Why is a ceramic cup cracking when filled with hot coffee?

Manner's new two-cup set, sold with a matte ceramic cup, has drawn complaints that liquid seeps from the bottom and the cup body cracks after hot water is poured in. Buyers report the cup was advertised as microwave and dishwasher safe. Store staff have reportedly been told to remind customers not to fill it with very hot liquids.

The reaction stands out because Manner merchandise usually sells out quickly, yet some stores still hold stock of this set days after launch. Consumers point to the dark purple matte finish and to quality control, and the debate has spread among people who brew hand poured coffee at home as well as regular street coffee buyers who want the cup to hold heat without failing.

Manner recently launched a two-cup set that comes with a matte ceramic cup, but it sparked heated discussion due to issues such as water seeping from the bottom and the cup body cracking after hot water was poured in. Many consumers reported on social media that this cup, advertised as microwave- and dishwasher-safe, suddenly cracked during actual use, which is worrying. Store employees were even asked to remind customers not to fill it with overly hot liquids, a move that some users mocked with "A ceramic cup can't hold hot coffee, doesn't Manner think it's ridiculous?" Meanwhile, some stores still have ample stock, in contrast to the previous scene of sellouts. Is it poor aesthetics, declining quality control, or safety issues that have deterred cup enthusiasts? This article takes you through it.

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In the middle of last week, Manner quietly launched a new two-cup set, continuing its tradition of giving away cups. Those loyal fans familiar with how sought-after Manner merchandise is naturally jumped on the "egg grab" right away. Some slower to react only discovered yesterday that the menu had been updated and couldn't help lamenting that they had missed the new cup.

Surprisingly, some customers who had already given up hope found that the ceramic cup was still in stock when they asked at nearby stores. Although being able to buy desired merchandise is always a happy thing, sharp-eyed consumers also sensed something unusual.

In everyone's memory, whenever Manner launched a cup giveaway, fans would mostly keep a close eye on the menu update time and place orders, afraid of missing out if they were too slow. Even if the nearest store had sold out, determined people would ask at several more stores until they bought the cup they wanted.

However, several days have passed since the new round of cup giveaways began. Based on cup enthusiasts' past experience, by this time some stores should have already taken the cup giveaway set off the menu, and in certain areas it might even be out of stock across the whole city, with those who want it only able to try their luck on second-hand platforms. But the reality is that this matte ceramic cup can still be ordered at some stores.

In response, some attributed it to this ceramic cup's aesthetics being inferior to previous merchandise; the dark purplish-red paired with a matte material makes it look like a "rotten eggplant," and its appearance is not very appealing. Others believed that too much feedback on social media about poor quality control and obvious defects in the ceramic cup had deterred cup enthusiasts who care about details.

More people said that, apart from the above issues, this merchandise has another fatal flaw: after hot water is poured in, the ceramic cup may seep water from the bottom and crack on the body.

On social platforms, some netizens who encountered cracked cups said bluntly that they never expected a ceramic cup marked on the packaging as microwave- and dishwasher-safe to suddenly crack during use. At the same time, they felt lucky that it only cracked rather than exploded, and that they were not injured.

Some customers reported that perhaps because stores had received complaints about ceramic cups cracking, some staff would repeatedly remind buyers not to pour overly hot water into this cup. Although it was a friendly reminder, many people couldn't help making the sharp comment after hearing it: "A ceramic cup can't hold hot coffee, doesn't Manner think it's ridiculous?"

Consumers who had already purchased it, after seeing others' feedback, said bluntly that they no longer dared to use it and could only put this ceramic cup away, or use it for planting flowers, storage, and so on.

In the view of some Manner merchandise collectors, although the merchandise given away by the brand in the past occasionally had flaws, the quality was not too bad. Mugs, tumblers, and the like purchased long ago can still be used normally as long as they are not bumped or knocked.

But recently, while Manner lowered the set price, the quality control of its merchandise seems to have declined accordingly, and related quality complaints have increased. Many loyal users said that if the brand wants to give consumers merchandise in the form of sets, then at the very least it should ensure product quality so people can use it with confidence. After all, most customers do not want a cup they paid for to be merely a collectible that looks good but is useless.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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(Front Street Coffee reminds you: when choosing coffee merchandise, besides paying attention to appearance, you should also pay more attention to material and heat resistance to ensure safety in daily use.)

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.