Whittard Pao Glass Infuser Mug Review
Finally, it’s time to review my favourite tea brewer! The Whittard Pao Glass Infuser Mug is one of their best-selling tea-ware items and besides the Whittard Pimlico Glass Teapot, it’s one of the best in my collection.
In this review I’m going to give you an overview of what to expect – how it brews, how to use it best, and a few tips on cleaning it too.
Glass Pao Infuser Mug at a Glance
- Method: Brew within the mug, then remove the infuser
- Best For: Showcasing beautiful single origin loose tea
This is easily the best tea infuser for everyday use. If you love brewing loose leaf but don’t fancy fiddling around with a ball infuser or brewing up a whole teapot, this is the perfect tea-ware item.
Full Review – Whittard Pao Glass Infuser Mug
- Type: Single serve mug with infuser and lid
- Filter: Stainless-steel cup-shaped infuser
- Volume: 400ml
- Ease of Use: Quite simple
- Where to Buy: Whittard Official Website or Amazon
The Whittard Pao Glass Infuser Mug is my all-time favourite tea brewer. I’ve used it daily for over a year now and it never disappoints. If you have a teapot with built-in infuser, you’ll feel very comfortable using it. It’s basically the same method as using a teapot, except you end up drinking directly from the ‘teapot’!
The main 400ml mug is made from seamless borosilicate glass that’s extremely strong and heat resistant. You can pour boiling water into it with ease. In fact, you can put it in the microwave too.
As for the infuser, I love that the stainless-steel is so strong and has a very fine filter. It works with all tea types, even rooibos which is notorious for slipping through filters. Another great thing about it, is that you can pop it into any kind of mug, not just the glass one that comes with the set.
Finally, you get a nice silicone and stainless-steel lid. It doesn’t do anything fancy, just keeps the steam locked in as you brew and become a nice little dish for your infuser to sit in afterwards.
I use this mug mostly for single origin loose leaf teas that don’t need milk added. The glass mug really allows light to shine through – it brings out the amber in my black teas and the gold in my Chinese greens.
The thin lip of the mug is excellent for tasting the depth and intricate flavours of tea. This mug just brings everything to life.
How to Use Whittard’s Glass Pao Mug
Your first step is to put the kettle on and choose your loose leaf tea. The next step comes down to personal preference. You have 3 choices:
- Place the loose leaf inside the infuser, then pop the infuser inside the mug. Pour your boiling water straight over the leaves in the infuser. This is best for black teas that need 100°C water to brew properly and can handle rough treatment.
- Place the loose leaf inside the infuser but leave it on the side. Pour your boiling water into the mug (it loses about 5 to 10°C by doing this) and then pop the tea-filled infuser into the mug afterwards. This is best for slightly more delicate black teas that have a 95°C recommended brew temperature (I like to brew my Darjeeling black tea like this).
- The final method is like the second – put tea leaves in the infuser and water in the mug, but keep them separate. Then pop a thermometer in the mug and wait for the water to cool to a particular temperature before you add the infuser full of tea. This is best for green teas or tea types that need very specific or lower temperatures.
Next, pop the lid on with the stainless-steel facing up and let it brew for however long you need. I like to use the infuser tab that pokes out to lift and drop the infuser every minute or so – this just circulates the water gently through the leaves.
Remove the lid and place it on the side, then remove the infuser chamber and put it on the lid. You’re ready to sip!
Extra Note
I think the silicone side of the lid is supposed to be facing down when you use it to hold the infuser after brewing, as it has some grip on your kitchen countertop. But I’ve found that placing the metal side of the lid down on the counter is best. The ridges on the silicone side stop the infuser from slipping off and they collect the tea that leaks out while you’re busy sipping.
Cleaning and Storing the Pao Infuser
Cleaning is pretty simple – thanks to the shape of the mug and infuser (wider at the mouth) it’s really easy to clean them by hand and get to the very bottom where the stains linger. Compared to a teapot, it’s a walk in the park.
The glass mug and the lid are dishwasher safe, but Whittard recommend washing by hand anyway. I second this. I’ve put the mug through the dishwasher once to test if it truly is dishwasher safe, and it came out in almost perfect condition… it was just the ‘W’ mark on the base of the cup that faded a little. Now that annoys me every time I use the Pao Glass Infuser Mug.
I like to store all parts of the infuser mug in the box it came with. It’s just the right size and shape, plus it’s stackable. Even though borosilicate glass is incredibly strong, I know that it can shatter if knocked off the kitchen countertop. The pure glass bottom of the mug does get slippery when wet, so keep an eye out for that. I almost wish I had a silicone grip that I could slide on and off it.
Summary
Overall, I highly recommend this pao mug infuser. I have the version with the black silicone around the lid, but I’m seriously considering buying the Mint and Red versions too. Check it out on Whittard’s official website using the button below, or sometimes you can find one or more of the colours available on Amazon.
Tea Recommendation
If you’re unsure where to start in my tea review index (link in the menu) then I recommend browsing my review of the Adagio Holiday Cheer set. This festive tea collection contains 6 loose leaf blends for you to explore with the Whittard Pao Glass Infuser Mug.