DOPUDO Glass Teacup Infuser Set with Travel Case

Yes. This set is made from borosilicate glass, which is the same lab-grade glass used in scientific beakers. It's specifically designed to handle thermal shock from boiling water without cracking. Reviewers describe the glass quality as 'exquisite' and 'lab-quality.' Just be aware that because it's not double-walled, the outside of the glass gets very hot when you pour boiling water in — use the rubber sleeve for pouring.

The cups are about shot-glass sized — the entire set capacity is 5.1 oz total. If you're used to drinking from a 12-oz mug, these will feel tiny. But that's actually by design: in gongfu-style brewing, you use small cups and do multiple steeps, sipping concentrated flavor in small amounts. Each steep brings out different flavor notes. If you want big mugs of tea, this isn't the right product. If you want a more intentional, multi-steep experience, the small size is a feature, not a bug.

It's designed for one or two people — the cups are small (about shot-glass sized) and the total capacity is 5.1 oz. If you're sharing tea with one other person over a gongfu-style session with multiple steeps, it's perfect. But if you need to serve three or four people at once, or if you want large mugs of tea, this isn't the right set. Think of it as an intimate tea-for-two setup, not a group teapot.

Not very long, honestly. Without double-walled insulation, tea cools relatively quickly — reviewers specifically mention poor insulation as a drawback. But here's the thing: for gongfu-style brewing where you're doing quick steeps and drinking small amounts immediately, that's actually fine. You're not meant to let tea sit in this set for 20 minutes. If you need tea to stay hot for extended periods, you'd want an insulated tumbler or a double-walled teapot instead.

It's actually one of the easiest ways to get into loose leaf tea. Add your tea leaves to the strainer, place it in the brewing chamber, pour hot water over the leaves, and steep for your desired time. Lift the strainer out, pour into the master mug or directly into the two cups, and enjoy. The clear glass lets you watch the color develop, which helps you learn steep timing visually. Some reviewers found the master mug actually works better as the brewing vessel — drop leaves in, steep, then pour through the strainer into cups. Experiment and find what works for you.

It's actually an ideal starter set. You get every piece you need — brewing vessel, strainer, and cups — without having to research and buy components separately. The clear glass lets you learn visually by watching how different teas color the water. The small size encourages multiple steeps, which teaches you how flavors evolve over successive infusions. And at this price point, it's a low-risk way to find out if loose leaf tea is for you before investing in a more expensive setup.

This is one of its sweet spots. The compact footprint fits easily on a desk, and the quick gongfu-style brewing it encourages works perfectly for work — steep for 30 seconds, pour, sip, and get back to what you're doing. Multiple reviewers specifically mention using it at their work desk. The carrying case doubles as storage when it's not in use. Just be mindful that the glass gets hot and tea cools quickly, so drink your cups promptly.

It's one of the most popular uses reviewers mention. The compact size, nested design, and sturdy carrying case make it genuinely travel-friendly. People specifically call out using it in RVs, on boats, and during outdoor tea sessions. The borosilicate glass is more durable than regular glass (it handles thermal shock), though it's still glass — so you do need to treat it with some care. For car camping or RV use where you have a relatively stable surface, it's excellent. For rugged backpacking, you might want something unbreakable.

Yes, and reviewers love this feature. The clear borosilicate glass lets you watch the tea color develop in real time, which is both beautiful and practical. You can visually judge steep strength without opening anything or timing it precisely. For beginners especially, this visual feedback is invaluable — you learn to associate color with flavor strength. It also makes the whole brewing experience more enjoyable, which is part of why people buy glass tea sets in the first place.

Reviewers confirm the glass strainer handles various leaf sizes effectively, from larger whole leaves to smaller cuts. The side-crevice design allows fast drainage while keeping most leaves contained. That said, for very fine tea dust or rooibos-grade particles, some sediment might slip through — that's true of most infuser-style strainers. For standard loose leaf teas (green, black, oolong, white), it works well.

One reviewer noted a pungent rubber smell, likely from the silicone sleeve or gaskets. This is common with new silicone components and typically goes away after a few washes with hot soapy water. You can also soak the rubber parts in a baking soda solution overnight to speed up the process. It shouldn't be a long-term issue, but if you're sensitive to odors, plan to wash everything thoroughly before first use.

The master mug (also called a fairness cup or cha hai in traditional tea culture) is designed to receive the brewed tea from the strainer before you pour into individual cups. This ensures both cups get the same strength tea. But here's an interesting finding from reviewers: many people actually prefer using the master mug as the primary brewing vessel instead of the designated brewing chamber. They steep leaves directly in it, then pour through the strainer into the cups. It's a more intuitive workflow for some people.

The small capacity and quick-drain strainer make it ideal for teas that reward multiple steeps: oolongs, pu-erh, high-quality green teas, and white teas. These teas unfold beautifully over several short infusions, and the clear glass lets you watch the color deepen with each steep. Black teas work fine too, especially Chinese-style blacks. Herbal teas and tisanes work but are less exciting since they typically don't evolve much over multiple steeps. Avoid very fine-cut teas like CTC black tea — the strainer may let some particles through.

It depends on your brewing style, but for portable gongfu-style brewing, a glass strainer like the one in this DOPUDO set works really well. The side-crevice design allows fast drainage, which is important when you're doing quick steeps. Reviewers confirm it handles various leaf sizes effectively — from fine-cut teas to larger whole leaves. If you prefer Western-style brewing with longer steep times, a basket infuser might be more practical, but for compact travel brewing, this glass strainer design is hard to beat at this price point.

For a glass tea set, prioritize these things: the type of glass (borosilicate is best — it handles thermal shock), whether it includes a strainer or infuser, the capacity for your needs, and portability if you travel. This DOPUDO set checks most boxes with lab-quality borosilicate glass, an integrated glass strainer, and a compact carrying case. The main trade-off reviewers flag is that it's not double-walled, so the glass gets hot to the touch and tea cools faster than in insulated sets. If heat retention matters to you, that's worth knowing upfront.

For this DOPUDO set specifically, the included carrying case handles that decision for you — everything nests together compactly and the case keeps pieces from knocking into each other. Reviewers describe the case as 'sturdy' and multiple people specifically mention using it for travel and RV use without issues. Just make sure the case is zipped closed and stored where it won't slide around in your luggage or vehicle.

Glass and ceramic are generally considered the healthiest options for tea because they don't leach chemicals or alter flavor. This DOPUDO set uses clear borosilicate glass, which is one of the cleanest materials available — it's the same type used in laboratory equipment. Unlike plastic infusers or cheap metal strainers, borosilicate glass won't react with hot liquids or impart any taste. The clear glass also lets you visually monitor your tea's color as it steeps, which is both practical and enjoyable.