I was nervous about using glass straws, but I wanted to use straws that didn't cover the planet in plastic. I've tried metal ones but I wasn't sure they were clean because I couldn't see. These glass straws make it totally obvious if you didn't do a good job cleaning the straw. I was also worried that glass straws would get smashed in the sink, or break from the dishwasher's hot temp. These straws seem just as solid and damage resistant as the metal ones! I'm not careful with them, at first I was, but now I treat them like any other utensil. I broke ONE on accident because I stood on it, But even then, it didn't shatter into fragments, it just broke and had a little bit of glass come off. I love these straws, I only wish I'd gotten a brighter color now!! : )