Three times a week I get up early to go lift weights with a colleague. One of the main motivations for getting out of bed is the knowledge that I'll have ample coffee throughout the day to keep me going post-workout. In the past I've carried the previously reviewed Contigo (which is still the best travel cup around) but found it held too little, especially if I share coffee with my work out partner. I've also used my fiancee's grandfather's old Thermos built around an insulated glass bottle which, while larger, is too fragile for daily use that involves rolling around in the trunk of my car. I realized I needed a replacement.
Luckily, in the modern world of insulating containers there is a clear king: Thermos-Nissan. Their stainless steel high-vacuum thermoses are renowned for their ability to keep beverages hot or cold for days at a time (previously reviewed here and here), and the 61 oz stainless-steel bottle is no different. While holding an enormous volume (seriously, this thing is huge) it provides unparalleled insulation and usability. Embarassingly, on several occasions I have made coffee and forgotten it on the counter only to find it piping hot a full 24-hours later.
In terms of use, pouring a thermos can be a drippy affair (especially those with larger volumes), but the foldable handle built in to the 61-oz model coupled with the flow controlling lid makes it easy. And while I was initially wary of any coffee container that needed a shoulder strap, after putting it through months of use I have found it incredibly handy for when I'm carrying anything else. Be warned, though, as people will struggle to understand why you're carrying something that looks like a cross between a battering ram and a missile launcher (someone else mentioned that it looked like it should carry radioactive material).
A thermos is a weird thing to geek out about, but in this case the praise is well deserved. Between the heating and cooling curves provided in the literature that I've personally verified, to the lifetime warranty and solid stainless steel build, this is one hell of an insulating bottle.
Thermos Nissan 61-oz Stainless Steel Insulating Bottle
$28
Manufactured by Thermos Nissan
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