~A replacement glass jug for your cafetiere~
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After having had a number of cafetiere style coffee makers over the years which all eventually succumbed to the dustbin... due to me having accidently broken the central glass pouring jug on all of them, I guess that it was with a sense of hope that I purchased one of the range of Sainsburys Tu cafetieres you can buy. After having been initially pleased with the purchase of my 8 cup coffee maker I hoped that the glass jug section would stay intact for a while, so that it would provide good value for money. Sadly my hopes were dashed when I knocked the glass part of the cafetiere when cleaning it after use and had to hunt down a replacement for it.

The replacement glass jug I purchased actually came from the same range of Sainsburys home ware products, meaning it ought to be a good fit when placed tightly in to the original plastic housing of the now broken Tu 8 cup cafetiere I had. I was pleased with the price paid for the replacement glass jug at the time, as when I compared it to other options I could have opted for (from a variety of other more pricey branded ranges) the Sainsburys Tu replacement glass jug was available at just £6. Whilst I feel £6 is still not as cheap as I may have hoped for, it most certainly was heaps cheaper than most other replacement glass jugs I spotted prior to purchase, making it a good buy in my opinion.

The finish and quality of the replacement glass jug was in my opinion just as good as the original part that came with the cafetiere. The glass was smooth and cleanly finished with no sharp edges and it came packed in such as way that meant it arrived home intact and ready for use after a light rinse with warm soapy water. I must admit that I did try to handle the replacement glass jug with great care both when washing and preparing it for use with the original plastic housing, as from experience I have found these types of glass jugs to be something that can easily be knocked and chipped or shattered in an instant during cleaning.


~Using the item~
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When wanting to insert the new replacement part in to the original plastic housing that would then make up a fully functional cafetiere, I felt it was best to allow the glass jug to cool after washing and drying, so it would hopefully fit in place without having to be pushed or pulled in to place. I did find that the glass jug was a snug fit when I eventually managed to wrestle it in to the plastic housing and I most certainly felt that it made the cafetiere look as good as new when fitted with the original lid and plunger.

In use I found that the replacement glass jug performed as well as the original part, with it being easy to fill with the required amount of coffee and hot water so as to make up as much or as little coffee as was needed at any given time. I found that adding a little warm water (that could be poured away prior to use), in order to prepare the glass jug for the steaming hot water and coffee that was to follow, ensured that the glass jug stayed intact and did not crack when suddenly filled with very hot water during actual use. I don't feel that a full 8 coffee cups is achievable if using this to fill standard sized kitchen mugs. A total of 4 generous servings is more like what you can expect when using this, which is in line with what you get from many other 8 cup cafetieres.

The replacement part worked as well as the original in all ways and I am fairly sure that it would have lasted far longer in the hands of someone less clumsy than myself if using enough due care and attention when washing and cleaning it after use. Unfortunately after some time, though thankfully after it having almost earned its keep, the glass jug did fall foul to a similar fate as the original one! I accidently knocked the glass when washing it out after use, making it unfit for further usage as it broke at one side by the very top, cracking off a fair sized piece of glass.

I do feel that you need to take great care when washing these types of items as the glass is very thin and can so very easily be broken in an instant if you catch the jug against kitchen taps or against some types of cleaning utensils, etc. In my opinion if you are a little clumsy when washing out such a thin piece of glass time and time again by hand (as you do with these types of items), then it is almost a certainty that in some hands, given a degree of time any similar glass jug may be prone to a similar fate. I have in the past broken other cafetiere jugs by accident, so my feeling is that perhaps a slightly thicker glass jug may stand up better to the daily pressures of being used and constantly washed.


~Product rating~
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The thickness of the glass on this item is in my opinion very similar to other cafetiere jugs I have used, so it seems no better or worse than others I have used in the past. The price of the item is fair when comparing it to other similar replacement glass jugs you can buy and the item will last for some time as long as you handle it with extreme care when cleaning it after use. I did not replace the glass again and decided to try a filter coffee machine instead as I managed to pick one up at a very good price with it having a separate jug that I hope will last for a little longer than this one did. My rating for this product is 3 stars as I feel had it been a little thicker it may not have broken quite so easily, although the price of the item is fair when compared with other similar items you can buy.