Side by Side Comparison of: Lipper International vs Thirstystone

.. I wouldn’t expect them to last long but for $5 they will last long enough. I am not sure what people expect for 5$ but some of these reviewers are acting like $5 buys a lifetime of use. Yeah, the bottoms are unfinished but unless one is playing shuffleboard on their table with them, it shouldn’t matter. Parts are varnished others aren’t but, I like like the darkening the moisture brings to certain areas. As for the coaster being picked up with one’s glass, it hasn’t happened yet but I had some mirrored coasters that definitely didn’t cost $5 from Pottery Barn and it happened all the time; better this wood hits the floor than having pick up shards of splintered glass. I haven’t had any breakage this far, but if I do, so what, they are 5 dollars!

These are very nice. The colors are beautiful. We really just drink bottled water so I can't comment on the sweating/condensation aspect; but they look great! :)

I have 4 mini tea pots I bought and needed a stand to show them off. I decided to go with cup holders, since they are that small. This set fit the bill on what I was looking for. The natural look shows off the dark colors of the tea pots. The pots are from China, and collectable, so I needed something that would make them stand out. I really like what I did to enhance the looks of those tea pots.

This is actually the second set of these coasters we have bought. They are functional, attractive, and easy to clean. Our original set has some water damage from a spill, but that doesn't affect its use at all! It would not have been an issue if I had noticed sooner that it had standing water on it. The price can not be beat, and they match pretty much every decor. Our cat likes to knock them on the floor and they hold up to that really well. I also really like that the set comes with more than just the standard four coasters that are seen often, since when we have company over we usually need more than four. I just feel you can not go wrong with a nice quality, solid bamboo coaster set like this; our ceramic ones over the years discolor and/or fade and I do not foresee this happening with the bamboo. So overall, I really can not recommend these enough!

I am SO in love with these coasters! I love all things rustic and these go with my decor theme SO well! And they absorb nicely....we live in a climate that is very humid so our drink glasses sweat a lot...these work perfectly!

Best. Coaster. Ever. Y.E.S. They are...and in general, I find myself buying and praising more and more bamboo products. So tasteful . . . beautiful really, yet functional modern/timeless designs, so environmentally safe - bamboo is sustainable, compostable and non-toxic (unlike plastics), fairly priced too. On Prime. My third set. All are still like new - because they are washable. And now I'm finding more surfaces around the house to place them - you hardly notice them sitting on wood surfaces, just waiting to do their job to prevent nasty stains... Also, they are great on top of my cup as well as underneath - to keep my hot drink hot longer as I drink it.Handy tip for finding more great stuff to your taste and budget on amazon.com - you find a product you love. Search on amazon.com for the manufacturer - in this case Lipper international for more things you might like.

These coaters are really pretty. They came in a nice box and would make a great gift. No one has actually used them yet, but they make a nice decoration. They are really nice.

Great elegant coasters fit my decor perfectly!! The reviews about mold I didn't find to be accurate. But I don't stack my coasters when wet.... so maybe just don't be a dummy and stack your bamboo coasters while still damp :). Good buy

I really like these for usage around my house. I've been using them for a few months now, and they've taken a lot of spills and sweats from different types of drinks, but they always clean right off and still look nice. I've matched them up with a pair of bamboo table mats as well.

Looking around Amazon at other coasters, it seems they all have a huge flaw. Either they don't absorb liquid at all, which defeats the purpose of a coaster, or the glass sticks to it incessantly which is super annoying. None of that with these coasters. I just bought my second set, they are pretty much perfect. The bamboo slats hold liquid in, even from the sweatiest of glasses/cups. After owning my first set for almost three years, I did notice some mold growing in between the bamboo on a couple of them, which is why I bought another set. Can't really complain, they were three years old and they aren't expensive, and when something gets wet and dries over and over it can grow mold. I'll take the three years of frustration free function for $14, then just buy another set three years later.

Best coasters I've ever had! These look so nice and work so well that I highly recommend them. The bamboo center soaks up any condensation or drips. I did see some people had issues with mold, but mine have never had a problem. I keep four out and they are constantly used (I've had them about a year now). They dry out quickly so I don't see a worry about mold at all. I live in a hot climate, but not much humidity (SoCal) so maybe that helps. I appreciate the fact that the bamboo is flat and level, so no accidental spills of your drink which I did have problems with previous coaster sets I've had. These would work well in any room, they have a nice clean classic look. Most importantly, they do their jobs very well!

Prior to purchasing these coasters, we had a handful of stone and glass coasters. Every time the glasses rested on the coasters for a few minutes, the condensation would cause the coast and the glass to stick together. The resulting clatter when the coaster would drop midway through raising the glass & hit the table would illicit sounds of frustration from my wife...like the the air escaping a truck tire. No more! The moisture from the glass is wicked into the bamboo on the coaster and they never stick to the glass. Very nice appearance that matches our decor and good fit/finish.

These are nice, but the wood lip sits a big higher than the cork. I thought the cork diameter would be a little larger, so these are a little small to my liking. Product is perfect otherwise and is still holding up great

I like the looks of these coasters, they are also a good size. On the flip side what kept me from giving it 5 stars was because these things lose their finish from being used, i.e., they don't like being used as coasters. The wife thinks maybe they need occasional upkeep with some kind of oil. Perhaps someone out there has an answer?

Love the coasters, they really go with my country theme living room. My only thing negative is that one of mine must have been made with a darker wood and doesn't look like the rest, and looks very out of place. I usually just shove that one in the back because it looks like it has a huge soda stain on it. I love the other coasters though, they look very nice and rustic.

I love, love, love these coasters, but I am so sad to say that I don't feel the same about the holder. The three wood slats seemed really fragile when I first got the product and soon the broke off, one after the other. BUT, the coaster are GREAT! I love them so much! They are beautiful AND actually work (which is usually rare in a coaster).

I painted these like little watermelon slices and sealed them to use as coasters. The only things I didn't like is that the bark still occasionally flakes off. Not a problem of the seller -- it's Mother Nature's doing!

I bought this exact set 2 years ago and the only reason I had to order another set is because my 1 year old niece got a hold of them and hid 2 of the coasters. The coasters are not as dark of a color as the picture shows, but that is not a big deal to me. The coasters are quite sturdy. I clean them with good old fashioned Dawn and hot water. That seems to do the trick when the rings of the coasters start getting dirty.

this product is in my living room its great

Nice.

The actual coasters came intact, but the case had a broken corner. The corner didn't break off entirely. It seems to have been dropped. The coasters look nice and have a little grip.

They are really awesome, but I was a bit disappointed one of them kind of fell apart because the glue wasn't strong enough, but that's only one of a few, you win some you lose some, overall great price, and I'm happy with the product.

I'm very pleased with the performance of these coasters and glad I went with these over the other similarly priced options. The build quality is nice, the coaster box is solid and the leather and bamboo are sewn very well. I have place many cold perspiring drinks atop these coasters and have never had any damage. The bamboo is still intact, no ring lines, and the feax leather around has not frayed. Would buy again.

It is cheaply made but it is worth what I paid for it. I will buy more because it does do the job perfectly. Those "thirsty stones" stick to the bottom of glasses and then fall on glass top tables and these really do absorb moisture to prevent damage to the tables.

You would think a coaster is a coaster.. I got these cause they were cheap and happened to match the areas where they are. As far as actual functionality they work fine, they just get dirty fast..

These look nice except for the big logo that is stamped into one side of the coasters. It never fails they somehow get turned over for everyone to see.

Some glasses and coffe cups don't fit in depressed area. We added rubber to back side of coasters for larger glasses/cups.

I bought these hoping that the indents in the would help prevent the all too common problem of condensation causing them to stick to cups, but it does not. They constantly stick to the bottom of cups when I put ice in them, and they tend to fall off on their own when you pick them up leading to quite loud sounds when they hit whatever surface they were on top of. If you don't do a lot of cold drinks these are fine, but then you probably don't much need for coasters do you?In the end though, they're cheap, they protect your furniture, and they're made out of a very eco-friendly wood. You might not fall in love with them but you probably won't regret buying them.

The actual coaster set doesn't resemble the picture at all. First, it's unvarnished, and the coaster holder isn't well constructed. I had to glue one of the sides back on. The sides of the coasters were milled a little rough.All in all, it's just okay, don't expect the lovely brown varnished coaster set.

I like the coasters, although after a while of using them, the wood has become slightly paler, like washed out. The holder for the coasters isn't exactly sturdy, as the arms are actually a little loose. I've never had a problem with glasses slipping off the coasters, but the coasters do tend to stick to the bottom of the glass when you go to take a drink. Would've been better if the coasters were a bit heavier, to fix the sticking problem, and if the holder was better constructed.

They are very nice. I would give them a 5 star if one of the corners had not arrived a little bit damaged :(Too lazy to do a whole return a re-order process for a 10 dollar item.

These are nice, just plan on replacing them. Ours lasted about 18 mo. Threw away 2 after about a year because they were moldly. Finally had to replace the whole set about 6 months later. They are relatively inexpensive so I wasnt expecting them to last are lifetime.

I'm reviewing the coasters after only a week of owning them, so I can't speak to the molding issue. So far, they are decent performing coasters; they don't stick to your glass, they look nice and they don't fully leak through (more on that in a bit).An issue I have with the looks of it is the coaster holder is BLACK. It stands out especially when the coasters with the brown leather edges are contrasting against it. A dark brown wood would have made it match better with the coasters, as well as my furniture.An issue I ran into the other night with the performance of these is that they "sweat" or condinsate through the faux leather bottom. I had a whiskey glass with ice on it while it was sitting on a brown leather ottoman and when I picked up the coaster after about 2 hours, it was moist under. For most people that defeats the purpose of having a coaster and which is why I wouldn't recommend this.One star gets knocked off for the black coaster holder, another for the pass through of moisture.

The coaster itself will scratch fine desk surfaces. The coasters are nice in themselves but the material on the bottom is like sandpaper to my brand new desk that is your traditional laminate pressed wood desk. I prefer a coaster with rubber tabs on the bottom for fine surfaces.

I planned on using this for company but plans changed and I really only ended up using one of these coasters pretty heavily. Every day I have either a cup of coffee or a cold glass of water on it, 12-15 hours a day.I'm not sure if it was the weather or the moisture in the air while using these, but eventually the one coaster I used every day began to grow mold. This happened after about 2 years of use.For the price and the look, I feel like I got my money's worth out of this item and could potentially have had to do with the weather and moisture changes from cold glasses. I would probably order these again if I needed more for company, and would look great in an Asian-themed room/house.Updated 6/24: A few months after writing this review, I started cycling through the coasters and they are ALL starting to fall apart. I docked another star for their lifespan (which was about 2 years tops of light use). I'm not sure if this is weather or moisture related, but the glue that keeps the material of these coasters together is extremely flimsy and again, not a workhorse. Do not buy these expecting a lifelong partner for your cup.

I know they are just coasters, but I have a couple of problems with them.1) They are difficult to clean. The nature of the bamboo surface and the leather lip make it difficult to clean this effectively and every time I do, I feel like I'm ruining them. Ants seem to have gotten into them also and are able to hide well with the leather lip.2) The Leather lip is annoying and you have to be a bit careful when putting cups/glasses on them as not to accidently put them on the leather frame. Sounds basic but if you are focusing on using the computer or watching TV, the last thing you want to do is pay attention to where the cup goes.The grip well on surfaces though and are stable.Probably best for decoration more than practical use based on the fact that these things really don't like to get wet or dirty.

This would be a five star product if it was well made.The vertical holder bars are not glued well, and held in place with two tiny pins that are smaller than paper staples. It is easy to knock them loose, or in my case they arrived new with loose holders, from rough handling by the shipping gorillas I guess...If you get a set with solidly glued holder edges, then they are a good product. The coaster are very nice - the problem is with the base.Now I see why Amazon has them discounted to $5 a set for the bamboo coasters. More shoddy imported good dumped on the market.Made poorly from sustainable bamboo in China.You can re-glue any loose or wobbly holder edges by" 1) gently pull the vertical piece about 2-3mm (1/8-3/16") away from the round bottom. 2) Fill the space with some wood glue. Clamp the vertical part to the round base with a strap clamp and let dry overnight.

Whatever cheap varnish the manufacturer used on these things started wearing off after one use and has only degraded since. Kind of makes you wonder why someone would use a water-soluble finish on a coaster in the first place. But they keep your drink off the table so yeah, they work fine as a coaster. Just don't expect them to look good if you ever use them.

They came with a crack in the middle of all 4. Wouldn't buy again.

Nice on one side. Company logo on the other side so can not flip over to use other side unless you want to see the company logo engraved on it. Dissapointed.

They are nice. But they have no weight to them! Defeats the purpose of them because if you pick up a cup that has been sitting and built up water from at the base from the "sweating", the coaster will stick to the bottom of the cup and fall off. Needs some weight so this won't happen.

These are wood, that's true. They are also tiny and relatively sloped making for precarious perching of beverages on them. Granted you aren't spending much money and they look decent. They have a giant burned-in logo on the back as well, sort of ugly. They really out to put rubber feet on them. You get what you paid for in this case, not really much more to say than that.

As other reviews warned, these definitely get moldy after a while. They look lovely, though. Just don't plan on actually using them.

These coaster look awesome and fit our decor perfectly. Unforgenetly the coaster start to mold after a few uses. If not for the mold issue, these would be a great buy.

I rate this product 2 stars although I purchased them some time ago they began to grow mold on them. I keep a very clean house and only used them for there purpose . I was disappointed that this happened, especially since I paid a higher price at the time.

So disappointed. The good - The appearance, and construction of the coasters is excellent, I have had several people comment on how nice these look. The not so good - They are molding! I have not had them all that long, and we are just getting to the warm season where my glass may sweat, but at least three have now begun to mold, one day a couple of spots, a day or so later a large number of spots that are large colonies. Cleaning the coaster at first sight makes me feel better but the bamboo is stained permanently.

Bought these as I like an ice cold drink on the end table while I watch TV at night and a glass of water on the nightstand while I sleep. Other coasters have been a problem with condensation and even mold. These coasters seemed like a good solution. The faux leather trim seemed really faux, but know that the bottom is also the same faux leather. After about a month or two, the faux leather bottom actually came unglued from the top bamboo half on two of them. Threw the rest in the trash and ordered the next try.

I have ordered several Thirstystone coaster products in the past and love them for their great absorbency. This bamboo style however is not made of the usual stone the other coasters are. They are made of paper, vinyl and a tiny little layer of bamboo that would only degrade and most likely mildew and mold in a short period of time. They look nice but if you are expecting them to hold anything but the smallest amount of condensation you will be disappointed.

They deserve zero stars. The whole reason you buy coasters is to get the moisture from the condensation on cups off your table surfaces right??? Well these do the opposite of that. The wood splits from the repeated exposure to moisture. You would think they would be treated in a way to stand up to moisture since they are coasters. Then the water will just run off the cups, down through the crack in the coasters and pool underneath them. Waste of money.

These coasters and their holder are of very low quality. The pieces are cut unevenly and there are large visible gaps in the surface. The edges are poorly beveled and rough. The holder is flimsy and the retaining uprights are aligned poorly, they wiggle easily and seem ready to break. The finish is not water resistant, so they immediately became discolored after just the first use. Even at the low price of less than $6, these are not worth it.

Cheap and flimsy base. It wobbles and doesn't hold it's shape. On the picture the edges of the coasters are rounded. When they came in, they are flat and sharp on the outer edge all around. It is a lighter color than what is shown in the photo. The circle indentations that are on the top of each coaster become washed out and the color fades within a week of use.

I THOUGHT that these were excellent when I received them- I even wrote a 5 star review! They looked great, and seemingly were a solid deal. Fast forward to 2 months later, and I notice black stuff creeping up on the rings. I tried to clean it, and it was impossible. Soon enough it became obvious that this black "stuff" was mold, and it was on all of the coasters. Also, they all became warped, which is not a desirable coaster feature.These were used in an adult only home, once a day or less, and were immediately dried after use. Do not buy these if you actually need to use your coasters.

These coasters are so rough that they actually scratched the wood on the desk I bought them to protect. Unless you are using them on surfaces that can't get scratched at all, I would recommend going with a smoother/lighter coaster.

I picked these coasters because I thought they looked nice. They do look nice until you put a glass of water on them. The wood is untreated and so the water on the glass immediately soaks through the entire piece and gets on the piece of furniture you were trying to keep dry. Because the water can soak through the wood it also warps the coaster so it doesn't stay flat on the desk or table you set it on.

So far so good with these. They seem to hold on to the moisture a little longer than I would expect, but they look nice and came in a cute holder. It goes really well with the look of my home and I haven't noticed any issues with liquid going through the bottom. My only concern is that at times it seems as though the liquid it soaks up from the moisture makes it seem as though they may warp or twist. So far they seem to dry flat however so I'm content.-Update-These went south kind of fast. I'm not sure if some were not sealed properly, or if it's something else, but mold and mildew started appearing on them within two months of use.

Very nice at first. Tell u put one away wet that you thought was dry then they mold.

I loved that these coasters were bamboo and came in a nice box, but right out of the package they had a horrible chemical smell that made them unusable for the first couple days. I'm not sure if it was the adhesive or something from the factory, but they smelled horrific.Once they aired out and I started using them, they worked great especially because they're wide enough to accommodate wider bases so larger coffee mugs and my beloved mason jar mug. However, after a week or so, if the glass you put on them sweats a lot (like a ice cold glass mug) the water seeps from between the two layers and accumulates under the coaster which somewhat defeats the purpose. I thought maybe it was just a defective coaster so I grabbed another one and after about another week the second one was doing the same thing.That brings me to the construction. These look nice at first glance, but when you get them all they are is a sandwich of pleather base around a cardboard core, a square strip of sewn bamboo pieces, and a small outer ring of pleather -- all this held together with some weak sticky adhesive that appears to break down after exposed to... moisture?All in all, I'm disappointed as these looked much better and fit the style of my desk better than the stainless steel coasters I also got, but at least the stainless ones hold moisture off my desk.

These are reasonably attractive (very dark brown, btw, not black), but they off-gas a disturbing chemical smell. I washed the backs and left them out in the fresh air for two days and they still smell horrible.

Within a couple days of using these, they had mold on them!!! Since their purpose is to absorb the sweat from glasses, one would expect they would be mold-resistant.

After using these coasters for a month or so I noticed one was covered in mold. I thought it might be due to it being stacked towards the bottom with water still on it. From that point on, I made a conscious effort to let a coaster fully dry before returning it to the holder. Low and behold, I found all but one coaster completely cover in mold. What a waste of money.