Quirky travel mug with features of thermos
Written: Aug 15 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: fantastic insulation, watertight seal never leaks
Cons: big, clunky, awkward lid, expensive
The Bottom Line: If you need a leakproof mug this is the one
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| icevic's Full Review: Nissan 14-oz Stainless Steel Vacuum Leakproof Trav... |
This is a strange time to review this mug because I just lost it. Actually I know where it is. I left it at a plant I was visiting and I don't expect to ever see it again. I thought I would just buy another one, but soon realized there are few mugs with the features of this one, and few as expensive. Right now I am still looking.
Most travel mugs feature an insulated mug with a plastic lid. The lids often have some type of closing mechanism to help keep the liquids inside temperature-controlled. You open it when you want to drink, and close it when you are done. For me liquids always means coffee and always hot, but you could use it for cold drinks just as well. The lids usually prevent much liquid from spilling out in case of tipping as well.
My problem with these types of mugs is that the lids are not insulated and not watertight.
I am a consultant who travels from place to place. I carry my stuff with me because I don't have a desk. When I am finished with my coffee, I like to be able to toss my mug into my bag. If there are any coffee dregs left, this means coffee spills in my work bag. I often work in server rooms so I like to have a mug that is completely spillproof as well - one spill in the wrong spot could fry a $200 000 server and bring down a plant!
There are two other requirements I had for a travel mug: it had to fit in my car's cup holder, and it had to be easy to clean. Many mugs have hinges or flaps on the lids that you can't really clean. I don't like these because over time they could develop bacteria.
This Nissan mug was the first that really fit my requirements. The lid has no holes. To drink, you partially unscrew it, like a thermos. The lid has a gap in the lower part, so after partially unscrewing, liquid can pour out the gap. The gap is on two sides so you can drink while holding the handle in your left or right hand. While you drink from one side air comes in the other, so drinking is smooth and not in "gulps" like mugs with no air intakes.
Because there are no flaps or hinges, you can truly get this mug clean. It is not dishwasher safe.
The bottom is fairly small so it fits in my standard size cup holder easily. The handle is big and chunky and fairly distant from the body of the mug, so you can hold the mug with something else in your hand as well.
The mug is stainless, with a black cap, bottom and handle, and black rubber around the middle so you get a good grip if you prefer to hold it that way.
Like so many stainless mugs, they claim you can put all sorts of drinks in it because stainless steel will not absorb any flavours. However every stainless mug I have ever seen has a plastic lid, which does absorb flavours over time. So if you start to use your mug for coffee, don't expect to be able to use it for anything else, unless you want that something else to be coffee flavoured.
Nissan makes some fairly bold claims about how long it will keep liquids hot or cold. If temperature is an issue I suggest pre-heating the mug by pouring some boiling water in, then only opening it to drink. Follow those steps and you drinks will stay hot all morning, and warm right through the afternoon. Believe it or not, there were some days when I took the mug in the car in the morning, didn't drink much coffee, but returned to it after 5:00 and drank the rest on the way home. It was still warm. It isn't a magic mug, the coffee doesn't stay steaming hot all day, but it is the best I have used. It is similar to using a full-fledged thermos.
There are two problems with this mug. One is the size - it looks like it should hold more than 14 ounces. You can't fill it too much either, because the (insulated!) lid is so deep. If you like extra large in the morning this mug may not suit you.
The second is opening. To open the mug, you grasp a ridge in the middle of the lid and twist. This is awkward at best, and sometimes the lid gets stuck (I believe a vacuum forms when the liquid starts to cool, sucking the lid shut) making it very difficult to open, especially while driving.
Because of the way it opens, this mug is somewhat awkward to use. It is also quite expensive. If you don't need the leakproof feature, you could probably find cheaper mugs that are easier to use. But if you need it, or if you just want a mug that combines the best properties of a thermos, this is the one for you.
I will keep looking for a mug that offers the same features as this one but is easier to open, however if I don't find it I will be happy to buy this one again.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
icevic
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
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