Chinese Thicken Glass Gaiwan Gongfu Tea Set/ Tea Cup with Lid and Saucer(260ml)

I've ordered a few items from Gongfu Sado, and each time have been pleasantly surprised at how quickly they ship ... typically less than 1 week to arrive in my NY area, shipped from China. I'm impressed. Shipping materials & padding for glass/ceramic objects is always way more than adequate. Good company. They really seem to care ...That said ... this gaiwan is HUGE.One can easily make 200 ml of tea, with some room to spare.My teacup doesn't even hold that much liquid!I like this gaiwan for brewing 'hotter' teas (black, pu'erh, etc), because I can fill it only halfway, so the top half stays cool enough to handle comfortably while pouring.Also, while the product description certainly does suggest the glass is thick ("thicken glass"), I wasn't expecting absurdly thick ... like "Poindexter Glasses" thick LOL. I purchased 4 of these, planning in advance for accidental breakage, but honestly this gaiwan resembles a tank. I think it would take allot to break it. So, I'll keep one as a spare & gift the remaining 2 to friends :)My initial reaction when I received this was "WTH?", but it's grown on me as I've used it, to the point that I really like it now.Part of the allure of using a gaiwan is its supreme gracefulness, especially if it is fine or bone china. This one, on the other hand, is better described as "eminently practical".

This is my first gaiwan as I have been getting into the Chinese tea traditions and I really like it. It's fairly large by most standards, holding about 1 US cup (8 fl oz) when filled all the way. If you're a Westerner this may seem small for a brewing vessel, but in "gongfu" tea traditions quantities tend to be smaller. It's more about savoring the smell and taste than brewing yourself a big cup (which there is nothing wrong with either! I drink 16 oz in the morning). That fact that this is clear glass also allows enjoyment of the leaves expanding and the color of the tea.The glass is thick and sturdy, reminding me of glassware you find in restaurants. I have not subjected the gaiwan to any serious abuse, but I did wrap it in cloth and take it traveling with me during Christmas, and it survived.As an additional tip, there is more than one way to pour from a gaiwan. I prefer the following as it prevents me from burning my fingers even with boiling water: Pick it up by the saucer with one hand, place the bottom on the four fingers of the other hand and press your thumb into the lid's notch, angling the lid slightly towards that hand so that you allow the tea to get past the lid. You essentially squeeze it between the lid and saucer. The tea does often run down the side into the saucer, so pour with both the edge of the gaiwan and the saucer over the cup or pitcher.

I wanted a clear glass Gaiwan to I could see how beautiful the tea looks while brewing. it may seem small to traditional tea cup standards, but it is large for a Chinese Gaiwan. The problem I have with this style is that the "handle" on the top of the lid is straight up and down. There is no way to get a good safe grip on the lid to lift it while you are using it. If you look at other Gaiwan's the lid handle has a slant, or a lip on the top handle so you can securely lift it up.The company Gongfu Sado was very responsive when I let them know about this issue. I did not return them but I keep them as decoration and do not use them. I could get around this by using something with a bit of a grip to hold it with.

Looks nice. It's the perfect size for pouring into the teacups I bought from amazon as well.I decided to see how much it really holds. The ~260ml the description says seems to be when it's filled to the absolute rim without the lid on it. I used a mg scale, and filled to the brim of the cup, the very most I could get was 235ml. This is with no tea leaves, and no lid. With leaves and the lid on, the amount will be much less of course.Poured as high as I could, maybe even slightly over the edge of the lid, the number I get is 197ml. So with leaves and realisitcly pouring it to just below the lid instead of as high as you can go, the realistic usable amount is probably some where between 170ml and 190ml, or about 6oz.This is still the perfect size imo, it's just a bit less than the advertised "about 260ml"

The lid did not fit any where close to snug and it may of held 250 ml if you filled just to the brink of breaking surface tension which if the lid did fit would not allow.