots also work well with stainless steel infusers made from secondary companies. Therefore, before landing on a specific antique, read its description and know what it contains before making a step.
5. Price
Depending on the amount in your pocket, the price of the teaware can either limit or allow you to walk away with the goods. You only walk away with what you pay for. Generally, glass tea wares are a little bit pricey. Depending on the materiality and design, they feature a wide range of price tags. Therefore, before settling down for a specific antique, check and confirm its price tag first.
How to maintain a glass teapot
The sophistication and elegance of glass teapot can only be achieved under proper care and maintenance. Due to their fragility, these tea tools demands immense cautiousness when it comes to handling. They should always be kept out of reach of children and any other unauthorised party.
Due to their smooth surfaces, you will always find it easy to clean the tea tools. Here are some factors to consider when cleaning these antiques.
- Once you are through with the sipping, empty the glass of any tea and rinse it with water
- Always use a slightly damp soft cloth to wipe the body of the teapot
- Hand wash with water and soap; rinse thoroughly with drying towel and store properly after every use. Any molecule of water that remains on the surface of the glass always results in watermarks
- Clean any soiled surface with a non-abrasive chemical and thoroughly dry before storing
- Never use anything rough on the surface of the tea tool to prevent scratches
- Use baking soda and hot water to remove stains from the surface of the antique
Other care and maintenance guidelines
- Do not put the teapot in a freezer or fridge. And, unless the accessory is made of heatproof glass, do not use over the stovetop. Extreme temperature is an automatic risk of cracking. Boil the water and pour it in the glass before proceeding to heat it to steep the tea.
- Never use any chipped or cracked teapot. This is mainly for your safety.
Conclusion
Glass teapots are gems to integrate into your normal tea brewing and sipping seasons. Their sophistication and elegance always paint a huge smile as you serve your guest the herbal brew. The antiques come in different designs and colour that you can choose from.