Eilong is a well-known brand in Taiwan. I lived there for a year and I bought a tea set produced by the company while I was there. I don't use the set too often. It is too beautiful and hi-maintenance for daily use and so I save it for special occasions. Some of the company's products are now available in North America. This mug is designed for daily use. It's 15 oz and so it holds more than a standard 11 oz coffee mug. Like other reviewers, I love the large handle and the wider base. The ceramic is of a fine quality. My pics do not do justice to the real thing. Holding it you can feel the quality of the material. And it's of the right size for me, not too big and not too small. The selling point of this mug is that it doubles up as a teapot for a single person. There is a filter strainer that is connected to the lid. The lid is not aesthetically most pleasing. You can take it out if you really don't like it.
As a brewing device, does the mug give us enough of an edge that justifies its price tag? I'd give it a 4.5 star if I can. It's a good product, if your drinking habit can make the best of it. But for some, it probably doesn't make a huge difference. If you drink only tea bags, the improvement seems to me mostly incremental. Perhaps steeping a tea bag with the lid on can produce a stronger, tastier cup. But I'm not sure. The biggest improvement comes when you drink loose leaf tea. You can put a teaspoon or two of loose tea into the mug and brew your personal cup of loose leaf tea, as people in many parts of the world do. If you, like me, enjoy a cup of CTC Assam black tea in the morning, the fine mesh works like a charm. I use the mug to pour myself a clean cup of black tea. Of course, here's the catch. When you use the cup as a teapot, you'll have to find yourself a second cup. So the mug is not an all-in-one. But hey, who says brewing a nice cup of tea is effortless? The mug makes it easier though. Some reviewers said the lid fell out halfway pouring. It didn't happen to me. But I think it's a good idea to support the lid with your other hand while pouring.
