Review - QVC Tea Server Ball

So you may notice in my SVTea/Eve's Garden review the little tea pot.
I got this for Christmas for myself and picked up one for each of my girls for their 'hope chests' but of course my oldest daughter had to use hers right away.

The Tea Server Ball purchased from QVC.com cost:$11.75, +shipping & tax for first in order, each additional pot in same order get for $8.75, +1/2 shipping, +full tax.

Here is a shot of it assembled--it even comes with a scoop for measuring out your tea. Very cute. Available in 7 colors.

It comes apart for easy cleaning--but hand wash only!

I was kind of disappointed when I got them because I found that many of the things I take for granted with my other pots I can't do with this and the one thing I thought I could do with this I can't. Namely:

Hand wash only (all parts), no boiling water (let it cool before adding, even if you heat pot first), no microwave---what???

That's right no microwave, even if you remove the metal screen--the glass just can't take it.

The scoop is small for my hands and makes this feel almost like a toy.

The tea gets cold fast because the glass is not very thick...not even as thick as the cheapest coffee pot I've seen.

I do like that it comes all a part for cleaning and that the screen can be removed for when I wish to brew with tea bags. having the plastic lip for the basket come out seperately is very handy too for cleaning.

If you are going to drink the tea fast...go for it. Me I like to linger on my tea....I will probably still use my small metal pot (no longer available) which stays hot for about 1/2 hour. I mean its not a bad little teapot...just not what I was looking for.

NOTE:

During the video presentation on the QVC site you will hear the inventor of this pot make a statement that implies this pot will prevent bitter tea---this is not true. Most 'bitter' tea is simply over brewed.

To prevent 'bitter' tea you can do one of two things:

1. shorten your brew time.

2. brew for 1 minute then dump out the liquid, add more water to already wet leaves and continue brewing again.

The sharpness of black tea tends to come out within the first minute, the caffine with in the first two--if tea gives you the jitters, try brewing for 2-3 minutes, dump the liquid, add more water and begin brewing again (using same leaves)