Originally I was going to buy a Bodum double-wall glass cup because of how neat they looked in the pictures, but after reading countless reviews about them breaking so easily, I decided to search for a double walled glass cup that was stronger. And I came across the Sun's Tea cups.
LOOKS: Being cheaper and reputed to be stronger, I decided to give them a try, and boy am I glad I did! They may not look as fancy as the Bodum glasses (at least judging from the pictures) but I have to admit, I am really enjoying the look of these glasses. Based on the pictures I figured these were going to look like test-tube beakers you would find in a science laboratory, meaning they would look boring, stale and uninspiring. However I was taken by surprise, as I personally think they look really neat! They have the look of a standard 16oz straight glass cup, but they also have an additional bit of "depth" which adds a interesting twist to their appearance. There is just something so perfect and streamlined with their look that has me giddy to use the cup any chance I can get.
FUNCTIONALITY: Besides the excellent streamlined look, these seem to work extremely well too. I have boiled water in them several times now (inside the microwave) and made tea using tea-bags and using the http://www.amazon.com/Finum-63-421-50-00-Brewing-Basket/dp/B000I68NCS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335349951&sr=8-1 I purchased a few years back, and so far the cups have been working amazingly! Yes, the glass does get warm with 212 degree boiling water inside of it, but compared to a traditional coffee cup, the difference is insane.
REAL-WORLD USE: With my big Starbucks coffee cup that I have been using for tea lately (also heating in the microwave), if the water got to a boil I absolutely could not handle the cup without being scalded, even trying to use the handle would be far too hot to hold for more than 1-2 seconds. These double-walled glasses have surprised the heck out of me in this regard. I can boil water in the cup, and still take it out of the microwave with my bare hands (with no handle mind you) and it was only borderline "slightly hot". Compared to the big coffee cup I was using, not only are these easier to handle without burning my hands, but they definitely hold the temperature much longer as well, almost too long actually (I prefer around 130 degrees for comfortable drinking of hot liquids). In fact these seem to insulate so well, that a few times the water kept boiling up (in bursts) after I took it out of the microwave, it was the strangest thing.
HOLE IN THE BOTTOM?: Now I read a few reviews from people saying that their Sun's Tea double-wall cups had a pin sized hole in the cup somewhere, and these holes let in water/steam/condensation. Well maybe I got lucky, but both my cups have absolutely no holes in them at all. I really looked too, and I did not see a thing. And after washing them several times, no water has made it into the inside wall. They seem to be completely air-tight sealed.
13OZ, FOR REAL?: As for the sizing of the cup and whether it truly is 13oz or not. Check out the customer submitted pictures for this product (by AM-Review), as I had poured a fresh 12 fl oz Diet Coke into the 13 fl oz Sun's Tea cup and it was absolutely perfect. Just enough room left for the head (so as it wouldn't overflow when pouring), and once that settled I could easily fit another 1-3 oz in there (perhaps for a couple ice cubes or even Whiskey!) Note that an entire soda in the cup was just right so it wasn't too full and that which I could drink comfortably from without worrying of it spilling on the first drink.
RIM THICKNESS: Now these cups are somewhat thick compared to other glasses/cups, but not really that thick. The cups I got have a distinct taper on the inside rim which goes straight down, so it wasn't like I was drinking from a perfectly round inner-tube. Your top-lip will be able to "bite" on the inside of the glass and it is surprisingly comfortable to drink from despite being a tad thicker than usual glasses/mugs.
STRENGTH: Not having owned these for too long, I really can't comment on the overall longevity and tensile strength of the glass. However they do seem pretty robust. Not quite as thick as a standard regular walled glass cup, but it is pretty stinking close. These cups are certainly heavy for their size too, making them feel pretty strong (maybe deceptively strong due to the double wall, and perhaps why people may treat them more roughly). But one thing I know for certain is that Pyrex style glass is pretty tough, but I wouldn't go dropping ice cube in these things without caution. My guess is that Bodum double wall glasses are like two walls of wine glasses (which are extremely fragile and thin) and these Sun's Tea double wall glasses are 3-4 times thicker than that.
SIZE: Based on the original pictures for this cup, I was expecting something not so tall, but rather wider and shorter. This was not the case with my cups, as they are actually pretty tall (check my customer images for size references). Generally speaking, they are about as big/tall as a standard 16-20oz cup. And this also makes cleaning them a tad more difficult too.
CONDENSATION: After several boiling hot and ice cold drinks in a 74~ degree/55% humidity apartment, I got no condensation at all, sides or bottom. The double wall works for sure, as my coke cans and regular cups definitely do condensate. But not these cups! It almost deceives you in thinking the drink isn't cold anymore!
Also in case anybody wants some extra information on sizing/weight, well here you go!
- Width (from outer edge to outer edge): 3-1/8"
- Inside width (inner edge to inner edge, usable area for liquids): 2-3/8th" (this does not include the initial taper down at top of lip, which is slightly wider)
- Height (very bottom to very top): 5-3/4"
- Inside height (inside drinking area to top lip): 5-7/16"
- Weight (in ounces): 11.97oz (round to 12oz) or more accurately 339.5grams.
Well, that was probably some overkill review for cheap glass double-wall cups, but it is what it is. Hope somebody finds it useful!
| Brand | Sun's Tea |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Sun's Tea |
| Model number | DB03 |
| Part Number | YGD1 |
| Batteries Included | No |
| Batteries Required | No |
| Material Type | Glass |
| Manufacturer | Sun's Tea |
| Item model number | DB03 |
| Product Dimensions | 7.62 x 7.62 x 13.59 cm; 362.87 Grams |
| ASIN | B000M1AGV0 |
