Preface
Since I was little, I thought that tea was something you made by putting a tea bag in a kettle.
In fact, even after I started living alone, I would buy tea bags at supermarkets and brew the tea myself.
However, since having a child, I've started buying bottled tea more often.
This is because certain ingredients must be excluded due to allergy concerns, and there is a possibility of bacterial growth in tea that has been prepared in advance.
Therefore, the tea I buy is not in large 2L or larger plastic bottles, but in smaller sizes.
While the 2L size is more economical, it takes longer to consume, and bacteria can multiply during that time.
For that reason, we started drinking the bottled tea that we buy in cases for our children, and I've found several benefits to it, so I thought I'd write about them in this article.
Please note that this article is based on information as of February 2020, so prices and other details may have changed since then.
Advantages of plastic bottles
The biggest advantage is that you don't need a cup.
While a 2L size might require a cup, a 500ml size can be drunk straight from the bottle, which is very convenient.
It doesn't create extra dishes to wash after you finish drinking, and you can store any leftovers by closing the cap.
The fact that it reduces the amount of washing up is a point that cannot be ignored.
The second advantage is that it's always fresh and easy to drink.
Since you open a new bottle each time, you can enjoy a fresh flavor every time.
Some people may not care much about the flavor.
However, in the summer, pre-made tea needs to be brewed almost every day due to quantity and hygiene issues, so having it always fresh is a big advantage.
Other advantages include the ease of counting how much you've consumed, and the fact that it's easy to carry around and consume within the house.
There are many other advantages, but these are the main points.
Disadvantages of plastic bottles
The first disadvantage is that it costs money.
Considering that you can make about 1 liter of tea with a tea bag for around 10 yen per pack, the difference is obvious.
Even if you add the cost of water, gas to boil it, and the time involved to that 10 yen, I don't think it would end up costing more than bottled water.
Therefore, for those who prioritize cost above all else, plastic bottles are not recommended.
The second disadvantage is that it generates waste.
Since the number of plastic bottles that accumulate depends on the amount of liquid consumed, the total number can be quite substantial.
The frequency of discarding items will undoubtedly increase, so that's another disadvantage.
conclusion
Based on the above, if cost is your priority, then tea bags are the way to go, but if convenience and freshness are important to you, then bottled tea is the better choice.
It was a fairly ordinary conclusion, without any particular twists or turns.
Products that I felt were superior overall among bottled teas
Now, as someone who prefers plastic bottles, I'm constantly thinking about how to reduce the cost, which is a major drawback.
Amazon's "Happy Belly" brand, which offers very low prices, sells 500ml bottles of green tea for 66 yen each (a case contains 24 bottles).
The jasmine tea from the same brand is a bit more expensive at 69 yen per bottle.
I don't have any particular preference for taste, so I thought this cheapest one would be fine, but then I thought there was something a little better..."Asahi Beverages Jurokucha 630ml"is.
This isIt costs 86 yen per bottle, but it's 630ml, which works out to 68.25 yen per 500ml.(1 case contains 24 bottles).
While it's slightly more expensive than Amazon's own brand, it has two advantages.
First, it does not contain any of the 27 specified allergens, making it suitable for infants and toddlers. Second, it is caffeine-free.
The former is not very relevant to people without children, but the latter, decaffeinated, is quite a significant advantage.
Decaffeinated tea is generally more expensive, so this price for a caffeine-free option is quite a significant advantage.
Well, barley tea is caffeine-free,"Itoen Healthy Mineral Barley Tea, Refreshing Healthy Barley Blend, Decaf/Caffeine-Free, 650ml x 24 bottles"It's also a good deal at 86 yen per bottle (66.15 yen per 500ml), so I think this is a good option too.
Personally, I prefer blended teas like Jurokucha to barley tea, so I chose this one this time.
If you prefer bottled drinks and aren't particularly picky about taste, I think these products offer good overall value for money.
Buying from Amazon is convenient because they deliver it right to your door.
<Added in February 2020>
A new product has also appeared: "Asahi Beverages Jurokucha Label-less Bottle 630ml x 24 bottles".
The price appears to be 2,174 yen for a case (24 bottles), which works out to 90.58 yen per bottle. However, a 300 yen coupon is always included, so applying that brings the price down to 78.08 yen per bottle.
If you add 500ml to the calculation, it comes out to 61.96 yen per bottle, which is quite cheap.
For those who don't care about appearances, this is an even better option.
