Annette: I love my warm drinks, but inevitably, I am taking my drink to the microwave to rewarm it or I end up finishing it off when it is lukewarm. Hello, Klean Kanteen! This insulated stainless steel coffee mug arrived on my doorstep recently and I put it to the test. I took my 16 oz. mug to Starbucks for a Chai Tea Latte before work. With my drink in hand I was surprised that the Klean Kanteen didn’t feel warm on the outside with the hot drink inside. The Cafe Cap worked great and I didn’t have any spills or leakage as I hit a bump or two along the road. My drink didn’t cool down the way it usually does as I slowly sip it at my desk in the morning. In fact, with the Cafe Cap I had to be really careful, because there is a bigger lip than I’m used to and more would come out at once – which was a bit of a surprise at first since I usually try to take small sips of my hot Chai. My first client arrived early that day and I had to set my drink aside for more than an hour. When I got back to it, my drink was still hot. What a treat! While I haven’t tested how long my drink will stay hot, Kleen Kanteen says it keeps drinks hot for 10 hours. I sure hope I don’t have to wait that long to get to my morning caffeine!
I also tried the Klean Kanteen with a cold drink. I easily scooped some ice into it and then filled it with cold water. Iced drinks are supposed to stay cold for 30 hours, but I can’t go that long without drinking water. However, I did refill the water several times and the ice kept it cold all day. I even left some ice in it overnight and the following evening there was still a little bit of ice remaining!
The Cafe Cap is very secure and didn’t leak at all when I turned the Klean Kanteen upside down. The cap has an easy twist closure to keep your drink from spilling and is easily twisted open when you want a drink. The Cafe Cap is also easy to clean. It doesn’t have all the crazy nooks and crannies that some lids have. So after a quick hand washing, my cap and mug are ready to be used again. Good thing, because I think I’m addicted!
Company: Klean Kanteen
Product: Klean Kanteen Insulated Wide 16 oz ($30.95)
More About Klean Kanteen:
Klean Kanteen® is a family-owned company on a mission. We introduced the first stainless steel, BPA-free, reusable water bottle in 2004 because we wanted a non-toxic solution to single-use plastic water bottles.
Today, as a certified B Corporation, we not only create the highest quality reusable products on the planet, we work hard to bring benefit to the people and places we touch—and we do everything we can to keep single-use waste from trashing the world.
Joe: I know lots of people never leave home without a water bottle in hand. I’m not one of them. Oh, I have a large collection of water bottles obtained at races, some somewhat fancy, most very simple. But I drink enough water at home and can usually locate a water fountain when I’m thirsty and away from the house, so I’m no aficionado of water bottles.
The Platypus Meta Bottle Plus Microfilter in “Bluebird Day”
That said, it was fun to try out a new high tech filtering bottle from Platypus. The Meta Bottle is comprised of two halves, a flexible, packable bottom half, and a rigid top half that screw together. A tethered screw-on cap is easy to loosen and tighten, and the water flows smoothly when drinking. My version of the Meta Bottle comes with a removable microfilter that screws into the rigid top half.
The Meta Bottle is uniquely versatile: You can use it as a conventional bottle; unscrew the top half and use it as a cup; or install the filter and use it on hikes, trail ultras, or backpacking trips, refilling from lakes and streams (unscrew the halves, scoop water into the bottom half, screw on the top, swish the water around a few seconds, then squeeze the water through the filter to drink). The “squishy” bottom half makes the Meta more packable than the average plastic or metal bottle. My bottle is “Bluebird Day” color, but the Meta also comes in five other bright shades, including “Aquamarine”, “Coral Pink”, “Lupine Purple”, “Slate Gray”, and “Spring Leaf”.
While I haven’t taken my Meta Bottle on any extended through hikes or ultras, I have found it to be a very useful and high quality vessel. A few caveats though: Don’t squeeze the soft bottom half too hard while taking a drink: It’s easy to do this the first few times and inadvertently get a faceful of H2O. Don’t unscrew the wrong joint when the bottle is full: Accidentally unscrew the middle instead of the cap and you’ll wind up all wet. The advertised 1.0 liter capacity is reduced to around 0.75 liters when the filter is installed. There are several reports of leaking Meta Bottles in the online reviews, but mine seems leak-free so far. And, as with all plastic water bottles, the water has an occasional subtle plastic taste. But, all things considered, the Platypus Meta Bottle will be one of my first choices when I need to take (or get) some water to go.
Company: Platypus
Product: Meta Bottle Plus Microfilter (On sale for $36.95 as of Nov. 27th – regularly $49.95)
More about Platypus:
Taste-Free & Adventure-Ready
Our mission is to offer the finest taste-free and adventure-ready hydration and water filtration products on the planet.
For over 20 years, we’ve made water bottles and hydration solutions for everyday hydration needs from the city to the trail.
We Believe in Making Things Right
We’re proud of the fact that we make the majority of our hydration solutions here in the U.S.A. in our own factory. And because we believe in what we make, and making it right, we have our own certified, world-class water laboratory, which enables us to research, develop, and test technologies so that you can have safe, effective, and dependable hydration and filtration options that meet your needs.
Thank you to Klean Kanteen and Platypus for providing us with samples. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
