For all of you who don’t want to take the time to read my full review of GlassDharma’s glass straws, I feel you. I rarely make it through a whole article when all I really want to know is if the writer recommends it or not. So to save you some time, yes I would recommend GlassDharma’s straws. They have a high quality product with lots of options to fit every container and they ship using cardboard packaging. If you would like to order from them you can access their website here: http://glassdharma.com/straws.php
For those of you who would like more detail on my glass straw journey, feel free to keep reading below.
When I first ditched plastic, I quit straws cold turkey and assumed I’d never look back. Fast forward a few months and I decided the strawless life wasn’t for me. I ordered some random cheap glass and metal straws online and was horrified when they showed up in plastic containers. Despite the disappointing packaging, I fell in love with the metal straws….but found that the bulky glass ones were not my thing. And that was that, I decided to expand my metal straw collection and forgot all about my unfortunate glass straw purchase.
Fast forward a bit farther, to a few weeks ago and I was contacted by GlassDharma, a company based in California that manufactures high quality glass drinking straws, and they asked if I would want to do a review of their product. I can’t tell you how flattered I was to be asked to review someone’s product, but I was also hesitant because of my less than stunning history with glass straws. This time I was sure to ask how their straws were packaged and I was pleased to find out that they ship their straws using cardboard and paper.
After looking at their website and seeing that they are passionate about reducing people’s dependence on single use plastic and are just as committed to manufacturing a quality product, I decided to give them a try.
And I have to say, I am glad I did. They sent me 4 different straws to try. The one I was most excited about was the “lid straw”. I bring a handled mason jar to work every day with a lid I bought at ecojarz.com and the 7 inch lid straw fits it perfectly. I almost hate to admit it, but I now use it more than I use my beloved metal straws. It’s the perfect height for my jar and the straw doesn’t swing like the tall metal one did. Plus, once I’m done drinking my hot tea, it’s easy to rinse out and switch to water for the rest of the day. I’m actually considering buying a second lid straw so that my boyfriend can have one for his daily coffee.
The Simple Elegance Smoothie straw won my boyfriend over and it is now his go to straw for milkshakes. It’s a pretty thick straw, which for me isn’t as comfortable as the narrower lid straw, but they added width is perfect sipping thick drinks.
The other two straws are gorgeous, but don’t get as much day to day use. They are thicker than the lid straw, which is a factor I’m still getting used to because my metal straws were comparable in size to most plastic straws. The Beautiful Bend straw, pictured at the top of this post, does fit perfectly in a regular sized drinking glass, which would make it an ideal option to use while out to dinner. The Decorative Dot straw adds a touch of beauty to any drink, which would make it the perfect gift. I learned from their website that the dots are there for more than just looks. They help keep your straw from rolling off of your table, which has already come in handy for me as I have very uneven floors. Both of these straws are lovely, and work well, but they aren’t straws I use often.
As far as cleaning your straw is concerned, GlassDharma has got you covered with stainless steel cleaning brushes with nylon bristles. Nylon bristles aren’t my favorite thing, but they are recyclable and I have yet to find a better alternative cleaning brush. Since the straw is clear, it’s easy to see if you’ve gotten it clean. These straws are also dishwashers safe if you use one.
Another reason to love this company are their Satisfaction and Lifetime Guarantees. If you aren’t 100% satisfied you can send it back for a full refund, minus shipping costs. And if your glass straw ever breaks, a real concern of many people, you can send it back for a replacement. The thought of broken glass was a concern of mine but these straws are durable, and I even had one accidentally roll of my kitchen table with no cracks or breaks. This isn’t to say they can’t break. They are still glass and glass is breakable, which is why I still use my metal ones when I’m out of the house (with the exception of my lid straw).
I originally had a paragraph here explaining some issues I had with the labels that came on the boxes the straws were packaged in, but I have since found out that the labels are actually made of paper and can be recycled right along with the box. Such great news!
All in all I’m very happy with my GlassDharma straws!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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