These day’s it’s so ridiculous, the huge number of brands on the market for double-walled steel travel mugs / portable thermos bottles. While there are some well established brands you can rely upon, there’s also so many off-brand clones and strangely named ones from China that appear to be “hit or miss.”
There are insulated drinking mugs, then thermos bottles in sizes ranging from small (10 oz) to enormous jugs (gallon). Some brands seem to do well on the small end or on the larger end, but few do it well across the board. And of course, prices are all over the place… so there’s plenty of homework to be done if you’re looking to buy something you really like and not have to belabor another research round with a replacement.
Over the years I’ve bought a few different double-walled mugs and bottles that appeared to be well made, instead of going with a well established brand (like Stanley, Thermos, Igloo, Yeti, etc.). Most of them ended up with flaws… and in the end, I probably should’ve gone with a well known brand.
One of my favorite brands so far is YETI. They are a little pricier than other brands, but they’re worth it. Everything is very well made and just lasts. I also like their magnetic seal lid for the insulated mugs. Another brand that is similar is Hydro Flask. They differentiate themselves with a slightly different design and screw cap, but pretty much just as rugged as YETI.
I’ve also had the chance to try out Stanley and Thermos (don’t own them). A friend of mine has a 1 liter Stanley vacuum thermos and swears by it. Their designs are a bit dated, but they work. And frankly the one with the steel cup that screws on as a protective cap keeps liquids hot or cold longer than the trendy higher cost brands. I just wish they’d make their 1 liter design in a 20 oz (600 ml) version. Thermos (from the 1960’s) is still around and their recent offerings have a little more modern flair than Stanley.
A while back I bought a double-walled steel travel mug called Corkcicle, on discount from TJMaxx. It’s distinctive design is that it’s not a perfect tapered cylinder shape. It has two flat sides to it. At the base there’s an indentation where a rubber pad is glued on, to help keep from marking up surfaces and creating a “non-slip” effect. It’s actually not a bad idea, but the metal edge of the mug is prone to denting. Also the applied color is a gloss finish that’s prone to scratching.
A Japanese brand called Takeya (though made in Thailand) has a really cool cap offering on their larger travel thermos bottles. There’s a hinged screw cap that is also accompanied by a hinged handle that comes in very handy. The cap design is a little different in the smaller ones and reviews overall haven’t been stellar, but the cap/lid on my 40 oz double-walled steel bottle has been terrific. No leaks and it does a terrific job of staying cold for very long periods.
I did take a chance on a Zojirushi insulated thermos bottle recently, as I like this Japanese brand for their rice cookers. It was decently made, but there were a few design choices/flaws that bugged me enough that I returned it (thanks to a good Amazon return policy on them). The strong point for them is a very modest design, lightweight, and a good locking cap. But the bottle didn’t feel rugged enough for my purposes and I didn’t like the fact that the bottom isn’t completely smooth (there’s a raised circular segment that makes no sense to me).
I did manage to spot a brand I’d not seen before called “FineDine.” Amazon ratings are really very good. They make a double-walled steel travel thermos with a copper liner. They have a very wide range of colors and designs. One thing very innovative is that they provide you with 3 screw caps. One is spring clip lid, another has a collapsible straw, and the other is a flip top lid. The prices fluctuate a lot by color selection and some periodically go on discounted prices. Cheapest I’ve seen is $16 for the smallest size (25 oz). They also offer 32, 40, and 64 oz sizes.
Anyone else here into double-walled insulated drinking mugs/bottles and willing to share experiences? Please do!
