I'm a hot beverage kind of girl. I love sipping from a steamy mug while relaxing at home (during those precious few free minutes I'm able to grab!) and I often have a warm bevvy with me while out and about, especially during the chillier months. Although I do drink both coffee and tea, I'm currently on a 100% tea kick since I'm nursing and my little guy has proven to have a sensitive tummy. We keep a variety of loose-leaf tea at home, from rooibos to green to fruit-based blends, but up until now my options for enjoying them on the road were a couple cheap software SWAG travel mugs we had kicking around. (Which we should really pitch. Who knows what's in those things? I kinda cringe every time I pour hot water into one of 'em.) Therefore when I discovered the brand Libre and its line of "glass n poly" tea glasses designed for enjoying loose leaf tea on the go, I knew I had to get in on this goodness!
Product Info (abridged - complete info here):
Loose leaf 'on the go' - The Libre tea glass is the perfect tea gift for your tea lovin' friends and family - they will appreciate a relaxing tea moment anywhere, anytime.
Beautiful and convenient, the Libre glass 'n poly styles feature -
- a health conscious glass interior and durable poly exterior - keeps tea hot and cool to touch
- a removable stainless-steel filter that keeps tea leaves in the glass, out of your mouth and is removable for easy cleaning
- on the go ease - see Libre 'how to' video for 2 easy ways to enjoy tea moments 'on the go'.
The glass 'n poly Libre styles are all a BPA-free experience for your tea.
Choose the Libre glass'n poly Original (9 oz), Large (14 oz) or Mug (10 0z).
My Review:
For review purposes, I received a Libre glass'n poly Original. I chose this size as I'm a sipper and don't drink huge quantities at a time (thus earning the moniker "Half Cup", courtesy of my clever husband), plus I figured a smaller glass would cram better into a purse, diaper bag, etc.
My first thought - how lurvely! Certainly a marked improvement aesthetically over the aforementioned SWAG mugs. I particularly love the ornate designs on the lid. A very nice touch!
The weight of the glass is similar to a "standard" travel mug and the size is perfect for car cupholders.
The glass contains two pieces which attach to the top - the lid and a filter layer. Both of these screw on snugly, resulting in a truly leak-free experience.
The filter "net" holds about 2-3 teaspoons of tea, which is a perfect amount to get a good but not ultra-strong steep (using the limited steeping method - more on this in a bit).
While I wouldn't exactly call it "cool", the glass does remain holdable even when filled with boiling water right from the kettle. (I usually fill mine with my Keurig so the water isn't as hot, but I did the kettle test to confirm that it can, indeed, handle higher temperatures too.) And on a related topic, it holds its heat pretty long - about 30-40 minutes with regular drinking and much longer with the lid left on.
The filter is made of a very fine mesh. Just a tiny amount of tea "bits" manage to sneak through; certainly no more (and probably a little less) than the dome filter I use at home with my regular mugs.
Finally, apparently this thing is ultra-robust - though I wasn't about to conduct the following test myself!
In terms of steeping methods, I use the limited approach most often. I find many teas (especially green varieties) are perfect after 4-5 minutes of steeping and then start getting harsh/bitter. Plus, like I mentioned, the glass is easier to clean using this method which is always a plus. Here I've brewed a rooibos chai using the limited steeping method.
I've learned a couple tips for this method. First, it appears helpful to turn the glass right side up and upside down a few times during the steeping period to distribute the brewed tea. Second, after brewing and prior to drinking, I either let the glass sit for a few minutes or carefully unscrew the filter and shake it over the glass opening to drain excess liquid from the leaves. An important step in order to avoid a lap full of tea drippings.
Here I'm using the full steep method (i.e leaves directly in glass) with some green tea. As you can see, it has gotten pretty dark/strong.
I was initially a bit skeptical about drinking right out of the filter layer using the full method but this works perfectly fine.
Of course, the Libre doesn't *have* to be used with loose-leaf; here I'm using it with bagged tea (using the full steep method, of course).
Really, it could be used to enjoy any hot (or cold!) beverage in style. But, of course, tea is super-healthy and zen-tastic!
Overall, as I'm sure it's evident I LOVE my Libre glass'n poly Original tea glass! It's gorgeous, leak-proof, non-toxic, portable and functions well. As for constructive criticism, the only problem I've experienced is that some condensation has developed inside my lid, on top of the design. However when I mentioned this to my contact at Libre, she told me this isn't supposed to happen and immediately sent out a replacement. So A+ customer service right there. That said, the issue probably could've been avoided (even with a faulty lid) by simply rinsing the lid each time and not submerging in soapy water like I did on a few occasions. Product improvement-wise, it might be nice if there was a spout option for drinking (vs. completely open-faced) as this would keep tea warm longer and probably reduce the likelihood of a spill, however I'm not sure how this would work - perhaps an entirely different lid option? In any case, a potential idea for Libre 2.0!
Buy It:
Visit the Libre retail shop to purchase a glass'n poly tea glass of your own! Save 30% with coupon code GetGrounded4EarthDay (ends April 22, 2013 at Midnight PST).
Win It:
One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a Libre glass'n poly Original tea glass! Open to CAN/US.
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Libre Tea. I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive a sample item free of charge. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.
"an experienced tea leaf picker (usually a woman) can pick enough shoots in one day to produce nine pounds of finished tea, which in turn can produce up to 1,800 cups"
ReplyDeleteWOW! THAT IS MUCH MORE THAN I COULD HAVE EVER GUESSED!
Tea has flavonoids which act as antioxidants which help neutralize cell damaging free-radicals - must be good
ReplyDeletesubscribe to RSS with - meiklesue at yahoo dot com - there was no room in the form to state that it is a different email address to the one I login with
ReplyDeleteBagged tea is often made from loose leaf tea production’s tea dust or ‘fannings’, resulting in a brew that is much less flavourful. I love tea!
ReplyDeleteRAFFLECOPTER NAME is Anne Taylor
8oz. Of tea a day can lower the risk of kidney stones
ReplyDeletei learned that there is a LOT less caffeine in tea than in coffee or cola
ReplyDeleteI had no idea tea could reduce the possibility of kidney stones!
ReplyDeleteI saw that idea tea reduces the risk of kidney stones....that would rule for my husband.
ReplyDeleteLoose leaf tea is sold by weight, easy to dispose of and biodegradable.
ReplyDeleteI learned that green tea, which I love, has 20 mg of caffeine in it.
ReplyDeleteI learned that Bagged tea is often made from loose leaf tea production’s tea dust.
ReplyDeleteI learned that one 8oz cup of tea a day can lower the risk of developing kidney stones.
ReplyDeletethanks
I learned that tea is a natural source of fluoride.
ReplyDeleteAn experienced tea leaf picker can pick up to nine pounds in a a day. wow someone is breaking their back for me tea!
ReplyDeleteWe're coming up to the tricentennial of the Hudson Bay Company's intro of tea into Canada (1716-2016!)
ReplyDeleteThe caffeine content in tea is released in the body at about half the rate of coffee
ReplyDeleteI learned that as loose leaf tea is sold by weight, only two to three grams are required for every cup, making it much more cost-effective than pre-packaged teabags.
ReplyDeletei learned that green tea has far less caffeine than i thought!
ReplyDeleteI learned that loose leaf tea has a much smaller eco-footprint than teabags.
ReplyDeleteI learned that the theanine found in tea is a distinctive amino acid that preps the immune system to help fight infection, bacteria and viruses.
DeleteI learned about "Pu’er tea" which I hadn't heard of before. I used to frequent a loose tea shop in Waterloo, and had learned so much there, so I was surprised to learn about a new tea I hadn't heard of! I'm very excited about the giveaway-I have a ton of tea that I have gotten out of the habit of drinking. This cup is inspiring me to brew some :)
ReplyDeleteI learned that "research studies show that the theanine found in tea...preps the immune system to help fight infection, bacteria and viruses".
ReplyDeletewow, caffeine in tea really is way better than coffee :)
ReplyDelete9 lbs of tea leaves can be picked in one day! WOW!
ReplyDeletei learned tea was founded by mistake "a tea leaf accidentally fell into the bowl of hot water"
ReplyDeleteI learned that tea can fight infection, bacteria, and viruses!
ReplyDeleteI learned that the caffeine content in tea is released in the body at about half the rate of coffee! Nice.
ReplyDeleteWhite tea undergoes the least processing after harvesting and has the highest levels of the antioxidants.
ReplyDeleteI learned only 2 to 3 grams of loose leaf tea is needed per cup.
ReplyDeleteTea has flavonoids which act as antioxidants which help neutralize cell damaging free-radicals
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Green Tea may help reduce the inflammation in the bowels for those with irritable bowel disease.
ReplyDeleteAngela Mitchell
I knew that tea has less caffeine than coffee, but I had no idea that the caffeine in tea is released in the body at about half the rate of that in coffee. No wonder I never get that awful rush from drinking tea!
ReplyDeleteI learned that tea is full of antioxidants.
ReplyDeletei did not realize the way bagged tea was made, i would really like a more flavorful loose tea!
ReplyDeleteI learned that one 8oz cup of tea a day can lower the risk of developing kidney stones.
ReplyDeleteI have learnt that the caffeine content in tea is released at about half as fast as coffee. Therefore drinking tea is less taxing on the nervous system.
ReplyDeleteI was very interested to learn that the caffeine in tea produces a gradual increase in alertness over a few hours, as opposed to the ‘crash’ that often occurs after coffee consumption.
ReplyDelete8oz of tea a day can lower risk of kidney stones
ReplyDeleteI learned that tea contains flavinoids that act as antioxidants.
ReplyDeleteWhite tea is the healthiest tea of all due to going through the least processing.
ReplyDeleteI learned that bagged tea is often made from loose leaf tea production’s tea dust or ‘fannings’, resulting in a brew that is much less flavourful.
ReplyDeleteTea can reduce the risk of kidney stones. Did not know this.
ReplyDeletebilliondollarprincesss@hotmail.com
I had thought there was a lot more caffeine in black tea!
ReplyDelete