You know, I been drinkin’ tea all my life, and I seen a lot of them glassware tea sets. These days, folks like them glass ones. They say it’s fancy. I don’t know ’bout fancy, but I seen ’em, and I got some thoughts.

This glass, it ain’t like the glass we used to have. Back in my day, glass was glass, you know? Now they got this fancy glass, calls it “borosilicate.” Sounds like somethin’ from a science book, not somethin’ you drink tea out of. They say it’s strong, this borosilicate glass. They say it can take the heat, won’t crack when you pour hot water in it. Maybe that’s true. It is important, I don’t want no cracked teapots.

Now, I seen these glassware tea sets, some of ’em got a whole lot of pieces. You got your teapot, your little cups, sometimes even a little thing to keep the tea warm. It’s a lot, I tell ya. For me, a good teapot and a couple of cups is all you need. But I guess some folks like all them extra bits. And these teapots, some of ’em are big enough to serve a whole family. They hold a lot, like 1000 ml. That’s a lot of tea!

They say these glassware tea sets are “stylish.” I guess they are, in a way. They look clean, I give ’em that. You can see the tea right through ’em. I reckon some people don’t like that, they like the tea to be a mystery, like them fancy porcelain pots. They are made by high temperatures, that is what I heard. Porcelain is different from glass.

But me? I like seein’ my tea. And these glass ones, they’re easy to clean. Just a little soap and water, and they’re good as new. The old ones, well the really old ones that people like, cost a lot of money. They say the older the cup, the more money it is. I don’t get it, myself. The ones that is 200 years old are really expensive. And those old crystal ones, you gotta watch out. They got lead in them. You don’t want no lead in your tea, no sir. Lead is bad. Modern crystal is better, no lead. You can test it, you know. Hit it with something. If it rings, it’s got lead. If it just goes “tink,” it’s okay.

• Borosilicate Glass – Strong stuff, they say.
• Heat Resistant – Won’t crack with hot water.
• Lots of Pieces – Teapots, cups, warmers, oh my!
• Easy to Clean – Soap and water does the trick.
• Stylish – If you like that sort of thing.
• Old ones are expensive – 200 years old are very expensive.
• Old crystal has lead – Be careful.

Some folks, they get real particular about their glassware tea sets. They talk about the shape of the spout, the way the handle feels in your hand. Me, I just want somethin’ that pours without dribblin’ and don’t burn my fingers. But I guess there’s somethin’ to it, all that fancy stuff. And if you like these glass ones, you like them, there is nothing wrong with that. I don’t think they will be as valuable as those old ones, but who knows.

I seen these glass teapots, they make ’em by hand. That’s somethin’, ain’t it? Someone sittin’ there, blowin’ the glass, shapin’ it just right. It’s a skill, I’ll give ’em that. And they say these glassware tea sets are good for everyday use. They are durable. That means they don’t break easy. I guess that’s important, especially if you got grandkids runnin’ around. You don’t want no broken glass everywhere.

So, these glassware tea sets, they got their good points and their bad points, just like anythin’ else. They’re pretty, they’re easy to clean, and they can hold a lot of tea. But you gotta be careful with ’em, ’cause they’re still glass. I still like my old teapot, the one I got when I first got married. It ain’t fancy, but it makes a good cup of tea. And that’s all that really matters, ain’t it? A good cup of tea, shared with good company. That’s what life’s all about. No matter you use glass or porcelain or whatever. Just enjoy it. That’s what I say.