I'm always looking out for fun and interesting new teaware, especially for use in the office. Before I left for World Tea Expo this year I received two travel sets by Zens Lifestyle to review. I didn't have a chance to try them out before I left for Expo, but it turned out that they had a booth there, and I was able to see them up close. I have to admit, I fell in love with many of their teaware sets- they are beautifully made with a sleek, minimal design. Today I will be reviewing the Pi Travel Cup. I've been using it in the office for a few weeks now, and I've gotten to know it very well. Read on for a full rundown of the pros and cons, and a discount code if you decide you'd like one for yourself.
The Set
The appearance of the Pi Travel Cup is sleek, petite, and intriguing. It's small, which is great for a desk or travel. Since it is designed for travel, it also comes with a perfectly sized travel case. There are three main parts to the brewer: The steeping vessel, the drinking cup, and the silicone middle, connecting the two pieces. The steeping vessel and cup are made of double-walled borosilicate glass. There is a stainless steel filter for steeping and small stainless steel ball that assists with the pouring. There are two pieces of plastic in this set- the cap that goes on the top of the glass brewing vessel, and a small lever to allow the tea to pour out.
Assemble the pieces together, add your tea and you're ready to go. The cup holds a little over 6 ounces of water, so measure out your tea accordingly. Pour your water into the steeping vessel and add the plastic top to retain heat. When you are ready to pour out the tea, press the little square button on the front of the brewer. You'll need to hold the button down until all the water flows out into the cup below. Then remove the top parts of the set to reveal your tea cup, ready to be sipped.
Pros
Once assembled this set is easy to use, and very portable. It's easy to clean- simply remove the leaves and give everything a rinse. The pieces all come apart which makes a thorough cleaning easy to do as well. The carrying case is sleek, and everything fits inside securely. It's compact enough to take on a trip.
Cons
My main criticism of this travel brewer is the plastic. I guess it makes sense to have a plastic top so it won't break, but I prefer not having any plastic around my hot water. To be fair, the top doesn't come into contact with any of the water at all, but the small plastic lever that releases the brewed tea from the top chamber does. This is a very small amount of plastic however. If I'm really going to nit-pick, the cup is also a bit small at about 6 ounces. But I've been using it like a gaiwan, adding a bit more leaf, and cutting down on the brewing time. I've been able to get multiple steeps this way without an issue.
Tips
As I mentioned I like to use this similar to a gaiwan, so I'll add more leaves than if it were a traditional teapot. I've been able to get multiple steeps this way without an issue. Another tip is to make sure the little stainless steel ball on the underside of the silicone is centered properly before each use. I've had it shift to the side slightly after it's washed, which will cause the water to flow through the steeping cup before you're ready to drink. It's easy to fix as long as you're mindful of it.
This little brewer works really well, and it's fun to use. It looks elegant sitting on my desk, and I'm constantly getting compliments on it from coworkers. The travel case is very sleek, and is the perfect way to take it on the go. To see a few videos I've made, visit my instagram page and look for the 'Zens Pi Brewer' stories icon in my profile. If you are interested in getting a Pi Travel Cup for yourself, I have a 10% off discount code to use if you purchase it through the Zens website! Use the coupon code teahappiness10 during checkout. On the checkout page above the billing details there is a prompt to click on to add your coupon code. You can also visit the website to find more photos of the travel set and the carrying case. If you have any questions about the set, please leave a comment or email me!
Thank you to Zens Lifestyle for providing this travel set for review.
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